The guide to discovering Florence: Offices, Duomo, authentic trattorias under 30€, gelato, Oltrarno. With our Google Maps links and verified prices.
Florence: a complete guide for travelers, things to do and where to eat
Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance, packed into a compact city that’s easy to explore. Here, you might spot a Botticelli on your way to coffee, eat the best bistecca of your life for 20€, and every little alley leads to a palazzo or a church that takes your breath away. Here’s our hands-on guide, with the spots that are truly worth the detour.
Florence in a few words
Florence is where the Renaissance was born. In the 15th century, the Medici family, immensely wealthy bankers who became the city's rulers, funded the greatest artists in history: Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael. Everything you see in Florence comes from that creative burst that changed Western art forever.
In practical terms, that means every church, every palazzo, every square has a story to tell. Michelangelo's David was sculpted when he was 26. Brunelleschi invented a groundbreaking building technique for the Duomo's dome, without interior scaffolding, an achievement engineers still study today. Botticelli painted The Birth of Venus for a Medici villa.
Florence is small (400,000 residents) and very touristy (16 million visitors a year). But if you wander away from the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio, you'll find an authentic Florence, especially in Oltrarno and San Frediano, where artisans still work leather, wood, and gold as they did in the 15th century.
What to do? The must-see highlights
Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi)
A Renaissance art treasure. Botticelli (The Birth of Venus, Spring), Leonardo, Raphael, Caravaggio... A museum that alone makes a trip to Florence worthwhile. Book your ticket.
25€ full price + 4€ reservation
Free for under 18s
After 4 p.m.: 16€
The Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral is free to enter. The climb up Brunelleschi's dome (463 steps) rewards you with a breathtaking view over Florence and the Tuscan hills. A 15th-century engineering masterpiece.
Cathedral: free
Dome: full pass ~30€ (dome + bell tower + baptistery + museum)
Galleria dell'Accademia (Michelangelo's David)
The original David is here: 5 meters of white marble, and a physical presence no photo can convey. The room is built around it, and the light falls from the dome. Magic.
17€ + 4€ reservation
Free under 18
The world's most famous medieval bridge, with its goldsmith shops. Free to cross, beautiful at sunset. Better yet: admire it from Ponte Santa Trinita.
It's free to stroll around!
The panoramic view over Florence. Head up at sunset with a bottle of wine and watch the city light up. One of the most beautiful views in Italy.
Free
The church where Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini rest. Giotto frescoes, Gothic architecture. The "Pantheon of Italian Greats".
8€ full price
Our local tip The Uffizi and the Accademia are PACKED in high season. Book at least 2 weeks ahead and choose an early-morning slot (8:15 am) or late afternoon. On the first Sunday of the month, state museums are free, but the line is brutal. |
What to Do? Florence’s Secrets
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
A pharmacy-perfumery run by Dominican monks since 1612. The rooms are works of art (frescoes, vaulted ceilings, gilding). You can buy handmade soaps, colognes, and creams here.
💰 Free entry | Products: 10-50€ | Category: Free
🗺️ Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/Officina_Santa_Maria_Novella_Firenze
📍 Oltrarno (left bank)
Florence’s artisan district. Leather workshops, cabinetmakers, art restorers... the ‘real’ Florence, far from the crowds. Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens are here too.
💰 Free stroll | Palazzo Pitti: 19€ | Boboli: 10€ | Category: Free / €€
🗺️ Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/Oltrarno_Firenze
📍 Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio
The locals’ market (not the touristy San Lorenzo one). Fruit, vegetables, cheese, and at the back: little counters serving ribollita and lampredotto for 5-8€.
💰 Lunch: 5-10€ | Category: €
🗺️ Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mercato_Sant_Ambrogio_Firenze
📍 Giardino delle Rose
A terraced garden just below Piazzale Michelangelo. Roses, views over Florence, contemporary sculptures. Almost nobody there. Free.
💰 Free | Category: Free
🗺️ Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/Giardino_Rose_Firenze
📍 Cappella Brancacci (frescoes by Masaccio)
The frescoes that invented perspective in painting (1425). Masaccio was 25 when he painted them, and he completely changed Western art. Tucked away in a small church in Oltrarno.
💰 10€ | Booking recommended | Category: €
🗺️ Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cappella_Brancacci_Firenze
📍 Basilica di San Miniato al Monte
Above Piazzale Michelangelo, this 11th-century Romanesque basilica has an even better view than the piazzale, and there’s almost no one around. The interior is stunning, with a marble inlaid floor. In the evening, the Olivetan monks sing Gregorian vespers (17h30). Free and magical.
