The Best of Florence & Tuscany
Best WalksHeart of the City
2The Walk
Every visitor to Florence spends time navigating the cobbled medieval lanes that run between Via de’ Tornabuoni and Via del Proconsolo but few explore them thoroughly, instead focusing on the major monuments and spaces. This walk will introduce you to some less visited sights and laneways.
Start Piazza della Repubblica
Finish La Terrazza Lounge Bar
Length 2km; two hours
5Take a Break
Fashionable Via de’ Tornabuoni is the heart of Florence’s original cafe society. Caffè Giacosa and Procacci (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; 
%055 21 16 56; www.procacci1885.it; Via de' Tornabuoni 64r; 
h10am-9pm Mon-Sat, 11am-8pm Sun, closed 3 weeks Aug) are great choices.
1 Piazza della Repubblica
Start with a coffee at one of the historic cafes on this handsome 19th-century square. Its construction entailed the demolition of a Jewish ghetto and produce market, and the relocation of nearly 6000 residents.
2 Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele
Follow Via Calimala and Via Orsanmichele to reach this unique church, created in the 14th century when the arcades of a century-old grain market were walled in and two storeys added.
3 Mercato Nuovo
Back on Via Calimala, walk south to the 16th-century Mercato Nuovo (New Market), a covered marketplace awash with stalls selling tourist kitsch and cheap leather goods (definitely not made in Tuscany). Look for Il Porcellino (The Piglet), a bronze statue of a boar – rub its snout to ensure your return to Florence!
4 Palazzo Davanzati
On Via Porta Rossa is this 14th-century warehouse residence with its studded doors and central loggia. A few doors down, next to the Slowly bar, peep through the sturdy iron gate and up to admire ancient brick vaults.
5 Chiesa di Santa Trìnita
Continue to Via de’ Tornabuoni, the city’s most famous shopping strip. Cross Piazza Santa Trìnita and duck into this church to admire its frescoed chapels.
6 Via del Parione
Wander down this narrow street filled with old mansions (now apartments) and artisans workshops. Pop into paper marbler Alberto Cozzi at No 35r and puppet maker Letizia Fiorini to watch local artisans at work.
7 Chiesa di Santissimi Apostoli
Backtrack to Via de' Tornabuoni and turn right, past 13th-century Palazzo Spini-Feroni, home of Salvatore Ferragamo's flagship store, to Borgo Santissimi Apostoli. A short way ahead on Piazza del Limbo is the Romanesque Chiesa dei Santissimi Apostoli in a sunken square once used as a cemetery for unbaptised babies.
8 Hotel Continentale
After browsing for Tuscan olive oil in specialist boutique La Bottega dell'Olio at No 4r on the same square, walk east and turn right into Vicolo dell' Oro. The sleek rooftop terrace La Terrazza Lounge Bar inside Hotel Continentale is the perfect spot for a sundowner with a Ponte Vecchio view.
Best WalksRenaissance Florence
2The Walk
This greatest-hits tour crams a huge amount of culture into a very tight timeline – you’ll need to proceed at a cracking pace to see everything in four hours. Alternatively – and preferably – divide it over two days to ensure that you do all of the sights justice.
Start Museo delle Cappelle Medicee
Finish Basilica di Santa Croce
Length 3.2km; minimum four hours
5Take a Break
Piazza della Signoria is a hugely atmospheric spot for a coffee or drink. Popular pit stops include Caffè Rivoire (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 21 44 12; www.rivoire.it; Piazza della Signoria 4; h7am-midnight Tue-Sun summer, to 9pm winter) or the cafe inside the Gucci Museo (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.gucci.com; Piazza della Signoria 10; adult/reduced €7/5; h10am-8pm, to 11pm Fri).
1 Museo delle Cappelle Medicee
Start in the territory of Renaissance powerbrokers and art patrons, the Medici, who commissioned a number of self-aggrandising monuments in San Lorenzo. The greatest is this mausoleum, partly designed by Michelangelo and containing some of his finest sculptures.
2 Palazzo Medici-Riccardi
Cross Piazza San Lorenzo to reach this Medici palace, commissioned by Cosimo the Elder and designed by Michelozzo. Admire its facade then head inside to see Benozzo Gozzoli’s vivid frescoes in the Cappella dei Magi. Lunch at Trattoria Mario; arrive by noon to snag a table.
