Overview
When’s the best time to go to Florence?
Florence at the height of summer is often hot and almost always crowded—late spring and early fall are preferable if possible. While Florence is a year-round destination, if you are combining your trip there with visits to wineries and smaller towns in Tuscany, be aware that some businesses do close in the winter.
How to get around Florence
There are no direct flights from the United States to Florence, but it is possible to connect to it through European hubs. From the airport, it is about 20 minutes by taxi or bus to the city center. If you are combining your trip to Florence with another stop in Italy, Milan, Rome, and Venice are all two hours or less from the city by train. The main station is in Santa Maria Novella, not far from the historic heart of Florence.
Historic Florence is compact and given that the narrow streets are often congested, it is often easier to explore on foot. (While there is a good bus network, it really only makes sense to use it if you are traveling beyond the city center.) Taxis are safe and because the distances are short, you are unlikely to rack up a big fare. Note, however, that you can’t hail cabs on the street and will need to find the closest taxi stand.
Can’t miss things to do in Florence
The Uffizi Gallery ranks alongside the Louvre and the Hermitage as one of the world’s great museums, though its collection is more focused—specifically on Italian art from the 14th to 17th centuries. The entire arc of Renaissance art can be traced through its canvases, with masterpieces by Botticelli, da Vinci, Fra Filippo Lippi, and many others.
The Galleria dell’Accademia, on the other hand, is a must-stop thanks to one masterpiece: Michelangelo’s David.
Florence’s cultural highlights include a number of buildings that are iconic landmarks. Foremost among them is the cathedral, or Duomo, which includes contributions from three towering figures: Brunelleschi (the dome and baptistery), Giotto (the campanile), and Vasari (The Last Judgment fresco). Students of garden design, and anyone who wants to simply smell the flowers, should explore the Boboli Gardens.
Take a break from all the headiness with a visit to the Mercato Centrale, or San Lorenzo Market. On the ground floor you can shop for sun-dried tomatoes, olive oils, and other culinary gifts. In the food hall upstairs, you can savor some of the flavors of Tuscan cuisine.
Delve even deeper into Florentine culture: sign up for a cooking class, attend a musical event, conduct your own street-food survey. Or take a fresco-painting workshop from our partner, Context Tours, where you’ll learn the ropes of this Renaissance painting technique from a working artist in his studio.
Food and drink to try in Florence
Tuscan cuisine is traditionally simple and hearty food, noted for its bean and vegetable soups and non-fussy pasta dishes. Florence’s most famous dish, bistecca alla Fiorentina, a thickly cut t-bone steak, can be found on many menus. If you have a sweet tooth, gelato was (at least according to some) invented in Florence.
Culture in Florence
Florence’s high culture is the reason to visit the city for many—its museums are home to many masterpieces of Renaissance Italy while some of its churches and palaces are true architectural wonders. The lines at the Uffizi Gallery can be long and purchasing advance tickets is highly recommended. While you will want to see Florence’s most famous highlights, its smaller institutions can offer a respite from the crowds: the Bargello houses important works by sculptor Donatello while the Horne Museum displays the collection of its 19th-century British founder, an avid collector of Renaissance art.
Practical Information
As with other countries in the Schengen Area of Europe, Americans can stay for up to 90 days in Italy without a visa.
Electricity is 220 volts, in common with the rest of Europe. While you will notice three holes in outlets, the middle one is for a grounding prong. An adapter with two round prongs is all you need to use most U.S. devices. If your U.S. device has three pins or prongs, you should use an adapter that also has the third, middle prong.
There are no special health requirements or immunizations required to travel to Italy.
Local Resources
- The Florentine is an English-language newspaper and website covering both news and events of interest to travelers.
- The Paperback Exchange has been a center of the city’s English-speaking community since 1979.
- Finally, the Visit Florence website is an impressively comprehensive resource on the city, and all in English.
