Our guide stopped in front of a small, unremarkable doorway on a side street and announced that we were looking at the oldest wine bar in Florence. During the Black Plague of 1348 — when sixty per cent of Florence’s 100,000 inhabitants perished — residents would approach this same door, knock, request their wine and a hand would appear through the opening and pass out a goblet. No contact. No conversation. The city was dying, and people were still finding a way to have a drink.
That is Florence. Seven hundred years of extraordinary history around every single corner, told by a city that has never stopped being completely, overwhelmingly alive.
We spent four nights here, and it was not enough. We took two free walking tours — and they were among the best we have taken anywhere in the world. We found the gelato that has been made by the same family since 1939. We wandered the leather markets, crossed the Ponte Vecchio at dusk, climbed to the Piazzale Michelangelo for the view that stops you in your tracks, and stood inside the Pitti Palace understanding for the first time what it meant to be truly powerful in Renaissance Italy.
This is our complete guide to Florence — everything we did, everything we loved and everything you need to plan four extraordinary days in one of the world’s great cities.
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WHAT WE DID IN FLORENCE — OUR 4-DAY GUIDE
The Free Walking Tour — Our Top Recommendation
Before we get into the day-by-day guide, let us tell you about the single best decision we made in Florence. We took two free walking tours — tipping the guide at the end — and they transformed our understanding of a city we thought we knew.
Walking tours in Florence operate on a tip-only basis, and the quality of guide you get is extraordinary because only passionate, knowledgeable guides survive in a tip-based system. Ours covered ground and told stories that no guidebook had prepared us for. Here are the highlights from what we learned and saw:
Santa Maria Novella Church
Construction began in 1279 — at a time when Florence had 100,000 inhabitants and was one of the richest cities in Europe, its wealth built on exports of textiles, wool, silk and velvet. Then in 1348 the Black Plague arrived. Sixty per cent of the population died. Work on the church stopped completely.
Look carefully at the church’s facade — it is built in two distinct sections. The lower section is Gothic, constructed before the plague. The upper Renaissance section was added a century later in 1458. Remarkably, the two styles blend almost perfectly. The richest man in Florence of the time had his name placed at the very top — his fortune made from selling red wool.
In the square, two obelisks stand at either end — look at the base of each, and you will find four turtles, and at the top the lily, the flower symbol of Florence. The square itself was an ancient Roman stadium used for chariot racing. The piazza’s oblong shape is the legacy of that original stadium beneath your feet.
The arches running along the right side of the church are not decorative — they are burial tombs of Florence’s most important families. Each arch bears a family crest.
The Strozzi Family and Palazzo Strozzi
The Strozzi were the second richest family in Florence after the Medici. Their money came from textiles and — more lucratively — moneylending at interest rates of between 100 and 150 per cent. In 1489 they built the Palazzo Strozzi in an explicit attempt to outdo the Medici. The sandstone came from the hills across the Arno. Note the iron rings on the exterior walls — for tying horses. The main entrance was built wide enough to admit a horse and carriage.
Inside, the stone changes entirely to grey pietra serena — more fragile than sandstone and likely to crack in the elements, so used only internally. The Strozzi eventually sold the palazzo because they could not afford the ongoing renovation costs. The building was only fully restored in 1990. It now houses temporary exhibitions and is well worth visiting when a strong show is on.
The Oldest Wine Bar in Florence
We mentioned it in the introduction, and it deserves its own moment. On Via delle Belle Donne — a small street near Santa Maria Novella — you will find a tiny doorway with a small wine window (buchetta del vino). During the Black Plague of 1348, to avoid the human contact that spread disease, Florentines would approach these wine windows across the city, knock, order and receive their wine through the opening. This particular one is believed to be the oldest in the city. During COVID in 2020, several Florence wine bars reopened their buchette del vino for the first time in centuries. Florence has a long memory.
Palazzo Spini Ferroni — Piazza di Santa Trinità
The medieval palazzo that looks more like a castle on the corner of Piazza di Santa Trinità has been business and home combined since the 13th century — merchants lived upstairs and ran their commerce below. Today it is the headquarters of Salvatore Ferragamo. The column of justice in the square is made of granite and was a gift from Pope Pius IV in 1560 to Cosimo I, the first Grand Duke of Florence.
