Currency: Euro	Language: Italian
Shoulder Season: March – May, October – November. When I visited in October, the weather was perfect, and it was not crowded.	Florence is a city best seen on foot.

I often see people in online forums trying to decide whether they should go to Rome or Florence. Having been to Rome twice and spending half of my honeymoon in Florence, I’d pick the latter every time.

Firenze (as the Italians call it), is a stunning city with gorgeous Renaissance buildings that tower over narrow streets. Whether you are an art lover, a history enthusiast, an avid shopper, a foodie, or simply just like looking at pretty things, Florence is the place to be.

It is an easily managed city that is best seen on foot. I spent several days there on my honeymoon and often found myself walking as if in a daze, head tilted back, trying to take in the buildings that held intricate designs from street to sky. I passed by some of the buildings several times each day, and each time I would stop to take a picture, completely awestruck. My husband teased me, saying I had already gotten about 12 pictures of whatever building I was captivated by during the moment. Looking back through my pictures now, I see that he was right. But I simply couldn’t resist. Florence is magnificent in every way.

Here are my top recommendations if you are visiting the birthplace of the Renaissance for the first time:

Go Inside the Duomo

If you search for images of Florence, I guarantee nearly every one will feature a beautiful terracotta-tiled domed cathedral that markedly stands out against the rest of Florence’s skyline. The Gothic cathedral is known as The Duomo, and it took over 2 centuries to be completed. You need to go inside. Don’t miss the mosaic tiled floors and be sure to look up so you can see the frescoes of The Last Judgement which fill the dome. To visit the cathedral is free, but to climb to the top of The Cupola, you must purchase a ticket (more on that below).

Climb to the Top of the Cupola for Spectacular Views

Climbing to the top of the cupola isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a whopping 463 steps up a narrow spiral staircase with lots of other people. This claustrophobic asthmatic was happy to complete the task though when I saw the frescoes of The Last Judgement up close and was rewarded with panoramic views of Florence. The only hikes I like are ones where I’m rewarded with great views or ancient artifacts (like the time I practically crawled up a narrow passageway to see the sarcophagus inside The Great Pyramid). This was one trek where the reward at the end did not disappoint.

Reservations are mandatory to climb the Duomo. Purchase the Cumulative Ticket for 72 hour access to all of the monuments of the Grande Museo del Duomo: the cathedral, dome, baptistry, bell tower, and crypt.

Piazza della Signoria

Not far from the Piazza del Duomo and just outside the Ufizzi Gallery is the large square known as Piazza della Signoria. The square dates back to the 14th century and is home to Florence’s town hall, Palazzo Vecchio, which was built over 700 years ago. Today people gather to see the statues that line the square, many of the sculptures symbolic of the people’s feelings of triumph when the Medici were ran out of Florence and others signifying the Medici’s defiance when they returned to power in 1530.

Don’t miss the plaque in front of the fountain of Neptune which marks the spot where Girolamo Savonarola and two of his close followers were hanged and burned in 1498. While Florence experienced its Renaissance, Girolamo viewed the city as being morally corrupt and openly condemned it through his sermons and massive bonfires where he and his followers would burn items deemed sinful. After acquiring numerous powerful enemies, Girolamo was publicly executed for being a heretic.

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Note that a few of the statues in the open air gallery are copies. I heard lots of people exclaiming their surprise that Michelangelo’s David wasn’t quite what they suspected. That’s because they needed to head to the Uffizi Gallery to see the real thing.

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Uffizi Palace and Gallery

One of my favorite museums <3 The Uffizi Gallery is a beautiful building overflowing with notable pieces of art for you to swoon over. See Renaissance greats like Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Spring and The Birth of Venus, and Piero della Francesca’s The Duke and Duchess of Urbino. I was brought to tears seeing some of my favorite artwork in person. It made me remember why I loved my art history class so much at UGA.

Ponte Vecchio

Walk along the Ponte Vecchio for canal views and shopping. The famed arched bridge was once home to butcher shops and fish stalls in Medieval times, but is now the place to shop for jewelry and art. It is the oldest bridge in Florence and the only bridge across the Arno not destroyed in WWII by the Germans. Ponte Vecchio is the perfect spot to take a romantic stroll in the evenings.

Vintage Vespa Tour

After my boss told me about the amazing cooking class he took with Walkabout Florence, we decided to book a vintage vespa tour with the tour company. Our adventure began with a quick training in a quiet alley on how to ride our vespas, and then we were off!

