Where To Go On A Weekend in Florence, Italy

Florence is a romantic, charming city which is full of incredible architecture, history and art making it the perfect location for a weekend away. The Tuscan cuisine is incredible so spend your time here feasting on Florentine steak, pizza and gelato. 

Florence City Attractions

Piazza del Duomo

One of Florence’s most beautiful and famous sites. You can enter free of charge and once inside check out the array of marble work and be sure to look up to see the decorative ceiling. There’s also a viewpoint here, with 400 steps to reach the top, there is a fee to do this and the Duomo can get very busy so be prepared to queue.

Open – Weekdays 10-5pm, Saturdays 10-4.45pm Sundays 1.30 – 4.45

Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio, translated as old bridge, is a medieval stone arch bridge over the Arno river, it’s lined with plenty of jewellery shops so is a great place to treat your other half to a gift. Go in the evening to watch the sunset whilst listening to the street musicians.

Piazza Della Signoria

Make sure you visit this square to admire the many sculptures, at night the area is lively with musicians and restaurants.

Garden of Cascine

We stumbled upon this beautiful garden whilst on our way to the viewpoint of Piazzale Michelangelo. Entry is free and you can spend the afternoon strolling around the beautiful flower gardens.

Piazzale Michelangelo

This is the best place to come to take in panoramic views of the city, make sure to visit at sunset to see the city transformed. There is also a restaurant where you can enjoy a few glasses of wine whilst taking in this amazing view.

San Miniato al Monte

This 11th century church is a short walk from the viewpoint at Piazzale Michelangelo.

Open Weekdays 9.30-1pm & 3-7pm, Sundays 8.15-7pm

Piazza della Repubblica

This square always has something going on such as musicians, children chasing bubbles and the carousel spinning round. Sit down and relax with a coffee as you soak up the atmosphere.

Leonardo da Vinci Museum

This is a small interactive museum where you can see and try out some of Leonardo’s inventions.

Open Daily 10-7pm Entrance – €7

Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most renowned art galleries in Florence, located near the Piazza della Signoria. The museum is organised in a long labyrinth of rooms. Showcasing a selection of Renaissance artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Giotto and Michelangelo.

Open – 8.15-6.15pm closed on Mondays

Take a Free Walking Tour

Walking tours are the best way to explore a new city and learn more about the history of Florence. It’s a good thing to do when you first arrive so you get your bearings and find out where things are, this Florence free walking tour is on daily.

Where to Eat in Florence

Gelateria dei neri – The best ice cream parlour we went to in Florence, from salted caramel, pistachio to fresh and fruity flavours, it can be hard to choose from the vast selection. This place can get quite busy but it’s well worth the wait!

San Lorenzo Market

This indoor market is a two level food market, on the ground floor you’ll find butchers, fruit and veg and small speciality shops selling olives, meats and cheeses. This is a great place to buy gifts to bring back such as olive oil, balsamic vinegar. The second level is great for pizza, snacks and pastries. There’s also a chianti wine booth where you can sample some delicious wines.

Gusta Pizza – This restaurant has a small selection of amazing pizzas! It gets super busy so can be hard to get a table and you may have to share your table with others, if it’s too busy you can get a takeaway. Prices here are very reasonable, once you order you get a token with a number on and wait for it to be called out to collect your pizza. A lovely gimmick here is that people have written on the tokens and placed them under the glass tables to celebrate their time at this fantastic pizzeria.

Rooftop bars

• Hotel La Scaletta

• Grand Hotel Minerva

• The Westin Excelsior

• Grand Hotel Cavour

• La Rinascente

Souvenirs to buy in Florence

• Gold jewellery – you can find plenty of amazing pieces on the Ponte Vecchio bridge

• Cameo necklaces as they have a long tradition in Italy 

• Handpainted ceramic plates

• Truffle pasta from an Italian supermarket

• Wooden trays with classic Florentine designs

• Florentine stationary created by local artisans

• Leather handbags – there’s plenty of leather shops around Florence

• Italian linens – tablecloth, napkins and tea towels

How long to spend in Florence

Florence is the ideal location for a weekend city break, but there is plenty to do if you wanted to spend longer here. We spent a day in Pisa and then two in Florence and saw all the main things we wanted to. If you want to see things leisurely you could easily spend up to 5 days in Florence.

How to get around Florence

It’s easy to get around the city by walking as the centre is relatively small. Our airbnb was too far to walk so we get a tram to and from there. You just purchase a ticket from the machine near the trams before boarding. You can get a 90 minute ticket for €1.50 and you can validate the ticket once you board the tram.

How to get here

You can get a direct flight to Florence from a London airport in around 2 hours. We flew directly to Pisa so spend a day visiting the leaning tower of Pisa. We then got the train to Florence which took an hour and 20 minutes.

When to visit

During April, May and September the weather is warm but not hot. Florence is hottest in June, July and August but it can get quite crowded with tourists.

In December there is a popular Christmas market held near the Duomo Cathedral.

Where to go next?

There are so many beautiful locations in Italy why not head to the beautiful island of Ischia. If you love shopping then make sure you visit the fashionable and trendy city of Milan. If you’re looking for a romantic break then find out how to visit Venice on a budget.

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