The Holy Trinity Church
An architectural curiosity — the exterior is 16th-century Renaissance while the interior is Gothic. Look for the Medici coat of arms on the outside. The contrast between the two styles inside and out is stark and fascinating.
Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor
The River Arno runs 240km through Tuscany from its source to Pisa. The people of Pisa had a longstanding complaint that Florentines threw their rubbish into the river, and it floated downstream to them — sending, as our guide put it, “a nice gift to the people of Pisa.”
Ponte Vecchio — Old Bridge — was constructed in 1345, replacing an earlier bridge washed away by floods. It is a medieval stone arch bridge and one of the most photographed in the world. Look at the windows running along the middle section — three square windows in a row. These are the windows of the Vasari Corridor, commissioned by Cosimo I and designed by his architect Vasari, running 1km from the Uffizi Palace to the Pitti Palace so that the Grand Duke could move between his palaces without walking through the crowds.
The bridge originally housed butchers, fishmongers and leather workers — the smell, apparently, was considerable. Cosimo I eventually cleared them all out and replaced them with jewellery shops, which remain to this day. The statue at the centre of the bridge is of Cellini, Florence’s most famous goldsmith.
All other bridges over the Arno were blown up by the Germans in 1944 during the Second World War. Ponte Vecchio was the only one spared — reportedly on the personal order of Hitler, though historians debate this. The statues on either side of the bridge representing the four seasons are reconstructions, made from fragments retrieved from the river after the floods of 1966.
💡 Jane’s Tip: We took two free walking tours and they were the highlight of our entire Florence visit. The quality of the guides is exceptional — they are passionate, knowledgeable and funny. Tip generously. These people know things about Florence that no guidebook will ever tell you.
👉 Book a free Florence walking tour here →
Option 2: Book paid walking tours here
Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens
The Pitti family began building their palace in the 15th century. Stand in front of the main entrance and count three windows to the left and three to the right of the central door — that is the size of the original Pitti Palace. The family went bankrupt before completing it, and the Medici purchased it, expanding it in the exact same style so seamlessly that the additions are almost invisible.
In 1737 the Medici dynasty ended — no remaining descendants. The Dukes of Lorraine took over as rulers of Tuscany and added the two wings you see on the left and right of the building today. In 1861 Florence briefly became the capital of the newly unified Italy.
Today the Pitti Palace houses six museums. If time is limited, the Palatina Gallery on the second floor is the one to prioritise — paintings by Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens and Titian, hung in the same positions they have always occupied, in the order they were purchased rather than by artist or period. It is an unusual and deeply personal way to encounter some of the greatest paintings in the world.
The Boboli Gardens behind the palace cover 120,000 square metres of terraced Renaissance garden — one of the finest examples in Italy and the model for formal gardens across Europe. Allow at least two hours.
The Vasari Corridor — which you can see from the Ponte Vecchio — runs from the Pitti Palace all the way to the Palazzo Vecchio on the other side of the river. The small church near the start of the Ponte Vecchio was where the Medici family attended Mass without entering the church itself, listening through a grille from the corridor above.
Standing on the Ponte Vecchio looking towards the Uffizi, the long grey and white building is the Uffizi Gallery — one of the world’s great art museums. The brown building beside it is the Palazzo della Scienza, the science museum that houses Galileo’s telescopes.
👉 Book your Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens tickets here →
The Markets of Florence
Florence’s markets are among the best in Italy, and we made time for them every day. Do not miss them.
Mercato Centrale — San Lorenzo
The covered Mercato Centrale near the San Lorenzo basilica is Florence’s main food market — a two-floor covered hall where the ground floor is one of the great food shopping experiences in Italy. Vendors sell fresh pasta, cured meats, cheeses, truffles, wine, olive oil and produce of extraordinary quality. The upper floor has been converted into a food hall with stalls serving everything from Florentine steak to fresh pasta, seafood and cocktails. We recommend the ground floor for serious food shopping and the upper floor for lunch.
