An essential stop on most Italian itineraries, Florence is not only rich in arts, culture and history, it’s also easy on the eyes. Here are 10 things I like to do in the old stomping grounds of Italy’s Renaissance masters.
1. Eat
Italy is famed for its food. At the top of the Florentine foodie restaurant scene is L’Osteria di Giovanni, run by one of Florence’s famous Latini brothers known for their eateries around the city. What to order? My picks: the ribollita (traditional Tuscan soup) or pici (similar to spaghetti).
2. Walk
A compact place with many of the top sights within easy stroll of each other, Florence is a great city to explore on foot. It only takes five minutes to get from the city’s signature Duomo (the cathedral pictured above) to the Uffizi Gallery for instance. For an organized city walking tour, try Walking Tours of Florence.
3. Cook
If you’d like to learn to cook Italian as good as the food in Florence that you indulged in, sign up for a cooking class like the women pictured here.
4. Get schooled on leather in church
Florence is almost as famous for its leather goods as it is for its art. Watch artisans create intricate handbags and briefcases among other pieces at the Leather School of Florence (Scuola del Cuoio) inside the Church of Santa Croce. Coincidentally this church, which dates to 1294, is also the final resting place of some of Florence’s most memorable sons — Michelangelo, Rossini and Machiavelli.
5. See David
Speaking of Michelangelo, you can’t visit Florence without seeing his famous statue. The Vasari Corridor is a private passage that links the Palazzo Vecchio to Accademia and this is where you can get close to Michelangelo’s David. The historic museum was designed by Giorgio Vasari in the 1500s.
6. Chianti Cycle
For something more active, Tuscany Bike Tours runs a day cycle trip around Chianti in the gorgeous Tuscan countryside (pictured above), that departs from Florence. The trip includes wine and olive-oil tasting plus lunch in a country restaurant. Yum.
7. Try a new scent
Just off Piazza Santa Maria Novella on Via Della Scala is a historic perfume shop that dates back to 1221 when Dominican friars settled in Florence and began making sacred scents. The perfumes at Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella are from the past and present. Many of the scents are still prepared according to 15th-century formulas. You can have your own scent mixed here.
8. Garden picnic
Filled with flowers and trees and decorated with elaborate fountains and statues, the Boboli Gardens just behind the Palazzo Pitti are the city’s most loved open space and well worth a wander, especially if you’re on honeymoon. It’s also a great spot to have a picnic.
9. Taste gelato
No trip to Italy is complete without some gelato. There’s much debate about the best gelato shop in Florence, but Vivoli and Grom are usually at the top of the list.
10. Masters of Art
The Uffizi Gallery is home to one of the world’s top collections of Renaissance art by the old masters, including Michelangelo, Titian, Botticelli and many more. Walking through the galleries here is an experience in classic painting like none other and should not be missed.