3 Galleria dell'Accademia
Ogle the work of art most synonymous with the Renaissance – Michelangelo’s statue of David in this art gallery. A powerful evocation of the Humanist principles that underpinned this period, it easily lives up to its huge reputation.
4 Museo degli Innocenti
Make your way to the Brunelleschi-designed loggia of this 15th-century foundling hospital and Europe's first orphanage – today a cutting-edge museum – which architectural historians credit as one of the great triumphs of Renaissance architecture.
5 Duomo
Head to the Duomo and, assuming you have prebooked your timed slot in advance, climb to the top of its red-tiled dome, another Brunelleschi masterpiece. The 360-degree city panorama is breathtaking.
6 Piazza della Signoria
Head south down Via del Proconsolo then west to wander through the city’s most spectacular piazza, admiring the open-air sculptures under the Loggia dei Lanzi and noting the location of the Uffizi – repository of the world’s pre-eminent collection of Renaissance art – for future visits.
7 Basilica di Santa Croce
Trail pedestrianised Borgo dei Greci to reach this huge Franciscan basilica where Renaissance luminaries including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and Ghiberti are buried. Ogle Giotto frescoes in its Cappella Bardi and admire Brunelleschi’s exquisite Cappella de’ Pazzi.
BestShopping
In medieval and Renaissance Florence, goldsmiths, silversmiths and shoemakers were as highly regarded as sculptors and artists. Today, Florentines are equally enamoured of design and artisanship and go out of their way to source quality goods. Most are also happy to pay what’s required (usually a considerable amount) to fare la bella figura (cut a fine figure).
Fashion
Florentines take great pride in their dress and appearance, which is not surprising given the Italian fashion industry was born here. Guccio Gucci and Salvatore Farragamo got the haute-couture ball rolling in the 1920s, and the first Italian prêt-à-porter show was staged here in 1951.
Via de’ Tornabuoni and its surrounding streets – especially Via della Vigna Nuova, Via della Spada and Borgo SS Apostoli – are home to upmarket designers from Italy and abroad. Some up-and-coming designers are also here, although most are across the river in the Oltrarno and Santa Croce.
Arts & Crafts
Cheap imported handbags are common, especially in the city’s main leather market, Mercato Nuovo. But for serious shoppers keen to delve into a city synonymous with craftsmanship, there are ample traditional boutiques and botteghe (workshops) to visit. Many are in the neighbourhood of Oltrarno, south of the Arno.
Traditional artisan wares produced by hand or on centuries-old machinery include jewellery, leather goods (shoes, gloves, bags), fabrics and stationery including marbled paper and bound journals.
Worth a Trip
Designer outlets:
Barberino Designer Outlet (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 84 21 61; www.mcarthurglen.it; Via Meucci, Barberino di Mugello; h10am-8pm) 40km north of Florence; buses (adult/reduced return €15/8, 35 minutes, 10am and 2.30pm) from Piazza della Stazione.
Mall (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.themall.it; Via Europa 8, Leccio Reggello; h10am-7pm, to 8pm Jun-Aug) 30km southeast of Florence; buses (€5) from SITA bus station between 8.50am and 1pm, returns between 2pm and 6.30pm.
Best Fashion
Benheart Leather shoes and jackets by a talented, street-smart Florentine.
Boutique Nadine Super-chic vintage fashion.
Byørk Trendy concept store in the Oltrarno.
A Piedi Nudi nel Parco High-end, avant-garde designer fashion.
Patrizia Pepe Modern, colourful designs for women and children by this Florentine fashion house.
Street Doing Italian vintage.
Best Accessories
Angela Caputi Colourful resin jewellery
Aprosio & Co Jewellery and accessories crafted from zillions of tiny beads.
Grevi Romantic millinery boutique.
Penko Renaissance-inspired jewels and gems by third-generation jeweller Paolo Penko.
Best Food & Drink
La Bottega della Frutta Food shop bursting with boutique produce.
Obsequium Serious wine shop, with tastings.
Mercato Centrale Central covered food market in San Lorenzo.
Dolceforte Serious chocolate.
Best Souvenirs
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella Herbal remedies and beauty products in a pharmacy from 1612.
Il Papiro Florence's signature, hand-marbled paper.
Clet Hacked street signs: limited editions of the real thing.
Lorenzo Villoresi Fragrances of Tuscany by Florence's master perfumer.
