Florence walking tour map

A. Il Duomo

Also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, il Duomo

is the most iconic attraction in Florence. You don’t have to start
here, but this is an absolute must see and it gets crowded
quickly, so we recommend heading there first thing. For crowd-
free photos in peak season, 7am is best (though you won’t be
able to go inside until later).
Florence’s Duomo is the third largest church in the world.
Entrance into the main sanctuary is free (check the website for
opening times, which vary by day). Note that a dress code is
enforced – knees and shoulders must be covered and hats
removed – and visitors are expected to be respectful and quiet.

B. Mercato Centrale (café)

If you’ve had an early start to see the Duomo, you might be ready for an
Italian espresso (caffe) or cappuccino and some snacks. We enjoyed our
morning coffee at the Mercato Centrale in the typical Italian way: standing
in front of the coffee bar.

The San Lorenzo central market is a two-story indoor market with fresh

produce, meat, cheese, and local food products on the ground floor; open
7am to 2pm Monday through Saturday. From 10am to midnight, you can
visit the Mercato Centrale second floor (or European “first floor”) for a wide
variety of eateries. On the streets surrounding the building are outdoors
stalls with leather goods, jewelry, clothes, and souvenirs.
 
If you’re here around lunch or dinner, check out our recommendations
below for some delicious places to eat in the market. You can also gather
fresh fruit, meat, and cheese for a picnic – just note that only the vendors
are allowed to touch the produce in Italy.

C. Piazza della Republica (leather market)

D. Piazza della Signoria

One of the most famous pieces of art in
Florence is The David by Michelangelo.
This impressive, biblical statue is now
housed in the Accademia (included in
Walking Tour #2 below), but a replica
can be found at the statue’s original
location – Piazza della Signoria. For
those of us on a budget or who don’t
have time to wait in line for museums, a free viewing of the replica in this
grand square can be just as good.
But The David isn’t the only draw to this Piazza. It is home to the Old
Palace, Florence’s town hall, as well as an outdoor gallery of statues. And
it’s immediately adjacent to the famous Uffizi Gallery.

E. Uffizi Courtyard

The Uffizi Gallery has one of the best known collections of artwork in the
world. With limited time and budget, you can always enjoy walking through
the long courtyard, Piazzale degli Uffizi, for free. It’s a short scenic way to
get from Piazza della Signoria to our next stop: Ponte Vecchio.

F. Ponte Vecchio

Another iconic landmark in Florence is the old bridge, Ponte Vecchio. It was
the only bridge in Florence not destroyed by the Germans during World
War II, and it’s well known for all the jewelry shops that can be found on the
bridge.

Above the shops, you’ll notice a passageway with windows. This is part of
the Vasari Corridor, an elevated passageway that connects the Palazzo
Vecchio to the Pitti Palace. It was constructed in 1565 so Duke Cosimo
Medici could move securely between his home and “office.”

G. La Strega Nocciola Gelato (ice cream)

Let’s take a gelato break! By now, you’ve probably seen countless gelaterias
on your journey, but not all gelato is the same. We’ll talk about this more in
the gelato section below – yes, it deserves its own section. For now, delight
your taste buds at La Strega Nocciola. If you like hazelnut, or nocciola, it’s
their signature flavor. Out of this world creamy.
We have an uphill climb ahead, so this is an important stop for
reinforcement.

H. Piazzale Michelangelo
On the south side of the Arno River is a large square with panoramic views
of the city: Piazzale Michelangelo. You can reach it via the rose garden or
by walking up from Porto San Niccolo. The square has some bronze copies
of Michelangelo’s statues, but the real draw is the view.
This is a popular place for tourists to watch the sunset with a picnic. If the
uphill walk is too much, the overlook can also be reached by bus #12 or
#13. We suggest walking up via the stairs that follow the rose garden – you
can pop into the garden for a breather – and taking the Piazza Poggi stairs
back down, past the tower of San Niccolo.

Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens

Palazzo Pitti, or Pitti Palace, has been home to the wealthy Medici family,
other ruling families, and was even a base for Napoleon. It is now a giant
museum of royal apartments, modern art, silver, porcelain, costume jewelry,
carriages, and more. A three-day ticket gets you into all of these galleries as
well as the expansive Boboli Gardens behind
the palace.

Piazza di Santa Maria Novella

and Piazza di Santa Croce

It’s easy to get “church fatigue” in Europe

with so many cathedrals and basilicas to
see, but whether you go inside or not, the
piazzas in front of the churches are important gathering places. Depending
on which side of town you find yourself on, check out either of these two
church squares. Browse the shops, people watch, grab a snack, and pop
into the church if you’re up for it.

Florence Museums: Accademia or Uffizi Gallery

Art is a central part of Firenze’s history and it is said that the city is home to
nearly one third of the all the world’s art treasures. We typically don’t visit
many museums in our travels, to be honest (we’re more about the local life,
not to mention keeping costs low). But as a student, I visited both of these
famous galleries and most visitors to Florence will try to see one or both.

From May through September, be sure to book your Accademia and Uffizi
museum tickets in advance to avoid waiting in hours-long lines. This does
involve choosing a date and time for your visit in advance, as well as an
extra booking fee. The Accademia – featuring the original David and other
works by Michelangelo, Botticelli, etc. – is 8 euros at the door (12 euros
online) with audioguides for 6 euros. The Uffizi Gallery –  the most visited
museum in Florence, home to 2200 works of art – costs 16.50 euros online.
Both museums are open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:15am to 6:50pm
(closed on Mondays).

If history is more up your alley than art, then perhaps you’d prefer
museums like Palazzo Vecchio, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Vasari Corridor
(temporarily closed), or the Natural History Museum.

P.S. State museums like the Accademia, Uffizi, and Pitti Palace are free to
the public on the first Sunday of the month!

Restaurante La Spada take out

La Spada was an old favorite from my study abroad years. It’s still around
and run by the same family – in fact, it has expanded. Around the side of
the restaurant, on Via del Moro, is the take out counter where you can
order rotisserie chicken, lasagna, and roast vegetable sides to go (cash
only).After 13 years of being away, I tried my luck ordering our student
special, “speciale di Bruno,” and it worked! I walked away with a foil dish of
juicy rotisserie chicken and heavily seasoned roast potatoes, plus an extra
side of vegetables – all for 5 euros. Jedd and I split the meal, which was just
as tasty as I remembered.

Lampredotto Stands

For quintessential Florentine street food,

grab a lampredotto sandwich from a
food truck. We saw one outside the
Mercato Centrale and in Piazza
Cimatori. Lampredotto comes from cow
stomach – originating from the cuisine of
the poor, back when it was financially
essential not to waste any part of the
animal. This savory meal is hit or miss for people, depending on whether
you’re an adventurous eater. But being street food, it’s not expensive
(under 4 euros).

Mercato Centrale(food court)

For a cheap and delicious pasta lunch, check out La Pasta Fresca on the
ground floor. You can order uncooked pasta to make at home on one side,
pasta to eat for lunch on the other side, and watch the pasta being made
through the windows in between. Order your meal from the window by
choosing a noodle and a sauce. Eat standing at the little counter or take it
out with you for a picnic. We were blown away by the rich, savory walnut
sauce (salsa di noci) on ravioli for 5 euros.
Upstairs is a newer food court area with lots of options, ranging from
classic Italian to sushi and Chinese dumplings. Order and pay at a
restaurant stall, then sit down at the communal tables where wait staff
come by to take your drink order separately. We loved the wood fired
margherita pizza at La Pizzeria Sud (8 euros). For something unique, try the
loaded Popeye veggie burger at the Veg & Veg cart (8.50 euros).

