Photo: Henrique Ferreira / Unsplash
Florence
Renaissance art, the Duomo and Tuscan food.
Renaissance art, a famous dome and sunset views over terracotta roofs. Small enough to walk everywhere.
Places to see
Florence Cathedral (Duomo)Church · A huge Gothic cathedral wrapped in green, pink and white marble, topped by the brick dome…Free
Piazza della Signoria & Loggia dei LanziSight · Florence's main square: the fortress-like Palazzo Vecchio, a copy of Michelangelo's David…Free
Uffizi GalleryMuseum · Room after room of Renaissance painting: Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera,…≈ A$44Ponte Vecchio
When to go
- Jan11° / 2°Some rainQuiet
- Feb13° / 3°Some rainQuiet
- Mar16° / 5°Some rainBusy
- Apr20° / 8°Some rainVery busy
- May24° / 12°Some rainVery busy
- Jun29° / 16°Mostly dryVery busy
- Jul32° / 18°Mostly dryVery busy
- Aug32° / 18°Mostly dryBusy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Duomo and San Lorenzo. The cathedral, the Accademia and the central market, a few minutes from the station; most hostels are around here.
Santa Maria Novella. Right by the main station: handy, busy and full of budget places to stay.
Santa Croce. A lively quarter of bars and leather shops around the big Franciscan church.
Oltrarno. Across the river: artisans' workshops, Santo Spirito's evening square and the hills with the best views.
Flying in
Florence Peretola (FLR): Tram T2 to Santa Maria Novella, about 22 min, ≈ A$3.
Pisa Galileo Galilei (PSA): PisaMover and a train to Florence, about 1 h 20 min, ≈ A$19. Often has cheaper flights than Florence's own airport.
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Florence; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You can walk everywhere. A single ticket is ≈ A$3. The centre is compact and mostly car-free, so you'll walk almost everywhere. Buses and trams cost about €1.70 for 90 minutes (check); the bus up to Fiesole is the one you're likely to need.