Mio Concept Nifty homeware and fashion accessories, many by local designers, to take home.
Best Arts & Crafts
Lorenzo Perrone Snow-white book sculptures by an Italian artist in residence.
&Co Exquisite calligraphy and beautiful objects for the home by Betty Soldi.
Scriptorium Handcrafted leather books, boxes and wax seals in a palazzo boutique.
Fabriano Boutique Paper galore.
Letizia Fiorini Watch handmade puppets being made and buy the finished product.
Pineider Traditional Florentine stationery.
BestArchitecture
A trio of architectural styles are showcased in Florence: Romanesque, Tuscan Gothic and Renaissance. The latter originated here – before taking the rest of Italy and Europe by storm – and is the city’s emblematic style.
Romanesque
A blow-in from Northern Europe, Romanesque architecture received a unique local twist in Tuscany, where church facades were given alternating stripes of green and white marble. Generally, Romanesque buildings displayed an emphasis on width and the horizontal lines of a building rather than height, and featured church groups with campaniles (bell towers) and baptistries that were separate to the church.
Gothic
Tuscans didn’t embrace the Gothic as enthusiastically as their northern neighbours; the flying buttresses, grotesque gargoyles and over-the-top decoration were too far from the classical ideal that was bred in the Tuscan bone. There were, of course, exceptions; most notably Siena's duomo (cathedral).
yTop Tip
AGuided walking tours of the city are a great way to learn about and appreciate its architecture. Recommended operators include ArtViva (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 264 50 33; www.italy.artviva.com; Via de' Sassetti 1; per person from €29) and Florence Town.
Renaissance
When the dome of Florence’s Duomo was completed in 1436, Leon Battista Alberti called it the first great achievement of the ‘new’ architecture, one that equalled or even surpassed the great buildings of antiquity. The elegance of line, innovation in building method and references to antiquity that characterised Brunelleschi’s work were emulated by other Florentine architects, leading to this pared-down, classically inspired style dominating local architecture throughout the 15th and 16th centuries.
Best Romanesque
Basilica di San Miniato al Monte 11th-century church with fine crypt.
Basilica di Santa Maria Novella Transitional from Romanesque to Gothic.
Battistero di San Giovanni Octagonal structure with striking green-and-white marble exterior.
Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa Peerless example of a Romanesque cathedral group.
Cattedrale di San Martino, Lucca Unusual Romanesque facade and rebuilt Gothic interior.
Best Tuscan Gothic
Duomo, Siena Polychrome marble facade and black-and-white striped interior.
Duomo Exquisite facade and elegant campanile (bell tower).
Museo Civico, Siena Inside the Palazzo Pubblico whose concave facade complements the convex curve of Piazza del Campo.
Best Renaissance
Duomo Brunelleschi’s dome is considered the finest and most influential achievement of Renaissance architecture.
Museo degli Innocenti Classically elegant loggia.
Cappella de’ Pazzi, Basilica di Santa Croce Sublimely beautiful exercise in architectural harmony.
Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana Michelangelo’s staircase pre-empts baroque curves.
Basilica di San Lorenzo Harmonious design with a particularly beautiful sacristy.
Museo delle Cappelle Medicee Sumptuous Michelangelo design where no cost was spared.
Palazzo Pitti Muscular design that shouts power and prestige.
Palazzo Medici-Riccardi The prototype of Renaissance civic architecture.
Palazzo Strozzi The last and most magnificent of the palaces built in the Renaissance.
Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele Unusual, largely unsung church once decorated with statues by some of the greatest Renaissance artists.
BestViews
Best Views from Monuments
Campanile & Dome, Duomo 360-degree city views.
Galleria degli Uffizi Snapshots of riverside Florence.
Palazzo Vecchio Bird’s-eye view atop crenellated Torre d’Arnolfo.
Leaning Tower, Pisa Admire Piazza dei Miracoli and the Apuane Alps beyond.
Torre del Mangia, Siena Vertiginous viewpoint of Campo action.
Panorama del Facciatone, Siena Quintessential, terracotta-coloured rooftop views.
Basilica di San Miniato al Monte Admire Florence laid out at your feet.
Museo degli Innocenti Lounge between chimney pots and sculptures in the museum's rooftop cafe with view extraordinaire.
Torre San Niccolò Blockbuster river views atop a 14th-century tower.
