Overview
** FLORENCE , ITALY TOURS **
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If you�re into luxury items, visit The Mall at Firenze just outside of Florence, Italy. It�s an outlet mall for luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, Jimmy Choo, Celine, and more. Items are a fraction of the cost. For example, I purchased a pair of Jimmy Choo combat boots for about 270 USD and they were originally 1200 USD.
Pro tip 1: Take The Mall bus directly from the Florence train station to the mall. It�s 8 EUR one way as compared to a 111 EUR Uber one way.
Pro tip 2: If you are not from a country in the EU, go with your passport. When you make your purchase, let them know you�re a foreign visitor and would like the VAT form. Take the VAT form to the office onsite upstairs (super plus they have one onsite) and they will give you the VAT back in cash or credit to your card as long as you�re leaving Europe within 9 days of your purchase.
Love Love Love this city! It might be my favorite city ever! There is so much to do and so much food to eat. DO NOT stay in the tourist areas. Go deeper into the city and stay near the locals. Do not be afraid if you don’t speak Italian (I am decent in spanish and its very similar so I was able to get around easily). But they are very understanding so just talk with your hands like we do anyway. I love Italian food but if you need a break from it, the kebabs here are great and there is a sandwich place called All’Antico Vinaio that is phenomenal. This is also a great city for you history buffs and art enthusiasts so definitely explore. Everything is pretty much walkable. I stayed for a month and traveled by train to Milan, Pisa, Rome, and the Vatican City. I would recommend Milan especially if you love to shop.
Florence is art, history, and amazing.
Key point to visit:
1. Ponte Vecchio
2. Duomo, Cathénedrale of Santa maria del foire
3. Piazzale Michelangiolo (best view point)
4. Medeci chapel and history tour
5. Palazzo Vecchio
6. Santa croce basilical
7. Mercato Centrale: food market , great fresh Pasta
8. San Lorenzo lather market
Great town to shop for leather! Quality is everything over there.
Leather road, San Giuseppe 5r (near Santa Croce Church main road).
If you’re planning on taking a trip to Italy, Florence should be at the top of your list of places to see. You will be stunned by the picturesque views, architecture and landmarks. The shopping is to die for and the food will not disappoint you.
A quick tip from us. Flights are not too bad over the Easter weekend. So if you’re travelling from Europe a stop in Florence won’t break the bank whilst the weather is still good.
If you are staying in other cities in Italy it’s quite easy to travel to Florence either by train or bus which allow you to go for a quick day trip.
Do note however as a black woman you may get a lot of unwanted attention from the men in the market. All pretty harmless but something to just be wary of as you hear the likes of “brown sugar” and people commenting on your beautiful complexion.
If you find yourself in the San Lorenzo’s market looking for some good deals, remeber to never accept the first offer given. You can definitely negotiate prices and find yourself a good bargain.
We would definitely recommend seeing the famous Ponte Vecchio, Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore and Piazzale Michelangelo. Feel free to check out our page where we go into more depth about our travel experience in Florence @wanderlustebony
Ever heard of the Florence Syndrome? Well, whenever you’ll visit Florence you’ll understand what it means. There’s art literally everywhere! For someone who loves museums, paintings, and food, I thought for a minute I landed in paradise, no kidding. I highlighted my Florence trip on my Instagram (Jarcharine), you can check it for the best places to eat pizza, sandwiches, and gelato (of course).
We also made a short trip to Pisa, which is only 1 hour away by train.
Florence was part of a 13-day trip across Italy. Since it was our first time to Italy, we made sure that we did the main tourist attractions and included time for day trips to nearby towns. Having been the base city for our trip, Florence has left us wanting more.
This charming city had some of the best food of the entire trip. Walking the cobblestone streets day in and day out will leave your feet in a dire state, so do bring comfortable shoes.
The Florence Cathedral is extraordinary. It’s a magnificent Gothic structure consisting of a Renaissance dome designed by Fillippo Brunellesci. It consists of a baptistery across the cathedral,a Bell tower behind and a museum.
Access to the Cathedral is free so the lines were always extremely long. The line to the cathedral wrapped around the whole structure throughout the day. If you are determined to see inside the Cathedral, the lines diminished closer to closing time at 4:30 PM local time.
Tip# Do not confuse the cathedral line with the Dome line. At your selected time, you can walk directly to the front of the Dome line, which will be located on the side entrance of the Cathedral. The opposite side of the Bell Tower, you will see two lines. The longest line will be the line to the Cathedral. The shortest line is most likely the Dome line leading to a side door. You can skip the line when it’s time to climb. They will let you in.
