After countless trip to Italy, Florence has become one of our favorite cities to explore. It’s the perfect size where it’s easily walkable, but large enough where you’ll never run out of activities and historic sites. Whether you have 24 hours or a few days to visit, you’re sure to have a blast! Here’s all the best things to do in Florence Italy, including some of our favorite restaurants and skip the line tips.
Planning Your Trip to Florence
Where to Stay: There are so many great hotels to stay around Florence. For the best location, you’ll want to be close to old town and Ponte Vecchio bridge.
We stayed closer to the il Mercato Centrale Firenze market on our last trip. This made it quite a far walk to the Duomo, Old Town, and best things to do in Florence Italy.
However, we enjoyed being in a new and different area of the city. Check out Hotel della Signoria, Borgia di Firenze, and Maison Santa Croce before your visit.
Seasons: What’s the best time to visit Florence? We love to go in the shoulder season of spring and fall to avoid the crowds.
Yet, after our recent trip in mid-August, and we actually don’t recommend it! The weather was stifling out and the crowds were definitely crazy.
Don’t get us wrong, we still had so much fun. Still, we would advise you to plan your holiday outside of July and August if possible.
Arriving from the Airport: If you’re planning on flying into Florence, Amerigo Vespucci Airport is only 15-20 minutes away from the city center. We always check Skyscanner, especially in Europe where we’ve gotten tickets for less than 20 euros.
It’s easy enough to hop on the T2 tram line from there for €1.50. The other option is to grab a taxi cab, which will cost you between 20 to 25 Euros.
What to Wear: This will completely depend on what season you’re visiting Florence! If you’re going in the summer as we did, be sure to bring hats, sunscreen, and comfortable clothes. You’ll want to bring good walking shoes no matter the season (skip the heals), as the public transportation isn’t great around the city.
Take a Tuscany Road Trip: We highly recommend adding Florence to a larger Tuscany itinerary. There are endless small and historic towns to visit out in the countryside.
Some of our favorites include Montepulciano, Pitigliano, and Cortona. We even recently made a trip to the Saturnia Hot Springs for a soak!
The best way to get around once you leave Florence is by renting a car. Check out this guide with tips for planning a visit to Tuscany as well.
10 Best Things to do in Florence Italy
1. See the Statue of David
What would a trip to Florence be without seeing one of the most famous sculptures in the world? This 17 foot tall statue was carved out of marble by Michelangelo in the early 16th century.
It was made to portray the biblical figure David before his battle with Goliath. Today, the renaissance art is perceived to be the ideal male form. You can see David inside of the Galleria dell’accademia in all his glory.
Make sure to buy your tickets in advance (we used the official website) since you’ll need to book a specific time slot to see the Statue of David. By in advance, we mean several weeks as they do sell out. If you don’t have a ticket but really want to go, then you can try your luck in the walk-in line for same day tickets.
Another option is to jump on a guided tour. Know that the area is a little tight with the crowds to be on a tour. With that said, you will learn more in depth about all the art and history. You can also look into these skip the line tickets to save time.
2. Florence Food Markets
If you couldn’t guess, many of the best things to do in Florence involve the delicious Italian cuisine. We are in Italy after all!
Some of our favorite places to eat are at all the different food markets around the city. They are all a bit different from each other, with a mix of fresh produce, street food, meat, and seafood available.
As you’ll see below, some are only one day per week or once a month. Here are a few of our favorite food markets in Florence to experience on your first visit.
Mercato Centrale: The most popular food market in Florence and open everyday. It has a massive food hall, which makes for a great place to grab lunch or a drink in the San Lorenzo neighborhood. While it is mostly Italian, there is also international food at the dozens of stalls.
Mercato delle Cascine: A special Tuesday Market in Florence with everything from clothing to food. It’s located in the city’s biggest park (Parco delle Cascine) along the Arno River.
Il Mercatale: Takes place on the first Saturday of the month, with the exception of January, July, and August. You’ll mostly find artisan products like cheese, olive oil, and wine at this all day festival.
Mercato di Sant’Amrbogio: Local market with street food, produce, and authentic vibes. It’s open every day except Sunday from 7am to 2pm.
La Fierucole: Only on the third Sunday of each month. Similar to Il Mercatale, but with organic products and local farm stands.
3. Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens
After you hit the markets, this city has some incredible gardens to explore! The Palazzo Pitti should definitely be on your list when looking for what to do in Florence.
It was originally built in 1458 by the Florentine banker Luca Pitti before being bought by the infamous Medici family around 100 years later. Today, the palace is filled with amazing art, royal apartments, and treasures from times past.
Just behind Palazzo Pitti is the beautiful Bobili Gardens. It was designed in renaissance style for Eleonora di Toledo of the Medici family. They went on to influence other majestic gardens around Europe including Versailles in France!
Leave yourself at least 2-3 hours to visit. You can buy a combined ticket to see both here.
4. Explore the Duomo
Seeing the Duomo is easily one of the best things to do in Florence Italy. You will surely walk past it countless times while wandering the streets, but no trip is complete without going inside.
The Florence Cathedral is technically free to enter, but keep in mind that the lines can often be several hours long to get in. The best way to enter the Duomo is by booking a combo ticket. This actually lets you go in from the side door at a set time.
