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Top Travel Tips for Traveling To Florence
I have been to Florence twice: once as a solo traveler, and the second time, more recently, with my husband. The first time I visited I was young and single. Even then I realized that this was a stunningly romantic city. I knew I wanted to come back with a special someone one day. Now that we live in Europe, taking a weekend trip from Berlin to Florence is inexpensive and quite easy!
Transportation
Florence is very small, but it is likely that you won’t fly into its tiny airport because it is quite expensive. The easiest and cheapest way to get there is to fly into Milan and then take a bus or train to Florence. Make sure to book your tickets in advance online. It is cheaper than buying them at the station!
Within Florence itself, you will not need to take public transportation because the city is very small. They have trams and taxis if you do need them. Plan on doing a lot of walking.
Accommodation
We stayed near the main square, Piazza della Repubblica at Hotel Pendini. The last time I was in Florence I stayed at Casa Corsi near the train station. Casa Corsi was wonderful, with a little house with air conditioning all to myself in a private garden. The hosts gave me the best ideas for exploring Florence as well.
One of the most important things I look for when staying in hotels for a few days in Europe is a good breakfast spread. Hotel Pendini did not disappoint! We stuffed ourselves at breakfast every morning and could basically get by without eating again until dinner. For a traveler on a budget this is a great way to save on food! Hotel Pendini isn’t for a budget traveler, but if you manage to find good deals on booking.com or hotels.com, you might pay around €100 per night to stay here. We thought it was worth the splurge, given its classic rooms and great location. Casa Corsi, in contrast, was only €38 per night.
Florence has a surprising amount of green hidden in its streets if you know where to look.
Food
Eating wonderful Italian food in Florence is a dream come true. I can truly say that I enjoyed every place I ate at here. We splurged a little when we went to the Osteria Santo Spirito restaurant, but sometimes when we are celebrating a life change or big event we decide to spend more money on places like this. It was entirely worth it, without costing too much, either!
Don’t miss out on gelato (which can be found everywhere)! And make sure you have a cappuccino in the morning and an espresso in the afternoon and evening like a true Italian. My favorite Italian meal is gnocchi. I had some of the best gnocchi of my life one night at Osteria Santo Spirito.
Who else always takes photos of their gelato?
What to do
Accademia Gallery & Ufizi Gallery
The first thing you should do is go to the Accademia Gallery to see the famous statue of David. I still remember walking through this museum years ago and appreciating how they had set up the museum for the visitors.
Because it is a sculpture museum, don’t expect to see much else! I am a huge fan of the fine arts world and it was amazing to see so many statues that I had previously only seen in art history books in real life.
When I visited, the museum was set up in such a way that you first walk through a modern sculpture exhibit. Then, you walk through a large selection of Michelangelo sculptures. Suddenly, you turn a corner and David is right in front of you. The statue is enormous (no dirty jokes here, please!), standing over 5 meters high, and it is truly magnificent. They do not allow you to take photos here and there are many monitors to make sure people were not breaking the rules. Unfortunately, I snapped a photo before I realized I wasn’t supposed to, but thankfully there were so many other people there doing the same thing that I didn’t get into any trouble!
If you want to take as many photos of David as you like, there are a few replicas set up around the city. One is in the Piazza della Signoria. This is where the original used to stand before being moved indoors. There is also a bronze copy in the Piazzale Michelangelo.
The other most impressive art museum is the Uffizi Gallery. This incredible building is over 500 years old and houses some of the most famous art in the world. It is definitely worth a visit after the Accademia Gallery.
Gallery of Modern Art
The other museum you should see is the Gallery of Modern Art. You have two choices to see this museum which mostly houses 19th and 20th century paintings and sculptures. You can go to the main entrance and get tickets to see the inside of the museum. Afterwards, wander through the garden outside, or walk up a hill to the side entrance and get a much cheaper ticket for entry to the gardens. The walk takes quite a bit of effort, but saving a few euros and skipping the lines make the effort worth it!
Here is part of the path going up towards the garden entrance. It’s hard to tell how steep it is but be prepared for a climb!
The gardens are very beautiful and set on a hill. If you take the side entrance you will come out at the top of the hill and have a nice view of the city and museum below you. If you go in the main entrance, you can walk through the museum, then go into the garden and head up the hill before exiting at the side and walking back down the hill to the city.
Here is the entryway that we used for the garden.
Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio bridge is famous for the jewelry shops which line the sides of the street. The bridge dates back to the Roman and medieval days and is a very popular point for tourists. As a musician, it’s important to note that the bridge is mentioned in the aria “O mio babbino caro” by Giacomo Puccini.
Now, the bridge is usually packed with people and it’s not always that pleasant to wade through all the tourists. When I was last there, we saw many Hari Krishna followers, and also a lot of protesters. They go where the most people are, and in Florence, this bridge is where you will find the most people!
There are many other bridges in Florence, too. You can get some beautiful views of the canal and the city from these bridges. They are also far less busy than the Ponte Vecchio. The Ponte ally Grazie is a beautiful, picturesque bridge that you will find in many paintings, for example.
Piazzale Michelangelo
The highlight of visiting Florence is walking up to the Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset. From here, you will find the most beautiful view of the city, made even more beautiful by golden hour. At the end of the day, a long walk up the hill towards the Piazzale can be daunting, but there is cold beer and food sold at the top. Many people bring their own wine or make a picnic there while they watch the sunset.
One of the most famous views of Florence you will find!
If you want to avoid the crowds, I would recommend visiting the Piazzale at sunrise. You might not get any beer then, but the views will be just as stunning. You can also snap a photo of the bronze copy of David here.
Basilicas
The most beautiful buildings in Florence are churches, and there are many of them! While walking around you will find the Baptistery of St. John (Battistero di San Giovanni), the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, the Basilica of Santa Croce (Basilica di Santa Croce), the Florence Synagogue (Sinagoga Comunità Ebraica) and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Each are equally beautiful in different ways, but if you want to see the inside brace yourself for very long lines for most of them. You can also see all of these beautiful buildings from the Piazzale Michelangelo.
Walk Around
Florence is such a beautiful city that it can be rewarding to just walk around and explore. Many of the restaurants we found for dinner or lunch were found just by walking by a cute place and going in for some food. The streets are incredibly charming, and it is very easy to meander around the whole city just looking at buildings and people.
Most Romantic City?
We have a special place in our hearts for Italy, as many people do! I firmly believe that Florence is one of the most romantic cities I have visited yet, but I’m open for another place to change my mind!
If you have never been to Europe before, I have recommended other romantic places to visit (such as Dublin or Annecy), but Florence is equally a great place for a first time visit to the continent – especially if you are on your honeymoon or just want a romantic week away with your partner. It has everything: beautiful views and architecture, great food, history, and plenty of opportunities to just stroll and talk.
Other romantic cities suggested to me have been Istanbul , Paris, and the Kenyan coast (ADD LINKS) – all places I have been to. Is there some other place that you believe is incredibly romantic? Tell me about it and I will try and visit!