By rail
Firenze Santa Maria Novella, ~1.5 h from Rome
Europe · Italy
Florence, Italy
The cradle of the Renaissance
Getting there
By air
Florence (FLR) or Pisa (PSA), ~5 km or ~1 h
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — warm, not scorching
Don't miss
The Duomo
The Uffizi
The Ponte Vecchio
The Accademia (Michelangelo's David)
Things to do
The Uffizi
Climbing the Duomo
The Ponte Vecchio
Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen · CC BY 2.5
What to pack
Comfortable shoes; book the Uffizi ahead
A quieter corner
San Miniato al Monte, the church above the Piazzale
Questions travellers ask
What's the ideal time for a Florence trip?
April to June and September to October, when it's warm but not scorching. Book the Uffizi ahead and bring comfortable shoes.
What are the unmissable sights in Florence?
Climb the Duomo, then see the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio and Michelangelo's David at the Accademia. Watch the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo, and visit San Miniato al Monte, the church above it.
What are the food specialities in Florence?
Bistecca alla fiorentina and lampredotto. Browse the Mercato Centrale too.
How do I get to Florence by plane or train?
Florence (FLR) airport is about 5 km out, or fly into Pisa (PSA), about an hour away. By train, Firenze Santa Maria Novella is about 1.5 hours from Rome.
About Florence
- Riverside
- Hills
Where it is
Florence (Firenze), the capital of Tuscany in central Italy, lies on the Arno river in a basin ringed by hills, with Fiesole on the heights to the north-east and the Apennines beyond.
History
Founded by the Romans in 59 BC as Florentia, a colony for veteran soldiers, Florence became a centre of medieval trade and banking. Under the Medici family it was the cradle of the Renaissance, home to artists such as Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Leonardo and Michelangelo, and from 1865 to 1871 it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
People
Florentines speak Italian, which grew out of their own Florentine dialect. Artisans still work leather, gold and paper in the Oltrarno, and old traditions live on in the Scoppio del Carro, when a cart of fireworks is set off outside the cathedral on Easter Sunday, and the rough Calcio Storico football matches of early summer.
Known for
- Brunelleschi's dome on the cathedral
- The Uffizi Gallery
- Michelangelo's David at the Accademia
- The Ponte Vecchio and its goldsmiths
- Bistecca alla fiorentina
Did you know?
The Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge in Florence to survive the Second World War intact, when retreating German forces blew up the others in 1944.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.