Florence Bucket List
The city where the Renaissance was born has never settled for mediocrity. Brunelleschi's dome remains one of history's most astonishing architectural feats, while the masterpieces of the Uffizi still leave you breathless centuries later. And nearby, you can sample one of the most jaw-dropping experiences in a city that doesn't do things by halves: a two-pound steak, charred on the outside and vividly red within, grilled over an oak-wood fire and brought sizzling to your table.
Why Florence belongs on your bucket list
The Medici family bankrolled the Renaissance, and Florence still shows it off. Botticelli, Leonardo, and Caravaggio hang side by side in the Uffizi Gallery. Brunelleschi built the Duomo's dome without scaffolding, a feat that baffled engineers for centuries. Michelangelo carved his David from a single block of marble that two other sculptors had abandoned. But Florence isn't only a museum city. Cross the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltrarno and you'll find artisan workshops, unpretentious trattorias, and cellar wine bars where the owner will happily talk your ear off about the bottle in your glass. Half an hour by bus and you're in the Tuscan countryside.
When to go
The optimal moment to travel to Tuscany is April through June or September and October when weather conditions are pleasant and the area is not too busy with visitors. The most inexpensive time is November to March. The weather may not be great but some areas of Tuscany are very lively and you are more likely to score some great accommodation and flight deals.
Must-visit places in Florence
Uffizi Gallery
This building once housed the Florentine government, but it now holds the greatest collection of Renaissance art in the world. Highlights include Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, Leonardo's Annunciation, Caravaggio's Medusa, and Titian's Venus of Urbino. There are far more masterpieces here than any single visit can cover, so plan to focus on a handful rather than rush through everything. Booking a timed entry ticket in advance is essential, since the queues without one can stretch for hours. Arriving right when it opens or late in the afternoon tends to mean smaller crowds, and afterward you can grab a coffee nearby with a view of the Duomo.
Florence Cathedral & Brunelleschi's Dome
Brunelleschi built the dome between 1420 and 1436. There was no scaffolding. No one knew how he did it for centuries afterwards. It's still the biggest masonry dome in the world. Climbing 463 steps squeezed between the inner and outer shells is more than a little claustrophobic and sweaty, but more than a little worth it, as you whisk past Vasari's Last Judgment frescoes (so close you can see the brushwork) and then hit the tip-top and gawp at a view that will at least for a moment take your mind off your burning legs.
Galleria dell'Accademia (David)
Here's the thing about the David. He's not subtle. Not like those Frenchmen, all nuance and understatement. No, the David is too much. Too strong. Too handsome. Too good at killing giants. Too everything. And if you're not careful, if you're not ready, well. You might just walk in there with your Yankee shorts and your American Express card thinking you're getting just another dose of culture to take home with you. And you walk out a believer. A devout believer. And good God, in that perfect cool chapel built just to house him with light pouring down from high above that vaguely cell-phone-resembling thing towering in the center, you can't miss it, the rock and roll of it all. No subtlety here. Just too much.
Ponte Vecchio
Shops have lined this bridge since the 1300s. Butchers and tanners originally worked here, but the Medici had them removed because the smell bothered their commute across the river, replacing them with jewelers and goldsmiths, who remain here today. This is the only bridge in Florence that wasn't destroyed by retreating Nazi forces in 1944, reportedly because even Hitler found it too beautiful to blow up. Above the shops runs the hidden Vasari Corridor, built so the Medici could walk from their palace to their offices without mixing with ordinary Florentines. The light on the Arno is loveliest at dusk, when everything turns golden.
Piazzale Michelangelo
This is the best spot to watch the sun set over the City of Flowers. It's free, and there's a bronze copy of Michelangelo's David up here too. Arrive a little early to grab a good spot on the steps before the crowds build, then stay to watch the whole skyline turn gold and pink.
Oltrarno
On the other bank of the river, there are fewer tourists. Oltrarno is a residential area where someone can buy shoes from a man a few feet away from where he makes them, where leather workshops and gilding workshops exist, where a man creates marbled paper just like his grandfather did. There is a market in the square of Santo Spirito every day, and by 6 o'clock, people are already starting to take their aperitivo (drink wine on the steps of the church). Eat at Trattoria Sabatino or Il Latini, where you won't even think about the price. This is the real Florence. This is where the Florentines are. And my friend, this is the best part about it all.