Best Views from Public Spaces
Piazzale Michelangelo See Florence unfurled from the city’s most spectacular vantage point, preferably at sunset.
Ponte Vecchio The most romantic sunset view in Florence.
Best Dining with a View
La Leggenda dei Frati Michelin-starred garden dining with impossibly romantic city panorama.
Santarosa Bistrot Pretty garden views in a hipster bistro-bar near the river.
Irene Front-row seats on Piazza della Repubblica.
La Reggia degli Etruschi, Fiesole Stupendous views over Florence.
Villa Aurora, Fiesole Fabulous Florentine panorama from a pagoda-covered lunch terrace.
San Niccolò 39 Summertime dining in a hidden garden in village-like San Niccolò.
Best View-Fuelled Drinks
La Terrazza Lounge Bar Chic setting in which to watch the sun set over the Arno.
La Terrazza Bird's eye city views on the rooftop cafe of Florence's main department store.
Caffè Rivoire Box-seat view of Piazza della Signoria.
La Loggia Sweeping city views up high on Piazzale Michelangelo.
BestNightlife
Hanging out on warm summer nights on cafe and bar terraces aside, Florence enjoys a varied nightlife scene thanks in part to its substantial foreign-student population. The city has highly regarded theatres and – from around midnight once aperitivi (pre-dinner drinks) and dinner are done – a fairly low-key but fun dance scene.
Best Dance Clubs
Blob Club Trendy club with popular music theme nights.
Flò Summer-only venue with themed lounge areas and a dance floor.
Bamboo Lounge and dance club in nightlife-hot Santa Croce.
Full Up Eternally popular club with the 20-something crowd, going strong since the 1950s.
Space Club Dancing, drinking and video-karaoke among a mixed, student-international crowd.
YAB Over 30s head here on Thursdays, students on other nights.
Best Live Performance Venues
Il Teatro del Sale Dinner followed by a performance of drama, music or comedy.
Le Murate Caffè Letterario Film screenings, book readings, live music and art exhibitions.
Volume Music, art and DJs in an old hat-making workshop.
Best Live Music
Dolce Vita Live bands cap off the packed after-dark agenda at this busy Oltrarno lounge bar.
Lion’s Fountain Irish pub with live music.
Quelo Live bands in a 1950s vintage interior.
La Cité Vibrant alternative live-music space.
Chillax Lounge Bar Lounge-bar cocktails and live gigs covering all sounds.
Best Classical Music
Teatro della Pergola Classical concerts in a beautiful old city theatre.
Opera di Firenze The city's opera house, host to Florence's annual springtime Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival.
BestEating
Quality ingredients and simple execution are the hallmarks of Florentine cuisine, climaxing with the bistecca alla fiorentina, a huge slab of prime T-bone steak rubbed with tangy Tuscan olive oil, seared on the char grill, garnished with salt and pepper and served beautifully al sangue (bloody). Be it dining in a traditional trattoria or contemporary, designer-chic space, quality is guaranteed.
Cafes
Florentines don’t pause long for colazione (breakfast). Most make a quick dash into a bar or cafe for an espresso and cornetto (croissant) standing at the bar. At pranzo (lunch), busy professionals will sometimes grab a quick snack at a cafe – usually a panino (sandwich) or tramezzini (the local version of a club sandwich) accompanied by a glass of wine or a coffee.
Trattorie, Osterie & Ristoranti
Champions of traditional Tuscan cuisine, these low-fuss eateries are greatly beloved in Florence. Popular for both pranzo and cena (dinner), they are often family run and excellent value for money. There’s a fine line between an upmarket version of an osteria (casual tavern) or trattoria and ristorante; service is more formal in ristoranti and cuisine is generally more refined.
Enoteche
Enoteche (wine bars) are trending in today’s Florence, popular for their focus on quality wine and light, seasonally driven dishes often described as ‘Modern Tuscan’. Popular destinations for aperitivi (pre-dinner drinks accompanied by cocktail snacks), they are equally alluring for a casual pranzo or cena.
Best Traditional Tuscan
Trattoria Mario Sensational Tuscan dining by San Lorenzo market.
Trattoria Cibrèo Top-notch Tuscan cuisine à la Fabio Picchi in Sant'Ambrogio.
Trattoria Sergio Gozzi All the classics in an interior unchanged since 1915.
Osteria Il Buongustai Tasty Tuscan home cooking at a snip of other restaurant prices.
