FLORENCE, ITALY
Florence was one of our favorite cities in Italy! It is a very beautiful and romantic city full of Chianti wine, fine cheeses, delicious pastas, charming restaurants, historic artwork and gorgeous buildings everywhere you look. It's also a very walkable city making it easy to get everywhere by foot. In addition, Florence is close to Tuscany, which is the breathtaking wine region in Italy known for their amazing Chianti wines. Since Tuscany is so close to Florence, it is a perfect day trip while you are visiting Florence, We are so excited to share some of our favorite Florence tours, restaurants, bars and things you must see!
(Click on the links below to visit the website for each location or activity!)
WHERE TO STAY
-BLU NOTTE B&B: We stayed here while we were in Florence and it was the perfect location! It is super close to the Duomo and walking distance to all of the famous spots. The B&B was very cute, clean and modern. The owner also was extremely friendly and accommodating. He even made us espresso every morning and had cookies laying out throughout the day! I would highly recommend staying here when you visit Florence!
TOP HAPPY HOUR SPOTS
-ENOTECA ALLA SOSTA DEI PAPI: This is a cute little wine bar located in a local neighborhood called Sant Ambrogio. It was the perfect happy hour spot! They serve house wine for 3-4 euros and have great meat and cheese platters you can purchase. The atmosphere was cozy, lively and welcoming. They also had a little patio if you wanted to sit outside. We will definitely go back here the next time we are in Florence!
-BULLI & BALENE: Bulli and Balene is a great happy hour spot right next to 4 Leoni Restaurant! We stopped here before going to dinner at 4 Leoni. This hip, lively happy hour spot had excellent aperol spritz and small bruschetta plates.
TOP RESTAURANTS
-4 LEONI: 4 Leoni was our favorite restaurant in Florence! It is located near Palazzo Pitti in a cute, local neighborhood. The restaurant has an upbeat and friendly atmosphere, as well as delicious Italian dishes and amazing Chianti wine. They also have a great outdoor patio. Try to make a reservation to sit outside in advance because they fill up quickly!
-TRATTORIA ANITA: Trattoria Anita is a very authentic Italian restaurant that is family owned and operated. They make amazing pastas and serve excellent house wine! We got their buffalo de mozzarella, tortellini, and a craft of red wine. Everything was excellent!
-LE CAPPELLE MEDICEE RISTORANTE: This was a great lunch spot right in the heart of Florence. We got a table outside for lunch and it was excellent food and people watching. The staff were super friendly and the food was delicious!
TOP THINGS TO DO
-FAT TIRE BIKE TOUR: We did this bike tour right when we got to Florence and it was the perfect way to see the city in 3 hours! On the tour we got to see all of the hot spots like the Uffizi, Duomo, Academia, etc. Also, the tour guide was excellent and very knowledgeable about Florence. Throughout the tour we would stop to hear about the various location, take pictures and even grabbed a gelato and espresso half way through the tour. I would highly recommend this tour!
-TUSCANY VESPA TOUR: This was the BEST tour of Tuscany! We were shuttled from Florence to Tuscany and then hopped on vespas and rode around some beautiful spots in Tuscany! We then stopped at a family owned winery. Here we went on a winery tour, did a wine tasting and had a full homemade Italian meal! It was amazing! This was by far our favorite tour in Florence!
-MUSEUM PASS (Firenze Card): If you plan on going to numerous museums, I would recommend the museum pass. It allows you to go to all the top museums such as the Uffizi, Acadamia, Boboli Gardens, etc. Also you can use it for 72 hours which is great!
-BOBOLI GARDENS: Boboli Gardens was one of the most beautiful places we visited n Florence. It is over 100 acres of gorgeous gardens, landscaping and cultures dating back to the 16th Century. It is a relaxing and charming place to visit. You can even bring a picnic and wine to the gardens for a nice afternoon stroll and lunch. It was totally worth visiting!
-PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO: This is a plaza on the hillside overlooking Florence! It has the best views of the city and is perfect for taking some great Instagram pictures!