Best Experiences in Florence, Italy

But first, what type of Florence Traveler are YOU?

• ____My first priority is art and history.
• ____My first priority is shopping and leather.
• ____My first priority is wandering, enjoying the ambiance.
• ____My first priority is food.
• ____I want it all!!!

1. ART and HISTORY BUFFS

FLORENCE is your place! Just turn around and look: Art and history surround you around every corner in Florence.

5 PLACES YOU MUST VISIT AS AN ART AND HISTORY BUFF:

1. Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor

For an art lover, this is THE PLACE. Masterpieces of painting and sculpture are housed here, including works by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Raphael, and more.

Go here For a full description, of the Uffizi.

Vasari Corridor

The Vasari Corridor (above the shops on the Ponte Vecchio) has recently reopened after an eight year closure, and can now be toured. This was the private walkway the Florentine aristocrats, the Medici, used to travel from the Uffizi to the Pitti Palace, so they wouldn’t have to mingle with ordinary people. The tickets for the Vasari Corridor can be an extension of the Uffizi entrance. Please note that you must tour the Uffizi first and then enter the Corridor from the Uffizi, because you may not return to the Uffizi Gallery after you enter the Corridor.

Closed Mondays.

Be sure to book your tickets BEFORE you get to Florence. If you are going to visit during high season (May-September), be sure to book for a specific time.

Note that you may not be able to bring large bags or umbrellas into the museum, though free storage in the cloakroom is available. Note that pregnant women and disabled persons may receive priority treatment.

Tour Alert!

*NOTE: These tickets are scarce, since the corridor has just reopened, and you would do well to book a tour. Here is a highly reviewed suggestion.

Exclusive Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor Small Group Tour

2. Accademia Gallery

The Accademia houses Michelangelo’s David, which is, in my opinion, the most beautiful sculpture in the world, and worth the price of admission on its own. If you have a short amount of time, consider visiting just this piece, as it is very near the front entrance.

Look into David’s eyes, and decide what emotion he is exhibiting. Is it fear, seeing Goliath across the field, or is it calm assurance in his faith in God? The copy of this statue outside the Uffizi does not compare. Also, on the way to the David, you will pass by Michelangelo’s Prisoners which seem to depict prisoners or slaves trying to free themselves from the marble.

For a full description, go here.

Be sure to book your tickets ahead of time. You will be so glad you did when you see the line outside. Closed Mondays.

Tour Alert!

Here are two highly recommended tours:

1. Florence Accademia Gallery Tour with Entrance Ticket Included
2. Academia Expert Guided Tour

3. The Duomo

Tour the Duomo – Admire the Duomo from every side, at all times of the day, and (just a hint) know it is way more spectacular outside than inside, in my opinion. The good news is that it is a FREE attraction. HOT TIP: Rooftop bars offer a great photo op, such as the one where this view was taken, and this was absolutely free.

Rinascente Department Store in Piazza della Republica.

4. Climb the Cupola (Inside the Dome).

For you adventurers, climb the Duomo cupola. Filippo Brunelleschi completed this architectural masterpiece in 1436 and you can climb its interior.

NOTE: This is a climb of 465 steps and is not for the faint, the claustrophobic, or those afraid of heights. You will absolutely need to book your time slot ahead.

Book Tickets for the Cupola Climb:

Book a tour with a guide for the in and out of the Duomo, plus the Cupola. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:

Florence Skip-the-Line Duomo Tour with Guide & Brunelleschi Dom

5. Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio is the oldest and most famous of Florence’s bridges that span the Arno River. Built in 1345, it was the only bridge in Florence that survived World War II. In fact, when ordered to demolish all bridges in Florence, the German bombardier, knowing the history of the bridge, refused to do so.

Originally the shops on the bridge were the home of butchers and fishmongers, including all the by-products associated with such establishments. In 1593, it was decreed that only goldsmiths and jewelers would inhabit the coveted spaces, and that remains true until this day.

Ponte Vecchio is a free, pedestrian-only bridge and is open to the public all hours and all days.

2. Shopping and Leather Buffs

Mama mia! Have you come to the right place!! Hint: Bring your passport shopping.(Actually, leave your passport in your hotel safe, and bring a color copy shopping.) If you buy an expensive item, you may be able to claim the sales tax back at the airport when you leave. The shops may volunteer to help you with this, but will need your passport to do so.

Leather is abundant in Florence, but beware! All you see is not real leather. Here are some guidelines for you:

 Real leather is not cheap.

 Real leather should smell natural and not chemical.

 Real leather should feel buttery (Or as I say, “Like Buttah”. I prefer smooth (looks like skin) Florentine leather over pebbled leather.

 Stitching is straight and tight. On jackets, look for uniformity.

 Check out the hardware and the zippers and fasteners.

 Know that “Made in Italy” may mean it is only partially made in Italy.

You can find some deals at the leather markets, but you are usually safer to find the real thing in a leather shop. Outdoor leather markets are available in San Lorenzo, by Mercado Centrale, and Mercato Nuovo.