The Leather Market — San Lorenzo
Surrounding the Mercato Centrale, hundreds of stalls sell leather goods — bags, wallets, belts, jackets, gloves — at prices significantly below what you would pay in a shop. The quality varies enormously, so allow time to look carefully and do not be rushed by vendors. We purchased beautiful leather goods here and use them still.
💡 Jane’s Tip: The leather market stalls can feel overwhelming and pushy. Take your time, handle the goods carefully to feel the quality and do not be afraid to walk away. The best pieces are worth finding — genuine Florentine leather is among the finest in the world. We bought lovely leather notebooks as gifts for family members and friends. Great quality and easy to carry home.
Mercato Nuovo — The Little Pig of Florence
The Mercato Nuovo — New Market — is a covered loggia near Piazza della Repubblica selling souvenirs, straw goods and Florentine crafts. But the reason most people visit is the bronze boar (actually a wild boar) in the centre of the market. Originally known as the Porcellino — little pig — the name came from the author Hans Christian Andersen, who saw it and called it exactly that. The sculpture was cast in bronze in 1612 by Pietro Tacca.
The tradition: rub the boar’s nose and place a coin in its mouth. If the coin falls through the grating below, you will return to Florence. We can confirm this works — or at least we are planning to go back regardless.
Perché No — The Best Gelato in Florence
Via dei Tavolini 19r. Remember this address.
Perché No — the name means “why not” — has been making gelato since 1939 and is widely considered one of the finest gelaterias in Florence. It is not difficult to find: it is a few steps from Via dei Calzaioli and the Piazza della Signoria, housed in a beautiful Art Deco interior with original onyx wall panels and a mosaic clock created by Giovanni Fiaschi that has become the unofficial symbol of the shop.
The story of Perché No is one of the best in Florence. Founded by Ugo Ravaioli in 1939, it survived the Second World War by a stroke of inventive genius — when raw materials for ice cream became scarce, Ravaioli and his wife Maria invented a whole new range of spumoni made from egg whites and apple cream. Not quite ice cream, but enough to keep Florentines queuing throughout the war. In 1991, two friends took over the shop and restored it to its former brilliance, rediscovering the original recipes and sourcing ingredients with obsessive care.
What to order:
The Crema is the signature — made the old way with lemon rind and vanilla, cooked rather than chilled and utterly unlike the pale imitations you find elsewhere. The Pistacchio uses natural Sicilian pistachios. The Cassata Siciliana with ricotta and candied fruit is extraordinary. If you are there in summer, the sorbetti — made from water and fresh fruit with no colouring agents — are revelatory.
Website: percheno.firenze.it
Address: Via dei Tavolini 19r, Florence
💡 Jane’s Tip: Do not leave Florence without visiting Perché No. We went twice. We considered going a third time.
Piazzale Michelangelo
Cross the Arno and walk up to the Piazzale Michelangelo for the view of Florence that makes every photograph you have ever seen of the city make complete sense. The terrace gives you a panoramic view of the entire city — the Duomo, the Campanile, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Arno, the hills of Tuscany beyond. It is particularly magnificent at sunset.
The walk up takes approximately 20 minutes from the Ponte Vecchio. There is a replica of Michelangelo’s David on the terrace. There are also bus services if the climb is not for you.
👉 Book a Florence panoramic tour including Piazzale Michelangelo here →
The Piazza del Duomo
No Florence guide would be complete without the Piazza del Duomo — the magnificent square that has been the religious heart of Florence for over 1,600 years. We have covered it in detail in a dedicated article:
👉 Read our complete guide to the Piazza del Duomo Florence →
The short version: the Baptistery, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Giotto’s Bell Tower together form one of the great architectural ensembles in the world. Book your Duomo climb well in advance — it is one of the most popular experiences in Florence and sells out consistently.
👉 Book your Florence Duomo small group guided tour with dome climb here →
Via Maggio — Florence’s Most Beautiful Street
Walking from the Ponte Santa Trinità towards the Pitti Palace, Via Maggio is one of the most historically significant streets in Florence and one of the least visited by tourists — making it a genuine hidden gem.
Until the 13th century, the area was open countryside outside the city walls. The first houses were built by the Velluti family in 1260. By the 14th century Florence’s most powerful families — the Corsinis, Capponis, Ridolfis, Pittis — had built their grand palaces along this street.
Look for Palazzo Bianca Cappello at number 26 — immediately identifiable by its extraordinary grotesque sgraffiti decoration by Bernardino Poccetti. This building was the setting for one of the great love stories of the Italian Renaissance. Grand Duke Francesco I de Medici fell in love with Bianca Cappello, a Venetian aristocrat. Despite being married to Joanna of Austria, he had the palazzo built for Bianca by architect Bernardo Buontalenti. When Joanna died, the lovers married in 1578 — but the Medici family opposed the match and despised Bianca. In 1587, the day after each other, they were both found dead at the Medici villa in Poggio a Caiano. Arsenic poisoning is suspected.
Look above the door — you will see a hat. Cappello in Italian means hat. The sgraffiti itself was a revolutionary technique at the time: two layers of plaster, first black then white, and as the top layer dried, the drawing was scratched through to reveal the dark layer beneath. This is — quite literally — where graffiti as we know it began.
The Medici family crest was added to the front of the building. The full story of this street is extraordinary and makes the Via Maggio walk one of the most rewarding 30 minutes you can spend in Florence.
Frequently Asked Questions — Florence
How many days do you need in Florence?
Four days is the minimum we would recommend for a first visit — and we say this having spent four nights there and still feeling we had only scratched the surface. Two days covers the absolute must-sees (Duomo, Uffizi or Accademia, Ponte Vecchio). Three days adds the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. Four days allows you to properly explore the neighbourhoods, take a walking tour, find the markets and do a day trip to San Gimignano or Siena. Allow more time if you can.
Do you need to book Florence attractions in advance?
Absolutely and as far in advance as possible — particularly for the Duomo dome climb, the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia (Michelangelo’s David) and the Pitti Palace Palatina Gallery. These are among the most visited attractions in Europe and sell out weeks ahead during the peak season from April to October. Book everything before you leave home.
What is the best time of year to visit Florence?
Spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October) are the best months — mild temperatures, beautiful light and smaller crowds than summer. June to August is extremely hot — temperatures regularly exceed 35°C — and the city is at its most crowded. Winter (November to February) is quiet, uncrowded and atmospheric — Christmas markets, fewer queues and significantly cheaper accommodation.
What are the best markets in Florence?
The Mercato Centrale near San Lorenzo is the finest food market — go to the ground floor for the best produce. The leather market surrounding San Lorenzo is essential for leather goods — allow time and choose carefully. The Mercato Nuovo near Piazza della Repubblica is good for gifts and home to the famous bronze boar. There is also a beautiful antique market on the Piazza dei Ciompi on the last Sunday of each month.
Is the free walking tour really free?
Yes — the guide works entirely on tips paid at the end of the tour. This model works because only guides who are genuinely excellent and passionate survive in it — you tip what you feel the tour was worth. We tipped both times generously because both guides were exceptional. Book through your hotel concierge or look for the tour operators near the Piazza della Repubblica.
What is the Vasari Corridor and can you visit it?
The Vasari Corridor is a 1km elevated walkway commissioned by Cosimo I de Medici in 1565, designed by Giorgio Vasari, running from the Uffizi Gallery across the Ponte Vecchio to the Pitti Palace. It was built so that the Grand Duke could move between his two palaces without walking through the city streets. After extensive restoration works, the corridor has reopened to the public — book tickets well in advance as access is very limited.
Is Florence suitable for older travellers and those with mobility concerns?
Florence’s historic centre is largely flat and very walkable — the main challenge is the cobblestones, which can be uneven. The Duomo dome climb (463 steps) and Giotto’s Bell Tower (414 steps) are not suitable for those with limited mobility, but the Baptistery, Cathedral interior, Uffizi and Pitti Palace ground floor are all accessible. The Piazzale Michelangelo can be reached by bus if the walk is not suitable. Florence is generally an excellent destination for older travellers — the pace is unhurried, and the café culture means there is always somewhere comfortable to stop.
