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Florence travel guide

by Murat

Florence travel guide

The idea of walking in the same streets as Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Dante excites me. The entire city is like an open-air museum nad origin of the Stendhal syndrome. This travel guide includes major attractions, budget suggestions, eating suggestions and practical tips about Florence. The movie ‘Inferno’ which cast Tom Hanks was partially shot in Florence. Also shoutout to Assassin Creed fans. They will recognize the spots to jump in. In my Florence travel guide, you will find major attractions you shouldn’t miss, suggested budget, time to visit and money-saving tips. Here we go.

florence_travel_guide

Special tips for Florence

  • Throughout the year, entrance of Galleria Uffizi is free of charge. You can check those days here.
  • Stay away from Euronet ATM’s as they have very bad conversion rate and higher process fee. Avoid it at all cost. Instead, use the local banks for money withdrawal.
  • In summer, make sure you purchase tickets in advance.
  • To avoid mosquito problems during summer take an anti-mosquito spray with you.
  • If you want to spend more than 3 days, getting FirenzePass can be a good deal. It is expensive and valid for 72h. After expiration you can restart it for a fee. Perfect for art lover.
  • In summer, churches don’t allow open tops and shorts above knee for both men and women. 
  • Avoid restaurants at major squares for eating. They are overpriced.
  • Make sure to check these common travel scams before going to Florence.

Florence travel guide: Major attractions in Florence

See

4th biggest cathedral in the world.
The entrance to Santa Maria del Fiore is free. If you want to climb to the top and access baptistery, the crypt you will need a combined ticket (18€).
For tickets

Galleria Degli Uffizi

Very famous for ‘the birth of the Venus’ It is a paradise for art lovers as it contains the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, Goya. The tickets cost 16€. Pro tip: Some days throughout the year entrance is free!
For free days and tickets

Take a picture on the Ponte Vecchio

Every Florence themed movie has a scene at this bridge. Illumination at night is good. It has a lot of mosquito in summer so anti-mosquito sprays can save you from trouble!

See the ‘David’ in

Galleria dell’ Academia
Michelangelo’ masterpiece. You can stare at this astonishing piece for minutes and wonder why art nowadays are not like that? There are copies on David in Florences. Pro tip: The first Sunday of the month is free.

Enjoy

Florence from the top
You need to go to Piazzale Michelangelo. It can be reached by bus (line 12 and 13 from city center) It is spectacular especially at night.

Florence travel guide: Typical costs

Florence is a small but expensive city especially compare to Rome. The budget heaviliy depends on your needs. You can spend little by changing small things and lowering your expectations.

Is FirenzeCard a good deal?

State museums offer free admission to children (EU citizens) under 18. FirenzeCard costs 85€ for 72h and you need to make reservations (this is mandatory for most of the museums in Florence) which costs extra. The majority of tourists visit two spots (Uffizi and Academia) which cost 40€ combined. That’s the half cost of the FlorenceCard. If you want to make it profitable, you can add few more spots (Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce) If you are an art lover and want to spend more than 3 days, you will enjoy the Florence with FirenzeCard.

 Coffee: 1.5-3€

Cocktails: 10€

A glass of wine in a bar: 4-5€

taxi from train station to city center: 15€

For your reference

With a low budget, you can stay in a mixed dorm and eat a pizza, lasagna or kebab and see a few attractions.

Mid-range budget will get you a room (for two) in a 3star hotel. You can eat a nice ravioli or Florence steak and see more museums or attractions.

With a luxury budget, you can stay in a nice 4-star hotel. Eat at a decent restaurant. Not much to say when you have that amount. The sky is the limit.

Florence travel guide: Best time to visit

 Here, I mentioned the best time to visit Florence. As usual, summer is the peak time. It is packed with tourists and accommodation is more expensive. In winter, the temperature drops to 3-4℃. September and April-May are still busy but not as crowded, therefore, ideal times to visit. I dropped the yearly climate data for Florence for your reference.  

florence_travel_guide_weather_

Florence travel guide: Transport

From the airport to the city center;

By taxi: 22€ + 1€/bag

By bus: 6€ single -10€ round trip. The bus will get you to the train station. Another 15min walk, you will be in the city center.

             Getting around in Florence

It’s a small city and you can get anywhere on foot. I took the bus once in Florence to go to Michelangelo square. Remember you can’t get a ticket from the bus driver but you can use your contactless credit cards on the bus. 

Florence travel guide: More things to see and do

One copy of ‘David’ statue is here. You can see it for free. Moreover, this square hosts Palazzo Vecchio. The museum + Tower costs 14€.  The view from the tower is great. The part of the movie ‘Inferno’ shot here.

If you still have time and you want to see old costumes from medieval times to 2000s you can check out this place along with some more art galleries. (13€ for a ticket)

This square is surrounded by cafes and restaurants. There is a nice big church nearby.

Although its not as popular as central market, you can enjoy shopping like a local. There are vendors where you can get fresh vegetables, fruits cheese…
Florence travel guide: Eating and drinking

Eating out is not cheap in Italy. A dish in a restaurant starts from 11€+ and if you drink wine then it will add up. You can find cheaper options such as sliced pizza but if you find a pasta under 8€ then it is most likely previously cooked/stored and re-served.

When you hear Italian cuisine, you probably think pasta and the pizza but Italy has more to offer. For example, Florence is also famous for its steak. Even if you order well cooked, what you probably get will be medium-rare yet very delicious.

Restaurant suggestions for Florence:

  • Trattoria ZaZa: You should try their Florence steak. I like the interior design. It is popular for both locals and tourists. They also offer other dishes. It is not a budget restaurant. One should expect around 20€+.
  • Trattoria Mario: Their Florence steak isn’t the best. They are more famous with their ravioli. Sitting is tight and crowded. You can get your lunch there. The menu changes daily and is handwritten. Around 8€+
  • My third suggestion is Gusta Pizza. They make pizza fresh and in heart shape if you ask for it! It is cheap (5€+) yet delicious.
  • If you already tried a lot of Italian restaurants and need a little break, try Istanbul kebap restaurant. You won’t regret.

Wine bars:

I am not a wine expert, in fact, my understanding doesn’t go beyond ‘’good’’ or ‘bad’ wine. However, you can check out Enoteca Fuoriporta and Enoteca Ponte Vecchio they for sure have a lot to offer.

Coffee:

I don’t have a particular suggestion here since almost every place I tried was good. Coffee in Italy is generally good so you can randomly check out coffee bars.

Gelato (Italian Ice Cream):

Check out Vivoli (Via Isola delle Stinche, 7r)

Florence travel guide: Map of the main attractions

More about Italy

More destinations ?

In this Florence travel guide, I showed major locations that you must see how to get around, typical costs and some money saving tips. If you have a specific question you can ask me below. You can also share it on:

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