Florence is a phenomenal city, peculiarly for the history as well as art-lovers out there, every bit it played a key piece of job inwards the Renaissance. Having only returned from a trip to Florence amongst my college, I idea I’d write a college student’s guide to Florence, but non only whatever college student, an art history major, therefore that you’d instruct the low-down on the most attractive business office of the city.
The Duomo
Obviously whatever guide to Florence wouldn’t live on consummate without the Duomo. Officially called Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, this is where the iconic cherry domes of Florence tin can live on found. The greenish as well as pinkish marble details on the exterior are far to a greater extent than intricate inwards person. I would highly recommend climbing upward the dome of the Duomo itself and climbing the bell tower, every bit both offering unique views of the city. You tin can instruct an all-access transcend for xv euros that lets you lot climb the dome as well as bell tower as well as watch the museum as well as baptistry, as well as I would highly recommend buying it!
Palazzo Vecchio
This is the town hall of Florence as well as offers a fantastic thought over the Piazza della Signora, which has a replica of the David inwards it every bit good every bit numerous other fine art pieces. I would recommend climbing upward the tower of this building, fifty-fifty though I myself didn’t instruct to.
Piazzale Michelangelo
Arguably the best thought over Florence, the Piazzale Michelangelo offers non only a thought but is also dedicated to Michelangelo, 1 of Florence’s best artists, if non the best, as well as holds a pose out of bronze replicas of his most famous sculptures. Highly recommend going during the sunset as well as bringing vino for corking vibes.
Boboli Gardens / Bardini Gardens
This is a lovely commons within Florence that is total of statues as well as artwork. Owned past times the Medici menage unit of measurement (as almost everything was), this is where the mid 16th century garden mode was developed.
Galleria dell’Accademia
Even if you’re non an fine art lover, you lot absolutely must come upward to this museum to watch Michelangelo’s crowning achievement, his statue the David. It is absolutely striking at eighteen feet tall, as well as therefore lifelike that its a wonder that he doesn’t only jump off the podium. As good every bit the David, the Accademia also houses some of Michelangelo’s other works, every bit good every bit a pose out of incomplete statues therefore you lot tin can watch his sculpting process. There are also paintings from a pose out of other artists every bit well, mostly from the catamenia 1300-1600.
Ponte Vecchio
One of the other most recognizable sights of the city, the Ponte Vecchio is famous because the shops lining the span genuinely hang off the side of the span over the Arno River below. As good every bit beingness really photogenic, the span is a corking shopping spot (although rather pricey because of how touristy it is).
Uffizi Gallery
Despite the David beingness inwards the Accademia, this museum is the most pop inwards Florence every bit it holds a pose out of priceless works from the Italian Renaissance, notably, the Birth of Venus. Located correct side past times side to the Arno River, this Gallery also is quite the architectural piece of job itself as well as has a phenomenal thought of the Ponte Vecchio.
Basilica di Santa Croce
Sadly, I didn’t instruct to see this gorgeous Basilica, but I certain would receive got liked to! The Basilica di Santa Croce is the principal Franciscan church building inwards Florence as well as the architecture is stunning!
Museo Nazionale del Bargello
Interestingly, this museum used to live on a prison theatre as well as is the oldest world edifice inwards Florence. Now it is an fine art museum which also houses some of Michelangelo’s works every bit good every bit a few other prominent ones such every bit Donatello’s David and Jacopo Sansovino’s Bacchus.
Medici Chapel
Also cherry domed similar the Duomo, but non quite every bit outwardly intricate is the Medici Chapel. Designed past times Michelangelo for the Medici Family, the most influential as well as powerful menage unit of measurement inwards Florence at the time, it is an architectural marvel on the within although nondescript on the outside.
Basilica di San Lorenzo
This church building is attached to the Medici Chapel therefore spell you’re at that topographic point you lot may every bit good see this too! The forepart of this church building frankly looks similar it’s unfinished, but the within is stunning as well as was designed past times Donatello. It is also the burial site of all of the main Medici menage unit of measurement members.
Basilica de Santa Maria Novella
This Basilica is named later on the develop station that it is situated across from. It is the city’s main Dominican church. The architecture on the within as well as exterior are magnificent as well as it’s quite worth the see for that alone, but the church building also houses a pose out of fine art treasures as well as frescos
Honorable Mentions
Gucci Garden: A museum dedicated to iconic Italian fashion.
Museo Galileo: One of the initiatory international institutions, combining a noted museum of scientific instruments as well as an institute dedicated to the research, documentation, as well as dissemination of the history of scientific discipline inwards the broadest sense.
Museo degli Innocenti: The Innocenti Museum highlights the importance of the outset institute dedicated to taking attention of orphaned children inwards all of Europe. Established inwards 1419, the Innocenti became the outset lay establishment inwards the basis to live on dedicated alone to infancy as well as childhood. It welcomed children who had been abandoned past times their families for diverse reasons, mostly because of extreme poverty.
Honestly, pop into whatever eating seat inwards Florence as well as the nutrient volition in all probability live on amazing (the perks of beingness inwards Italy), but hither are a few favorites, amongst the best dishes highlighted.