After climbing the Cathedral, you can grab lunch and visit the Baptistery, which is just an open dome. There’s really nothing inside in terms of structure. However, people are drawn to the mosaics and the art.
For the Statue of David, pre-purchase your tickets ahead of time, because lines were extremely long. With our pre-purchase tickets, we were able to walk to the front of the line and enter with no wait times.
Lastly, from Florence you can do a day to to Pisa to visit the leaning tower or to Venice.
Travelling black in Florence was wonderful. The Italians are very nice.
I visited Florence during my month long euro trip in September. It’s a very romantic and artistic place to travel. If you like to ride bikes, rent a bicycle and ride throughout the town. There is plenty to see and interesting conversations to be had. There are many squares that I stumbled upon with artists drawing, painting, playing music and putting on shows. I even found a moulin rouge inspired art festival. I wondered upon Giotto’s Campanile and Baptistery of St. John, which are absolute masterpieces and you’ll appreciate them if you love cool buildings. They also have wonderful cobblestone streets. Go see the Florence cathedral. Stop by the famous buildings that overlook the water and beautiful bridges called Ponte Vecchio. They had a lot of jewelry shops inside and you can buy souvenirs and antiques.
For me, all of Italy is romantic and Florence is a clear example of this.
It is beautiful, clean, unique, music, ice cream and light.
I traveled to Florence in July of 2017, during this trip I visited 3 other cities in Italy (Venice, Milan, and Rome). During my time in Florence, I will have to say my favorite part was shopping in the leather market. By far, of the cities I’ve visited in Italy, Florence is the most romantic city. You’ll see a lot of couples, very few of those couples were with children but I did see a few families. When you’re shopping on the street DO NOT be afraid to bargain! The name of the game is to bargain! During my first go round, “I got, GOT!” But after I went to a few stands and listened to others, I was able to walk away with great deals.
If you love art and history, Florence is a must see! Known as the heart of the Italian Renaissance, Florence is a art and history lovers paradise. I’ve been to Florence twice, and each time there I stayed in an Airbnb. I visited Florence as a stop along an Italian trip, so I’ve always arrived there by train. Train tickets to and from Florence can easily be purchased on https://www.trenitalia.com. Know that when using this site (and other Italian sites) cities are referenced by their given Italian name and not English name. Hence, Florence is actually named Firenze. When you’re in Florence, majority of the city is walkable, and this is actually part of the joy of the city.
Two of the main art galleries are the following:
– Uffizi gallery (https://www.florence.net)
– Galleria Dell’ Accademia (http://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.beniculturali.it)
I recommend purchasing tickets in advance for the galleries, as each holds world-renowned paintings an sculptures, like the statue of David. Along with the art galleries, the Florence Cathedral is a must see (https://www.ilgrandemuseodelduomo.it/monumenti/1-cattedrale). Entry inside the cathedral is free, but if you want to go up the bell tower, or the dome tickets are required. Also, the dome tickets can sellout a month in advice, so buy your tickets early! The cathedral is made of marble, and is such a beautiful site! To get a great view of the city, climb the hill to Pizzale di Michelangelo and Forte di Belvedere. Both of these sites provide great opportunities for photos of the city.
If you’re into fashion, Florence is the birth place of Gucci. Visit the Gucci museum to gain insight on the luxury brand’s history. The Gucci museum resides in Piazza della Signoria which also houses Palazzo Vecchio, and a collection of statues and sculptures worth seeing.
Florence does house a large college population, including numerous of foreign exchange students. If you visit during the school year, don’t be surprised to see a lot of college age students, and hear a lot of English being spoken. In the same way, Florence has a decent night life as well. There are multiple clubs and bars throughout the city. Overall, Florence is one of my favorite cities, and good place to get a true feel for Italian culture and history.
I am a history NUT so I really was excited to visit Florence. It is filled with art and historic architecture. The food and wine are affordable and delicious. The view of the city from Piazzale Michelangelo is spectacular and a must see. I enjoy walking in this city. I always suggest that all travelers been in decent physical shape to walk and enjoy the scenery. I definitely will return to Florence with my wife because of the Romantic beauty it presents.
Florence, oh Florence! I would go back and stay a month alone in Florence, it just spoke to me. The beauty and the peacefulness of the mountains, were just breathtaking. The Florence Cathedral Duomo, the museums, the architecture, the food, just everything about it was beautiful to me and I would go back and stay for an extended period of time in a heartbeat.
