Florence Travel Guide: Art, Food & the Tuscan Renaissance

Florence (Firenze) is a compact city that contains a disproportionate share of the world’s Renaissance art. A 30-minute walk from one side to the other takes you past the Uffizi, the Duomo, the Accademia, Ponte Vecchio, and Piazza della Signoria — a concentration of world-class art and architecture that no other city can match. The practical challenge is managing the crowds. Florence receives over 10 million tourists a year in a city of fewer than 400,000 residents, and in summer the historic centre is genuinely overcrowded.

The art

The Uffizi Gallery is non-negotiable. Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, Leonardo’s Annunciation, Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo — the collection is extraordinary. Book well in advance; walk-in entry in summer is rarely possible before afternoon. Allow three to four hours minimum.

The Accademia Gallery exists primarily to house Michelangelo’s David. The statue is larger than most visitors expect and profoundly impressive in person. Again: book ahead. The Duomo complex (Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Campanile, Baptistery, crypt, dome climb) requires a single combined ticket booked online. The dome climb — Brunelleschi’s engineering solution to a dome 44 metres wide — is the best view in Florence.

Food

Florence’s food tradition is Tuscan. Bistecca alla Fiorentina (thick-cut Chianina T-bone, rare, sold by weight) is the defining dish and requires a serious restaurant to be done properly. Lampredotto (tripe sandwich) from the central market food stalls is the street food. Ribollita (bread and bean soup) and pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup) are the cucina povera classics. The Mercato Centrale upstairs hall is the best one-stop lunch in the city.

Neighbourhoods

The Oltrarno — south of the Arno — is the most liveable part of Florence for longer stays. It has a neighbourhood feel, better restaurant prices, and contains the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. San Frediano within the Oltrarno is the local’s area for aperitivo and dinner. The Santa Croce neighbourhood (east of the centre) has the basilica and better-value accommodation.

Day trips

The Val d’Orcia, Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti wine country, and Pisa are all within 90 minutes by car or bus. Florence is also a natural base for exploring Tuscany over several days.