5 Must Do Things in Florence

Florence is one of THE cities you must visit if you’re looking to explore centuries of history, architecture & art. This beautiful city is the capital of the Tuscany region and the birthplace of the Renaissance. As a result of the Medici family’s power over Florence for years, the city flourished in both the arts and culture. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find some piece of history whether it’s the famous Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, or, of course, the Duomo. While you could spend weeks touring just the museums, here are 5 must see places & things to do in Florence:

Climb the Duomo

The Duomo is the most iconic landmark in Florence! Also known as the Santa Maria del Fiore, it’s the third largest church in the world with an exterior covered in a mix of pink, white, and green marble. To add to its fame, the dome sitting atop the structure was built back in the 1400’s and is still the largest masonry vault in the world. Fun fact: the designer, Brunelleschi, won a competition to design the dome even though he had no formal training as an architect or engineer!

When you enter the cathedral, you can’t miss the frescoes on the ceiling of the dome. These frescoes depict the Last Judgement. After touring the inside of the cathedral, head for the dome! Once you climb the 463 steps to the top, you are rewarded with amazing views of the Brunelleschi dome & the city itself. Just a warning: there are no elevators for the dome or the campanile! Buy tickets here and be sure to check out the inside of the Cathedral, Baptistery, and Campanile as well!

Note that if you’re entering the Baptistery, make sure you dress appropriately as it’s still a place of worship. This means no bare legs or shoulders, sandals, or hats.

Piazza Michelangelo

This sunset is absolutely stunning. Piazza Michelangelo sits on a hilltop overlooking the Arno River & Florence. It offers unbeatable views of Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, and the city’s skyline. It almost feels like you’re in a dream as shades of purple & pink streak across the sky above the beautiful architecture below. In the Piazza, you can also find copies of Michelangelo’s sculptures! I recommend getting there at least an hour before sunset to get a good spot before the crowds show up.

Visit the Uffizi & Academia Galleries

This is a MUST in Florence. At the Academia Gallery, you can admire the Statue of David created by Michelangelo. The Statue of David is one of, if not THE world’s most famous sculpture. What sets David apart is not only the attention to detail in his creation but also what it represents for the Florentine Republic – independence & strength. Besides the Statue of David, the Gallery holds some of Michelangelo’s other unfinished works including the Prisoners. I thought these were super interesting in that they really embody his famous saying that he worked to liberate the forms imprisoned in the marble. 

They also have a section dedicated to musical instruments which features Stradivarius pieces & those of Bartolomeo Cristofori, the inventor of the piano! Others featured in the museum include Boticelli, Ghirlandaio, & Giambologna’s full-size model of the Rape of the Sabine Women.

The Uffizi Gallery is another art museum that is not to be missed! This gallery is not as specialized as the Academia and is home to many of the most famous Renaissance paintings & sculptures. Some famous pieces include Primavera and The Birth of Venus by Boticelli, Lippi’s Madonna and Child with Two Angels, as well as pieces by Da Vinci, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and others! It’s easy to spend all day there admiring the vast collection of art. 

To avoid the crowds & ensure entry, buy your tickets ahead of time here for both museums. We got lucky because we happened to plan our museum day on International Women’s day so they allowed free entry for women! Ticket prices for each place:

• Academia – 16 euros
• Uffizi – 24 euros

Attend a pasta making class

Why not learn how to make authentic pasta while you’re in Italy!? While you can find a class in pretty much every big Italian city, I think it’s an activity that’s worth putting on the itinerary. It’s super fun to do with friends and family, but you also get to interact with people from around the world! And after all your hard work, you get to chow down on your delicious pasta with some wine & great company!

My mom and I attended this class in Florence where we got to make 2 types of ravioli & tagliatelle. The instructor was so lovely & really tried to help each person in the class! It took about 3 hours, but it was super fun using different methods to make these pastas.

Try Florentine Bistecca

Florentine Bistecca traditionally comes from the Chianina cow, an ancient Italian breed. These are aged T-bone steaks that are about 5-6 cm tall & can weigh over 450 grams! Florentine Bistecca is the perfect dish to share with friends & family to really experience some Florentine cuisine.

We ate at Trattoria dall’Oste which is rated one of the world’s best steak restaurants. They offer 12 different types of cattle and various cuts. It’s hard to imagine just how big these steaks actually are until they bring it out to your table! They really make the steaks you order at any other restaurant look T I N Y in comparison! And don’t forget to pair your steak with a glass (or bottle) of Chianti Classico wine! You can reserve a table here.

Address: Borgo S. Lorenzo, 31, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy

If you’re looking for the perfect day trip from Florence, check out my post here!