Top 10 things to do in Florence

If you’ve got limited time in Florence, you’ll be looking for a to-do list that lets you hit the highlights and not miss anything truly important. Even though We’re delivering our Top 10 Things to Do in Florence below, Ars Hotels Firenze hereby suggest you to tailor it to suit your own needs.

• 1. Tour the Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery is definitely the best collection of Italian paintings and I think it’s well worth the time. The Uffizi is also plagued by long lines to get in. You can avoid the lines by booking your ticket in advance by calling the Hotel and you pay the pre-booking directly at the Front-desk.

• 2. Eat two scoops of Gelato everyday

This is actually a rule established here in Italy when visiting! In Florence – where the gelato is known for being especially fantastic- it’s so important you are putting it on your to-do list. There are gelato shops all over the city. If you like to eat a well balanced diet even on vacation, then in addition to your gelato, be sure to try some of the local Tuscan specialties when you’re dining out – like the famously gigantic bistecca Fiorentina!

• 3. Do Some People-Watching in Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria is used to be the front garden of what was one of the ruling family of Florence: the Medici. The Palazzo Vecchio, with a “David” replica at the entrance. The Loggia to the right of the Palazzo Vecchio is a fantastic outdoor sculpture gallery and though the restaurants lining the square are mostly overpriced you should feel free to bring your gelato cone in from elsewhere to enjoy the view while you eat.

If you want to splurge on a sweet treat with a view of the Piazza della Signoria, I recommend getting a cioccolata calda at Rivoire.

For a bit of the macabre, find the circular marble plaque toward the middle of the piazza that marks the spot where the monk Savonarola (the “bonfire of vanities” guy) was burnt at the stake in 1498.

• 4. See the Sights in Duomo Square

Another excellent spot for people watching is the nearby piazza in front of the Florence Duomo, although this one is almost always more crowded (or it just always feels more crowded because it’s not as open). The two big sights here are the Duomo (obviously) and the Baptistery, but the main attraction of the Baptistery is actually on the outside. The set of doors that faces the front of the Duomo was designed by Ghiberti in the early 1400s, and a young Michelangelo thought they were so beautiful that they could be the Gates of Paradise. The original panels are now kept in the Duomo Museum, but the replicas on the Baptistery are still gorgeous and still attract quite a crowd.

The Duomo’s relatively barren interior can be a bit of a disappointment after seeing its festive exterior, but most of the art was removed to the Duomo Museum after the 1966 flood. Still, entry into the Duomo is free, so if you need a break from the weather or crowds you can wander around inside.

• 5. Climb either the Duomo’s Dome or Giotto’s Tower

Right in Duomo square you can take advantage of the height of two of its structures to get great views of the historic city center. The dome of the Duomo, designed by Brunelleschi, not only offers a lovely view but also a quick lesson in architecture include a close-up of the dome as well. You may want to climb both, they charge a fee. Anyone interested in design and architecture will want to pick the dome for the history, and if you had a chance to read “Brunelleschi’s Dome” before your trip it’ll make the climb even more meaningful. Also, these climbs are enough to give anyone both vertigo and claustrophobia, whether you’ve had them before or not, so proceed with caution!

• 6. Watch the Arno Pass Under the Ponte Vecchio

Although the Ponte Vecchio bridge itself is often wall-to-wall people and full of expensive gold jewellery shops, there’s nothing quite like ending a day in Florence perched in the center of the bridge overlooking the river as the sun goes down. Yes, you may well be shoulder to shoulder with lots of other tourists, but I can still get lost in the movement of the river. I think about how many thousands of people have stood where I’m standing over the past years. I think about how Medici used to walk along the corridor over the bridge (Vasari Corridor) from their palace to their offices so as not to mix with the commoners. So whatever you think about as you gaze at the Arno from the Ponte Vecchio, I hope you leave with a smile on your face like I always do.

• 7. Pay Your Respects at Florence Famous Graves

Florence is well known as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Many of its most famous sons were laid to rest in the city, and many of the “celebrity” tombs in Florence can be found in one church – Santa Croce.

Among the names you’ll recognise on the elaborate sarcophagi are Galileo, Machiavelli, Rossini, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo himself. There’s also a honorary tomb for Dante, although he’s actually buried in Ravenna. Santa Croce is a pretty open church with a distinctive painted wooden ceiling and featuring frescoes by Giotto, but the main attraction is definitely the famous graves. Another spot to go for famous graves is the Medici Chapel, adjacent to the San Lorenzo Church. There you’ll find two tombs adorned with sculptures by Michelangelo and containing members of the illustrious Medici family. After visiting the Medici tombs, it’s worth the side trip to the Laurentian Library with its grand and beautiful staircase designed by Michelangelo above the nearby cloisters in the same church complex.

• 8. Check out the sculpture at the Bargello

Yes, there’s a lot of art in Florence. And at least two of the city’s most popular galleries routinely have hours-long lines to get in. But luckily, at this point anyway, the Bargello Museum isn’t one of those, despite being to sculpture what the Uffizi is to painting. It’s housed in a former jail, and it contains some incredible early Michelangelo works you may never have heard of, including a fantastic “Bacchus”, and Donatello’s beautiful (and recently restored) bronze David, which Michelangelo saw often during his childhood. Also on display are the two entries in the competition which was held to determine who would design the doors of the Baptistery – you can decide for yourself if the right guy won. Although the pieces in the Bargello collection are worldclass, the museum tends to be overlooked by most tourist, so it’s a great option for art lovers who are tired of the crowds.

• 9. Get the perfect postcard view from Piazzale Michelangelo

In Florence, anyone can get that perfect cityscape shot – as long as you head straight for Piazzale Michelangelo, which overlooks the city from its perch in the hills above Florence and across to Fiesole. It’s either a good hike up to the top or a bus route (n. 12 outside Santa Maria Novella Station) and provided the wether is being kind you’ll be rewarded with the best view of the city you can possibly imagine. The “David” replica at the centre of the square lets you add to your fake David count in the city, too. As an added bonus, for those who get to the Piazzale via their own foot power, you’ll get the chance to wander through the Oltrarno (which is on the other side of the Arno river – the name means “beyond the Arno”), which is often overlooked by tourists who cluster around the Duomo.

• 10. Take a stroll through the Leather Markets

Even if you’re not a shopper, tasking a stroll through Florence’s famous leather Markets is something that’s worth a few minutes of your time. There are a couple outdoor leather markets in Florence, and they’re within walking distance of one another so you can easily visit both – but I like the one next to San Lorenzo Church because after a stroll through the gauntlet of leather stalls outside you can take a turn through the fabulous Mercato Centrale as well. This indoor market, in a building that dates from the late 19th Century, is full of countless food vendors selling everything, and if you need a food souvenir to bring home (olive oil, dried pasta, or shrink-wrapped cheese) this is the place to go.