Florence is filled with museums, ancient art, preserved churches, and the streets/buildings are still very genuine and original to earlier times. If you love the cobblestone streets, famous sculptures, and European history-then you’ll love Florence and you’ll either never want to leave or vow to come back again soon. One of the most iconic aspects about Florence is the art of Michaelangelo. You can find his ancient and famous sculptures at various places but his most popular pieces can be found at: the Museo dell’ Opera Del Duomo, palazzo vecchio, bargello, or galleria dell’ accademia. The city definitely transports you back in time. I can’t wait to go back!
I wish that I gave myself more time in Florence. Took a cooking class at Mama Florence for $100. All of the dishes were really good and making the pasta was fun. I was supposed to take a vespa tour of Tuscany, but couldn’t balance it. Went in a classic fiat with a tour guide (500 touring club). Took pictures of the picturesque hills and olive trees. I walked around exploring Florence and taking pictures. Bought a leather jacket and purse. The Gucci museum was closed when I went there. Be sure to visit Piazza Michelangelo before sunset for beautiful views over the city. Go to the Academy museum early, to avoid long lines. I stayed at Hostel Archi Rossi, which was close to the train station. The locals were nice.
We did a two week trip to Italy, spending 5 days in Florence. While in Florence we also took a day trip to Pisa to see the leaning tower (which was only a 45 minute train ride, maybe 9 euros). Florence had the best food out of all the cities we visited in Italy in my opinion. Florence is also known for its gelato which we could not get enough of. Here are a list of things we did while there.
1) Gelato: There are so many options that we couldn’t really keep track.
2) Rent bikes. Download the app MoBike–its a bike renting app where you literally scan a code on your iPhone and the bike unlocks and you can ride it anywhere and drop it off anywhere. I only put $10 on my account and it lasted all 5 days I was there. Super cheap, super easy to use.
3) Caught the sunset at the Pizzale Michangelo, one of the prettiest sunsets I have ever seen
4) Pasta Pasta Pasta. We were on a hunt to find the best pasta in Florence. We literally ate it for lunch and dinner every day. A couple of our favorite restaurants were Osteria Santo Sprito, and Pizza Gusta. I honestly didn’t have a bad meal while in Florence though.
5) Wine Tour in the Tuscany region on airbnb was only about $30 pp and included food. Highly recommend
6) Late night drinks and Music at the bar right next door to Osteria Santo Spirto. 5 euros for very very strong cocktails
7) Sight seeing at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The best architecture I have ever seen in my life!
8) Learned the language! Staying two weeks in Italy you are guaranteed to pick up on a few catch phrases. Be open to learning a few before landing as well.
Florence is the mecca for art. The entire city is artsy. Not a city to party in. We stayed in an Airbnb, and it was great. An apartment 5 minutes from the city center. The streets are narrow, so prepare to move to the side when cars come by. Great city for walking though. Obviously you should visit the Duomo, but get there EARLY in the morning, or you will be in line queueing for hours. We also did the galleria dell Accademia to see Michaelangelo’s “David” statue, which was very tall in real life. Afterwards, we hit Ponte Vecchio which is their famous bridge in town. Make sure you go to a few coffee shops during breakfast hours, as Italian coffee trumps most of what we have here. The food in Florence is fresh & AMAZING. Breakfast in Italy is light though. Pastries & coffee is mostly it. Eat dinner at one of the restaurants right by the Duomo. Mercato central is also another good place to go. We got a taxi(cause Uber is hella pricey in Italy)up to Piazza Michaelangelo, and the views were breathtaking. Plus, there are merchants up there selling goods at very affordable prices during the day. I loved the laid back-ness of Florence compared to how busy Rome was. You really go at your own pace.
I absolutely adore Florence! It’s worth the visit. The mininmum stay I’d suggest is 3 days to really experience the city. The food is great and the history is rich! It has a very relaxing atmosphere where you just want to stroll on the streets, eat to your heart’s content and watch the magnificent sunsets!
We did a 10 day trip to Italy (5 days in Rome, 3 days in Florence, 1 day in Pisa and 1 day in Vatican). All 3 cities and 1 country is absolutely breath taking and is filled with SO much history. We visited many museums including Museum in Florence: Uffizi gallery, Galleria dell’Accademia
Rome: Pantheon, La Galleria Nazionale which featured many of the Roman (Greek) gods. The city is GORGEOUS and I’m ready to go back for more.