What should I eat in Florence?
Florence is one of the great food cities of Italy. Do not leave without eating: bistecca alla Fiorentina (a T-bone steak of extraordinary quality, grilled over charcoal), ribollita (the hearty Tuscan bean and bread soup), lampredotto (tripe sandwich from a market stall — the Florentine street food that locals have eaten for centuries), fresh pasta with truffles and of course gelato at Perché No on Via dei Tavolini. The Mercato Centrale food hall is also excellent for a casual lunch.
What is the Florence City Card and is it worth buying?
The Firenze Card gives access to over 70 museums and sites for 72 hours plus public transport. For a very full itinerary it can represent good value — calculate based on the specific attractions you plan to visit. Buy online in advance at firenzecard.it.
Do I need travel insurance for Italy?
Yes — comprehensive travel insurance is essential for any trip to Italy. Medical treatment without insurance can be expensive and trip cancellation cover is important for a destination with such significant pre-booked attractions. Compare covers here.
WHERE TO STAY IN FLORENCE
Florence has exceptional hotels at all price points. We stayed within easy walking distance of the Duomo and it was the right decision — the historic centre is compact and walkable and being central means everything is accessible on foot.
Hotel Spadai — Via dei Martelli 10 — 4-star, 2 minutes from the Cathedral. Free Wi-Fi, bar, lounge and excellent breakfast. Best for: couples and those wanting a central luxury base. Book here
Hotel Renaissance — Via della Condotta 4 — Free breakfast and Wi-Fi, beautiful decor, 2 minutes from the Cathedral. Best for: those wanting boutique character at a mid-range price. Book here
Hotel Duomo Firenze — Piazza del Duomo 1 — Balcony rooms facing the Cathedral. The most extraordinary view in Florence from your bed. Best for: a bucket list hotel experience.
Hotel Maxim Axial— Via dei Calzaioli 11 — Original 19th-century building, beamed ceilings, courtyard bar. Best for: those who appreciate architectural character at a more accessible price.
👉 Compare all Florence hotels with Booking.com →
DAY TRIP FROM FLORENCE — SAN GIMIGNANO
We took a day trip to San Gimignano, and it was one of the highlights of our entire Florence visit. The medieval hilltop town with its extraordinary towers rising from the Tuscan landscape is completely unlike anywhere else in Italy. We have covered it in detail in our dedicated article:
👉 Read our complete guide to a day out in San Gimignano →
PRACTICAL INFORMATION — FLORENCE
Getting There
Florence Airport (FLR) is 4km from the city centre with a regular tram service to the city. Alternatively, Florence’s main train station (Santa Maria Novella) is connected to Rome (1.5 hours), Milan (1.75 hours), Venice (2 hours) and Bologna (37 minutes) by high-speed Trenitalia services. We strongly recommend arriving by train — it deposits you in the heart of the city.
👉 Find the cheapest flights to Florence with Skyscanner →
Getting Around
Florence’s historic centre is best explored on foot — everything is within walking distance. Taxis and ride-shares are available for longer journeys or to reach the Piazzale Michelangelo. Bus services connect the centre to outlying areas. For day trips to San Gimignano, Siena or the Chianti wine country a hire car is ideal.
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CONCLUSION
Florence does something to you. We have travelled extensively across Italy — Rome, Venice, Milan, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily — and Florence remains the city we talk about most. It is the density of it. The concentration of beauty, history, food and story per square kilometre is unlike anywhere else on earth.
Four nights gave us a beginning. The leather markets and the gelato at Perché No and the walking tour guide who stopped in front of a 700-year-old wine window and told us about the Black Plague. The Vasari Corridor running silently over our heads as we crossed the Ponte Vecchio. The view from the Piazzale Michelangelo as the last light caught the Duomo.
We will go back. We are already planning when.
Ready to book your Florence trip?
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Have you been to Florence? What was your favourite moment? We would love to hear — leave a comment below and help fellow travellers planning this extraordinary city.
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