Trattoria Le Massacce Old-world home cooking every Tuscan Nonna would approve of.
La Taverna di San Giuseppe, Siena Quintessential Tuscan dining experience.
Best Modern Tuscan
Essenziale Inventive cuisine by one of Florence's most talented chefs.
Irene Creative bistro fare on Piazza della Repubblica.
Il Santo Bevitore Long-standing, modern Tuscan favourite on the Oltrarno.
iO Osteria Personale Creative osteria to die for.
La Leggenda dei Frati Michelin-starred gastronomy near Boboli Gardens.
Best Gelato
Gelateria Pasticceria Badiani Handmade gelato and sweet pastries, famed Italy-wide.
Grom Top-notch gelato near the Duomo.
Vivoli Vintage fave for coffee, cakes and gelato.
My Sugar Sensational artisan gelateria near Piazza San Marco.
Gelateria La Carraia Florentine favourite the other side of the river.
Best Panini
Semel Creative sandwiches to go in Sant'Ambrogio.
‘Ino Gourmet panini near the Uffizi.
Mariano Favourite for its simplicity, in a 13th-century cellar since the 1970s.
Best Quick Bites
All'Antico Vinaio Mad-busy deli serving iconic cured-meat tasting platters.
La Toraia Riverside food truck cooking up artisan burgers.
Trippaio Sergio Pollini Tripe to go in foodie Sant'Ambrogio.
Raw Freshly made, raw snacks and dishes – all sensational – to eat in or go.
S.Forno Hipster bakery selling delicious breads, pastries and savoury snacks.
BestDrinking
Florence's drinking scene covers all bases. Be it historical cafes, contemporary cafes with barista-curated specialist coffee, traditional enoteche (wine bars, which invariably make great eating addresses too), trendy bars with lavish aperitivo buffets, secret speakeasys and edgy cocktail or craft-beer bars, drinking is fun and varied.
Cafes
Florence has cafes of every type – historic, hip, bohemian, cosy and plenty with no frills. Most are bar-cafe hybrids, serving beer, wine and spirits as well as coffee, along with pastries in the morning and panini at lunch. Those located on piazzas often have terraces that are perfect places for whiling away an hour or so.
Bars
You can drink at a bar almost any time of the day, but most are at their best from 5pm (aka aperitivo time), when many places serve complimentary snacks with drinks. Apericena, a brilliant cent-saving trick and trend among students and 20-somethings in Florence, translates as an aperitivo buffet so copious it doubles as cena (dinner).
Enoteche (wine bars) take pride in their selection of wines and tend to concentrate on Tuscan labels. Most offer tempting antipasto platters of cheese, cured meats and crostini (toasts with various toppings) to eat; many serve light meals too.
Best Cafes
Ditta Artigianale Hipster coffee roastery and gin bar.
Caffè Giacosa Chic, fashionista cafe with 1815 pedigree by Florence's smartest shopping strip.
Caffè Rivoire Legendary hot chocolate on Piazza della Signoria.
Le Murate Caffè Letterario Artsy cafe-bar in the city's former jail.
Gilli Historic cafe at home on Florence's old Roman forum; serious cakes.
Todo Modo Hip bookshop with cafe and pocket theatre.
Best Wine Bars
Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina Serious wine bar with tastings and food opposite Palazzo Pitti.
Le Volpi e l'Uva First-class food pairings with wines by boutique producers.
Il Santino Intimate, aperitivo-perfect wine bar just across the river.
Coquinarius Spacious and tasty enoteca, food to boot, near the Duomo.
Best Cocktail Bars
Mad Souls & Spirits Expertly mixed cocktails in San Frediano.
Rasputin Late-night cocktails in the secret speakeasy everyone knows about.
Lo Sverso Stunning cocktails, craft beer and homemade ginger ale in San Lorenzo.
Mayday Tuscan cocktails courtesy of the talented Marco.
Kawaii Creative, sake-based fusion cocktails and Japanese tapas.
Best Summer Terraces
Santarosa Bistrot Hipster garden bistro-bar beneath trees in Santarosa gardens.
Flò Summertime terrace bar with dancing, drinks and city views to die for.
La Terrazza Coffee atop the city's central department store.
La Terrazza Lounge Bar Rooftop chic in 1950s-styled design hotel by the river.
Amblé Shabby chic terrace in a back alley, a block from the Arno.
