Florence: what's actually worth it
When the Medici bankrolled the Renaissance, they didn’t just buy art; they bought a soul that still pulses through these narrow streets. The city feels less like a museum and more like a living, breathing workshop where history is touched daily by warm hands and shared laughter. You will find it is not merely a backdrop for photos but an intimate neighborhood where every cobblestone invites you to linger over espresso, savoring the slow, deliberate rhythm of Tuscan life without rushing toward the next landmark.
Top things to do in Florence
Piazza del Duomo
Plaza · ★ 4.8 (142,834 reviews)
Cathedral-flanked square with iconic historic, religious & artistic landmarks & museums.
Check tours & tickets →Ponte Vecchio
Bridge · ★ 4.7 (152,643 reviews)
Picturesque medieval arched river bridge with Roman origins, lined with jewelry & souvenir shops.
Check tours & tickets →Piazzale Michelangelo
Plaza · ★ 4.8 (112,221 reviews)
19th-century piazza with a bronze replica of Michelangelo's David & panoramic views over the city.
Check tours & tickets →Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Church · ★ 4.8 (110,285 reviews)
Landmark 1200s cathedral known for its red-tiled dome, colored marble facade & elegant Giotto tower.
Check tours & tickets →Piazza della Signoria
Plaza · ★ 4.8 (86,717 reviews)
The city's heart, a square dominated by the 14th-century crenellated tower of the Palazzo Vecchio.
Check tours & tickets →Uffizi Galleries
Art museum · ★ 4.7 (93,678 reviews)
16th-century building housing vast collection of Primitive & Renaissance paintings & masterpieces.
Check tours & tickets →Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence
Church · ★ 4.8 (41,908 reviews)
Neo-Gothic Franciscan church known for its Giotto frescoes, plus tombs of Michelangelo & Galileo.
Check tours & tickets →Museo Leonardo Da Vinci
Museum · ★ 4.7 (50,602 reviews)
A collection of interactive machines modeled on the Renaissance artist’s original sketches.
Check tours & tickets →Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze
Art museum · ★ 4.6 (56,941 reviews)
Art museum with Michelangelo sculptures, including David, plus Renaissance painting & Russian icons.
Check tours & tickets →Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
Church · ★ 4.7 (32,064 reviews)
15th-century Dominican church including famous frescoes by Gothic & early Renaissance masters.
Check tours & tickets →Where to eat
All’Antico Vinaio
Sandwich Shop · ★ 4.5 (47,281 reviews)
Website →Trattoria Dalloste
Steak House · ★ 4.7 (28,605 reviews)
Website →Trattoria Zà Zà
Italian Restaurant · ★ 4.5 (33,683 reviews)
Tuscan restaurant with a bright dining room as well as brick-walled & frescoed interior rooms.
Website →Gustapanino
Restaurant · ★ 4.8 (11,759 reviews)
Charming, compact trattoria with an old-world feel & lively terrace on the square.
Trattoria Giovanni
Restaurant · ★ 4.8 (7,456 reviews)
Rustic-chic choice with vaulted ceilings, serving wild boar, steak & other homestyle Tuscan dishes.
Website →I' Girone De' Ghiotti
Sandwich Shop · ★ 4.8 (5,127 reviews)
Compact, colorful outfit offering hefty sandwiches along with meat & cheese boards, beer & wine.
Website →Osteria San Fiorenzo
Restaurant · ★ 4.8 (5,082 reviews)
Website →La Fettunta
Italian Restaurant · ★ 4.7 (6,078 reviews)
Tuscan classics like Florentine steak & pasta dishes in a rustic, wood-accented space.
Website →Tours worth booking ahead
Get outside
Boboli Gardens
Garden · ★ 4.2 (30,666 reviews)
Formal gardens laid out in the 16th & 17th centuries, with Renaissance statues & ornate fountains.
Website →Parco delle Cascine
Park · ★ 4.3 (15,708 reviews)
This spacious riverfront park with many historical monuments is popular with runners & cyclists.
Website →Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna
National Park · ★ 4.8 (3,790 reviews)
Hilly, 360 sq km reserve with hiking & biking amid ancient beech forests, wildlife & streams.
Website →Giardino Bardini
Garden · ★ 4.5 (6,441 reviews)
Restored 17th-century villa set over 4 floors with 2 museums & art exhibitions, plus gardens.
Website →Giardino delle Rose
Garden · ★ 4.6 (4,701 reviews)
Green space known for its rose terraces, plus a Japanese garden & sculptures by the artist Folon.
Website →After dark
The Old Stove Irish Pub
Irish Pub · ★ 4.6 (3,655 reviews)
Guinness, burgers & TV sport at a buzzing cocktail bar & terrace modeled on a traditional tavern.
Website →Red Garter
Steak House · ★ 4.4 (5,201 reviews)
Venerable, American-themed bar & steakhouse, featuring karaoke, live music & TV sport.
Website →Angel Roofbar & Dining
Italian Restaurant · ★ 4.6 (2,600 reviews)
Website →La Petite
Cocktail Bar · ★ 4.6 (1,570 reviews)
Intimate, bistro with outdoor seating presenting refined Italian cuisine & original cocktails.
Website →More guides
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