Check out my travelers guide to the best things to do in Florence and find out about getting gelato in the oldest gelateria in Florence, coffee at the oldest cafe in Florence, pizza in the most famous pizzeria in Florence, wine at a wine window in Florence, traditional Florentine and Tuscan dishes in the oldest food market in Florence, a perfume at the oldest perfume shop in Florence, and visiting top museums in Florence, of course.
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Contents
- A guide to the best things to do in Florence, Italy
- 1. Visit the historical Café Gilli
- 2. Get a Brunelleschi Pass to Climb the Dome and Giotto’s Tower
- 3. Have a gelato or affogato at Vivoli geletaria
- 4. Admire the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery
- 5. Order wine from a wine window
- 6. See Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia Gallery
- 7. Visit the stunning Medici Chapels
- 8. Visit the Central Market (Mercato Nuovo)
- 9. Check out San Lorenzo Market for leather goods
- 10. Rub the nose of Il Porcellino and put a coin in his mouth
- 11. Have pizza at the famous L’antica pizzeria da Michele pizzeria
- 12. Go to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset
- 13. Relax in Horticulture Garden (Giardino dell’Orticoltura)
- 14. Inspect the views of Florence from the Orti del Paranso
- 15. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella
- 16. Visit the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo Galilee, Dante, and Raphael in Santa Croce Basilica.
- 17. Explore Sant’Ambrogio market
- 18. Check out Pitti Palace
- 19. Stroll Boboli Gardens
- 20. Don’t miss out on visiting Bardini Gardens
- 21. Visit Santa Maria Novella church
- 22. Listen to Gregorian chants in the church of San Miniato al Monte
- 23. Sip a cocktail at a rooftop bar in the sunset
- 24. Discover Cinema Odeon
- 25. Walk over Ponte Vecchio
- 26. Have a lampredotto sandwich on a chiosco in Florence
- 27. Eat in Osteria Santo Spirito
A guide to the best things to do in Florence, Italy
This summer I spent 2 weeks in Florence, Italy.
It was not my first time in Florence, but this was the time I fell in love with it. On this visit, I had much time to do sightseeing, but more importantly, I had much time to explore the city leisurely.
I stayed in the Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood in the heart of the city, a 5-minute walk from Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, an 8-minute walk from Santa Croce church, 10 min walk from the Cathedral of Florence, and so close to all main sites in Florence.
I strolled the city every day. You might not know it, but Florence is dubbed the most walkable city in Europe. Being a huge walking enthusiast, this was one of the reasons why I enjoyed my time spent in Florence so much.
But, if you are planning a visit to Florence, let me help you experience the top things there. I made a list of the best things to do in Florence to help fellow travelers have the best time in Florence.
My list of the best things to do in Florence covers the things to do in Florence at the most iconic places in the city.
The list includes getting gelato in the oldest gelateria in Florence, sipping coffee in the oldest cafe in Florence, eating at the oldest food market in Florence, visiting the oldest perfume shop in Florence, and more.
Let’s start with a coffee and a cake in the oldest cafe in Florence.
1. Visit the historical Café Gilli
The iconic Café Gili is the oldest cafe in Florence. The Gilli family opened the coffee house in Via dei Calzaiuoli Street (near the Duomo) in 1733 and expanded it in 1843 as it became popular and needed more space. However, the cafe moved to an elegant palace in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele in 1893. At that time, Cafe Gili started selling liquors, besides coffee and pastries. But this wasn’t its final location. The Gilli cafe moved again to the Republic Square (Piazza della Repubblica) in 1913, becoming a genuine cafeteria when the first coffee machines occurred. At this point, the Giili cafeteria, decorated in the Florentine Liberty style, became the favorite meeting place of Florentine artists, intellectuals, and famous figures. Since then, it has held a strong legacy as the most popular cafe in Florence.
