Florence
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Wine windows and fresh pasta - what more could you want?
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Florence feels like an artist’s dream city. From the wine windows, to the countless statues, palaces and cathedrals, to independent, local shops on every corner, the city is packed with creativity and history. When you imagine this city, it’s easy to just imagine luxury, traditional Italian architecture, and lots of great wine, but there’s a lot more to it. We’ve created this post to inspire you to visit, and explain what Florence is really like.
Regardless of any major tourist attractions, you can easily spend a couple of days just wandering up and down the streets and enjoying both the architecture and the atmosphere. But Florence is a city packed with things to do, the main attraction being their unique cathedral. It’s called the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, but known as the Duomo. No matter what you think Florence is like as a city, or whether you’re interested in the Catholic religion, this is worth a visit for absolutely anyone. It’s one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, and has a unique colourful but still gothic design.
For us, it was genuinely breathtaking, and we’d say that Florence is worth visiting just for the cathedral!
If this is your thing, there are several other lovely cathedrals and churches across the city centre, including the stunning Cathedral Santa Maria del Carmine.
Maybe the cathedrals don’t blow you away as much as they did for us, and you want to know what Florence is like as a city, just to explore and spend time in. We’ve got you! As with most cities in Italy, Florence has stunning, very walkable streets with lots to see, and a great cafe culture. You will stumble across the best places to eat, drink and people watch by just taking a couple of turns out of a main square and getting ever so slightly lost.
A brilliant square to just enjoy the atmosphere of the city is Piazza Santa Spirito. They often have street performances, and local markets, as well as the square being lined with great bars and restaurants. On busy days or evenings, the whole square is filled with outdoor seating for these cafes and bars, and the atmosphere is amazing. You’ll find a gorgeous restaurant called Cabira here, which we’d recommend visiting at least once on your trip to Florence.
On the topic of food and drink, we believe that local food, drink and restaurant culture is such a good way to immerse yourself in a city. Especially if you research and try specific local foods, and try to get chatting to friendly staff in the places you visit. It’s such a good way to understand what Florence is really like as a city, to visit but also to live. You can even take a guided food and drink tour to get the full experience.
Everyone knows the famous typical Italian dishes of pizza and pasta, but there’s a little more to it than that. Every region has their own take on pizza and pastas, such as their own local pasta shapes, sauces or pizza style. In Florence, the must-try is Pappardelle (thick ribbon shaped pasta) and Pici (hand rolled, thick noodles like a chewier spaghetti). These pasta shapes hold thicker sauces, and more flavour. Pizza in Florence is more likely to be thinner and crispier, rather than the thicker Neapolitan style base.
If you’re a little sick of carbs, there are lots of delicious meat and fish dishes to try too, such as Florentine steak (a large T-bone, meant to be shared), or Pollo al Burro (chicken served with a rich, buttery sauce). You can also always get great salads or veggie sides in most restaurants!
If you’re feeling more adventurous, try a Lampredotto sandwich. It’s tripe (beef stomach) in a broth-soaked bun served with salsa verde. To be honest, we tried it, not knowing that it was tripe and thinking it was just pulled beef, and it was lovely. Not something we’d normally go for, so we’re glad we didn’t do enough research in this case!
One thing you’ll surely have seen when researching what Florence is like is the wine windows. They are amazing, and such a good idea, but be aware it’s very much a tourist trap. It’s such a cool experience, and we would never tell you not to go to one and try it, but often the wine isn’t good quality, even sometimes served in a plastic cup, and very expensive for what you get. Go, do it once, and then get the rest of your drinks from local wine bars where they’ll come with free aperitivo (snack plates) included if you go between around 4 and 7pm. A great option for this is the Central Market.
Another popular thing to do in Florence is to watch the sunset from a higher viewpoint. The popular place to do this is Piazzelle Michaelangelo, where the view is incredible, but it does also get very, very busy.
If you just walk another 5 minutes up, you’ll get to a street called Via Delle Porte Sante, which has an even better view, and without all the crazy crowds. The only downside is there’s just not really anywhere to sit, whereas in Piazzelle Michaelangelo you can sit on the staircase (if there’s any room left).