💰 Free | Category: Free
🗺️ Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/San_Miniato_Monte_Firenze
📍 Corridoio Vasariano (outside)
The secret corridor linking Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, running above Ponte Vecchio, built in 1565 so the Medici could cross the city without going down into the street. You can’t go inside (under renovation), but you can spot it from outside and get a sense of the Medici paranoia.
💰 Free (visible from outside) | Category: Free
🗺️ Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ponte_Vecchio_Firenze
The locals' market (not the touristy San Lorenzo one). Fruit, vegetables, cheese, and at the back: little stalls serving ribollita and lampredotto for 5-8€.
Lunch: 5-10€
Terraced garden just below Piazzale Michelangelo. Roses, views over Florence, contemporary sculptures. Hardly anyone there. Free.
Free
Cappella Brancacci (Masaccio's frescoes)
The frescoes that invented perspective in painting (1425). Masaccio was 25 when he painted them, and he revolutionized Western art. Tucked away in a small church in Oltrarno.
10€
Reservation recommended
Basilica di San Miniato al Monte
Above Piazzale Michelangelo, this 11th-century Romanesque basilica offers an even better view than the piazzale, and there’s nobody there. A sumptuous interior with a marble inlaid floor. In the evening, the Olivetan monks chant Gregorian vespers (17h30).
Free and magical.
The secret corridor linking Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti by way of Ponte Vecchio, built in 1565 so the Medici could cross the city without stepping out into the street. You can’t go in (it’s under renovation), but you can spot it from the outside and understand the Medicis' paranoia.
Free (visible from the outside)
Where to eat in Florence? Our best spots
A San Frediano (Oltrarno) institution since 1956. Tuscan family, grandma-style cooking. Pasta for 5€, mains for 6-8€. The best value in Florence, full stop.
Full meal: 10-15€
Near the station, with a workers' canteen vibe. No frills, just good flavor. Fixed menu (starter + main + side + water) for ~15€. House wine by the pitcher.
Full meal: 12-18€
Santa Croce. Simple, relaxed, excellent. Ribollita (Tuscan bread and vegetable soup), pappa al pomodoro, bistecca. Dishes 8-14€.
Full meal: 15-22€
A touristy institution, BUT the quality is genuinely there. Share a bistecca alla fiorentina, crostini, and all the house wine you want. Loud, festive atmosphere.
Full meal: 25-30€
Street food & a quick lunch
The best paninis in Florence (and maybe in Italy). Schiacciata filled with Tuscan cured meats, cheeses, truffle cream... Expect a line, but it's worth the stop. 5-8€ per sandwich.
Sandwich : 5-8€
Lampredotto (tripe), Street stalls
THE quintessential Florentine street food. Boiled beef tripe in a sandwich, with salsa verde. 4-5€ at the stand. The best ones: I' Trippaio di San Frediano and Il Lampredottaio.
Sandwich : 4-5€
Upscale food court in the covered San Lorenzo market. Fresh pasta, pizza, lampredotto, artisanal gelato stalls. Dishes 8-14€. Touristy, but good.
Dish : 8-14€
Gelato
Florence is THE city for artisanal gelato. Our picks:
There's always a line, prices are unbeatable (1,50-3€), and the quality is excellent. On the bridge at La Carraia, on the Oltrarno side.
Cone : 1,50-3€
Classic flavors done perfectly. The crema dei Neri is addictive. Santa Croce area.
Cone : 2,50-4€
Florence neighborhoods to explore
Centro Storico
The historic heart, home to the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio, Loggia dei Lanzi with its sculptures open to the public), and the Uffizi. Busy and touristy, but unmissable. Come early in the morning to beat the crowds.
Santa Croce
More local than the centro. Piazza Santa Croce is perfect for a spritz on a terrace. Good trattorias (Pallottino, Cibrèo), the basilica, and its famous tombs. In the evening, the vibe is relaxed and student-friendly.
Oltrarno / San Frediano
Our favorite neighborhood. Across the Arno, with artisans, no-frills authentic eateries, Palazzo Pitti, and the Boboli Gardens. Trattoria Sabatino is here. San Frediano is the liveliest, most popular side of Oltrarno.
San Niccolò
A village within the city, at the foot of Piazzale Michelangelo. Wine bars, small restaurants, and a local feel in the evening. The starting point for walking up to the Piazzale (15 min via Giardino delle Rose).
Practical information
Transport: everything is done on foot (compact center, 30 min from one end to the other)
Ideal stay: 3-4 days
Best time: March-May and September-November (summer = crowds + heat)
Water: fontanelle (public fountains) everywhere, fill your bottle for free
Coperto: restaurants add a « coperto » (cover charge) of 2-3€/person, that's normal in Italy
Realistic daily budget • Accommodation: 25-40€ (hostel) / 80-140€ (hotel) |
