Florence Favorites: A Guide to a Perfect 4 Days

Visit the museums

Florence is filled with artistic treasures inside their various museums, making it the number-one reason people visit the city. Pro tip: book skip-the-line tickets in advance to save time waiting in long lines, but just a heads-up that even with those skip-the-line tickets, the museums can still be crowded. If you are a morning person like me, I recommend getting the earliest entry possible. In addition to The Uffizi Gallery, which is probably the most significant and most famous in the world for housing a vast collection of priceless artworks, primarily from the Italian Renaissance, below are two additional worth visiting:

Galleria dell’Accademia

It is best known for housing Michelangelo’s David statue. My husband and I went in with little expectations and were blown away by the statue's sheer size. Definitely a must-visit when staying in Florence.

Duomo Cathedral

Climb to the top of Brunelleschi’s Dome, Florence’s most iconic attraction, with this skip-the-line entrance ticket for one of the most breathtaking views of Florence. You can also opt-in for a guided tour through the cathedral museum, where you learn about resident masterpieces such as the original Baptistery doors and Michelangelo's 'Pietà.'

Picnic at Piazzale Michelangelo

Grab some wine, cheese and a sandwich and have your hotel call you a taxi to Piazzale Michelangelo — a square with panoramic views of the city of Florence. As you can imagine, visiting during sunset will be packed with other visitors, so I recommend going in the morning or early afternoon if you'd like to enjoy the views with a smaller crowd.

Boboli Gardens

Located behind Pitti Palace, this lush and expansive historical park is beautiful and perfect for a morning stroll to get away from the narrow streets. You could easily spend a half day wandering the park and enjoying the various statues, fountains, walking paths, water basins and amazing panorama views.

Day trip to Tuscany

Ride a vintage Vespa or Fiat through the scenic Tuscan hills and enjoy a guided route to off-the-beaten-path sites outside the city center. This was the highlight of our time in Florence and highly recommended! You can also participate in a wine tour in the famed Chianti Classico region, which is located between Florence and Siena.

Cooking class

One of my favorite activities when traveling to a new country is participating in a cooking class to immerse myself in the local cuisine and gain a better appreciation for the food I'll be indulging in during my travels. In Florence, there are many options where you can learn how to make authentic pizza, Florentine steak, pasta or gelato. You can do this right in the heart of the city or at a Tuscan farmhouse.

Fotoautomatica

Stumbled upon an antique, standalone photo booth in the Santa Croce neighborhood. Costing two Euros, you'll get a cute black-and-white strip of photos perfect as a souvenir. Grab a panini from Pino's (right next door) and go for lunch!

Luxury outlet store shopping

When in Italy! Head to Mall Firenze to shop deals from top luxury brands like Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Celine, Valentino and Balenciaga. 45 minutes outside the city of Florence, you can travel there by Uber (Black only)/taxi which will cost around 150 Euros or you can take their bus, which provides roundtrip travel for 15 Euros.

Shop for leather goods

Stroll the vendors of San Lorenzo Market to shop for quality leather goods. With many stands, often selling some of the same items, I recommend looking around for the best deal you can get from one of the merchants before purchasing.

All'Antico Vinaio — Known for its big and fluffy street food panini sandwiches, this place is worth the hype and the wait. The line moves pretty quickly, and honestly very much needed, to give you time to read through their vast selection of sandwiches before choosing which one you'd love to get!

La Giostra — This cozy, tucked-away restaurant set the most romantic ambiance and was our favorite dinner in Florence. Serving refined Florentine cuisine, this restaurant is a must. Reservations needed.

Osteria Cinghiale Bianco — Located in the Santo Sprinto neighborhood, this restaurant, which has been around for over 40 years, was a dinner highlight. Order their wild boar pappardelle and their Florentine steak - trust me! Reservations needed.

Mercato Centrale — If you're a food lover, you can't miss this two-story food market located near the San Lorenzo Market. Here you'll find some of Tuscany's finest products, from farm-fresh produce to cured meats and cheeses to truffle oil, honey and aged balsamic vinegar. After taking a look at all the amazing products on the first floor, head upstairs to grab a quick lunch at one of the various vendors — you can find everything from arancini, pizza by the slice, gelato, burgers, pastries, bars, etc.

Gelateria Della Passera — During a cooking class I took in Florence, I learned how to spot authentic Italian gelato, and this store is one that checked all the marks and is highly recommended by locals. Their creamy yet light, gelato was consumed on our trip almost every night! Get the pistachio, trust me!

Where to go for drinks

Rasputin - Florence's first secret bar that pays homage to speakeasy culture. Located underground in the Santo Sprinto neighborhood, Rasputin serves classic cocktails with a twist. Definitely worth the hunt for the door to get in, but reservations are a must!

Loggia Roof Bar at Pallazo Guadagni - A stunning rooftop bar at the Pallazo Guandagni Hotel in Santo Sprinto. The drinks were delightful and the service was fantastic. We got in without a reservation, but I highly recommend booking at sunset for a prime view.

Enotecas and Wine Bar — No matter where you turn in Florence, there is going to be a wine bar or enoteca nearby! Here are some of my favorites: Vino al Valo, Enoteca Bellini and Le Volpi e l'Uva.

Wine Windows — Let's face it: ordering a wine or Aperol spritz from a small window in the wall sounds fun, right? Absolutely. Florence's famed wine windows dating back to the Rennaisance are definitely worth visiting. While some are no longer in service, here are a few we found that were in service - Osteria Belle Donne, Cantina de' Pucci and Babae.

For more dinner and drinks recommendations, please reach out!