If you want to save hours spent on research, why not reach out to us about our personalised travel planning service. We offer custom-made itineraries for your Italy trip, whether you're just spending a beautiful few days in Florence, a week hopping between destinations in Italy, or even a multi-city Europe trip. Take the stress out of travel and contact us today:
Enjoy just wandering through the city, exploring streets and green spaces, and walking by the river. You’ll find an ancient bridge, reconstructed in 1345 and still standing today, called Ponte Vecchio, which now houses a busy market.
It’s also a good idea to walk across a quieter bridge nearby, such as Ponte Santa Trinita, then you can see Ponte Vecchio from it without all of the crowds and chaos.
Close by, you’ll find lots of art shops and markets with local products. We found a gorgeous handmade art and print shop called Fatacabdabra, and a stunning maker’s market in Piazza Santa Maria Novella,
Overall, if you’re wondering what Florence is really like, we’d have to say that it’s pretty magical. Whether you’re here looking for history, architecture, food, art, or wine, you’ll find something you love in this gorgeous city in Italy, we’re sure.
Here’s some more practical information to help you on your Rome trip:
What is Florence like?
Florence is a stunning city. It's very walkable, with a picturesque old town, and sights within walking distance of each other. There are plenty of bars and restaurants in the city centre, most of which are local, Italian food but you can also get international cuisine. Locals are friendly, and the city feels very safe. It's a tourist hotspot, and can get quite busy, but that's for a reason, Florence really is incredibly beautiful, and in our opinion, one of the best cities in Italy by far.
How do I get to Florence?
Florence is easily accessible by air, as the airport is close to the city centre and there are direct flights from many major cities around the UK. It's easy to search for flights on Trip.com
The flight time from the UK varies, but is normally within the region of 2 and a half hours. Then, you can easily get to the city by metro, bus, or taxi.
Where should I stay in Florence?
Florence has countless hotels and apartments. Location is really important if you're on a short stay, you want to ensure you're within walking distance of, or ideally even in the centre of the old town. It makes everything so much more convenient!
We stayed in this boutique hotel, which has a great view from their terrace and breakfast room, and was in a lovely area near shops and a university building, not far from the centre at all.
If you don't fancy this one, don't worry, there are plenty of other options for accommodation in Florence. Have a look for something that will suit your group size and budget on booking.com.
Do I need a visa to visit Florence?
Citizens of most countries do not need a visa to visit Italy for a stay of up to 90 days. Read our Schengen Agreement post to find out more details about this rule.
What's the currency in Florence?
The currency of Italy is the Euro. You can change money when you arrive or withdraw from ATMs, but be aware of high conversion fees! Some ATMs may charge you to withdraw money, even if your bank doesn't. It's always best to pay in local currency when you can. We had no issues paying by card in Florence, it's a major city and popular tourist destination so almost everywhere accepts card payments.
What languages are spoken in Florence?
The official language of Italy is Italian, but English is widely spoken in Florence as it is a major tourist destination. It's always polite to learn a few phrases, though!
What's the weather like in Florence?
Florence can get hot in the spring, summer, and even into autumn, but temperatures drop drastically as you head into in the winter season.
Here's the average high / low temperatures for each season in Florence:
Spring: 19°C / 10°C
Summer: 30°C / 18°C
Autumn: 22°C / 13°C
Winter: 11°C / 3°C
Always check the forecast before you visit for the most accurate information. Here's the current weather in Florence:
What's the time zone in Florence?
Italy is in the Central European Time Zone. The time is usually the same as most of mainland Europe, but an hour ahead of the UK.
What are the best things to do in Florence?
We hope we've given you plenty of inspiration in this article, but if not, you can have a fully planned itinerary created just for your trip, packed full of hidden gems and the best food and drink recommendations. Enquire about our personalised travel planning service today.
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If you're looking to fill your itinerary even more, have a look for the best activities, excursions and other things to do in Florence on GetYourGuide here.
How long should I spend in Florence, Italy?
Honestly, no amount of time feels like enough in this incredible city. To see the main sights, we'd say 2 days is plenty of time, the city isn't too spread out and you can easily walk between all the major attractions.
Is Florence worth visiting on my trip to Italy?
Yes, absolutely try to make time to visit Florence on your Italy trip, it really captures a lot of the best parts about Italy - the interesting history, amazing food, wonderful city culture, and of course, wine!
