Florence, Italy
Florence (Firenze) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and an absolutely stunning place to visit. I was in Florence for the very first time in September 2017. By just looking around, you can tell that this city has a vast history with lots stories protected within its walls.
Where to stay
I’ve only stayed at one location in Florence so I don’t have much to compare it to, but I loved the spot and would definitely recommend it. We rented a small two-bedroom home which was only a few steps from Ponte Vecchio, a picturesque medieval arched river bridge with Roman origins, lined with jewelry & souvenir shops. Our place was quiet and cozy.
Check out our Airbnb.
Where to eat & drink
La Buchetta Food & Wine restaurant €€-€€€
Order the Florentine Steak and/or the Gnocchi. Reservations are a good idea.
Gelateria DEI NERI €
This is THE BEST gelato in Florence. No questions asked.
Golden View €€
Great spot for a quick drink and some midday snacks. Order the oysters.
Must Do’s
Piazza del Duomo — free!
You cannot skip going to Piazza del Duomo. It’s like nothing you could have ever seen before. Magnificent and jaw-dropping.
Located in the heart of the historic center of Florence, it is one of the most visited places in Europe and the world. The square contains the Florence Cathedral with the Cupola del Brunelleschi, the Giotto's Campanile, the Florence Baptistery, the Loggia del Bigallo, the Opera del Duomo Museum, and the Arcivescovile and Canonici's palace. More on Wikipedia…
Michelangelo’s David €50-60 with guided tour
Ponte Vecchio — free!
Pastamania on Airbnb $30 per person
Find a secret bakery €2-5
You must see Michelangelo’s David in person. It’s quite a treat. And much bigger in person than you’d think. In order to see it, you must buy a museum ticket for Galleria dell'Accademia. We ended up buying tickets outside of the museum the day of to skip the line and receive a guided walking tour from a local. This was absolutely the right choice.
Pastamania is an Airbnb Experience we bought and was one of the highlights of the trip. The experience is hosted by a local pasta shop owner, Giulio E Marina, and he is an excellent teacher. We were so inspired by Giulio that the day after we got back home in the USA, we decided to try and make homemade egg pasta on our own. The pasta we made (and ate!) in the Pastamania class is some of the best pasta I have ever eaten—I'm still working on perfecting the process on my own.
Find a secret bakery
Secret bakeries (or late-night bakeries) have become well known to the party-goers and night owls of Florence. Although these bakeries are not so secret anymore, they are still hard to find. Imagine taking a bite out of a warm, fresh, oven-baked cornetto at 3 o'clock in the morning. Really, nothing compares. Most of the information around where these bakeries are located and when they open are still passed along through word of mouth, so it's considered a special discovery every time you find one. When I visited, we found one! And I found this article super helpful. May it bring good fortune to you as well. Good luck!
Lifetimes In: Florence was last updated in February 2022
