Florence: Uffizi Timed Ticket & Masterpieces Audio App
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Florence
Florence needs no introduction. Tuscany’s capital is one of the most important art cities in Italy and beyond, a true point of reference for history and art on a global scale. Florence’s beauty is known to all, which explains why over 10 million tourists choose to stay in the city every year.
Florence is home to some of Italy’s most famous art museums, among which the Uffizi Gallery stands out, welcoming over 4 million visitors annually. Other illustrious names include the Accademia Gallery, the Bargello museum, the Medici Chapels and much more besides.
But it’s not just art and culture: Florence is also synonymous with culinary excellence, good food and fine wine. Venture down the backstreets of the historic centre, steering clear of the main tourist trails, and you’ll discover a hidden Florence made up of small traditional taverns, budget-friendly eateries and wine bars, where you can enjoy excellent local wine in typical rustic Florentine surroundings, filled with laughter, conviviality and folk music.
And even if you prefer to stick to the main tourist routes, Florence has plenty to see. From the splendid Piazza del Duomo, home to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its iconic Brunelleschi dome and Giotto’s bell tower, to Piazza Signoria, where you’ll find Palazzo Vecchio, seat of Florence’s city council, right through to the magnificent Piazza Santa Croce, you’ll constantly feel as though you’re walking through an open-air museum, filled with works of art and magnificent monuments.
Indeed, it was Florence where the Renaissance flourished, thanks in large part to the Medici family, who ruled the city for centuries and whose influence is still evident throughout: consider the immense Palazzo Pitti, their former city residence, with the adjoining Boboli Garden, or the Vasari Corridor, originally a secret private passage between Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, now transformed into an extraordinarily long art gallery.
Finally, remember that Florence is quite compact and easily navigable on foot, but there’s so much to see that many tourists underestimate it. When they realise that a weekend is nowhere near enough time to see everything, they decide to return. It’s actually a great way to let yourself be captivated by the city and enjoy it multiple times, perhaps during different seasons.
Florence is a city worth visiting at any time of year. Summer naturally attracts the most tourists, partly because many people only have time off during these months. If possible, though, avoid coming to Florence in July and August, as the heat is truly oppressive and you won’t enjoy it at your best.
Instead, choose June, when temperatures are decidedly pleasant, days are long, and on the 24th the city celebrates San Giovanni, its patron saint: in the evening, fireworks light up the sky from the stunning vantage point of Piazzale Michelangelo, while in the afternoon the final match of calcio storico fiorentino (historic Florentine football) takes place – a unique event in the world that, despite its controversial reputation, is a genuine institution in the city.
During autumn, Florence is very pleasant to visit: September, October and November are months with good temperatures, fewer tourists and lower hotel prices as it’s the low season. In December, Florence transforms, dressing up to celebrate Christmas in style: don’t miss the enormous Christmas tree set up in Piazza Duomo each year, Europe’s longest ice-skating rink installed at the Fortezza da Basso gardens, the Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce, and the wonderful lights decorating Via Calzaiuoli and Via Tornabuoni.
January and February are once again the low season, but unlike autumn, temperatures are cold, days are short, and you may even encounter 3-4 consecutive days of rain. If you can, avoid coming to Florence during these months, but if you have no other choice, you’ll certainly find plenty to do, perhaps warming up in museums or traditional taverns.
Spring, finally, is one of the best times of year to visit Florence: the city awakens after winter, daylight hours begin to extend, and the weather improves: March, April and especially May are truly excellent, allowing you to spend long days out and about and relax in blooming parks, such as the Cascine. Moreover, May is when the Rose Garden below Piazzale Michelangelo opens.
As mentioned, there’s plenty to see in Florence. The ideal city tour begins at its beating heart, Piazza Duomo. Spend a few hours here visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore from within, admire the Baptistery of San Giovanni with its richly decorated golden doors, the majestic Brunelleschi dome, and if you’re not afraid of heights, climb Giotto’s bell tower. There are many steep stairs, but once you reach the top you’ll be well rewarded with a stunning view of Florence’s rooftops and its main monuments.
Leave Piazza Duomo by walking down the elegant Via Calzaiuoli, the city’s prime shopping street, and you’ll reach Piazza della Signoria, where, alongside the much-photographed Palazzo Vecchio, seat of the city council, you’ll find the Loggia dei Lanzi, where in just a few square metres you’ll find an unrivalled wealth of art and sculptures in the city.
Local tip: go inside Palazzo Vecchio! You can do so freely since it’s the seat of Florence’s city council and is open to the public. Visit the incredible internal courtyard, richly frescoed and elegantly decorated, for free, then, if you wish, purchase an entrance ticket to see the enormous and wonderful Hall of the Five Hundred.
Right next to Piazza Signoria is the entrance to the Uffizi Gallery, one of the world’s most important art museums, which certainly needs no introduction. Exploring it thoroughly means devoting an entire day to it – it’s up to you to decide how much time it deserves.