Café Gilli in Florence is a member of the Association of Historic Italian Cafés. As a big lover of historic places and a former coffee addict (I swapped coffee with chicory coffee for its health benefits a few months ago), Café Gili was a must-visit on my Florence bucket list. I sipped coffee in the historic cafes in Vienna, New York Cafe in Budapest, Gambrinus Cafe in Naples, Antico Caffè El Greco in Rome, Café Florian in Venice, and Caffè Pedrocchi in Padua. I could not miss out on the 300-year-old Café Gili in Florence. I ordered coffee affogato (vanilla gelato topped with hot espresso) and traditional schiacciata fiorentina cake. The affogato was too strong for me, a new chicory coffee convert, but the creamy schiacciata fiorentina was above my exceptions! It was creamy, tender, and delicious!
The Café Gili is in via Roma 1R in Florence. It is open from 8 am to midnight, seven days a week. If you like the old-world cafes as much as I love them, head to the Café Gili in Florence!
2. Get a Brunelleschi Pass to Climb the Dome and Giotto’s Tower
The Cathedral, with its stunning dome and bell tower, is one of the landmarks of Florence and a must-see in Florence.
There are three types of tickets for visiting different parts of Florence Cathedral. They are called: the Brunelleschi Pass, Giotto Pass, and Ghiberti Pass.
The most interesting parts of the cathedral are the dome and tower. Visiting the dome and bell tower are the top things to do in Florence! Filippo Brunelleschi designed the dome, and Giotto Giotto di Bondone the bell tower.
Only the Brunelleschi Pass gives access to the dome. The Brunelleschi Pass covers visiting the entire complex of the cathedral, including the Tower designed by the grandmaster Giotto. In my opinion, only the Brunelleschi Ticket is worth buying. It is the most expensive pass but for a good reason. Only by getting the Brunelleschi Ticket, the visitors can see the the Last Judgment fresco by Zuccari and Vasari at a close distance. Besides that, the views of Florence from the dome are spectacular.
Brunelleschi Pass gives access to the entire complex: the Cathedral, the Dome, the Crypt, the Bell Tower, the Baptistry, and the Museum. The Brunelleschi Pass is the most searched-for ticket. It is hard to get it in the summer months, in July and August, when tourist crowds come. Thus, book your Brunelleschi Ticket in advance. Reserve your spot to climb the dome and the tower in Florence.
3. Have a gelato or affogato at Vivoli geletaria
Vivoli gelateria is the oldest gelato shop in Florence, dating back to 1929. The four generations of the Vivoli family run the shop for almost one hundred years. It is famous for its artisanal gelato, prepared with high-quality ingredients. However, its most popular product is the affogato (espresso with gelato). The most popular are vanilla and hazelnut flavors.
Vivoli gelateria and its affogato are tourist attractions in Florence. Instagram is flooded with photos of Vivoli Affogato with a distinctive small square in the middle. So, go to Vivoli, but be prepared for the lines in front. The price of an affogato at Vivoli is 6 €. Yes, it is pricey. But, people seem don’t mind it. The street in front of the shop is full of people eating their affogato with their spoons! I was curious to try Vivoli’s affogato, and I waited about 15 minutes to get it.
Vivoli Gelateria is in via Isola delle Stinche 7R, close to Santa Croce church. It is open from 8 am to 9 pm from Tuesday to Saturday and from 9 am to 8 pm on Sunday. It is closed on Monday!
4. Admire the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery
Uffizi Gallery in Florence is a top world art museum. With an average of 10.000 visitors a day and over 1.5 million visitors a year, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence is one of the most visited museums in the world.
The museum hosts an extensive collection of ancient sculptures and paintings (from medieval to modern). It has some of the most famous artworks, like the masterpieces by Cimabue, Giotto, Fra Angelico, Masaccio, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. Raphael, and Titian. To remind you, Botticelli’s Primavera and Birth of Venus, Filippo Lippi’s Madonna and Child with Two Angels, and Titian’s Venus of Urbino are some of its most prominent exhibits.
