The official whistle-stop Florence travel guide
Firenze is one of the best cities I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. Before I went, I had only saw what it had to offer via Assassins Creed and to be honest, it was exactly the same - breathtaking. This pocket travel guide to Florence is going to clear up what you simply have to do on your stay - the essentials, if you will.
No wasted time, just the juicy stuff that'll thrill ya! Of course, there are some great guides that are much longer out there and they will give you the full scoop.
But we don't wanna do that do we? We just want that sweet sweet instant goodness.
Let's do it.
Why Florence?
Known as 'The Cradle of the Renaissance', Florence has kept so much of its rich history intact and it offers an unbelievable look into Italy's past. If you're a soppy swine like myself, you'll want to bring your significant other here, as it is one of the most romantic cities in the world.
Aside from that though, there is so much to see, do - and eat! Despite being an immensely popular tourist spot with perfect weather, you'll find it easy to get around and affordable.
What else could you want from a trip?
Getting there
You can get cheap flights to Florence from most places.
We came via a 1-night stay in Pisa though (a popular choice for visitors), so if you want to get a glimpse of the leaning tower, visit Pisa first - flights are cheaper to there. Once you're finished up, you can get a train direct to Flozza.
Where to stay
There's loads and loads of hotels in Florence, but I must say, I think the hotels in Italy are very dated for the most part. For such a stylish nation, the decor in a lot of these gaffs leaves a lot to be desired.
And that's why we went for an AirBnB - there are so many modern apartments to pick from that all come with their own little unique quirks.
Here's a few of the best AirBnB's I could find - number one was our apartment, so if you fancy sleeping WHERE THE MIGHTY MAN BLUEPRINT once slept then go right ahead.
Food & Drink
Tuscan cuisine is next level.
One place in particular is All' Anitco Vinaio. This place offers one of the best (and biggest) sandwiches I've ever had the pleasure of stuffing in my gob.
There's also lots of places to eat and drink in the main square. Even though these places are what you'd call tourist traps they're actually not too expensive and the quality of grub is excellent.
A few other places to keep an eye out for:
Mister Pizza (they gave us free champagne, so had to be #1. Plus, you'll be sat right at the foot of the Duomo)
Literally any Gelato shop
Caffè Donnini 1894
Fattoria Rossi Firenze
La Boheme Restaurant & Cafe
Some culture
Next to food and coffee, Italians love their culture. These sexy swines have got it in spades and Florence is no exception. From beautiful architecture to rich history, there's pretty much something for everyone - unless you're not into nice things that is.
Here's some unmissable (and mostly free) things to do in Florence.
Palazzo Vecchio & Fountain of Neptune (these are right next to each other)
Piazza della Repubblica (all manner of markets, designer stores, restaurants and bars around here - not to mention The Picci Family Carousel.
Loggia dei Lanzi (there's often performances on here for free)
Piazza del Duomo, The Baptistery of St. John & Giotto's Campanile (Florence's biggest attraction)
Uffizi Gallery
Ponte Vecchio (A bridge over a beautiful river paved with watch shops? Sounds good to me)
Staying fit
If you want to stay in relatively decent shape whilst you're gorging yourself on Pizza and Pasta, you can always try my hotel room workout that I actually developed whilst in Florence.
Or you can find yourself a gym and get a day pass - just be sure to use the best workout of all time whilst you're there.
And that's your pocket travel guide to Florence right there folks! Putting together your itinerary needn't be difficult - or very long for that matter.
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