10 Best Things to Do in Florence

Piazza Del Duomo is Florence’s main public square, with the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral (the Duomo) as its central landmark. Buzzing with pedestrians, it provides you with a good first sense of Florence’s mix of old and new – modern restaurants and shops border the square, housed in well-preserved Renaissance-style buildings. The cathedral’s Gothic frontage features 3 massive bronze doors and lunettes covered in colored marble and reliefs. Inside, you’ll find a fine display of mosaics throughout. Access is free.

Giotto’s Campanile is the bell tower right next to the Duomo, and is one of the tallest historical structures dominating Florence’s skyline. Together with the adjacent cathedral, the tower showcases one of the city’s best examples of Florentine Gothic architecture. It’s mostly a vibrant white color, and all four walls below its midsection feature numerous sculptures. Most visitors to the Duomo spare enough time to climb up for panoramic views from around 84 meters high. You’ll need to walk up the 400 or so steps to the top, with pauses at its 3 middle floors for bonus views.

Michelangelo's David is a marble sculpture of the biblical figure of King David in Florence, widely acknowledged as a masterpiece of 16th-century art, the statue is 5.17 meters tall and carved from a single block of marble. You can see an extraordinary level of detail, including veins visible in David's hands and separate locks of hair.

Take note of the sculpture's right hand, which is larger than the left – possibly as a symbol of David's strength and power. The sling over his left shoulder and the rock in his hand are weapons for his forthcoming battle with Goliath. Michelangelo's David originally stood in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, but it was replaced with a modern replica in 1910 and the original was moved to its current home.

Ponte Vecchio is one of Florence’s oldest bridges crossing over the Arno, linking both halves of the city. The bridge is picturesque when viewed from the other bridge to its west, namely the Ponte Santa Trinita (Saint Trinity Bridge). Crossing Ponte Vecchio, you’ll find it’s lined with a variety of small jewelry and watch shops, and bustling with pedestrians around the clock. Prices in the shops tend to be touristy, though. The bridge is your main access for visiting two of Florence’s piazzas: the downtown Piazza della Repubblica and the Piazza dei Pitti on the Arno’s southern bank.

Piazzale Michelangelo is a 19th-century hilltop square that offers a full and stunning view over Florence from across the Arno. A full-sized bronze replica of Michelangelo's David faces the city from the square’s center (the original’s in the Galleria dell'Accademia art museum, downtown). You can reach the square either by going up the flight of stairs of “Poggi’s Ramp” from the lower Piazza Giuseppe Poggi, or on a 15-minute scenic drive from the city hub via the tree-lined Viale Michelangiolo. Access to Piazzale Michelangelo is free.

The 15th-century basilica of Santa Maria Novella is one of Florence’s most beautiful Gothic churches. Its façade shows spectacular examples of Italian Gothic style, featuring colored marbles in a combination of green and white. Pay about €7.50 to get inside this vast church and you’ll find more colors through its central arches, plus masterpieces by some of Italy’s greatest. The highlight artwork is the Trinity, by Masaccio. Some consider the church’s frescoed interiors to be far better than the Duomo’s.

The Oltrarno Quarter is worth exploring if you’ve covered most of Florence’s central hub. It’s considered one of the most beautiful parts of the city, and a historic cradle where you can find some of Florence’s grand monuments and palatial sites. These include the wondrous Palazzo Pitti and the linked Boboli Gardens, around a 15-minute drive west of Piazzale Michelangelo. You can cross over to the Oltrarno Quarter via several bridges, such as the landmark Ponte Vecchio, and most of the walks are pleasantly shaded along lush, tree-lined paths.

The Uffizi Gallery is a 16th-century office building in the heart of Florence, where you can wander through a long row of rooms that house a vast collection of Renaissance artworks. The works are set in chronological order, and include religious artifacts that reflect the sense of piety of those ancient times. It’s home to some famous classical pieces, such as Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, Caravaggio's Medusa and da Vinci’s Annunciation. Tickets are from about €6.50, but it’s good to pay a little extra for a guided tour – you’ll gain a better insights and, most importantly, skip the usually long lines.

Mercato Centrale – Florence’s Central Market – is a fun and lively spot to visit. With the many food stalls to choose from, you can relax, eat and shop. It’s also great value, as the prices are reasonable for the fresh and authentic Tuscan food you get. You can sample the items from each vendor on display before you decide to buy anything, making it a great opportunity to discover the best flavors of the Tuscany region. Come early to witness how some of the dishes are prepared.

Opera di Firenze is a modern auditorium on the outskirts of Florence. It’s home to one of the world’s longest-running classical music and opera festivals, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Throughout every annual “festival season”, the venue shows performances and collaborations of some of Italy’s finest orchestras, theatre directors and artists. Operas include Giuseppe Verdi's melodramatic rendition of Shakespeare's Macbeth in four acts (seats range between €35 and €200). Opera di Firenze is around an 18-minute ride by Bus 22 from Santa Maria Maggiore, downtown.