The museum is set in a U-shaped Renaissance building designed by Giorgio Vasari and sponsored by the Medici family. Gallerie degli Uffizi has been hosting the art masterpieces since 1769, instead of hosting the offices of the Florentine gilds (what was the building meant to be in 1560).
The gallery is next to the Palazzo Vecchio, near Piazza del Signori. It is open from 8.15 am to 6.30 from Wednesday to Saturday and from 8.15 to 9.30 pm on Tuesdays. It is closed on Mondays. A visit to the Uffizi Gallery takes 3 hours on average.
Remember, the Uffizi Gallery is the most visited museum in Florence. So, expect crowds and consider getting a Skip-the-Line Ticket.
5. Order wine from a wine window
Have you heard of the traditional wine windows in Florence? Wine windows or, buchette del vino in Italian, have existed in Florence since the 16th century when Cosimo de Medici permitted selling wines from wine windows without taxes to local winemakers. The wines from Wine Widows were cheaper and became enormously popular among wine lovers in Florence. Wine widows became especially popular during the plague in Florence in the 16th century and the recent pandemit. About 285 wine windows are in Florence today! Many of them are in the Santo Spirito neighborhood. The ancient wine window of Babae restaurant in Santo Spirito is one of the most famous places to get wine from buchetto del vino in Florence.
Head to Babae restaurant and tap the window flap if it is not open. A server will come to take your order in a minute. Enjoy sipping prosecco, rose, or red wine from the wine window in Florence!
6. See Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia Gallery
With about 1.3 million visitors a year, the Accademia Gallery is the second-most visited museum in Florence. Accademia Gallery, or Galleria dell’Accademia in Italian, hosts the original sculpture of Michelangelo’s David, the most famous sculpture in the world. The statue of David, which you can see today on the Piazza del Signori, is its copy. The Accademia Gallery has several halls and hosts six other Michelangelo sculptures (Palestrina Pietà, St. Matthew, the Salve called Atlas, the Bearded Slave, the Young Slave, and the Awakening Slave), besides the sculpture of David. Visitors can also see the other famous cult-tiers like The Rape of the Sabine Women’ by John of Bologna and paintings like ‘Madonna and Child, St. John and the two angels’ by Sandro Botticelli and ‘The Tree of Life’ by Pacino di Buonaguida.
Accademia Gallery Is in Via Ricasoli 58-60 in Florence. A visit to the Accademia Gallery takes up to two hours on average. It is open from 8.15 am to 6.20 pm from Tuesday to Sunday. It is closed on Mondays. Get your Skip-The Line Ticket and enjoy the Accademia Gallery.
7. Visit the stunning Medici Chapels
Medici Chapels, or Cappelle Medicee in Italian, is a mausoleum of the Medici family and a famous museum in Florence.
The museum has three parts: the crypt, the Chapel of the Princes (Cappella dei Principi), and the New Sacristy. The octagonal Chapel of the Princes, a 17th-century mausoleum with the tombs of Six of the Medici Grand Dukes is the most beautiful part of the Chapel. The Chapel is decorated in stunning colored marble and semi-precious stone. It is a must-see in Florence!
Michelangelo designed the New Sacristy, the mortuary chapel for members of the Medici family. It was his first work for the Medici family. He also made the Madonna and Child sculpture in the New Sacristy.
The Medici Chapels museum is near the Basilica of San Lorenzo. The chapels were the extensions of the basilica at the time when it was built. The Medici Chapels are in Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 6. They are open from 8.15 am to 6.50 pm from Wednesday to Monday. They are closed on Tuesdays. The Medici Chapels Museum is one of my favorite places in Florence.
8. Visit the Central Market (Mercato Nuovo)
Visiting food markets is always at the top of my bucket list. I love their atmosphere and the local culture you can feel and notice in their every corner.
Mercato Centrale Firenze is the main food market in Florence. The indoor market is inside a beautiful Italian Rinascimento-stye building. Giuseppe Mengoni, the same architect who built the Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery in Milan, built the Mercato Centrale in Florence too. The spacious cast iron-glass market building was erected between 1870 and 1874.