The museum is super interesting as well. What you might not realize, is that many of the statues and tiles on the building are actually replicas. Many of the real ones can be found inside the museum section.
If you aren’t afraid of heights and lots of steps, then there are two places in the Duomo that you absolutely can’t miss. One is Brunelleschi Dome, which gets you up into the famous Dome.
The second is the giant Bell Tower right next to the Duomo. This is the perfect spot if you want an aerial view over the city. The 414 steps to the top we’re a little too much for us on a hot August day, but we’re definitely doing it next time!
5. Eat a Famous Florence Sandwich
You may have seen the viral videos of the massive sandwiches before your trip to Florence. Well, we’re here to tell you All’Antico Vinaio lives up to the hype!
The main thing besides the fresh ingredients and cold cuts is the focaccia bread. We’ve traveled all over Italy, and honestly never tasted a focaccia so crisp and tasty.
Florence is known as the sandwich capital of the world, but this spot in particular has grown to be the most popular. The main All’Antico Vinaio location is on Via dei Neri in the city center.
Unfortunately, with its newfound fame comes long lines. During peak hours in the summer, it took us about 25 minutes to get our order in.
There are actually 2 storefronts on the same street. If one line is looking shorter, know that you can hop in that one to get your food faster.
We ordered one with Prosciutto and another with Mortadella, and they were a food lovers dream. You can easily take them to go, but most people eat them right on the street with a cold beverage.
On a side note, this street is awesome. It’s full of fun bars and restaurants, and definitely a great place to spend some time.
6. Hit the Florence Wine Windows
The wine windows have recently become one of the best things to do in Florence Italy. However, the history goes back a few hundreds of years when it comes to this exciting activity!
It all started in the late 16th century as a way for rich families from Florence to sell wine in the city. In the 1600’s, these small windows became even more important during outbreaks of the Plague.
Interestingly enough, they only came back into use recently during COVID over the last few years. The ones that remain open are connected to wine bars or restaurants where you can also go inside.
Here’s a fun map of a popular wine window trail around the city. They typically serve red, white, or different flavored spritzes. You can have your drink outside, or even take them to go! Two of our favorites were Osteria belle Donne and Babae.
7. Shop at the Leather Market
Up for some more shopping? Then you won’t want to miss Mercato di San Lorenzo!
Florence has been at at the heart of leather production in Europe for hundreds of years. You can find leather products all over the city, but the main market to go to is in the San Lorenzo neighborhood.
Strolling through this outdoor artisan market is an experience in itself, even if you’re not planning to buy anything. You’ll find purses, belts, gloves, and all kinds of unique leather items.
Now, there are still some fake leather floating around the market. To avoid getting scammed, you’ll want to look for the “Made in Italy” labels and make sure it’s giving off that pure leather scent.
It’s smart to head to some of the well-known leather shops to be safe for the more expensive items. For an authentic experience, you can even visit the actual workshops around the Oltrarno neighborhood across the river.
8. Enjoy an Affogato in Florence
One of the most incredible drinks in Florence combines two of Italy’s greatest flavors. It starts with a scoop of delicious gelato and then a hot cup of espresso is poured over the top.
Sounds good, right?? We’ve tried a few of these around the city and can’t get enough. The most famous place to grab one is Vivoli Gelateria. However, our favorite spot was actually Gelateria dei Neri, and it was basically half the price.
The most popular affogato is with vanilla gelato. Yet, know at many places you can pick what flavor to go inside! Most cafes will even top it with a splash if liquor if you’d like.
9. Dinner in the Oltrarno Neighborhood
By now you know many of the best things to do in Florence Italy involve eating! The Oltrarno neighborhood is known for having some of the top restaurants in the city.
We had so much fun strolling through the colorful streets, stopping into cafes, and grabbing a bite to eat. Nevertheless, you’ll definitely want to have a reservation for dinner in Oltrarno.
Some of the most highly-rated restaurants are Trattoria Giovanni, La Casalinga, Trattoria l’Raddi, and All’Antico Ristoro di Cambi. There are also plenty of great wine bars with more snack-style food like Le Volpi e l’Uva to stop into.
Our favorite dishes are pasta with wild boar ragu (Tagliatelle al Cinghiale), the Florentine steak, and famous tripe sandwich.
If you’re looking to try more of the best food in the city you can jump on a Florence food tour, or even take a cooking class.
10. Watch the Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
There’s no better way to end your day in Florence than by watching the sun go down. If you didn’t already know, this city has one of the most iconic sunset spots in the world!
We had the chance to experience this on our last visit, and it was such a highlight. Still, there are a few things to know before you go to Piazzale Michelangelo.
The first is that it gets very crowded at this special spot above Florence. To get a seat on the steps, you’ll want to arrive at least an hour before the sunset.
Another recommendation is to grab a pizza at I’PIZZACCHIERE before you go up. It’s also a good idea to bring your own drinks for golden hour.
The area just above the steps turns into one giant party with live music after the sun goes down. This makes it the perfect place to get your night out started on the weekends. Check out our complete guide to watching the sunset in Florence before you go.
Have any questions about this article or want to share more of the best things to do in Florence Italy? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