My favorite leather shops are:

 Via de Ginori 23 –

This is both the address and the name of the shop. You will find real quality leather here, from leather pouches to wallets to purses to briefcases to jackets.My favorite souvenir/gift is their little leather pouches for inside larger bags.

 Mannelli Leather – On the Oltrarno (far) side of Ponte Vecchio, just as you leave the bridge, on the right side. I have a timeless hobo-style bag from Mannelli.

 Madova Gloves – Every color, every size, every design you can imagine beautifully crafted at a reasonable price. Some of my Madova gloves are over 10 years old and still look like new.

Just as you exit Ponte Vecchio on the Oltrarno side.

 The Leather School (Scuola del Cuoio) – This is where artisans are taught to work in leather and the workshop is in Florence proper, just behind the Santa Croce Cathedral (Basilica di Santa Croce), on the left side as you are facing it. Keep walking just a little past the ticket booth and you will see the entrance. (You won’t need a ticket to enter the school.)

The work here is high quality and can be a bit expensive. However, anything you buy can be engraved for free, including bookmarks, which make a wonderful souvenir/gift.

Other people have recommended these leather shops:

• Infinity Firenze Borgo – Santi Apostoli – 18 R, 50123, close to Ponte Vecchio

• Poker Leather Goods. – 28/R Piazza Santa Croce

Perfume

In 2023, when we were in Florence, I was shopping for perfume for my 4 teenage granddaughters. Where could I find affordable, yet light-scented perfume? I was so pleased when I found:

 Officina Profumo—Farmaceutica – Next to Santa Maria Novella. I walked past it several times before finding it. The world’s oldest pharmacy and an upscale pefumery. The prices made it a fun place for me to browse.

4. Foodies

Be still my heart! Florence is the place to be for great food!

Here are some general Italian hints for finding a good place to eat:

• Check the reviews for the restaurants you visit and make a reservation (from the states). I don’t know how many people have told me, “I wish I would have taken the time to eat better in Italy, instead of just choosing what was at hand at the time”.

HINT: The Fork is a free app. and books foreign restaurants for free. If the restaurant is not listed with The Fork, email the restaurant from the states to save the phone charges. All restaurants I have ever contacted have responded to me within 2 days at the most.

• If you want to eat with locals, book your reservation for 8:00pm or later. (Believe me, this is the experience you want!)

Dinner is a family experience and babies and youngsters are welcome everywhere.

Our personal favorite for dinner: Trattoria 4 Leone in the Oltrarno district.

Our personal favorite for lunch, aperitivo, or just for wandering food stalls: Mercato Centrale in the San Lorenzo markets, Piazza del Mercato Centrale 4. Here you will find a bustling food market of cheeses, fish, meats, produce, cafés, vinegars, olive oil, candies, and all things food on the first floor. Il Mercato Centrale Firenze is open daily from Sunday to Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to midnight.

The food hall on the second floor, featuring various restaurants, is open daily, 8:00 AM to midnight. Share a table with someone and meet a new friend as we did on our last trip, a couple from Wales!

Wine Windows Walk with Wine Tasting and Appetizers. (“buchette del vino”): One unique attraction you will find in Florence is the miniature doors in the side of some buildings, known as “wine windows” where one can order and enjoy wine from the street via a little window. Though they have been around for hundreds of years, many wine windows were resurrected during Covid to facilitate low-contact service.

Wine Window How to:

1. Knock on the door or ring the bell.

2. You will be asked for your order and your payment.

3. Moments later, your order arrives via the window.

4. Returning the glass may be through workers who are circulating outside, via a shelf, or another method, but usually this is evident at the particular location.

Wine Windows Not to Miss:

• Babae

• Vivoli

We LOVE Food Tours

Coming into Florence for a short visit and want to have help finding good food, or just want to mingle with other foodies? A food tour is the way to go! When we went on our first food tour in Florence, there were only two to choose from. Now, we have scoured the many food tours to find the best reviewed for you:

Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour with Eating Europe

Tasty Florence Street Food with Guided Walking of the City

Food-Tour-with-Guided-Sightseeing-of-the-City-Center

Streaty – Street Food Tour of Florence

Tour-of-Florence

We LOVE Cooking Classes

What a fun way to spend part of your day. Bring home your new expertise and share with your own cooking demonstration or Italian party. These are highly rated, earning awards from Trip Advisor: Florence Small-Group Pasta Class with Seasonal Ingredients

Florence-The-best-of-italian-stuffed-pasta

Handmade Pasta and Tiramisu class in Florence

Small-group-Pasta-and-Tiramisu-class-in-Florence

Florence: Crazy for Pasta Cooking Class and Gelato Makin

Buon Appetito! Enjoy Every Minute.

I truly hope you enjoyed your Florence adventure. Plan to return soon. Go back through the Tours and decide to schedule today before the one you want becomes full.

Good Night, Florence. See you again soon!