Mercato Centrale Firenze sells fresh farmers’ produce, local specialties (a wide range of meats and cheese), and seafood. In addition, several traditional Tuscan cuisine restaurants are within the market. I was surprised to see how fully occupied the restaurants were.
The market has two floors. The second floor has 12 stalls selling exclusively local Tuscan specialties, like Tuscan pecorino cheese, Chianti wine, sweet treats (gelato, chocolate, etc), and baked local delicacies.
The second floor is open seven days a week from 10 am to midnight.
Restaurants in Mercato Centrale Firenze are fantastic places to absorb the local vibes over lunch. Check out the stalls inside the market and take a lunch break in one of its restaurants. You will love the offerings on the stands and the menu of the restaurants! PS.
You might find some new exotic food there, like I did. I discovered Asian bitter melon (bitter gourd) on Mercato Centrale Firenze. I never seen it before!
9. Check out San Lorenzo Market for leather goods
San Lorenzo Market is a famous outdoor market selling leather goods in Florence. San Lorenzo Market is in the streets surrounding the Central Market. Whether you want to buy leather clothing (like jackets), accessories (belts, bags, wallets, etc), or leather souvenirs, this is a place to do it. San Lorenzo Market has hundreds of stalls selling leather goods at affordable prices. However, don’t hesitate to barging, too!
Remember. Florence has been known for the production of high-quality leather since medieval times. Its Arno River provides the water necessary for tanning the leather. Florentine leather is known for its high quality, durability, and softness.
The streets of Florence are filled with shops selling leather goods.
The outdoor San Lorenzo market is open from Tuesday to Saturday.
10. Rub the nose of Il Porcellino and put a coin in his mouth
Rube the nose of Il Porcellino – the iconic iron statue of a wild boar in front of Mercato Nuovo market.
Il Porcellino is a top tourist attraction in Florence. Tourists rub Il Porcellino’s nose for fortune, good luck, and a happy return to Florence. Here are the steps to follow: rub the nose of Il Porcellino, put a coin in his mouth, and let the coin roll through his mouth down to the water below. If the coin falls to the water basin through a fine grate below the statue, a good fortune will follow you.
The iron statue that you can see is a copy of a copy of the original marble statue of Il Porcellino. The original marble Porcellino was a gift of Pope Pius IV to Cosimo I in 1560. Cosimo II de’ Medici commissioned an iron copy in 1612 to decorate the Pitti Palace. Later, the copy was transformed into a fountain and placed before the Marcato Nuovo in 1640. Over time rubbing the nose of Il Porcellino for fortune became popular, and the statue started ripping. In 1998 the original iron Il Porcellino was replaced by a new iron copy that we see today.
11. Have pizza at the famous L’antica pizzeria da Michele pizzeria
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele is one of the most famous pizzerias in the world.
The main L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele pizzeria is in Naples, which got its world fame when Elizabeth Gilbert aka Julia Roberts ate her pizza in L’antica Pizzeria da Michele pizzeria in Naples in the movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love’.
However, Napoletans celebrated the pizzas of L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele pizzeria before the movie scene was filmed there. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Naples has held a reputation for making high-quality pizzas for over 150 years. The Condurro family, the well-known pizza masters, opened the pizzeria in Naples in 1870. The members of the Condurro family run the L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele pizzeria in Naples ever since then.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Florence is a subsidiary of L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele from Naples. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Florence provides top Napoletean pizzas to Florentines and visitors of Florence. Naturally, the L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele was my top choice for pizza. I tried their double mozzarella Margherita (with extra mozzarella cheese). I had no complaints. The thin-crust pizza with a generous amount of mozzarella melted in my mouth!
If you appreciate a delicious slice of pizza like me, check out L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Florence.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele overlooks the Central Market in Florence. It is in Piazza del Mercato Centrale 22R in Florence, a few steps from the Duomo.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Florence is open from noon to 4 pm and from 6 pm to 11 pm from Monday to Thursday, and from noon to 4 pm and from 6 pm to 11.30 pm from Friday to Sunday.