In any case, continue your stroll through Florence’s historic centre by taking a small detour to cross the Arno via Ponte Vecchio, beyond which lies the Oltrarno neighbourhood. Here, the most important monuments are undoubtedly Palazzo Pitti and its Boboli Garden, whilst the area is known for its artisan shops and numerous restaurants, far less touristy than those near the Duomo or Palazzo Vecchio.
Cross the Arno again, perhaps choosing Ponte alle Grazie or Ponte Santa Trinita (so you can snap a stunning photo of Ponte Vecchio!), and head towards Piazza Santa Croce, where alongside the wonderful basilica you’ll also be able to admire a statue dedicated to one of the most illustrious Florentines in history: Dante Alighieri.
Finally, to bid Florence a proper farewell, view it from above by visiting the wonderful terrace of Piazzale Michelangelo. In this large square you can admire a copy of Michelangelo’s David, but most importantly, this is where you can take the postcard-perfect photo you see everywhere in the city: from up here you’ll have a unique vantage point spanning from the Arno to the Cascine, and it will seem as though you can touch Brunelleschi’s dome and the spires of Santa Croce. If you can, once you reach the Piazzale continue climbing to the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte, situated even higher up, from where the view of Florence is even more beautiful, and you’ll have far fewer tourists around to spoil your photos.
Discover Firenze through the eyes of expert guides who will take you on a tour of the city's hidden treasures. Participating in a guided visit or a free tour will allow you to capture the true essence of Firenze.
The free tours are a viable alternative to traditional guided tours. They work like this: participation is free and at the end of the visit you can leave a tip at your discretion. Below you will find our favourite free tour, otherwise you can see the full list by visiting this page.
Florence is in a privileged position regarding roads and infrastructure, so reaching it is not at all complicated. The city is located along the A1 motorway, making it easily accessible from all over Italy. Moreover, the A11 motorway branches off from Florence, reaching the Tuscan coast in the Pisa province, and connects with the A12 heading towards Genoa and the rest of Liguria.
If you decide to arrive in Florence by train, you can catch one of the many high-speed trains run by Italo or Frecciarossa, which depart and arrive daily at Santa Maria Novella station, connecting the city with all other major Italian cities. Note that some high-speed trains also stop at Rifredi and Campo di Marte stations, from which you’ll need to continue by bus to reach the centre.
Florence also has an international airport, named after Amerigo Vespucci, which is fairly small and primarily serves business travellers. Flights to and from Florence are not particularly numerous, and prices are often high. However, the airport is directly connected to the historic centre by tram, which is convenient and economical.
Florence’s historic centre, as mentioned, is fairly compact, so the choice of neighbourhood or street where to stay is of secondary importance, since you can reach any other point on foot in a maximum of 10-15 minutes. What’s important to know is that the centre is literally dotted with hotels, bed and breakfasts and apartments. There are literally thousands of them, one after another. After all, Florence is one of the cities that receives the most tourists in Italy.
If you arrive by train and have heavy luggage, consider staying near Santa Maria Novella, or along Via Nazionale. This area also has several restaurants, albeit touristy ones, as well as various shops and supermarkets, often open until late in the evening.
If you want to fall in love with Florence every time you open your hotel room window, choose a hotel or apartment with a Duomo view, or with a Santa Croce view. They’re rather expensive, but for a few nights they’re worth it: you’ll be able to enjoy Florence’s unique panorama even once you’re back in your room.
Finally, a tip for those visiting Florence by car: if you can, choose a hotel with parking, as parking in central Florence is extremely expensive, whether in normal car parks with blue lines or in private garages, with prices reaching up to €5 per hour. Moreover, since Florence’s historic centre is essentially a huge restricted traffic zone, it’s almost certain you won’t be able to park near your hotel anyway, unless there are special agreements between the hotel and the city council.
Florence’s historic centre is easily navigable on foot. There are no difficulties whatsoever, and walking is very pleasant, both for the abundance of shops and for the splendid monuments you’ll be able to admire along practically every street. To get around, there are ATAF bus lines available, some of which are served only by minibuses, far more agile for navigating the narrow streets of the centre.
If you’re staying outside the city, you can reach the centre by bus, which practically all stop at Santa Maria Novella station, or by tram, which also stops at the station. Taxis are very expensive but allow you to move around easily even within the restricted traffic zone.
Alternatively, move around the centre using shared services: bicycles are provided by Mobike, and electric scooters by Bird. For both, you need to register for the service by downloading the app and preloading it with an amount of your choice via credit card.
What's the weather at Florence? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Florence for the next few days.
Florence sits at the heart of Tuscany, nestled in a basin bordered by the Arcetri hills to the south and the Fiesole hills to the north. It borders the province of Prato to the east, the province of Siena to the south, and the province of Arezzo to the east. The northern boundary is formed by a series of ridges that eventually develop into the Apennines, beyond which lies Emilia-Romagna.
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