Why Go to Florence? by Jamie Dunford Wood
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In summer Florence is hot, dusty and crowded with tourists, and in winter it can be icy. Sitting as it does in a bowl in the Chianti hills, weather effects are magnified. But tourists have been coming here for centuries because of the Renaissance which, as we all should know, was born here. Why? Because of a fortunate confluence of wealth, democracy, competition between the great banking families, and artistic talent - Dante, Petrarch, Giotto, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Fra Angelico and countless others. Read the history.
If you’re not into art, don’t come here, and if you are, and it's summer, you’ll need a high tolerance of gawping bus tours. Still, it’s a beautiful city, the centre little changed from 400-500 years ago, reminiscent, like Venice, of a stage set.
Florence in Brief
Come for:
- Art, food and shopping (it’s a warren of small craft-based bottegas)
For the most concentrated experience:
- The Pitti Palace – less famous than the Uffizi gallery but far less crowded, in a setting you can appreciate the art
- A picnic in the Boboli Gardens behind, with a bottle of Chianti Classico
- A cappuccino on the terrace of the grand café on the Piazza Signoria
- The view from the hill – the Piazzale Michelangelo – and the quiet church nearby. The view is touristy, the souvenirs are tacky, but the view
- Tea in Doney’s
- The ‘south bank’, and the warren of antique shops away from the tourists around Santa Spirito church
- The Brunelleschi chapel next to Santa Croce (apart from the frescoes, this is a dull church)
- The San Marco monastery
- A trip to Chianti
Watch out for:
- Bare shoulders - some churches are strict
- Weird Italian opening hours, especially the churches
- The expensive leather ‘factories’ around Santa Croce
An alternative to Florence:
- Head to the country, in the hills of Chianti, and hire scooters
Recommended Places to Stay
Florence offers a wealth of accommodation to suit all budgets and tastes. From grandiose aristocratic palaces to super-contemporary boutique hotels, whether you're after breakfast-in-bed pampering or a fully-serviced apartment, there's plenty to choose from. Have a browse through TI's top picks below:
- Best value: Residenza d'Epoca Palazzo Galletti is a floor-to-ceiling frescoed B&B, with room rates available under GBP 100
- Best for young families: Casa Howard, a super-stylish palazzo conversion, boasts a designated Play Room complete with climbing wall
- Best fashion-forward: The Continentale is a sleek design hotel that epitomises 50's glamour, shocking pink Pucci chairs and all
- Best for aristocrats: All-Suites Palazzo Magnani Feroni is a 16th-century palazzo, meticulously restored and effortlessly noble
- Best apartments: Clean-lined monochrome design has independent couples swooning at Floroom 1
Or see all our luxury hotels in Florence.