12. Go to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset
Piazzale Michelangelo is the most popular sunset viewpoint of Florence. Michelangelo Square (Piazzale Michelangelo in Italian) provides glorious views of the Arno River, Ponte Vecchio, and Florence. The views are particularly gorgeous in sunsets. The panoramic views of Florence at sunset from the Piazzale Michelangelo are a must-see in Florence. The square is a large 19th-century terrace with a neoclassical loggia. The loggia houses a restaurant today, while a band performs live music. It is a great place to enjoy sunset views of Florence over a glass of refreshing Aperol Spritz with music in your background.
As I said, the Piazzale Michelangelo is a popular sunset spot. So, expect crowds! You will most likely be surprised to see how many people come to enjoy the sunset from the Piazzale Michelangelo. I certainly was!
13. Relax in Horticulture Garden (Giardino dell’Orticoltura)
The Horticulture Garden, or Giardino dell’Orticoltura in Italian, is one of the most loved parks by locals in Florence. The Tuscan Society of Horticulture commissioned what was at that time a garden, which was opened in 1859. The garden hosted the first national horticulture exhibition in 1880. An iron-glass greenhouse was erected for that occasion. The exhibition was a huge success, and since then, the garden started hosting many horticultural and floricultural exhibitions. It had a few additions like a cafe, a second greenhouse, and loggia (called, the Loggetta Bondi).
The Municipality of Florence bought the garden for the Horticultural Society in 1930, and it became a public park. These days the iron-glass greenhouse hosts cultural events and parties.
In addition, the park is a great place to relax, have a picnic, and enjoy hot summer afternoons in the shade.
14. Inspect the views of Florence from the Orti del Paranso
The Parnassus Garden, or Orti del Parnaso, is a small green area on the slopes with panoramic views of Florence. The garden hosts a bizarre Serpent Fountain (a snake/dragon) along its steps. The Garden of the Righteous (modeled by the Garden in Jerusalem) is a part of the Parnassus Garden. The serene Parnassus Garden Is worth visiting for the beautiful views of the rooftops of Florence and to get away from the city crowds. The Parnassus Garden is above the Horticulture Garden.
15. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella
The Perfume-Pharmaceutical Workshop of Santa Maria Novella, or Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella in Italian, is a famous ancient pharmacy and nowadays a perfume shop and herbalist in Florence.
Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy in Florence is the oldest apothecary in Europe and the world.
Dominican friars founded the pharmacy in the 13th century and made its products (tinctures and balms) with the ingredients (medical herbs) grown in their gardens. Their medical products and perfumed waters healed many diseases, including the plague in 1381.
But, Santa Maria Novella is probably best known for making the Acqua delle Regina (Queen’s Water) perfume for Catherine de’ Medici in 1533. The perfume was exclusively made for her to remind her of the elegance of Florence when she moved to Paris to become the queen of France. She took the perfumer to the Court of France with her, of course.
Despite its name, Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy is not a pharmacy any more, but a famous perfume shop and herbalist. It sells perfumes, soaps, scented waxes, and the highest quality herbal products. All the products are still made with ancient recipes though!
The pharmacy is a place full of history and free to visit. Visiting the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy is a sensory experience. It is one of the best free things to do in Florence.
The Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy is part of the Santa Maria Novella Convent convent, near Santa Maria Novella church. It has four elegantly furnished rooms (with chandeliers and frescoed ceilings) and a beautiful frescoed Chapel of San Nicolo (sacristy).
The Perfume-Pharmaceutical Workshop of Santa Maria Novella is in Via della Scala 16. It is open from 9.30 am to 8 pm, 7 days a week.
16. Visit the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo Galilee, Dante, and Raphael in Santa Croce Basilica.
The Basilica of the Holy Cross, or Santa Croce Basilica in Italian, is one of the main churches in Florence. The Santa Croce in Florence is one of the most famous churches in Italy too.
Tombs of many notable Italians, like Michelangelo Bunorotti, Galileo Galilei, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Gioachino Rossini are there. For this reason, the Santa Croce Basilica in Florence is called the Temple of the Italian Glories. In addition, the Basilica has many masterpiece artworks. Let me mention several frescos by Giotto, a crucifix by Cimabue, Way to Calvary by Georgio Vasari, and several works by Donatello.
The Florentine Santa Croce Basilica, with its 16 chapels (one of them built by Brunelleschi), is the largest Franciscan church in the world. It is also one of the most beautiful churches in Italy. The Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence is well worth visiting!
A visit to the Basilica of Santa Croce takes up to two hours. The ticket to the Basilica is 8€. The Basilica is open for visiting from 9.30 to 5.30 pm from Monday to Saturday and from 1.30 pm to 5.45 pm on Sundays. Remember, the Basilica of Santa Croce is a religious place. Therefore, dress respectfully and cover your arms and knees.
17. Explore Sant’Ambrogio market
The San’t Ambrogio market, or Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio in Italian, is the oldest food market in Florence. It opened in 1873. Ever since then, it has been the favorite market of Florentinians. The Central Market (Mercato Centrale, also known as Mercato di San Lorenzo) opened in 1874 – only one year later. Architect Guiseppe Poggi designed the buildings of both markets, constructed from cast iron and glass. Les Halles market in Paris was his model for them. The San’t Ambrogio market is smaller than the Central Market.
The San’t Ambrogio market is a beautiful indoor market that sells fresh produce, meats, cheese, and pasta from the Tuscan countryside. The fruit and vegetable stalls are outside the market’s building, and the cheese, pasta, and meat stalls are inside. The market is also known for its good Tuscan market trattorias. Da Rocco was my main discovery of the market. It offers Tuscan soups, pasta, and popular Italian dishes for affordable prices. I tried their pappa al pommodoro, parmigiana all melanzine, ribolita soup and a carmelized pear. I briefly chatted with some locals who I encountered there. They praised Da Rocco for its food and reasonable prices, and I enjoyed their club after trying its dishes.
The San’t Ambrogio market is in Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, near the Basilica of Santa Croce. It is open from 7 am to 2 pm and closed on Sunday.
18. Check out Pitti Palace
The Pitti Palace, or Palazzo Pitti in Italian, was the main residence of the Medici family from 1549 until 1737.
When the last living member of the Medici family passed away, the Pitti Palace served as the Court of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine from 1737 to 1865. It served as the Court of the Kings of Italy from the House of Savoy from 1865 until the 1920s. The Pitti Palace was briefly a royal palace of unified Italy.
Today, the Pitti Palace is the largest museum in Florence. The monumental Renessaince palace hosts five museums on its three floors (ground and two floors): the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Museum of Russian Icons, the Palatine Gallery, the Imperial and Royal Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Costume and Fashion.
The most famous part of the museum is the Palatine Gallery and the Royal Apartments. The Palatine Gallery has more than 500 Renaissance paintings, including the works by Raphael, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, and Pietro da Cortona. The Royal Apartments cover 14 rooms, including the 17th-18th century Blue Room and the 19th-century famous Green Room.
The Pitti Palace has an extensive collection of paintings from the 16th and 17th to 19th and 20th centuries. The collection includes the artworks by Raphael, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, Filippo Lippi, Caravaggio, Giorgione, Paolo Veronese, and Fra Bartolomeo, to name a few.
The Pitti Palace is in Piazza de Pitti, 5 minutes from Ponte Vecchio. The ticket for teh Piiti Palace is 16 €. It is open from 8.15 am to 6.30 pm from Tuesday to Sunday. It is closed on Monday.
19. Stroll Boboli Gardens
The Pitti Palace overlooks the famous Boboli Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and open-air museum in Florence.
Boboli Gardens, or Giardino di Boboli in Italian, is a historical Medici’s park behind the Pitti Place. The Medici family designed its first layout, but later successors, the Habsburgs and Savoys, did their interventions too.
The 16th-century Boboli Gardens are the finest example of the classical Italian garden, which became a model garden for many royal European gardens. The Boboli Gardens covers an area of 44 h, filled with statues, fountains, caves, and gravel avenues.
Bernardo Buontalenti’s cave, an arena/garden, the Egyptian Obelisk, the Fountain of Neptune, the Fountain of the Ocean, the 18th-century pavilion called the Kaffeehaus, and the Lemon House are the must-see parts of the Boboli Gardens.
A visit to the Boboli Gardens takes up to two hours.
However, the Boboli Gardens are a top place for a picnic in Florence. So, grab a picnic blanket and some food and relax in one of the most beautiful places in Florence.
The ticket to the Boboli Gardens is 10€, and the combo ticket for the Pitti Palace and Bobi Gardens is 22 €. The Boboli Gardens are open from 8.15 am to 7.10 pm (summertime), and from 8.15 am to 4. 30 pm (wintertime).
20. Don’t miss out on visiting Bardini Gardens
The Boboli Gardens are not the only gorgeous gardens in Florence. Wait to see the Bardini Gardens! The Bardini Gardens are smaller and more intimate than the Boboli Gardens but stunning. Boboli Gardens are more structured (a classic Italian Renaissance garden), and Bardini Gardens have more wildflowers. The loveliest parts of the Bardini Garden are its Baroque Starway with statues, the Chinese garden, the English Garden, and a terrace that overlooks the Arno River and Florence.
Although the Boboli Gardens have good views of Florence, the Bardini Gardens are even better! The Bardini Garden is the most beautiful in spring (April-May) when the blooming wisteria makes a magnificent tunnel! I visited Bardini Gardens in July and haven’t seen teh blooming wisteria. However, I loved Bardini Gardens more than Boboli Gardens for its intimate atmosphere, the views, and wildflowers. The Bardini Gardens are on my list of the most beautiful places in Florence! The ticket for Boboli Gardens covers the entrance to the Bardini Garden too. Exit the Boboli Gardens exit near the Forte di Belvedere and proceed to the nearby Bardini Gardens. If you wish to visit only the Biardini Gardens, the ticket is 10 €.
21. Visit Santa Maria Novella church
In my opinion, Santa Maria Novella church is the church with the prettiest interior in Florence. It is a 13th-century Dominican church decorated with famous Gothic and early Renaissance frescos. The church has lots of famous art, like the 15th-century frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio, the 16th-century frescoes by Filippino Lippi, the world-famous wooden Crucifix by Brunelleschi, and the Madonna del Rosario painting by Giorgio Vasari and the Adoration of the Magi by Sandro Botticelli.
The church has several chapels: Tornabuoni Chapel, Filippo Strozzi Chapel, Gondi Chapel, Cappella Strozzi di Mantova, Della Pura Chapel, Rucellai Chapel, Bardi Chapel, and Spanish Chapel. Visit them and admire the artwork!
The ticket for visiting the Santa Maria Novella church is 7.5 €. The Santa Maria Novella church is a 3-minute walk from the Santa Maria Novella Train Station (the main railway station in Florence).
22. Listen to Gregorian chants in the church of San Miniato al Monte
San Miniato al Monte (St. Minias on the Mountain) is a famous basilica with an adjoining Benedictine monastery on a hill overlooking Florence.
St Minias was the first Florentine martyr, buried on the site where the church was erected between the 11th and the 13th centuries.
The church of St. Minias on the Mountain belongs to the finest examples of medieval Florentine architecture and art. It is a masterpiece of the Tuscan Romanesque style with beautiful century mosaics and marble inlay work from the 13th and 14th centuries. The sacristy holds the 14th-century frescoes depicting the life of St Benedict (the patron saint of Europe).
