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Per person in euros: cheapest direct return flight for 2 to 4 nights. Select a month for flight times, hotels and things to do.

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Discover Florence

Ponte Vecchio, Florence
Ponte Vecchio
Uffizi, Florence
Uffizi

City guide

About Florence

Florence (Firenze) is the magnificent capital of Tuscany, scenically spanned by the gentle waters of the Arno River. As the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, every stone alley, public square, and palace recalls the artistic and intellectual golden age nurtured in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries by the powerful Medici dynasty.

Above the red-tiled roofscape rises Brunelleschi's immense dome on the Duomo, flanked by Giotto's marble bell tower. Home to priceless masterpieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci in the Uffizi Gallery, the medieval goldsmith shops of Ponte Vecchio, and the relaxed artisan life of Oltrarno, Florence remains an incomparable living museum.

Best time to go
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) offer the most pleasant conditions: comfortable temperatures between 19 and 25 degrees Celsius, radiant Tuscan skies, and blooming formal gardens like the Boboli. Midsummer in July and August can be stiflingly hot in the Arno valley, with temperatures frequently surpassing 34 degrees.
From the airport
Florence Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) is located just four kilometers northwest of the city center. Tram line T2 departs directly outside the terminal, reaching Santa Maria Novella railway station and Piazza dell'Unità Italiana in just 20 minutes. Official taxis operate on a fixed rate of roughly 22 to 25 euros to downtown.
Getting around
Florence's historic center is compact, largely closed to private vehicular traffic (ZTL), and exceptionally enjoyable to explore on foot. You can walk between the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, and the Arno in under fifteen minutes. To reach panoramic heights like Piazzale Michelangelo or the hilltop village of Fiesole, take city bus 12, 13, or 7.

What to see in Florence

  • Florence Cathedral (Duomo) and Brunelleschi's DomeThe Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore faced in pink, white, and green marble, capped by Brunelleschi's revolutionary brick dome; climb 463 steps for sweeping city panoramas.
  • Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi)One of the world's most renowned art collections, housed in an elegant sixteenth-century administrative palace, displaying Botticelli's 'The Birth of Venus' and 'Primavera'.
  • Galleria dell'AccademiaThe museum sanctuary dedicated to Michelangelo's David, a five-meter-tall marble sculpture of flawless proportion, tension, and High Renaissance beauty.
  • Ponte VecchioThe iconic medieval stone segmental arch bridge across the Arno, home to working goldsmith and jewelry boutiques since 1593, crowned by the elevated Vasari Corridor.

Neighbourhoods

  • Centro Storico and San GiovanniThe monument-packed core around the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, featuring Palazzo Vecchio, luxury shopping along Via de' Tornabuoni, and historic cafes.
  • Oltrarno and San FredianoThe bohemian artisan quarter across the Arno, celebrated for leather-craft workshops, gilders, antique shops, authentic family trattorias, and lively Piazza Santo Spirito.
  • Santa CroceA vibrant neighborhood surrounding the Franciscan basilica containing the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, filled with leather schools, wine bars, and student life.

Food and drink

Florentine cuisine is rustic, hearty, and ingredient-led. Order bistecca alla Fiorentina (a thick, bone-in T-bone steak from Chianina beef, quickly seared rare over hot wood coals with olive oil and sea salt). Try ribollita (a savory, slow-simmered stew of Tuscan kale, white cannellini beans, and crusty bread) or grab a traditional lampredotto sandwich with salsa verde from a street kiosk. Pair your meal with Chianti Classico wine and finish with gelato from Vivoli.

Questions about Florence

Should I book tickets for the Uffizi and Accademia ahead of time?

Yes, reserving advance timed-entry tickets online is practically essential; waiting to buy tickets on arrival often results in several hours in line or turned-away visitors during peak seasons.

Where is the best sunset viewpoint over Florence?

Piazzale Michelangelo on the south bank of the Arno provides the quintessential panoramic view over the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and Tuscan hills as the evening light turns golden.

Month by month breakdown

Fotocredits (3)
  • Florence Cathedral door Gary Campbell-Hall, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Ponte Vecchio door Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Uffizi door Arek N., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons