Firenze (Florence) is a wonderful, romantic Italian city home to nearly a third of the world’s art treasures, according to UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization). There are so many museums and pieces of arts there, that it is difficult to decide what to visit in just two days! We have tried to offer a good, intense, programme to enjoy the best of Florence in one weekend: follow our tips and discover how to organize the smartest trip you have ever had! Ready to visit the Galleria degli Uffizzi and Galleria dell’Accademia for free?
Attraction
Galleria degli UffiziIf you are looking for the world’s greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art, you should not miss this Gallery! Located in the vast U-shaped Palazzo degli Uffizi, built between 1560 and 1580, this collection was bequeathed to the city of Florence by the Medici family in 1743. The only condition? That it will never leave Florence. The importance of this collection of Italian Renaissance art is now known all over the world: just to mention some of its masterpieces, it contains Piero della Francesca’s profile portaits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino as well as several paintings by Sandro Botticelli. The Gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday, 8:15 am – 6:50 pm. Remember: the Gallery is closed on Monday! Admission is free for everyone under 18 years old and for persons with disability. Reduced tickets costing 10 € are available for European citizens between 18 and 25 years old (valid identity document needed at the entrance) and for teachers from European public institutes. Regular tickets cost 16,50 €.
Our tips: every first Sunday of the month, the museum follows normal opening hours and entrance is FREE for everyone. No pre-booked tickets are sold for those dates! If you are planning your trip in another week, you might decide to book the tickets online! Be aware: booking online will let you save time for the queue, but for each ticket you will pay an online booking fee of 4 €. If you are a big group, you might think of buying a Firenze Card (from 19 €), that allow you to avoid long lines by taking advantage of private access to the famous Gallery. For more info, click here .
The Duomo is considered by many as the Florence’s most iconic landmark. Capped by Filippo Brunelleschi’s red-tiled cupola, this Duomo is an amazing construction whose magnificent white, pink and green marble facade and elegant campanile (bell tower) dominate the medieval cityscape. Although Sienese architect Arnolfo di Cambio began work on it 1296, its construction took almost 150 years and the Duomo was consecrated in 1436. The opening hours vary during the week: from Monday to Wednesday, and Friday 10am-5pm, on Thursday 10am-4pm, on Saturday 10am-4.45pm, on Sunday 1.30-4.45pm. Remember: the Duomo is closed every first Tuesday of the month! Admission is free, but appropriate clothing is required (shorts and tops are not admitted).
Our tips: are you curious to see also the Dome, the Baptistry and the bell tower? The best deal is the Gran Museo del Duomo Ticket, that allows the holder to visit all the monuments within 48 hours of visiting the first one at the price of 15 € per person (children from 6 to 11 years of age pay a reduced ticket of just 3 €). more info Remember: put comfortable shoes and if you visit Firenze during the summer, be prepared! To climb the Giotto’s bell tower there are 414 steps, while to see the Brunelleschi’s Dome there are 463 steps without elevator! That will not be a piece of cake, but we are sure that the desire to see these monuments will overcome your laziness!
It is hardly deniable that the Galleria dell’Accademia is one of the most famous attractions in Florence. Its celebrity is partly due to its sculptures by the great Renaissance artist, Michelangelo. Without doubt, Michelangelo’s magnificent statue of David, together with his Prisoners (or Slaves) and his San Matteo (St. Matthew) are among the masterpieces that draw most of the hundreds of thousands of tourists the museum welcomes every year. In addition, other masterpieces by great Italian artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Allessando Allori and Orcagna, contribute to the fame of this Gallery. The Accademia is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 8.15am-6.50pm.
Remember: the Gallery is closed on Monday! Admission is free for everyone under 18 years old and for persons with disability. Reduced tickets are available for European citizens between 18 and 25 years old (valid identity document needed at the entrance) and for teachers from European public institutes. Reduced ticket’s cost: 10 €. Regular tickets cost 16,50 €. Yet another suggestion: as for the Uffizi, every first Sunday of the month, the Gallery follows normal opening hours and entrance is FREE for everyone. No pre-booked tickets are sold for those dates!
If you want to discover part of Firenze’s history through its wonderful architecture, do not miss this palace! Its construction started in 1489 by the artist Benedetto da Maiano for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, a rival of the Medici who had returned to the city in November 1466. The intention was to build the most magnificent palace to announce not only his family’s continued prominence, but also his own status. Palazzo Strozzi, with its rusticated stone, inspired by the Palazzo Medici, has remained an instance of civil architecture enriched by more attention to its harmonious proportions.
Our recommendation: every second Thursday of every month, Palazzo Strozzi is hosting its Giovedi al Quadrato (Thursday at the Square). This event is really a dream: late-night museum hours from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m., free activities (including concerts, creative events and more) in the atrium from 7.30 pm, and free or discounted entry to the Palazzo’s galleries!
Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence. A general belief is that a bridge already existed in the same place during the Roman times, however not enough historical evidence has corroborated this idea. Its current appearance dates to the year 1345, when another bridge was destroyed by a flood and Ponte Vecchio was built to replace that. As in many other European cities during the Middle Ages, several houses were built on the bridge. Interesting info: the Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge in Florence that survived the Second World War unscathed. Food and drink
Historic cafésCaffè Le Giubbe Rosse, opened in 1897, is one of historic cafés you cannot miss if you want to breath the artistic air of this city. Birthplace of literary and artistic movements magazines, this café had among its regulars artists like Papini, Soffici, Palazzeschi, Gadda, Cat, Pratolini, Vittorini and Montale. Great part of the literary and artistic history of the twentieth century can be found there: from Hermeticism to Futurism, the most important literary and artistic trends have passed there, as well as Nobel Prize winners such as Montale and Quasimodo. At this café’s walls, you can admire many artistic testimonies: a flower drawn on the wall by Primo Conti, an original work by Depero, the paintings of many artists who have passed through this place; there is also exposed a local synthetic history. Even today this café holds a continuous series of book presentations, exhibition of artistic works. Among its initiatives, the so-called “Dinners for Art”.
Founded in 1846, the Caffè Concerto Paszkowski is one of the most well-known historic cafés in Florence. It was born as a Polish brewery in the nineteenth century Jewish ghetto in Florence, but then that area was redeveloped, and Paszkowski kept being the centre of the artistic life of Florence. Some of the guests of the past were Salvemini, Battisti, Papini. In 1991, this cafè was declared a national monument, sign of its important role in the Italian history. Our idea: stand at the bar rather than sitting down. This is how Italians do at the bar, enjoying all the comings and goings, and this is also much cheaper!
Smart places for lunch“Ino” (diminutive of panino), is a place where you can find one of the best panini of Florence. A panino with refined ingredients, tapenade and selected cheeses, a design and wi-fi free environment are the reasons behind the success of this restaurant, a few steps from Ponte Vecchio (Via de ‘Georgofili). One panino and a glass of wine cost 7-8 € , but you pay for the high quality of food and for the nice environment where eating your lunch in the centre.
Would you like something more traditional? The menu at Trattoria Mario is based on Tuscan home cooking and family recipes that, in the last century, have changed very little. Their success is due to the use of fresh ingredients delivered daily from the nearby market and to the menu that changes according to the season. Perhaps the most famous of the restaurants frequented by Florentines, if you want to have lunch there remember that they do not take reservations and only accepts cash payment. One pasta dish and a bottle of water costs around 7€. But we highly recommend the traditional and famous bistecca alla Fiorentina (T-bone steak), you will love it!
On the ashes of a historic shop in S. Spirito Square, Tamerò Pasta Bar serves a seasonal menu and Mediterranean and fusion cuisine, open until midnight. The specialty is the fresh handmade pasta. Lunch set menu: one dish chosen among different types of fresh hand-made pasta, one main dish, water and coffee at a cost of just 10 €! During the summer, you can also enjoy your lunch break in the gazebo on the square!
One of the most loved place by Florentines: Ristorante Zio Gigi . When you walk into this restaurant, you see a lot of small tables and people coming, sitting at tables and served pasta without ordering: many of the costumers are regulars, and know everyone. If you want a quiet or a romantic dinner, perhaps this is not the place for you. However, there you can enjoy an alive place with voices: Gigi loves singing welcome to his customers when they arrive, singing goodbye when they leave, singing arias in between. Costumers love talking to each other, give tips and show you the truly Italian spirit. Menus including pasta, main dish, dessert and coffee start from 20€.
If you wish a finger-licking menu, then you should try La Cucina Del Ghianda , where Tuscan dishes are accompanied by some traditional receipts from other Italian regions. Great attention is given to the ingredients (whose quality is very high), and the wine selection is very good. In addition, also the atmosphere will leave you astonished: the service is very professional and attentive! It is recommended both for lunch (that is self-service, with pasta dishes at 4 €, main dishes at 6 €, and desserts at 2.50 €) and for dinner (when it is almost impossible to spend more than 25 €). For dinner it is better to book a table!
AccomodationFirenze offers you so many accommodation options that it is not easy to give you some tips. Airbnb and booking are full of good deals for hostels, hotels and flats. Let us see some unusual accommodation that will literally leave you lost for words.
To young people, we definitely recommend the luxury (but cheap) hostel PLUS Florence, awarded as one of the best hostel in the world! Combining a backpacking holiday with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna, Turkish bath and fitness equipment to help you relax, that’s genius! This hostel offers you a great buffet breakfast in the morning, and classic Italian food, drinks, live music and parties in the evening. Still in doubt? The hostel is just a 10-minute walk from the main train station, and is perfectly located right in the centre of the Renaissance city. Not only, it has superior stylish rooms, double rooms, dorms and female dorms, so that every traveller will find what she needs! Prices from 23€ per person.