BestActivities
Urban and art rich to the core, Florence is hardly a hardcore activity centre: cooking, rowing along the Arno or indulging in a morning jog along its grassy riverbanks, up narrow stone-walled lanes to San Miniato al Monte or in Parco delle Cascine is about as active as most Florentines get.
Best Climbs
Campanile, Duomo 414 steps up Giotto’s 85m belltower.
Cupola, Duomo 463 steps winding up the inside edge of Brunelleschi’s extraordinary 114m dome.
Torre d’Arnolfo 418 steps up the Palazzo Vecchio’s 94m tower.
Panorama del Facciatone, Siena 131 steps to the top of the never-finshed New Cathedral.
Leaning Tower, Pisa 300-odd steps up the world-famous but decidedly wonky 56m tower.
Torre del Mangia, Siena 87m high, with 500-odd steps.
Palazzo Comunale, San Gimignano 218 steps and 54m high up the Torre Grossa.
Best Guided Tours
ArtViva Urban walks and runs, some themed.
Florence Town Excellent one-stop shop for a range of city-based tours and activities.
Palazzo Vecchio Take the ‘Secret Passages’ or ‘Experiencing the Palace First-Hand’ tours.
Giardino Torrigiani Let an Italian aristocrat show you his garden.
Porta del Cielo, Duomo, Siena Escorted tours up, into and around the duomo's roof and dome, with spectacular bird's-eye views.
Corridoio Vasariano Follow in the steps of the Medici from the Uffizi to Palazzo Pitti.
Best Passeggiatas
City Wall, Lucca Along the path atop this Renaissance-era wall.
Piazza del Campo, Siena Join the throng milling around in Siena's central sloping square.
Orto e Museo Botanico, Pisa Escape the tourist crowd with a leafy passeggiata in Pisa's peaceful botanical garden.
Via de’ Tornabuoni Florence’s most glamorous shopping strip.
Best Bike Rides
Fiesole to Florence A sunset ride guided by FiesoleBike.
City Wall, Lucca Hire a bike and use pedal power to circle the city.
BestRomance
Few cities are as romantic as Florence. Come here to picnic in historic gardens, watch the sun set over the Arno or wander hand-in-hand through ancient cobbled streets. On the practical side, intimate restaurants with dinner tables for two are easy to find, as are luxury and designer hotels (many of these offer high levels of service and some have romantic accoutrements including panoramic terraces and tower suites).
Best Places to Stay
Ad Astra Contemporary-design guesthouse with romantic views over a historic walled garden.
Palazzo Vecchietti Hopelessly romantic rooms, some with private terraces.
Palazzo Magnani Feroni Opulent palazzo.
Hotel Orto de' Medici Enchanting midranger with intimate garden.
Best Restaurants
Enoteca Pinchiorri The ultimate seduction: triple Michelin-starred dining.
La Leggenda dei Frati Garden dining with sweeping Florence panorama.
Il Santo Bevitore Candlelit tables and Modern Tuscan cuisine.
Obicà Sofa seating in an elegant, star-topped courtyard.
Best Picnics
Santarosa Bistrot Grab a picnic to share in this riverside garden with your loved one.
La Toraia Lounge riverside over artisan burgers from this savvy food truck.
Best Intimate Strolls
Palazzo Pfanner, Lucca Mooch between lemon trees and Greek god statues in the intimate garden of a 17th-century palace.
Villa e Giardino Bardini Historic villa and gardens with ample secret nooks and crannies.
City Wall, Lucca Experience the sacrosanct passeggiata atop 16th-century city walls.
Best Sunset Drinks
La Terrazza Lounge Bar Watch the sun set over the Arno over rooftop cocktails.
Ponte Santa Trìnita Snug up on a bridge; BYO.
La Loggia Sit beneath elegant arches and watch the sun set over the city.
BestFor Art
Florence has always embraced art and culture. Few artistic works remain from its days as a Roman colony, but plenty date from the Middle Ages, when the city first hit its artistic stride. Funded by medieval bankers, merchants and guilds, artists adorned the city’s churches, palazzi (mansions) and public buildings with frescoes, sculptures and paintings of a quality never before encountered. This continued through the period now known as the Renaissance, bequeathing Florentines a truly extraordinary artistic heritage.
