Quick city tour
Piazzale Michelangelo is the place to go for a breathtaking picture postcard view over the River Arno, the rooftops of Florence, the Duomo and beyond. From the piazza, steps lead down through the narrow back streets to the Ponte Vecchio, the iconic ‘old bridge’ topped with medieval buildings which are exclusively goldsmiths and jewellery shops.
Just up the road is perhaps the most famous art gallery in the world, the Uffizi. Both the building itself and the art treasures inside will take your breath away. Be sure to book your tickets in advance though!
Piazza della Signora is the bustling hub of the city, a lovely place to stop for a drink and admire the architecture, including the beautiful terracotta Palazzo Vecchio (the Town Hall) and the sculptures on the Loggia della Signora.
A short walk from the Piazza della Signora brings you to the Piazza del Duomo, where the cathedral takes centre stage. Unbelievably pretty in pink, green and white and so large it is hard to take it all in immediately. It took almost 150 years to build! If you have a head for heights, climb up into the dome and see at close hand both the spectacular fresco and the engineering feat that is the Dome. If you still have the energy, you can also climb the 414 steps of the Campanile next to the Duomo for a great view over the Dome.
Oltrano district
Cross over the Ponte Vecchio and you will find yourself in the Oltrano district, characterised by its mainly quiet side streets with elegant antique shops and artisan workshops. The Piazza Santo Spirito is lovely, quiet during the day, lively at night with some good bars and restaurants.
The area is dominated by the Palazzo Pitti, a huge grey, austere building, which was the main ‘Medici’ residence and which is now a museum. Its ‘back gardens’, otherwise known as the Giardini di Boboli, are the place to escape the crowds and heat of the city. A true example of Italian Renaissance gardens, the Boboli gardens offer peace and quiet in grand and beautiful surroundings.
Next door are the Bardini Gardens, which are popular with the locals and less busy than their more famous neighbours. A steep climb to get to them is rewarded with an impressive city view.
Shopping
The Florentines are a stylish lot and so there is plenty of retail therapy available here! The majority of shops and boutiques in the city centre stay open all day until 7pm or 8pm, although smaller specialist shops in quieter areas will close for lunch.
‘Via dei Calzaiuoli’ is one of the main shopping streets in the centre, running between the Piazza della Signora and the Duomo, whilst ‘Via dei Tornabuoni’ is the designer street of Florence, with the likes of Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Pucci… Even if you don’t want to splash out, the shops are so beautiful it is almost worth just strolling along to window shop!
In the corner of Piazza Santa Trinita, you will find the Palazzo Spini Feroni, owned by the Ferragamo family, who are famous for designing beautiful shoes. The palazzo houses a boutique and, downstairs, a museum dedicated to Salvatore Ferragamo and the shoes he designed.
Cross over the river into the Oltrano district and you will discover many specialist shops, such as furniture restorers, goldsmiths, jewellery makers, etc. The narrow streets house tiny one room shops where you can often see artisans at work.
Eating out
As you can imagine, there is a huge choice of eateries in Florence, serving typical Italian dishes and more international cuisine.
But as in all big cities it pays to avoid the main tourist areas, where the food will probably be expensive and not necessarily the best; look in the quieter streets for restaurants full of locals enjoying authentic good value cuisine. For example, over the river in the Oltrano district.
For a less formal option, head to the Mercato Centrale, close to the Basilica San Lorenzo. The market hall is a huge iron and glass building, dating back to 1870. An experience in itself, this daily market is a cornucopia of smells, flavours, colours and life! You could shop for bread, cheese, meats and fresh fruit and have a picnic on the banks of the Arno. Or there are nice eating areas in the market hall itself.
