I was lucky enough to spend four amazing months living in this city. I fell in love with everything this city had to offer, even if it meant walking between five to ten miles a day! Florence is a city known for its amazing museums, narrow streets, and not to mention the amazing food. There is so much to take in from this city, and four months was not nearly enough to absorb all the culture it exudes. So, here are my favorite must see and do places in Firenze.
A few tips & tricks for Italy in general:
- A coperto is typically added to each bill and is multiplied by person. this is your “service charge” or tip. they will tell you if it’s not included, but always check the bottom of the bill! You also have to ask for the check when you are done with your meal, they won’t just bring it to you. They will never rush you out of a restaurant.
- You have to ask for water anywhere you go, and yes, they will charge you for it. Don’t be surprised if they look at you in a strange way when you ask for ice, odds are they don’t have any, and odds are they will charge you for it if they do. They will also ask you if you want still or sparkling water.
- You have to pay to use the other public bathrooms in Italy, mostly in all of Europe. So use it when you’re at a restaurant or a museum.
- If you order any type of meat @ a restaurant, always ask for it well done. Because, if you ask for it medium well or rare it will be all pink in the middle, barely cooked. Trust me this has happened one too many times for my friends.
- The easiest way to get around Italia is by train, you can get just about anywhere in the country by taking it! Your train tickets should say your cart number, MAKE SURE YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THAT! So important when taking the train. have your tickets/passport with you just in case they check them when going through the cabin. You can buy tickets before online, or at the train station the day of.
- Have copies of your passport with you at all times, Italian police can legally stop you and ask to see it
- If anyone tries to get you to buy stupid stuff on the street just ignore them. Don’t engage in the slightest! If you do you’re subject to possible pick pocketing.
- Always walk with your purse in front of you. don’t carry a backpack unless you absolutely have to. Use a purse that zips as well, the harder to get in, the better.
- Wear REALLY comfortable shoes. Not just shoes you think will be. Because you walk EVERYWHERE within Italy.
- We all love our coffee, but coffee in Italy is not what we’re used to. It’s always it comes in small cups, and just a shot of espresso, and you’re expected to drink it fast. it’s also much stronger here than at home. If you want coffee like from home get a cafe latte. Drinking coffee at the “bar” is a true Italian experience!
Restaurants:
Trattoria Zaza – My absolute favorite restaurant in Florence, maybe even all of Italy. They have a Truffle menu & good Florentine steak, which is a must while you’re in Florence!I always get the Truffle Cream Tagliatelle. I could live on this stuff if given the chance. The Truffle Gnocchi is so good too!
Ciro & Sons – AMAZING pizza… I think it’s my favorite in Florence,. They can make almost anything on the menu Gluten Free, The Portofino Pizza was always a crowd favorite. It was a traditional margherita pizza, with burrata & pesto on top.
Acqua Al 2 : This restaurant was a lot different than the others in Florence. They have different samplers for all their best dishes, on the fancier side if you want somewhere nice to go! It is very small, so make a reservation. The pasta sampler was our favorite, ask for it with the pumpkin pasta. They are known for their Blueberry Steak, they have a steak sampler with that as well, definitely big enough to split as well. We finished off with a dessert sampler, which was four smaller sized traditional Italian desserts.
Mercato Centrale: We would always go for lunch, because they had something for everyone! It is set up almost like a cafeteria, with a bar in the middle. The lower level. was a fresh market that was open for the first part of the day. We loved their pizza because it was smaller sizes, and not expensive at all. Then we always tried the pasta station because it changed constantly.
Rooster Cafe: American breakfast, but my favorite in Florence. We would always get there right when they open so you don’t have to wait in line. I always switched between the Rooster Stack which is peanut butter and chocolate chip pancakes, then I added bananas, or I got their Chicken & Waffles. This place is totally Instagram worthy, and I probably went at least ten times.
Yellow Bar: They have homemade pasta and cheap wine. Pasta is brought & mixed with their sauce table side. I always got the Gnocchi Rose.
Osteria Santo Spirito: Across the river from the main part of Florence, everything here is so good you can’t go wrong, really known for their pasta. I got the Four Cheese Truffle Gnocchi, it was absolutely unreal. Their pasta dishes come in full and half sizes, but the half sizes are huge.
Gnocchi Rosa @ Yellow Bar 
Portofino Pizza @ Ciro & Sons 
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Gelato @ La Carraia 
Brunch @ Rooster 
Truffle Cream Tagliatelle @ Trattoria Zaza 
Rooster Stack w/ Bananas
Coffee and Such:
Coffee:
La Menagere: Good for coffee & is just a good atmosphere. We always sat and people watched or did homework here.
Coffee & Kitchen: Probably one of the only places you can find to go iced coffee in Florence, right by the central market. And SO good.
Bars:
View on Art: Bar on a rooftop right by the duomo. Amazing view, we went right at sunset for the best view of the city.
Move On: fun bar that’s all based around music & has a record store attached
Lions Fountain: hands down my favorite bar in Florence, its a college bar so you’ll meet a ton of study abroad students.
Gelato:
La Cararria: Hands down our favorite gelato, we went at least once a week. They have two locations, but we always went to the one right on the Arno. The Peanut Butter gelato was to die for.
What to Do in Firenze
Musuems: There are so many museums to visit in Florence, each offering its own assortment of amazing artwork and history. We hit a lot of them over our time in the city.
The Uffizi: Absolutely huge museum, with so many different sections to explore. Could spend an entire afternoon here wandering around.
The Academia: Michael Angelo’s David is located here, and overall this is a smaller museum but still worth the trip.
Pitti Palace: Another museum, but located inside the old palace of the Medici Family. They have many different exhibits that often change, as well as a permanent exhibit. There is also a costume gallery located inside which we found so cool to wander through. The Boboli Garden is also attached to Pitti Palace, and is worth a trip as well.
Gucci Garden: We went to the Gucci Garden many times over our four month stay, the exhibits are always changing, and they have a flagship store as well.
Sites to See:
The Duomo: Florence is known for this, and its absolutely amazing to wander around the outside and take it in from every angle. I personally don’t think its worth going inside when the view is the best from the outside. With that being said, going inside and climbing up to the top was worth it.
Ponte Vecchio: Even if you’re not interested in buying gold, strolling the Ponte Vecchio and then along the Arno is a must while in Florence. It is the oldest bridge in the city, and is always busy with people.
Ooo pop off sis