Medieval Art
The Middle Ages get a bad rap in the history books. This period may have been blighted by famines, plagues and wars, but it also saw the rise of civic culture in the Italian city-states, a phenomenon that led to an extraordinary flowering of painting and sculpture. When the Gothic style was imported from Northern Europe, local artists reworked it into a uniquely Tuscan form, creating works that were both sophisticated and elegant and that highlighted attention to detail, a luminous palette and increasingly refined techniques.
Renaissance Art
During the 15th century, painting overtook its fellow disciplines of sculpture and architecture and became the pre-eminent art form for the first time in the history of Western art. Painters experimented with perspective and proportion and took a new interest in realistic portraiture. Supported by wealthy patrons such as the Medici, Florentine painters including Giotto di Bondone, Sandro Botticelli, Tommaso di Simone (Masaccio), Piero della Francesca, Fra’ Angelico and Domenico Ghirlandaio were among many artistic innovators.
Best Frescoes
Basilica di Santa Maria Novella Panels by Ghirlandaio and Masaccio’s Trinity.
Cappella Brancacci Masaccio’s The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise and The Tribute Money.
Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Benozzo Gozzoli’s Journey of the Magi in the Cappella dei Magi.
Museo di San Marco Fra' Angelicos galore, including his Annuncation.
Museo Civico, Siena Simone Martini’s Maestà and Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegories of Good and Bad Government.
Collegiata, San Gimignano Taddeo di Bartolo’s The Last Judgment and Domenico Ghirlandaio’s Santa Fina panels.
Duomo, Siena Bernardino Pinturicchio’s Life of Pius II in the Libreria Piccolomini.
Museo dell’Opera, Siena Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Maestà.
Basilica di Santa Croce The Giotto panels in Cappella Bardi and Cappella Peruzzi.
Cenacolo di Sant’Apollonia Andrea del Castagno’s Last Supper.
Best Paintings
Uffizi Gallery Paintings by every major Italian Renaissance artist.
Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena Gothic masterpieces from the Sienese school.
Museo Nazionale di San Matteo, Pisa Paintings from the medieval Tuscan school.
Basilica di San Lorenzo Fra’ Filippo Lippi’s Annunciation.
Palazzo Pitti Stellar collection of 16th- to 18th-century works in Galleria Palatina.
Best Sculptures
Museo del Bargello Donatello’s Davids and early Michelangelos.
Galleria dell’Accademia Michelangelo’s David and his Prigioni (‘Prisoners’ or ‘Slaves’).
Museo delle Cappelle Medicee A trio of haunting Michelangelo sculptures.
Grande Museo del Duomo Ghiberti’s Door of Paradise panels and Michelangelo’s La Pietà.
Duomo & Battistero, Pisa Giovanni and Nicola Pisano’s twinset of pulpits.
Palazzo Vecchio Michelangelo’s Genius of Victory in the Salone dei Cinquecento.
Basilica di Santo Spirito Wooden crucifix attributed to Michelangelo.
BestFor Families
Children are welcomed anywhere, anytime in Florence. Families frequently go out with young children in the evenings, and pasta-rich dining is generally relaxed, straightforward and easy. Some museums run engaging themed tours and workshops, and there are several city parks and riverside paths for kids to run wild post-museum visit.
Best for Toddlers
Giardino di Boboli Statues, open spaces, hidden paths and a really weird ‘face’ sculpture.
Piazza della Repubblica Ride a vintage carousel.
Letizia Fiorini Watch traditional puppets being made.
Parco delle Cascine Open-air swimming pool and toddler-friendly playgrounds.
Best for Bigger Kids
Palazzo Strozzi Art workshops, tours and other artsy activities for families.
Palazzo Vecchio Climb the Torre d’Arnolfo and tour the palace’s secret passages.
Duomo Climb up Giotto’s bell tower or into Brunelleschi’s dome.
Museo Galileo History of science museum; interactive displays.
Leaning Tower, Pisa Climb it. Push it. Prop it up with your foot. Selfie heaven.
Caffè Rivoire Serious hot chocolate.
Best for Teenagers
Street Levels Gallery Gen up on the local street art scene.
FiesoleBike Cycle by sunset ride from Fiesole to Florence.
Aquaflor Learn about the exotic world of fragrance with a master perfumer.
Clet Watch Florence's master street-sign hacker at work in his Oltrarno studio.
Il Trippaio del Porcellino Experience something new: lampredotto (cow's fourth stomach, chopped and simmered) from a traditional tripe truck.