Things to do in Florence, in a nutshell: Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and the city of the Medici, and it’s small enough to explore on foot. Learn the city’s secrets at the Medici Chapels, the Basilica di San Lorenzo and the Duomo, eat schiacciata and the original crema gelato, sip a Spritz on a rooftop facing Brunelleschi’s dome and watch the sun set over the city. Then escape to Chianti for a day of wine, olive oil and medieval villages like Monteriggioni. Three days is perfect, and the best months to visit are May, June, September and October.
Florence was even more magical than I imagined. I spent my days there with a local guide, uncovering the city’s secrets, and my evenings chasing sunsets over the Duomo. In this guide, I’m sharing all my favourite things to do in Florence: the stories most visitors walk straight past, the best spots for sunset, what to eat and how to spend a perfect day in the Chianti countryside.
Florence at a Glance
| Where | Tuscany, central Italy |
|---|---|
| Closest airports | Florence (about 15 minutes to the centre), Pisa (about 1 hour by train), Bologna (about 40 minutes by high-speed train) |
| Currency | Euro (€) |
| Getting around | On foot in the centre; trams and buses accept contactless cards |
| How long to stay | 3 days for Florence, plus a day trip to Chianti |
| Best time to visit | May, June, September and October |
Secret Florence: Stories I Learned from My Guide
The best thing I did in Florence was a guided walk through the city’s secrets. Florence is full of details you’d never notice on your own, and every corner hides a story about the Medici, their enemies and the Renaissance artists they hired. Here are my favourites.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo: Florence’s First Cathedral
Florence is a Roman town, but it’s younger than many other Italian cities. Its first cathedral, the Basilica di San Lorenzo, is said to have been consecrated in 393 by Saint Ambrose, and back then it stood outside the city walls, on a small hill.
You’ll probably wonder: where is the hill? Look at the shops around the basilica. Many of them sit below street level, at the old Roman ground level. The city has risen around them over the centuries.
The basilica later became the Medici family’s parish church, and the façade is still unfinished today. Michelangelo was hired to design it, but he had to stop to work on the family’s new funeral chapel, and after that, no one ever finished the façade.
The Medici Chapels: Three Chapels, Three Stories
Behind the basilica are the Medici Chapels, and each one tells a different chapter of the family’s story.
- The Old Sacristy: the first family chapel, designed by Brunelleschi.
- The New Sacristy: designed by Michelangelo. It holds the tombs of the Medici, including Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother Giuliano, who was murdered in 1478 by the rival Pazzi family. In medieval and Renaissance Florence, family feuds could be deadly.
- The Chapel of the Princes: when the line of the first Medici dukes ended with a murder, a cousin from a second branch of the family became duke. He couldn’t use the same chapel as the main branch, so his descendants built their own: a huge, domed chapel covered in marble and semi-precious stones.
Good to know: I paid €16 for my ticket. Prices change with the season, so check the official website before you go, or book a reserved entrance ticket to the Medici Chapels to skip the queue.
Palazzo Medici Riccardi: An Optical Illusion
In 15th-century Florence, the taller your palace, the richer your family. But the Medici also wanted to stay alive, and showing off too much could make you a target.
So when Cosimo de’ Medici commissioned the architect Michelozzo to build the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in 1444, he asked for a clever trick. The rough, heavy stones at the bottom become smoother on each floor, which makes the building look taller than it really is. According to my guide, it’s actually about 1.5 metres shorter than it appears.
Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo)
The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore was the work of two great architects: Arnolfo di Cambio designed the cathedral, and Filippo Brunelleschi later built its famous red dome, still the largest brick dome in the world.
If you can, climb to the top for an incredible view over the city. Tickets sell out quickly in summer, so book your Brunelleschi’s Dome climb ticket in advance.
The Doors That Look Like Windows
As you walk around the old centre, look up. Some medieval buildings seem to be missing a front door, but what looks like a large window on the first floor used to be the entrance. For safety, the doors were placed high up, and families climbed in with a ladder or wooden stairs that could be pulled up in case of attack.
