Is Florence Worth Visiting? 9 Unique Reasons to Visit 2024

Florence is one of the most famous, iconic cities in Italy, and is located right in the heart of Tuscany. Is Florence worth visiting?

In fact – if you could only visit one place in Italy, I would recommend Florence to be the place that you visit.

Florence is a special place to see in Italy, and specializes in the following things, above other Italian destinations:

• authentic Tuscan-region food, and a cozy café scene
• art
• libraries

I’m going to highlight the reasons Florence is worth your time – and share with you all the unique things (ones you may not have thought of – I promise you’ll learn something new) that make Florence worth visiting.

Whether you’re going to be in Florence for 3 days or 3 weeks, you will be amazed at the possible things there are to do and why Florence is worth a spot on your Italy itinerary.

9 Unique Reasons Why Florence is Worth Visiting

Here are the reasons why Florence should be added to your travel bucket list right now

1. Florence is the art capital of Italy

Ok, maybe this isn’t the most unique reason in itself, but its worth mentioning that Florence has the most famous art gallery in Italy, and some world-renowned pieces by famous artists.

The Uffizi in Florence is the most important gallery in Italy, and it has 3 different art pieces by Leonardo Da Vinci.

It’s an extensive museum that you could easily spend hours walking around, seeing world-famous sculptures and paintings that date back to hundreds of years.

In addition to the Uffizi, Florence is the location for the famous ‘David’ by Michelangelo, which is located at the Academy Galleria.

Now, I’ll be honest – these two attractions are highly sought after, and you can expect lineups and crowds. I would recommend booking skip the line tickets to see them.

2. It has a great café scene

Florence is known for its speciality cafés and coffee roasteries.

Not all of the cafés have to-go cups, because getting coffee to go isn’t as common it Italy as in North America. The belief in Italy is that you should sit down and really enjoy your coffee. There’s so many great café joints to do this in Florence.

Getting coffee to go in Italy is more of a tourist thing, but some cafés do have to-go cups in case asked (mainly by tourists.)

Now, a small tip – to really enjoy the café scene in Florence, don’t go to the ones that are very close to the touristy piazzas. The best cafés are the hole-in the halls, located in side-streets.

Click here to see a list of the best cafés in Florence.

3. Its book and library scene

Another thing that makes Florence really cool that people don’t often think about is its library scene.

Whether you want to read books, or simply like the look of libraries – you will find them everywhere. Along with the café scene, they add such a cozy and charming element to Florence.

Florence has the most famous library in Italy – called Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze.(National Library of Florence.)

Other libraries to check out in Florence are:

• Biblioteca Marucelliana, known as the most beautiful library in Florence, which has been open since 1752
• The Biblioteca delle Oblate – you can get great views from the wiédows; there is a cafe on site, and a children’s section in the lower level
• Children’s Lending Library (if you’re in Florence with kids – it has books in English)

In addition, you will see many smaller libraries and bookstores on the streets, including open-air ones, like below:

4. Unique Florentine food

Florence has a great foodie scene, in addition to the café scene. It has such unique restaurants, and it also has its own dishes that are unique to this part of Italy (Florentine dishes.)

Unfortunately, as a vegetarian I wasn’t able to try most of them as they use a lot of red meat.

But there are some great antipasti (starters) and desserts in Florence that are unique only to Florence:

• white beans
• cavolo nero (which is a steamed leafy green)
• pappa al pomodoro, a cremy tomato soup
• Crema Buontalenti (a gelato flavour, named after the Florentine man who invented gelato)

Gelato originates in Florence, and Buontalenti is a gelato flavour you can find here too that isn’t available elsewhere in Italy. In addition to those that I mentioned, here is a list of other Florentine dishes to look for on the restaurant menus.

5. Florence has a lot of unique restaurants

In addition to certain foods that aren’t found elsewhere in Italy, Florence also has lovely restaurants.

The restaurants have so much character, with staff that truly love their food. Here are a few that I strongly recommend visiting. These recommendations come from me, as well as a friend of mine who lived in Florence for a year.

• Osteria de Pazzi – the owner is often singing in the kitchen
• Trattoria La Casalinga – serves traditional Tuscan dishes
• Vivoli – oldest gelatería in Florence, and Venchi, with the chocolate waterfall

6. Traditional Italian cooking classes

One thing I found set Florence apart from other cities like Venice and Rome, is that if you’re interested in taking an Italian cooking class – there are way more of them in Florence than in other cities.