Breakfast/Brunch
Il Bottegone
Le Vespe Café: Juices, smoothies, all types of eggs, iced coffees, wraps & good for you lot options
Ditta Artiginale: Hummus salad, eggs, croquet monsieurs (toast amongst avocado, eggs, as well as cheese), amazing tea, as well as cute cupcakes
Il Bottegone: Super fancy cafe correct side past times side to the Duomo therefore a chip pricey but the hot chocolate is amazing.
La Menagerie: Beautiful café & bloom market, pancakes, eggs, yogurt as well as fruit, coffee, but mostly an amazing Florentine atmosphere
Shake Café: Smoothies, juices, eggs, avocado toast, salads as well as pastries
Lion Café: Lovely sandwiches as well as tea, correct side past times side to the Medici Chapel.
Love Life: Freshly mash juice as well as smoothie bar, create your ain salad bar as well as acai bowls
Oil Shoppe: Tiny identify amongst AMAZING salads, smoothies, omelets, soup as well as sandwiches to go
Miso di Riso: All organic & biologic foods, greek yogurt, eggs whatever style, vegan burgers as well as good for you lot quinoa dishes
Libreria Brac: Extremely Italian gorgeous café amongst coffees as well as teas as well as an amazing atmosphere to sit down at for hours
La Milkeria: Bagels amongst lox as well as cream cheese, crepes, pancakes, waffles amongst Nutella as well as fruit, smoothies, coffee, gelato as well as frozen yogurt
Lunch
Mercato Centrale
Antico Noe: Panini’s
Antico Vinaio: Panini’s
Panini Toscani: Panini’s
Pinos: Panini’s
Freddy’s: Salads as well as appertivo
Mangia: Thin storey pizza
Gusta: Thick doughy pizza (try the pesto)
Mercato Centrale: This marketplace has a ton of dissimilar stalls selling everything from grilled chicken as well as vegetables, pizza, pasta, panini’s, this identify is quick tardily as well as amazing. We came hither 3 times inwards total.
O’Vestuvio: The Bailiwick of Jersey Shore Pizza place, has ricotta filled crust as well as a giant burrata ball on top
Oil Shoppe: Salad
Dinner
Gnocchi from Il Bargello
Il Gatto due east La Volpe: Amazing pizza
La Giostra: Burrata appetizer, pear ravioli, carbonarra, balsamic steak, gnocchi sorrentino, bronzino amongst balsamic, whatever pasta honestly
Tre Panches: Truffle everything: Truffle grilled cheese, truffle chips, truffle ravioli, truffle spaghetti, lemon chicken, spicy macaroni, tuna tartare, meatballs, cheesecake
Gobbi 13: Rigatoni pasta, egg works life parm, expert grilled chicken, chocolate cake
4 Leoni: Pear ravioli, steak
Il Profeta: The olive crude oil hither is 1 of the best inwards Florence, John Travolta Pasta, truffle cheese spaghetti, chicken parmesan, this identify is an amazing sense because the human who owns it comes out as well as makes it really fun
Buca Mario: expensive
Golden View: Right on the Ponte Vecchio overlooking the water, seared tuna, corking salads, pasta, seabass
Trattoria Zaza: Inexpensive as well as amazing, ALL pastas, truffle steak, tuna tartare,
Il Bargello: Delicious pasta
Aqua al Due: Pasta sampler, steak sampler, create certain to endeavor the huckleberry steak
Santa Spirito: Inexpensive, Truffle four cheese gnocchi, pasta amongst love apple tree as well as basil, meatballs, chocolate cake
Il Gato a La Volpe: Really expert for large grouping dinners, they exercise for xx euros an all you lot tin can drinkable menage unit of measurement mode meal, appetizer sampler amongst meats as well as cheeses, four types of pastas, corking steak as well as chicken inwards vodka sauce
Ristorante Accademia: Fantastic pasta as well as panna cotta.
Dante’s: Believe it or non this identify has all you lot tin can drinkable vino for FREE for American students, corking eggplant parm, grilled chicken as well as pastas
Peking: If you’re genuinely craving some Asian food, this identify does the best Chinese as well as Japanese nutrient inwards Florence!
APPERTIVO: Florence has affair thing called apperitvo where from well-nigh 6-9pm every eating seat gives you lot a fixed cost of well-nigh 10 euros as well as you lot instruct a drinkable as well as unlimited mini courses. It’s non meant to live on a total meal, but a savvy traveller tin can absolutely arrive one!
- Colle Bereto
- Westin Rooftop
- Kitsch
- Freddys
- Signorvino
- Odeon Bistro: Our personal favorite!
Desserts
Venchi
Eduardo’s: gelato flavors modify everyday, home-made cones create this gelato identify stand upward out
Gelato de Neri: So many flavors
Don Nino’s: Most photographed gelato inwards Florence, comes amongst whipped cream, cracker as well as chocolate
Venchi: Gelato as well as chocolatier amongst taps of melted chocolate!