Stop Saying “Da Vinci”
Here’s one that made me laugh: Italians would love us to stop calling him “Da Vinci”. It isn’t his surname. It simply means “from Vinci”, the small Tuscan town where he was born. In Italy, he’s just Leonardo.
Want to discover these stories yourself? Join a Medici family secrets walking tour.
Fun Things to Do in Florence
Make a Wish at the Porcellino
In Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, where the leather market is, you’ll find the Fontana del Porcellino, a bronze wild boar. Legend says that if you place a coin in his mouth and it falls through the grate below, your wish will come true and you’ll return to Florence one day. My guide showed me exactly how to place the coin, and yes, it worked!
Have a Spritz on a Rooftop Facing the Duomo
I had been dreaming of the Divina Terrazza rooftop, but I hadn’t booked, so we couldn’t get in. Luckily, my guide shared a secret spot: the View on Art Rooftop Cocktail Bar, on the sixth floor of Hotel Medici. There are no signs outside, so just walk into the hotel and take the lift up.
We didn’t need a reservation, and our Spritz cost €12, with one of the best views of the Duomo in Florence. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Take a Vintage Photobooth Picture
Dotted around Florence are restored analogue photobooths called Fotoautomatica. You’ll find them near Santa Croce and on Via del Proconsolo, near the Duomo. They take coins only, and you get a strip of black-and-white photos that’s the cutest souvenir of your trip.
Spot the Wine Windows
Look out for the tiny arched hatches in the walls of old palaces. These are buchette del vino, or wine windows, which wealthy families once used to sell wine straight from their cellars. A few of them still serve wine (and gelato) today.
Where to Watch the Sunset in Florence
Sunset is when Florence is at its most beautiful, with the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio glowing pink against the hills.
- Piazzale Michelangelo: the classic viewpoint on the south side of the Arno, overlooking the whole city and the Ponte Vecchio. Go early to get a good spot.
- San Miniato al Monte: a short walk up the hill from Piazzale Michelangelo, quieter and just as beautiful.
- Fiesole: a little hilltop town about 20 minutes from the centre by bus. My guide told me it’s the best sunset view of all, looking down over the whole valley.
What to Eat in Florence
Gelato: The Original Crema
Did you know that gelato was born in Florence? The story goes that Bernardo Buontalenti, the Medici family’s architect, created the first gelato for a court banquet in the 16th century. It was summer, and a dessert made of cream did not survive the heat well. But the Medici kept ice and snow in a cave, so Buontalenti mixed it with the cream, and gelato was born.
Today, the flavour is still called crema Buontalenti, and it’s a must in Florence.
Schiacciata
Schiacciata is Tuscany’s answer to focaccia, and I tried a lot of it (for research, of course). My favourite was at I’ Girone de’ Ghiotti, especially the Golosa, filled with porchetta (roast pork), gorgonzola cream, truffle cream and rocket.
Handmade Pasta
For the best pasta of your life (I promise I’m not exaggerating), go to Il Grande Nuti, where the pasta is made by hand in front of you. It isn’t the cheapest, but watching it being made the traditional way is worth it. We went at lunchtime on a Monday without booking, but I’d recommend booking for evenings and weekends.
More Florentine Food to Try
- Porchetta sandwich: slow-roasted pork stuffed into fresh bread, perfect for lunch on the go.
- Pizza: you’re in Italy, after all.
- Lampredotto: the traditional Florentine tripe sandwich, if you’re feeling brave.
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina: a giant T-bone steak, best shared.
- Pappardelle al ragù di cinghiale: wide pasta with wild boar sauce.
- Ribollita: a hearty Tuscan bread and vegetable soup.
- Cantucci and Vin Santo: almond biscuits dipped in sweet wine, to finish your meal.
Want to try it all in one go? Book a Florence street food tour with wine.