La Prosciutteria
If you’re looking for somewhere with more of a restaurant atmosphere
that’s still budget-friendly, try La Prosciutteria on Via dei Neri. Check out
the menu on the wall and order a panino, salad, or prosciutto and cheese
board from the counter. Seating is limited and there is no table service, so
you’ll grab your own napkin, forks, and pull a drink from the fridge – or
order wine from the bar.

Fiaschetteria Nuvoli
For more casual dining with good quality food and wine, look for an osteria
or fiaschetteria. Fiaschetteria Nuvoli was a stop on our guided food tour.
Although very central, prices are still reasonable and locals still frequent this
place for simple, traditional meals. Head down to the cellar to order plates
of meats, cheeses, wines, and more.

Palazzo Tempi
We didn’t make it to this restaurant on Via de Bardi, but it was
recommended by a local foodie tour guide for pizza and pasta.

Aritsanal Gelato in Florence

Gelato is ubiquitous but to get the true experience, choose your gelateria
wisely. Gelato (the Italian word for ice cream) is typically made with less egg
than other ice creams, and it’s churned more slowly to give a denser,
creamier texture. We learned that the artisanal shops are fresher and use
better ingredients. While heaping piles of gelato on the counter looks
tempting, it’s a sign of low quality – look instead for gelato that’s displayed
in smaller tins. This means it’s made daily in smaller batches.

You can typically order your gelato in a cup or a cone at varying sizes.
Trying out a few samples before choosing your order and getting two
flavors in one is usually allowed. Prices for a small tend to be around 2 or 3
euros.

Here are three fantastic gelateria in Florence, determined by online research

and in-person taste testing:

La Strega Nocciola
We mentioned this one in our walking tour above. It’s on Via de’ Bardi,
close to Ponte Vecchio on south side of river, open from 11:30am-10:30pm.
Their namesake, nocciola, is hazelnut, and it’s wonderful.

Gelato Neri
This old-fashioned gelateria is on Via dei Neri, open 10am-midnight. They
also serve espresso and granitas.

Gelato Vivoli
Another great artisanal gelateria if you’re in the Santa Croce area is Vivoli
on Via dell’Isola delle Stinche, open 7:30am-midnight.
Where to Eat in Florence on a Budget
It’s no surprise that food is a huge part of Italian culture, so eating is definitely something to look
forward to in Florence!

A Note About Traditional Florentine Foods

We used some left over frequent flyer points to book a street food tour for the first day of our trip. We
learned that regional foods particular to Florence include:

 Bisteccha alla Fiorentina (thickly cut steak, served mostly rare),

 cantucci con vinsanto (almond biscotti dipped in sweet “holy wine”),
 finnochiona (salami with fennel seeds),
 black and white truffles,
 balsamic vinegar (exclusively made from grapes originating in Modena),
 chicken liver pate,
 lampredotto (the second part of the cow’s stomach, much like tripe) and
 pecorino cheese served with honey.

Pasta is, of course, a staple of the nation. And though pizza is ubiquitous, our guide emphasized that
it was not a Florentine dish and recommended eating pizza in its birth place of Naples.

I did some careful research on where we could enjoy good food in Florence without overspending.
Generally, it’s not too hard to find reasonably priced meals – especially with fixed price menus at some
restaurants – though the cost of eating out can still add up quickly. We countered this by doing
grocery store breakfasts in our Airbnb apartment. Below are some of our recommendations for eating
on a budget in Florence, starting with the cheapest options and going up in price:

Day One:
1. Il Duomo

2. Visit Galleria dell’Accademia

3. Lunch at Mercato Centrale

4. Piazza Santa Maria Novella

5. Take out dinner from La Spada

6. Picnic on the river or Piazza della Republica

 

Day Two:

7. Piazza della Signoria

8. Visit Uffizi Gallery

9. Ponte Vecchio

10. Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens

11. Picnic dinner at Piazzale Michelangelo