Best Things to Do in Florence (2026 Guide)

Florence is the most concentrated art city on earth. Within one square kilometre of the Piazza della Signoria: the Uffizi Gallery (the world’s greatest collection of Italian Renaissance painting — Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Leonardo’s Annunciation, Raphael, Caravaggio, Titian), the Accademia (Michelangelo’s David), the Bargello (the world’s best collection of Italian sculpture), and Brunelleschi’s dome (still the largest masonry dome ever built, completed 1436). The best things to do in Florence demand patience: book the Uffizi and Accademia months in advance in summer, arrive at the Duomo’s dome climb before 9am, and reserve time for Oltrarno — the artisan quarter on the south bank where leather workers, book restorers, and goldsmiths still work in workshops unchanged since the Renaissance.

Best time to visit

April-May and September-October are optimal: warm but manageable, with the city’s art institutions slightly less crowded than summer. June-August is intensely hot (35°C+) and extremely crowded; book everything months in advance. November-March is quiet, cooler, and the most genuine experience of Florentine life. Christmas in Florence is beautiful and low-key. The Calcio Storico (a historically violent form of football played in Renaissance costume) takes place in Piazza Santa Croce in June — extraordinary to witness.

Getting around

Florence’s historic centre is best explored on foot — all major attractions are within a 20-minute walk. Santa Maria Novella train station connects to Rome (1.5 hours by Frecciarossa), Venice (2 hours), and Milan (1.75 hours). The ATAF city buses are useful for Fiesole (a hilltop town above Florence) and Piazzale Michelangelo. Electric scooters (Lime, Bird) are available. Cars are not permitted in the historic ZTL zone without a permit.

What to eat and drink

Florentine food is among Italy’s most characterful: bistecca alla Fiorentina (T-bone steak from Chianina cattle, served rare), ribollita (twice-cooked bread soup with cavolo nero), lampredotto (tripe sandwich from a street cart at Mercato del Porcellino), crostini with chicken liver pâté, and pappardelle with wild boar ragù. Buca Mario (est. 1886) and Trattoria Mario (family-run since 1953) are Florentine institutions for these dishes. The wine is Chianti Classico from the vineyards immediately south of the city; a day trip to Greve in Chianti or Panzano is an easy and essential extension. Gelato: Gelateria dei Neri and Sbrino are consistently the best.

Neighborhoods to explore

Piazza della Repubblica & Duomo area — The tourist core, unavoidable and magnificent. The Baptistery (Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise), the Campanile (Giotto’s Bell Tower), and Brunelleschi’s dome dominate. Ticket bundles cover multiple Duomo complex sights.

Oltrarno — The south bank of the Arno, quieter and more neighbourhood-like than the historic centre. The Brancacci Chapel (Masaccio frescoes), Palazzo Pitti (royal palace), Boboli Gardens, and the best artisan workshops in the city.

Santa Croce — The great Franciscan basilica (Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli buried here) anchors a neighbourhood of leather market, good restaurants, and the Jewish Ghetto.

San Lorenzo — The Medici family neighbourhood: Michelangelo’s New Sacristy at San Lorenzo Church, the Medici Chapels, and the covered Mercato Centrale (the best food market in Florence).

Santo Spirito — Oltrarno’s centre, with the unfinished Brunelleschi facade of Santo Spirito Church, the best aperitivo bars in the city, and Piazza Santo Spirito’s weekend antique market.