The tour lasted roughly 4 hours and took us all over the city. We stopped at a few overlook spots, some giving us views of vineyards sprawled across rolling hills and others showing us panoramic views of Florence’s skyline. The tour passed through Piazzale Michelangelo where we had the opportunity to visit the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte, one of the oldest churches in Florence which sits atop one of the city’s highest peaks. Then, we had a delicious traditional Italian lunch on a private terrace with a magnificent view. This is one of my favorite experiences I’ve had while traveling.

Street Art

One of my favorite things about Florence was the contrast of the modern street art against the surrounding old buildings. Street artists were respectful, coming up with creative ways to showcase their talents that would not take away from the historic charm, such as chalk art displays in the streets. My absolute favorite Florentine street art pieces though are the works of Blub, an anonymous artists known for his quirky renditions of Italian icons donning diving masks against a watery blue backdrop. The pieces can be found throughout the city on the little doors covering the water and gas access to buildings. Discovering them turned into a fun scavenger hunt. We kept an eye out for them while we were exploring, and I of course took pictures of all the ones we stumbled across:

Santa Croce Basilica

Considered the largest Franciscan church in the world, Santa Croce Basilica contains 16 family chapels ornately decorated with beautiful frescoes and sculptures. Another interesting fact that sets this basilica apart from others in Florence, is that Santa Croce is the final resting place of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, and the empty tomb of Dante (who was exiled from Florence because of his political affiliations).

Visit Piazza della Republica at Night

Piazza della Republica marks the center of Florence. The medieval buildings that once stood in the square were torn down and replaced with more modern ones in a city clean-up effort in the 1800s. At night, buskers and other street performers can be found here entertaining those passing by. If you come during off season, keep an eye out for the carousel that is set up every year outside the Arch of Triumph. If you’re interested in dining where many of Florence’s artists and writers congregated in the past, check out Caffé Gilli, Caffé Paskowski, and Caffé delle Giubbe Rosse.

Take a Day Trip

If you’re going to be in Florence more than a few days, it’s the perfect city to act as a base for day trips! I recommend going to Lucca or Pisa. Lucca is a beautifully preserved walled city, just under 2 hours from Florence by train. I loved visiting the city’s walls and seeing multicolored marble facade of the San Michele in Foro Church. Pisa is also easily managed in a day. In around 1.5 hours, you can travel from Florence to Pisa. There isn’t a lot to do in tiny town, but if you want to see the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa with your own eyes, it is worth it!

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Where to Stay in Florence

Unfortunately, the Airbnb we rented is no longer available, or I would share it with you. The views were spectacular, and it was just steps away from the Duomo. Next time I visit though, I will be looking in the same area, which was on one of the streets jutting off of Piazza del Duomo. Because we visited during the shoulder season, this area was not too crowded and surprisingly quiet, despite being so close to Florence’s main attraction.

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Where to Eat in Florence

When trying to figure out where to eat, I relied heavily on one of my favorite blogger’s advice, Girl in Florence. Here were our favorite places we ate at from her list of foodie tips:

Central Market – Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Via dell’Ariento

The Central Market is a 2 level food court with the ground floor housing specialty shops, fruit and vegetable venders, butchers, and fishmongers. The upper level is like a traditional food hall with a large communal dining area surrounded by a plethora of food stalls selling Italian specialties.

Trattoria Osvaldo – Via Gabriele D’Annunzio, 51/R, 50135 Firenze FI, Italy

We wanted to try the traditional Florentine steak, and Trattoria Osvaldo repeatedly showed up as one of the best places to try it. Our server told us one steak would be enough to split. We doubted whether this was true, until we saw the massive steak that was hanging over the large plate it was served on. We could hardly finish it between the both of us. Delicious!

Mangia Pizza Firenze – Via Lambertesca, 24/26/R, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

Hands down the best pizza I’ve ever eaten. We ate here a few times during our week long visit, because we just could not get enough. It is incredibly small with just a few seats inside, but waiting for one to become available is worth it. My favorite pizza was topped with a delicious spicy sausage. No other pizza will ever compare.

Fishing Lab Alle Murate – Via del Proconsolo, 16r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

Brandon and I joke on a weekly basis about flying from ATL to Florence just to eat at this restaurant. When I asked him if there was anything he could think of for me to include in this post, he said “The Fishing Lab”. We ate there too many times to count during our honeymoon. Our favorite dish was a fried mixture of youthful fish, shrimp, calamari, and prawns. Call to reserve a seat at the back of the restaurant so you can look at the frescoes that adorn the walls, including the oldest known portrait of Dante.

I hope you have a wonderful time in Florence! Arrivederci!