A Florence city break might not be the first destination that springs to mind and I’m here to tell you why it should. It will definitely be one of your favourites after you’ve visited. We had a wedding in Tuscany, therefore spent a full three days exploring Florence before hand. It manages to combine history, art and beautiful architecture, all with a small town feel. Next time you’re considering a European escape, pop Florence on your list, it was love at first sight for me….
What To do
Explore On Foot
Florence’s historical centre is small and is therefore perfect for exploring by foot. Wandering the streets is the best way to see places, I highly recommend walking up to Piazza Michelangelo it offers a stunning panoramic view of the city. We averaged 15km a day, with all the carbs we were eating this wasn’t such a bad thing.
A Guided Tour of Tuscany
The quickest, easiest and fun way to explore Tuscany is on a guided tour. I would recommend the tour @funintuscany, I can now see why they have all five star reviews. We got to visit a vineyard, enjoy a fabulous tuscan lunch, visited and tasted the famous world champion Dondoli gelato, had a wine tasting class and lastly visited San Gimignano. There was a total of five people on the tour who were lovely!
History & Architecture
There is a lifetime of history in Florence, you can’t escape it. Of course, don’t miss seeing David (Michelangelo), I suggest going in the morning as it can get busy. I highly recommend that you see Santa Maria del Fiore, one of the most famous cathedrals in Italy. It’s stunning! A Florence city break isn’t complete if you don’t walk along the Ponte Vecchico, the river that divides Florence into two sections offers some incredible views.
Where To Eat
Recommended by a local, with over 20 flavours of gelato to choose from this place is the one for gelato in Florence. The white chocolate and pistachio flavour was a favourite of mine.
Known for their ‘truffle pasta’, this dish tagliatelle parmigiana with truffle are a must-try in Florence. It’s prepared in a cheese wheel in front of you. Hands down one of the best dishes I’ve had in a long time. Slightly on the pricier side, however totally worth it x100.
An old, authentic bakery found down a tiny side street in Florence, the front counter was full of a selection of freshly baked bread, cakes, pastries and sweet treats. You can easily people watch and enjoy a coffee and a croissant for a while, it felt like total immersion in Florentine life. Heads up, they only serve black filter coffee.
Over a glass of well -more like a bottle of wine, we enjoyed a traditional Italian lunch here. It was full of locals and Italian families which is always a good sign.
If you’re on the hunt for some food and you’re not too sure what you fancy, head to the Mercato Centrale. It’s a food court heaven. We went here twice, one afternoon we enjoyed a cheese & chaucuterie board washed down with a couple of glasses of Chianti Classico and another time had the BEST florentine steak! They also do the most delicious cannoli’s.
Located in the heart of Florence, aperitivo time here in the evening is great. We sat outdoor for a few hours with some friends we met on the Tuscany tour.
If you’re heading out for drinks then don’t miss this place. They have some pretty crazy cocktail combinations, the two owners were also great fun! Quality cocktails at an affordable price.
Accomodation
We stayed at Relais Tonsinghi, it was perfect for us. An apartment in a beautiful building, located in the heart of Florence between the Duomo and the Uffizi gallery, steps away from the centre.
Hope this has helped if you’re planning a Florence city break. I’m already dreaming of my next Italian getaway, so please let me know if you’ve been to any of these spots mentioned above or have any new spots for me to visit 🙂
You guys can read about my trip to Puglia in Italy here.
G xx
