by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:29th March 2019

An Italian city full of local charm

Visiting Italy is always a special treat, and even more so if your trip includes the beautiful city of Florence in Tuscany.
 
Florence, with its wealth of attractions, invites you to take a leisurely mini-break. Why rush? Immerse yourself in the city's beauty and history at the relaxed pace that the locals do, and truly savor your time in this fine-looking city.
 
With centuries of history all around and Italian culture to be so envious of, Florence ticked a lot of boxes for us and not just for its incredible pasta.

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The 12 experiences to enjoy in Florence

We'll be discovering the following;
  1. Duomo di Firenze
  2. Ponte Vecchio
  3. Uffizi Gallery
  4. Piazza della Repubblica
  5. Mercato Centrale
  6. The Leaning Tower of Pisa
  1. Relish the Architecture
  2. Piazza della Signoria
  3. House of Medici
  4. Enjoy a Gelato
  5. Boboli Gardens
  6. Stroll along the riverbank
You can click on the link to jump to the section, and to return, just click on the title.
Florence Cathedral is breathtaking; as soon as you arrive in the city, your immediate urge is to head straight for it. It isn’t easy to put into words the presence that it imposes, as it is so striking.
The crowds in front of the ornate Duomo in Florence, Italy
The Cathedral of Florence
Constructed in the Gothic and Renaissance style, the façade is beautiful, with different shades of pink, green and white marble. Work on the cathedral started at the end of the 13th century, with the dome added during the 15th century.
inside the duomo of florence, looking up at the highly decorated dome
Inside the Duomo
A busy street scene featuring the iconic baptistery of saint john in the centre of florence in italy
The Baptistery of St. John

Within the same Piazza del Duomo is Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower) and the Baptistery of Saint John. The Baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, built between 1059 and 1128.
 
For obvious reasons, this part of Florence is busy; however, it’s a must-see, so just go with the flow.

Free Entry

Even if visiting Florence Cathedral wasn’t free of charge, we’d still have headed inside; you just can’t believe its enormity.

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I couldn’t wait to see Ponte Vecchio, the ancient bridge that straddles the Arno River. So many times, I’d viewed pictures of it, which looked incredible. Tiny windows and doors are almost clinging to the sides of the bridge.
a view of the ponte vecchio, as seen from the river banks of the arno in florence, tuscany
Ponte Vecchio
When you stroll across the cobbles, passing the little shopfronts, it doesn’t take much to imagine the type of clientele that would have passed through here in centuries gone by.
a street scene of people passing the shops on the ponte vecchio in florence, italy
The shops on the Ponte Vecchio
During the day, the wooden shutters are flung open to us tourists selling jewellery and gifts, but in the evening, calm descends, and a pleasant evening stroll is a way to go.

Where is Florence?

How to get to Florence

- By Air
Florence is served by Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR), which is just 3.6 miles or 5km as the crow flies from the Duomo.

You can check Booking.com for flight options, too; why not check it out?

My biggest regret whilst visiting Florence was that we didn’t get the chance to visit the Uffizi Gallery.
 
Time and queues were not on our side, and we didn’t want to rush around.
 
However, I still wanted to include the museum on this list, as it is an icon of the city.
 
Masterpieces of Botticelli, Titian, Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci (to name just a few) can be seen here.

a black and white shot of the exterior of the uffizi gallery in florence, italy
Strolling around the Uffizi
My advice is to plan ahead - if only I’d heeded that advice.

To experience the hustle and bustle of an Italian city piazza, head to the Piazza della Repubblica. It is surrounded by arched arcades and elegant cafes, where friends and families pass the time of day.
 
Here once stood Florence’s Forum, but what will catch your eye is the large Triumphal Arch or Arcone.

Palazzo Dell'Arcone di Piazza on one edge of the Piazza Della Repubblica, full of people enjoying a warm day in Florence, Tuscany
Piazza della Repubblica
Just south of Piazza della Repubblica is the bronze fountain sculpture of Porcellino (piglet). Although this is a replica of the original, it’s very popular with tourists to rub its snout for good luck or ensure that you’ll return to Florence.
A bronze statue of a wild boar in a seated postition at the edge of a market square in Florence. Its snout buffed by the number of people that have touched it for luck.
Porcellino sculpture

Hannibal

You may also recognise it from the 2001 film Hannibal, where the Chief Inspector washes his hands in the fountain.
For a Florence food shopping experience, head to Mercato Centrale; on the first floor, you’ll find a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, fishmongers and butchers.
The Perini stall inside the Mercato Centrale in Florence, Italy. Cured hams hang from the counter as people queue.
Inside the Mercato Centrale
Then, if you head to the second floor, you can indulge in all things food and wine. Who doesn’t enjoy Italian cheese all washed down with a little Chianti?

