Well hello to you my reader chums! Florence has become my new favourite city. It's packed with medieval buildings, an incredible art scene, the most glorious food, and prettiest streets to roam around. It's a place I could happily revisit over and over again and would recommend everyone to visit at least once in their life.
If you're planning a trip to Florence or heading there soon, here is everything to know about the city.
It can be done on a budget
Florence is renowned for its designer shopping and expensive eateries, however, it can easily be done on a budget. Despite some food places overcharging, you can easily find spots with budget-friendly things to do, food to eat and shops too. For instance, Florence has plenty of places where you can buy a slice of pizza on the go, or slightly away from the main sights, all the restaurants a very reasonably priced. In terms of shops, Florence has a few markets where you're able to haggle for gorgeous leather bags and souvenirs also.
Save money, take the tram or walk
With a budget in mind, you can save a lot of money as you travel around Florence. Florence is a big city but small enough that you're able to do it all on foot - and that means walking from sight to sight. The only time you really need to take transport is to get to and from the airport - but again, to save money, you can hop on the tram rather than pay for an overpriced taxi. In Florence, taxis are very expensive and it'll probably cost you around 60 euro to get into the centre from the airport, whilst a tram is a couple of euros.
The sights aren't overrated (in my opinion)
For many cities worldwide, you get a lot of people saying sights are overrated such as the leaning tower of Pisa. However, every single sight I went to in Florence was worth the penny and I would 100% recommend seeing as many as possible. The city is packed with a rich history and the sights are one of beauty.
Florence is accessible wherever you stay
Florence may be a large city, but that doesn't mean it's inaccessible. Usually, when it comes to cities, you should stay in a certain area to get the most out of the city, however, with Florence you don't. The city has all the sights within walking distance that wherever you stay, you're able to reach the attractions - and all the different areas are stunning. If you want to be the absolute centre, I would then suggest staying near the Duomo.
The train is a great way to get around
Florence is a beautiful city to see but it doesn't mean you should spend your time in Tuscany only in Florence. As Italy is the perfect place to interrail around, from Florence, you're able to visit cities including Pisa, Lucca, Siena and many, many more.
Pre-book your tickets to the museums
As Florence is an incredibly popular city, it's important to be one step of the game and book your museum tickets - especially in peak times. I bought mine when I was in the city but it meant going up the Duomo was all booked up so we missed out. If you book them beforehand, you won't be disappointed and can see everything on your trip.
Italians dine later
Something to note is eating times in Florence. Italians tend to eat later in the day as it's cooler then, that you won't see many restaurants open for dinner until 7pm and sometimes later (it depends on the restaurants.)
The Duomo is free
The Duomo, one of the most beautiful sights in Florence is actually free to enter. Inside isn't as extravagant as the exterior, but it's completely worth going to look inside. If you'd like to go up to the top of the Duomo or visiting the museums, you will have to pay, however.
Visit both sides of the city
Florence is broken up in two by the river Arno, however, both sides have plenty in store. The mains side with the Duomo is the most popular, but over the other side, there are lots to see. There are the palace and gardens as well as loads of tucked away eateries. The other side of the bridge is quieter and not as touristy so you get an authentic taste of the city.
I hope you enjoyed this guide. When are you going to Florence?
Thank you for reading <3
If you're planning a trip to Florence or heading there soon, here is everything to know about the city.
It can be done on a budget
Florence is renowned for its designer shopping and expensive eateries, however, it can easily be done on a budget. Despite some food places overcharging, you can easily find spots with budget-friendly things to do, food to eat and shops too. For instance, Florence has plenty of places where you can buy a slice of pizza on the go, or slightly away from the main sights, all the restaurants a very reasonably priced. In terms of shops, Florence has a few markets where you're able to haggle for gorgeous leather bags and souvenirs also.
Save money, take the tram or walk
With a budget in mind, you can save a lot of money as you travel around Florence. Florence is a big city but small enough that you're able to do it all on foot - and that means walking from sight to sight. The only time you really need to take transport is to get to and from the airport - but again, to save money, you can hop on the tram rather than pay for an overpriced taxi. In Florence, taxis are very expensive and it'll probably cost you around 60 euro to get into the centre from the airport, whilst a tram is a couple of euros.
The sights aren't overrated (in my opinion)
For many cities worldwide, you get a lot of people saying sights are overrated such as the leaning tower of Pisa. However, every single sight I went to in Florence was worth the penny and I would 100% recommend seeing as many as possible. The city is packed with a rich history and the sights are one of beauty.
Florence is accessible wherever you stay
Florence may be a large city, but that doesn't mean it's inaccessible. Usually, when it comes to cities, you should stay in a certain area to get the most out of the city, however, with Florence you don't. The city has all the sights within walking distance that wherever you stay, you're able to reach the attractions - and all the different areas are stunning. If you want to be the absolute centre, I would then suggest staying near the Duomo.
The train is a great way to get around
Florence is a beautiful city to see but it doesn't mean you should spend your time in Tuscany only in Florence. As Italy is the perfect place to interrail around, from Florence, you're able to visit cities including Pisa, Lucca, Siena and many, many more.
Pre-book your tickets to the museums
As Florence is an incredibly popular city, it's important to be one step of the game and book your museum tickets - especially in peak times. I bought mine when I was in the city but it meant going up the Duomo was all booked up so we missed out. If you book them beforehand, you won't be disappointed and can see everything on your trip.
Italians dine later
Something to note is eating times in Florence. Italians tend to eat later in the day as it's cooler then, that you won't see many restaurants open for dinner until 7pm and sometimes later (it depends on the restaurants.)
The Duomo is free
The Duomo, one of the most beautiful sights in Florence is actually free to enter. Inside isn't as extravagant as the exterior, but it's completely worth going to look inside. If you'd like to go up to the top of the Duomo or visiting the museums, you will have to pay, however.
Visit both sides of the city
Florence is broken up in two by the river Arno, however, both sides have plenty in store. The mains side with the Duomo is the most popular, but over the other side, there are lots to see. There are the palace and gardens as well as loads of tucked away eateries. The other side of the bridge is quieter and not as touristy so you get an authentic taste of the city.
I hope you enjoyed this guide. When are you going to Florence?
Thank you for reading <3
No comments
Thank you for reading my blog! I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful in anyway. I'd love to hear any feedback you may have.