Out of all of the cities I visited Florence was my least favorite, but here’s why. I only had one night in Florence which limited my activities. The sights are truly amazing and beautiful. The city is rich in history and stunning Italian architecture. The food here is definitely delicious, I went to the famous Gusto Pizza which warmed my soul. However after visiting the best spots I found myself with little to do. I wasn’t too fond of the little night life. Even though my time in Florence was not the most amazing it is a charming city and I would love to go back and explore more.
Probably my favorite city in Italy. I made the mistake of only booking one night here so I had to squeeze everything in that one day but I’m so happy I went. It’s so beautiful and surrounded by so much greenery. The city center area around the Duomo is very vibrant and full of restaurants and gelato shops! Be prepared to walk if you want to really see how beautiful the city is. Across the river there is a long way to get to Piazza Di Michelangelo which will give you a lovely walk as well as a stunning view of the city once you get to the top!
Had a great time in Florence, here is where I did all my shopping. So many great deals at the outlets, and the leather shops. I was like a kid in a candy store. There is also a lot of history in Florence and great sites to visit. Had a great time and will definitely revisit.
I traveled to Italy as part of a school trip and Florence was one of the three cities we visited. For my day in Florence I visited the Uffizi gallery and Accademia. Florence, as many other cities in Italy, has a rich history and has many art galleries and museums. As beautiful as it is, this is not the city for you if you are looking to party. The food and wine were AMAZING. You truly can’t go wrong with either in any Italian city.
My flight actually arrived in Rome and I took a chartered bus to where we were staying in Reggello (Casa Cares). My flight to Rome was $702, my returning flight was about $250. Both were booked through priceline.
I love Firenze! The food and wine alone has me wishing I was back in the city. I travelled to Florence from Rome by train in November 2017. I was in the city for 2 days only. In reading reviews online I chose to pre-purchase tickets online before arrival for the Santa Maria cathedral and dome. The visits to the dome are timed. I chose a early morning time (9 am) since I had heard that the stairs going up were narrow and that at a later time, it can get congested with too many people going up and down. There are no elevators and so going up that many flights of stairs was the only option. I’m glad I went with an earlier time. It gave me space to walk up at my own pace. It’s a grueling walk up. Same can be said for walking all the way up the nearby bell tower. Beautiful views await you though once you make t up. I particularly liked the view from atop the bell tower since you also got views of the church. Because I went in November and it was low season, I didn’t book tickets for the Uffizi Gallery online. Lucky for me, once I did arrive in person, there was no lines as you would find in high season. I walked right in and got my ticket right away without having to wait. Florence is such a beautiful city so it’s not a bad idea to stroll the streets and discover new places. I also took part in the cooking class with Walkabout Florence on a farmhouse in Tuscany. I highly recommend it! If I had more time, I also would have joined their Cinque Terre tour. When it comes to food, I recommend checking out the Mercato Centrale. I had the best pizza and wine there. So many food options to choose from. There’s a local market at the bottom and then there’s the food court on the upper level. In terms of shopping, I would recommend visiting the Santa Maria Novella, the perfume shop. Everything is expensive but the quality is really good. They sell perfumes and colognes, face and body products, teas, etc. They make great gifts for family, friends, and definitely for yourself. I wish I had more time in Florence, I can’t wait to return!
I just got back from my trip to Italy (Rome, Florence & Venice) and I must say this trip exceeded what I thought it would be. Rome has a lot of historical content and some sites that are breathe taking like Vatican City and the Roman Colosseum; but Florence & Venice are absolutely beautiful cities. I went with my lady and the energy is great for couples. If you enjoy walking, taking in sites, comfy temperatures, great food and shopping (mainly designer) those are the cities for you. Each of the three cities we visited had something unique to offer and I can definitely see myself returning to the country of Italy, especially because there are many other cities and sites that I didn’t have a chance to explore. For more details feel free to contact me direct on IG: @__sejiro__
Florence is more of a history and shopping type
Of place. You can see the historical Diomo as well
As shop through the wonderful marketplace. The market place has clothes, bags, and anything you can name. I went in July and it wasn’t crazy populated with people. I felt safe and like I didn’t need to hold on to my bag the whole time.
Florence is a Mecca of art and an absolute must-see! In a city where wine is cheaper than water…what’s not to love? The city has an aura of romance while tastefully showing how much art and history is there. There are lots of museums and sites to visit as well as one day tours which are easily accessible. We went on a day tour to Pisa as well as a day tour driving around Tuscany. And the food is top notch!!! Definitely a city for foodies and romantics.