If you're lured by beautiful Renaissance architecture and the incredible Ponte Vecchio, I urge you to visit Florence. I found this DK Top 10 Pocket Travel Guide invaluable, they're extremely informative, easy to follow, and the pictures and maps tempt you into a voyage of discovering.

We used a previous version of this book to plan our mini-break to Florence, now you can grab the revised copy.

DK Florence Cover
Ok, so strictly speaking, we’ve headed out of Florence here, but who could turn down the prospect of seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa? A train from Florence regularly runs throughout the day to Pisa and takes around 1 hour.
The cathedral of pisa with the iconic learning tower of pisa to it's right on a bright day in tuscany, italy
The Cattedrale di Pisa and Tower
In my opinion, it was an opportunity not to be missed and an incredible sight. I know there has been a lot of structural work on the tower, but it is still amazing to understand how it manages to stay upright and not topple over.
The domed battistero di san giovanni in front of the cathedral of pisa with the iconic learning tower of pisa in the background
Battistero di San Giovanni, Pisa

Don’t get caught out!

Be sure to validate (stamp) your train ticket prior to boarding the train; otherwise, you may get fined.
If you‘ve chosen to explore Florence and have an appreciation for architecture, you’re in for a diverse visual feast. Every street is a showcase of either a grand, imposing building or a quirky, unique house or shop that will catch your eye.
Strolling along the Lungarno Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici in Florence
Taking in the style
a beautiful five storey art deco style building on a street in florence, italy
Beautiful Architecture
That’s what I love so much about these ancient cities; there is so much to discover.

UNESCO

The Historic Centre of Florence has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982.
Florence has some wonderful piazzas and fountains. It makes me smile when you turn a corner, not knowing what’s around it, and another little fountain appears.
The 16th-century renaissance Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy
Fountain of Neptune

One piazza that we often strolled through was Piazza della Signoria.
 
Not only did it have elegant locals whiling away their time, but it was also home to Palazzo Vecchio, a Romanesque town hall and Loggia dei Lanzi.

The fortified palazzo vecchio with its giant clock tower in the piazza della signoria, florence, italy
Palazzo Vecchio
They are certainly not short of a statue or two around here.

Where to stay in Florence

Hotel degli Orafi,
We stayed in the beautiful Hotel degli Orafi, next to the River Arno with stunning views of the Vasari Corridor & the Ponte Vecchio.
As you wander around Florence, you’ll see many references to the Tuscan Medici family. They were a very prominent household in Italy, particularly through the 15th & 16th centuries. The banking family were also at the political forefront, with four heirs becoming Popes.
A bust to the Great Duke of Florence - Cosmo Medici with an Italian flag in the foreground.
The Great Duke of Florence - Cosmo Medici
When you head to Ponte Vecchio, you may notice that there is a passageway across the top of the bridge, the Vasari Corridor. This was commissioned by the Medici family in 1565 and links the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi to the Pitti Palace on the other side of the Arno River.
The view from our hotel room of the vasari corridor as it makes its way along the river arno and makes its way over the ponte vecchio in florence, italy
Vasari Corridor
The private corridor is over 1km long; this allowed the family to move freely amongst the buildings without rubbing shoulders with commoners.

Visit Florence

Want to discover the latest and greatest happenings in Florence? then why not check out the official website - Destination Florence

Any time of year, come rain or shine, an ice-cream is always a must, and when in Italy - I would actually say compulsory.
 
There are so many ice-cream parlours to choose from, with all their delicious flavours piled high.

The long counter of an Italian gelateria offering a fine selection of ice-creams
The gelato shop
For a bit of an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, Gary and I headed to Boboli Gardens on the south side of the Arno River.
The view of the neptune fountain and pond in the boboli gardens in florence, italy
The view from the Boboli Gardens
This 111-acre garden has a fantastic collection of 16th to 18th-century statues & sculptures.  Hidden grottos and has some lovely shady places to sit and relax. From the gardens, you can also enjoy an incredible view across the rooftops of Florence, with the Duomo playing centre stage of the skyline.
The view over the rooftops to the duomo in florence, italy
The view of Florence
If you enjoy a riverside stroll, take a wander along the Arno River. It’s a reasonably peaceful walk, and you get to see some incredible architecture and enjoy a shot of Italian coffee.
The murky waters of the arno river as it runs through florence, italy, with the city in the background.
Stroll along the riverbank of the Arno

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