Day Trip from Florence to Chianti
No list of things to do in Florence is complete without a day in the Tuscan countryside. Chianti, between Florence and Siena, is the best area for wine and olive oil, with rolling hills, cypress-lined roads and medieval villages.
I explored it the most fun way possible: in a vintage Fiat 500, driving along the cypress roads like in an old Italian film.
Want to do the same? Book a vintage Fiat 500 tour of the Tuscan countryside.
How to Choose a Good Chianti
If you want the best quality Chianti, look for the black rooster (Gallo Nero) on the neck of the bottle. It’s the symbol of Chianti Classico, the historic heart of the Chianti region.
Castellina in Chianti and Fattoria Lornano
Castellina in Chianti is one of the historic villages of the Chianti Classico area. Nearby, stop at Fattoria Lornano for a wine tasting and a light lunch. The estate dates back to the 15th century, and they make their wine following the traditional Chianti Classico rules.
A few things I learned there:
- No sugar: in Italy, winemakers can’t add sugar to the grapes. Fermentation is completely natural.
- French oak: the wine is aged in French oak barrels (you’re welcome, from a French girl).
- Leonardo’s airlock: local tradition credits Leonardo with inventing the airlock used on wine barrels, called the tappo colmatore, although historians have never found proof.
Monteriggioni
Halfway between Florence and Siena, Monteriggioni is a tiny walled village crowned with towers. Its name is often said to mean “the hill of the king”. It was built by Siena in the 13th century to guard its border against Florence. When Florence finally took the town in the 16th century, the towers were cut down to show that the power had changed hands. They were later restored.
Monteriggioni is also a stop on the Via Francigena, the old pilgrim route that runs from Canterbury all the way to Rome.
No car? Join a small-group Chianti wine tasting tour from Florence, or see Siena and San Gimignano too on a Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti day trip with lunch.
Where to Stay in Florence
Stay in the historic centre, so you can walk everywhere and visit the main sights early in the morning, before the crowds arrive. The area between the Duomo, San Lorenzo and Santa Croce is ideal.
Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Florence
- Getting from the airport is easy: the tram takes about 15 minutes to reach Santa Maria Novella station.
- You don’t need a car in Florence: it’s a walkable city, so just bring comfortable shoes. Hire a car (or join a tour) only for Chianti.
- Use your contactless card to pay for public transport.
- Book restaurants and museums ahead, especially at weekends.
- Stay in the centre so you can enjoy the famous sights before the crowds.
- Check nearby airports: if flights to Florence are expensive, look at Pisa or Bologna, then take the train.
FAQ
What are the best things to do in Florence?
The best things to do in Florence are visiting the Medici Chapels and the Basilica di San Lorenzo, climbing Brunelleschi’s dome, watching the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo or Fiesole, eating gelato and schiacciata, and taking a day trip to Chianti.
How many days do you need in Florence?
Three days is ideal to see Florence’s main sights at a relaxed pace, plus one extra day for a trip to Chianti.
Where was gelato invented?
Gelato is said to have been invented in Florence in the 16th century by Bernardo Buontalenti, for the Medici court. Try the crema Buontalenti flavour to taste the original.
Is Chianti worth a day trip from Florence?
Yes. Chianti is less than an hour from Florence, and a day of wine tasting, olive oil and medieval villages like Monteriggioni is one of the highlights of a trip to Tuscany.
Do you need a car in Florence?
No. Florence is very walkable, and the centre has limited traffic zones. You only need a car, or a tour, for the countryside.
Final Thoughts
Florence is one of those cities that rewards you for slowing down and looking up. Learn its secrets, eat gelato the way the Medici did and save one evening for the sunset. And if you only add one thing to your list of things to do in Florence, make it a day in the Chianti hills.
Planning more of Italy? Discover the Byzantine mosaics in my guide to the best things to do in Ravenna, or read my Puglia 7-day itinerary next.
Ready to book your Florence trip?
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