. The church stands on a hill and provides unrivaled views of the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and Florence, overall. Gregorian chants by Benedictine monks have been famous for centuries. Attend holy mass in Latin with Gregorian chants in San Miniato al Monte at 6 pm workday, or 5.30 pm on Sundays. Listen and immerse yourself in timeless Gregorian chants in San Miniato al Monte. Listening to Gregorian chants is one of the non-touristy things to do in Florence that will make you want to return to Florence as soon as possible.
23. Sip a cocktail at a rooftop bar in the sunset
Florence is famous for its marvelous rooftops. The city has a handful of great rooftop bars. One of the best things to do in Florence is to sip cocktails in a rooftop bar.
I visited La Divina Terazza Rooftop bar at Grand Hotel Cavour. The bar is on the 6th floor of the hotel, conveniently located in the heart of Florence and close to the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio. I enjoyed the views of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio over a cocktail in the sunset. La Divina Terazza Rooftop bar is a good choice for enjoying cocktails in the evenings, too. If you visit it in winter, heating lamps and coverings are to keep you warm there all evening.
La Divina Terrazza at Grand Hotel Cavour is next to the House of Dante Museum in the heart of Florence, 5 minutes from the Cathedral of Florence and 5 minutes from Palazzo Vecchio. La Divina Terazza Rooftop bar is open from 6 pm to midnight seven days a week. Go to
La Divina Terazza Rooftop bar, order a cocktail and enjoy the stunning views of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio.
24. Discover Cinema Odeon
Cinema Odeon was one of my top finds in Florence. It is one of the must-see unique places in Florence. This charming former theatre from the 1920s, set in a beautiful Renesssaince Palazzo dello Strozzino in the city center, is converted into a unique bookstore/cinema/cafe/study complex. The bookstore and cafe are on the ground floor, while the cinema and study seating are on the 1st floor of the complex. Visitors can browse books, watch old movies (playing at low volume in English), and work on their laptops there.
I stumbled upon Cinema Odeon while strolling the city on a hot July day. I was stunned by its beauty and uniqueness. In addition, the air-conditioned venue was a great shelter from the heat on a hot summer day.
Whether you are a movie/book fan or a lover of unique places, Cinema Odeon is a must-see in Florence.
25. Walk over Ponte Vecchio
It is impossible to write about the best things to do in Florence, and not to mention Ponte Vecchio. This iconic bridge over the River Arno is a landmark of Florence. The medieval Ponte Vecchio had many farmers, butchers, and tanners shops. Today jewelry, souvenirs, and art shops are there instead. It is a pedestrian-only bridge that connects two sides of the city along the Arno River. The Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio are on the one side, and Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace) and the church Santo Spirito are on the other side of Arno. Ponte Vecchio is an Italian national artistic heritage and a must-see in Florence. It is one of teh free things to do in Florence that you can do whenever you wish to – by day or night! There is no visit to Florence without walking over Ponte Vecchio!
26. Have a lampredotto sandwich on a chiosco in Florence
Lampredotto is a traditional Florentine sandwich and popular street food in Florence.
It is one of the most unique traditional Tuscan dishes.
A lampredotto sandwich is made with a bun (panino, in Italian ) filled with offal (cow’s stomach meat) slowly cooked in the lampredotto sauce (made of peeled tomatoes, onions, carrots, parsley, celery, salt, pepper, and olive oil).
Lampredotto is traditionally sold on street stalls called chioschi in Florence.
Lampredotto is a tender sandwich that melts in the mouth. It is a must-try in Florence!
27. Eat in Osteria Santo Spirito
Osteria Santo Spirito is a cozy restaurant with a terrace in the Santo Spirito neighborhood. It is a casual restaurant. Nothing fancy.
The restaurant is known for its generous portions and delicious and inexpensive food. It is a casual restaurant with a great atmosphere. It is not surprising that it is one of the most popular restaurants in Florence. Often you can see lines of people waiting to be seated in front of it!
Osteria Santo Spirito serves authentic local Tuscan and Italian dishes. It is also vegetarian-friendly. I took a mussel soup as an appetizer. But the portion was so big that it turned out to be my only meal. The next day I was back!
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