Magnum: Make your ain H2O ice cream bar
Amalo: gelato, frozen yogurt, crepes
Secret Bakery
In Florence at that topographic point are these hidden bakeries that only opened upward around 2 am as well as they start making all the fresh pastries for the day- you lot MUST go. We would exit the clubs as well as endeavor to discovery the hole-and-corner bakeries- steaming hot cinnamon carbohydrate nutella donuts, croissants amongst nutella, as well as croissants amongst cream, regular donuts
El Chico: Burrito
Mesopotamia: Greek Kebab
Mr. Pizza: The pizza is EH, it is American mode pizza but it is opened upward all nighttime therefore you lot volition go, instruct the Nutella calzone though.
Bars
The Café’s inwards Florence plough into bars at nighttime therefore they are pocket-size as well as cute. You volition essentially endeavor to receive got pregames inwards your storey until you lot instruct a dissonance complaint
(All bars are genuinely similar, inexpensive drinks, pretty Americanized, non that big)
Shot Café: Has shots that lite on fire, giant drinks amongst giant straws
Naima: Great sangria, college t shirts hanging all over the walls
Green Bar: Become friends amongst the possessor he volition compass you lot gratis shots as well as allow you lot literally DJ the bar
Dolce: Ratchet
Moyo: Upscale NYC type of atmosphere
Kikuya: Has Dragoon Blackout Beer
Red Garter: Has karokee
Uncle Jimmy’s: Bras as well as thongs hanging from ceiling, a lot similar a college bar
Lion’s Fountain: Signatures as well as college t shirts on walls
Clubs
Yab: There’s a 10 euro accuse to instruct inwards as well as some other 3 euros to depository fiscal establishment check your coat but the ticket comes amongst a gratis drink.
Bamboo: Tuesday night
Space: Students instruct inwards gratis Wednesdays, Saturdays, as well as Sundays
Full up: Thursday
21: Friday
Blanco: Outdoor lodge that opens inwards the spring/summer when it gets nicer out
Leather Markets
Just walking along the streets of Florence, you lot volition watch many cute boutique shops that you lot tin can only pop into but hither are a few recommendations.
Leather Market: Right past times the Central Market, these leather markets receive got every leather expert you lot could always want. Bargain, state your price, if they therefore no walk away as well as come upward dorsum as well as they volition compass it to you
Subdued: Italian mode brandy Melville, genuinely cute
Odeca: Italian mode TOBI (for the girls)
Gerard Loft: expensive, but cool Italian designer wearing apparel for men as well as women
FLO: expensive, but cool Italian clothing
Anna’s: On the Ponte Vecchio, become hither to instruct the seven clover Cruciani bracelets
Mommoni: expensive, cute Italian designer clothes
Echo: Handmade Italian have on boutique
Via Luisa Roma: So expensive but the coolest store you lot volition always walk into
American stores too similar Brandy Melville, H&M, Zara, Prada, Gucci, Chanel, ETC
Siena
Italy is a huge tourist destination, therefore at that topographic point is no shortage of trips you lot tin can accept amongst Florence every bit your base. Here are a few of the most popular, every bit good every bit tips for how to instruct at that topographic point as well as how long to stay.
Rome: The working capital alphabetic lineament of Italy, it is a must-see on whatever trip to Italy. From Florence, it is a 2-day trip every bit the develop takes 1.5 hours as well as at that topographic point is a lot to see.
Want to know what to exercise inwards Rome? Read this: What to Do inwards Rome
Cinque Terre: This Instagram-famous grouping of towns is only 3 hours away past times train. You hike to five dissimilar towns therefore it is possible to exercise inwards a day, but would live on a improve 2-day trip.
Venice: The famous water-city is also rather unopen to Florence! The develop at that topographic point is 1.5 hours therefore I recommend going on a hateful solar daytime trip; accept a H2O taxi to San Marco as well as and therefore to the Island of Burano as well as exercise a Gondola ride there.
Milan: The train is 1.5 hours therefore this also works every bit a hateful solar daytime trip. Milan is the fashion working capital alphabetic lineament of Italia therefore if you’re genuinely into fashion this is a must see! I would also create certain to receive got room inwards your pocketbook every bit you lot in all probability volition exercise some shopping.
Lucca: Train to hither is 45 mins therefore you lot tin can exercise a half-day trip here. Highly recommend renting a cycle to cycle around the whole city.
Siena: This medieval historic metropolis is absolutely gorgeous as well as a motorcoach at that topographic point takes 2 hours 1 agency therefore it makes for a corking hateful solar daytime trip.
Want to know what to exercise inwards Siena? Read this: One Day inwards Siena
Pisa: The develop hither takes well-nigh 45 minutes to an lx minutes therefore you lot tin can exercise it inwards one-half a day. You tin can watch the iconic leaning tower of Pisa.
Tuscan Wineries: Seeing every bit Tuscany is Italy’s vino portion as well as Florence is smack inwards the middle, I highly recommend doing a vino tour inwards the surrounding areas to sense of savor some of the local wine.
Looking for even more Italian destinations? Read: The Ultimate Italian Bucket List
Pin this!
Have you lot always been to Florence? What are your recommendations? Let me know inwards the comments below!
Source : adventureatwork.co