Mercato Centrale
This food market has two floors, and they feel like completely different worlds. The ground floor is polished stalls selling produce, meat, and cheese. Head upstairs for real Florentine street food, especially lampredotto, a sandwich made from stewed cow's stomach that's far better than it sounds. Pair it with a strong espresso and wander the sunny terrace while you eat. Occasionally a local butcher will hand out free samples of cured meats to anyone standing nearby.
Boboli Gardens
The Medici family was in possession of so many palaces that they could hardly keep up with maintaining the gardens that surrounded them. And so the palace gardens were designed for comfort, beauty, grandeur, secret liaisons, and entertainment. Boboli Gardens are no different. They were strategically located directly behind the Pitti Palace (which we enjoyed the tour of) giving the Medici family a private and luxuriant space to stroll, entertain guests or merely find some peace from the turmoil of ruling over people they hoped didn't hate them too much. The gardens were designed to showcase wealth (all of those sculptures are an expensive display of status), tease the eyes with optical illusions, and provide the illusion that this paradise was much larger than it actually was.
Basilica di Santa Croce
This basilica is the final resting place of some of Italy's greatest names, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli, all buried beneath elaborate marble and gold monuments. It draws huge crowds of tourists year round, so mornings are quieter. The cloister and small museum attached to the church are calmer and less crowded, and the square out front is free to enjoy at any time.
Mercato di San Ambrogio
This is the kind of place where the people of Florence do their shopping. They don't put on a show for tourists. You can find fruits, meats, cheeses, etc. here. The surrounding booths have varying goods for sale from socks to houseware items. However, the real reason to visit the market is to eat at Trattoria da Rocco, hidden within. Enjoy a full meal of delicious Tuscan food plus a glass of wine for a price you'll think is a mistake. The customers are all locals, the food is excellent, and no one will ever walk over to your table to try to sell you an English menu. That's when you know you've found somewhere good.
Florence insider tips
- Museum Reservations: It is strongly recommended to purchase your Uffizi or Accademia tickets at least two weeks in advance - we are not kidding, the queues are horrendous if you don't. The Firenze Card provides free access to all museums, and after visiting three or four, you've already got your money's worth (if you're after the "art tourist" experience that is).
- Walking city: You can reach the old part of Florence in just a 30-minute walk. A car isn’t necessary in this town. In fact, never drive your rental car into Florence. They’ve got a ZTL for that (Zone Traffic Limited), you drive inside and a camera outside takes a photo of your license plate and 6 months later your rental company takes it out of your credit card as a nice, fat fine. Rejoice in the folly of others.
- Bistecca alla fiorentina: The T-bone steak is like a religion in Florence. First, it must be Chianina beef. Second, it must weigh a minimum of 1.2kg. Third, it must be chargrilled over oak wood. And fourth, it must be served pretty bloody. Request 'well done' and your waiter will likely think you're a moron. Buca Mario, Trattoria Sostanza and Il Latini are some of the best places to sample the dish. Note: order one to share between you and a mate, they're massive.
- Gelato quality: If you see the gelato mounded over in bright, fluffy, day-glo waves--keep walking. It should be kept in a metal container with the cover on, so that it remains at the perfect temperature, the colors should be natural and almost pastel. No gummy bear flavor. Vivoli, La Sorbettiera, and Gelateria della Passera are the top spots.
- Aperitivo: Between 6 and 8 PM, if you order a drink at a bar you get free snacks, which is frequently a full buffet. The Negroni cocktail was actually invented in Florence. This is where you order one of those. Find a bar with a view of the Arno River and watch the sun set over a bitter orange concoction. It's practically compulsory.
- Day Trips: Siena is located at a 1.5 hour drive, but I assure you the trip is worth it. San Gimignano is an hour away. The Chianti wine region is a half-hour away, but if you plan to hop between vineyards in Chianti, a rental car is recommended. The bus is easier for visiting the hill towns, and provides free entertainment as a plus.
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