If you are planning to stay a bit longer than a weekend, or if you would like to have the possibility of preparing your own meal, then the Sette Angeli Studios might be the solution. They are clean and very well-positioned studio apartments with double bed, bathroom with shower, air conditioning and heating. Each of the “Studio” is equipped with a modern pop-kitchen with electric stove, sink, refrigerator, a full set of cookware and dishes, and free wifi. The location is amazing: in the city centre, just 5 minutes from the Santa Maria Novella Station! Prices start from 89€per studio per day. Other wonderful studios are the Opera 19 Luxury Apartment, that offer stylish accomodations in Florence’s city centre, 550 yards from Palazzo Vecchio. Studios are air-conditioned and completed with a fully equipped kitchenette and 2 flat-screen TVs. Of course, wifi is free! Prices from 120€per studio per day.
Do you want a romantic place to charm your partner? You will have to spend a bit more, but for sure you will conquer her/his heart. The four-stars hotel Ginori Al Duomo , 5-minute walk from the Accademia Gallery (home to Michelangelo’s David) and 150 yards from Florence Cathedral, is set in a wonderful 16th-century Renaissance building. What makes this hotel very special is its unique and elegant design, made in part of featuring frescoed walls and ceilings, in part of wood-beamed ceilings. Despite the elegance and the location, the hotel offers also economy double bedrooms, whose price starts from 150€per day. Transportation
Hardly deniable, Ryanair and Easyjet offers very good deals for your holidays. Unfortunately, Florence is not among their destinations, but no panic! The closest destination is Pisa Airport, another wonderful city just 1 hour far from Firenze. How to get to Firenze? Ryanair established a nice agreement with a bus company: if you are a Ryanair passenger, you can find buses from Pisa airport to Firenze’s train station S. Maria Novella at affordable prices. The service provides 18 daily departures from the airport to Florence and 16 in the opposite direction. The cost of one way ticket is 9.50 € per adult and € 4.75 per child (2-12 years), while the return ticket costs € 15.50 per adult. Tickets are available both on board of Ryanair aircraft to Pisa and on the Ryanair website, while timetables can be found here .
Are you flying with another company? Do not worry: the connection between the Pisa airport and the center of Florence is also secured by the bus company Terravision. One way tickets cost € 10, return tickets € 16. More information can be found at its page . Furthermore, you might take advantage of the location of the airport to visit briefly the small Pisa centre. If you like this idea, then we suggest that you take the train, rather than the bus. From the Airport, you can search for the automatic ticket machines and buy a ticket from Pisa Airport to Pisa Centrale (Pisa centre), that costs € 2.70 for a single ticket, € 5.40 for a return tickets. The travel is just 5 minutes! Once in Pisa, you can enjoy a short walk (the Torre di Pisa is 20 minutes far from the station), then you can go back to the station and buy a ticket from Pisa Centrale to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (it takes 1 hour and it costs € 8.40) . In total, you will spend € 11, and you will see a bit more than by taking the bus. Remember: children aged 0-4 years old travel free of charge on all domestic trains in both first and second class and at all levels of service, but there are no reductions for children aged more than 4. If you travel with your family, taking a bus will make you save a bit of money!
If your flight arrives at the Airport Vespucci, from there you can buy a Volainbus A/R ticket (Volainbus return ticket) at the price of € 10. Maps and timetables can be found at the Ataf website .
Once in Florence, you have got three options. The major attractions are concentrated in the centre, so a few hundred meters apart. As a consequence, you can just walk and admire this wonderful city. You might also rent a City bike for € 12 per day (one child seat can be rented adding € 3). In this case, you can book it online at the website Florence by bike . Finally, you can take the bus. In this case, single tickets are valid for 90 minutes and cost < b>€ 1.20, one-day tickets cost € 5, and 3-days tickets € 12. If you travel with your family or in group, we recommend to buy the Daily family ticket, valid for 4 persons for 24 hours at the price of < b>€ 6. Consider that for 4 one-day tickets you would spend €20! Remember: normal tickets can be bought at every Tabacchi shops (Look at the ‘T’ sign). On the contrary, Daily family tickets can be bought only at the Ataf Point or at Cral Ataf Points. The Ataf Point is located at the Santa Maria Novella Station (box offices number 8 and 9) and is open from Monday to Saturday from 6:45 am to 8 pm (closed on Sundays and public holidays). The Cral Ataf Points are three: one in the station area (via Alamanni), one in the stage area (via Pacinotti) and another area in Peretola.
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