There are cooking classes that focus on pasta and pizza making, gelato making, and some general cooking classes.

Some of the classes are even combined with a trip to the market to pick up fresh produce and ingredients to use in the class. Others offer unlimited wine.

There are also a huge variety of cooking classes; some aimed at couples as a romantic activity, and others which are are for families to make a meal together.

See all the Florence cooking classes here

7. It’s very walkable

Florence is very walkable and the perfect place to take a stroll, admiring the buildings, architecture, and ambiance all around you.

There are cozy little streets, and so many large, wide open piazzas.

When we visited, there were buskers playing live music in the piazzas. It’s just one of the nicest places in Italy for walking.

Even though I was visiting Florence with a young child, we had no problem walking around everywhere we needed to go.

Pro Tip: Florence is split into two sections, you can take the large pedestrian-only bridge (Ponte Vecchio) to get from one side to the other.

8. Awesome museums

There is such a range of museums you can visit in Florence – some are historical and art based, and other’s are more interactive and fun.

Museums are a nice way to escape the heat, but also learn some fascinating things.

• Leonardo Da Vinci Interactive Museum – a hands on museum where you can study Da Vinci’s inventions
• Galileo Museum – great for anyone with an interest in science
• Selfie Museum – a fun museum full of photo ops where you can get lots of silly and unique selfies.

9. It’s appealing to all ages

Part of what makes Florence popular, aside from the famous attractions, is its pretty accessible to all travellers.

Whether you’re a young couple on a honeymoon, or a retired couple in your 80s, or are pushing a stroller aroind, Florence is an easy city to walk around and there are activities that appeal to all age groups.

I visited Florence as a single parent, with my 4 year old daughter. It was just the two of us. There are a lot of things to do in Florence with kids, including riding the carousel, and visiting the Pinnochio workshop.

I could just as easily see myself there on a honeymoon though, too. My best friend spent time in Florence on her honeymoon.

10. (BONUS) It’s a great hub for exploring the rest of Tuscany

Tuscany is a popular region in Italy to visit for a reason. It has rolling green hills, vineywards, charming small towns and cities with medievel town squares.

Tuscany is also the largest producer of olive oil in Italy. It’s romantic atmosphere is the reason why its the location where so much literature of Italy takes place.

Here are some great places to visit on a day trip from Florence.

• Lucca, over an hour train ride from Florence, is surrounded by fortified walls, and is known as an art centre of Italy
• Bologna, 90 minutes from Florence by train. This city is all about the food, and it has a picturesque medievel downtown as well
• Siena, just over an hour by train from Florence. Has a 1,000 year old fortification, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Sight

Downsides to Florence

When making the decision whether to visit or stay in Florence or not, here are a few additional things to keep in mind

1. It’s landlocked

Part of what people dream of about visiting Italy is the breathtaking coastline. Florence doesn’t offer this; its about over 100 km (over 60 miles) from the nearest coast, and it’s far from any major lakes.

Pro Tip: There is a swimming pool however, just a 15 minute walk from the city centre of Florence called Le Pavoniere. Adult admission prices are €9 on weekdays, and €12 on weekends.

2. It’s pricey

This ‘downside’ isn’t unique to Florence, as its common for many tourist hotspots in Italy right now.

There has been a bit of a price jump for hotels, food and experiences in Florence. You can probably expect to spend €15 – €20 for a plate of pasta in the city centre (not including drinks or antipasti.) Hotels will cost around €100-200 per night.

If you’e on a budget, I recommend:

• staying somewhere in the larger, metropolitan city of Florence (its the heart of the city centre where you’ll see a drastic increase in prices)
• stay in one of the nearby Tucan small towns, such as Prato (20 minutes by car, 40 minutes by bus) or Pontassieve (20 minutes by train from central station in Florence)

3. It’s popularity

Like many other places in Italy, Florence has its struggles with overtourism. Part of what makes it so amazing is also part of a downside now. The last few years have been intense for tourism in Florence.

Try to visit on shoulder season if possible, but if not – just be sure to book those skip the line tickets as soon as possible, and be willing to wake up early.

Early in the day is when there are fewer people and you can enjoy a relaxing morning stroll, with fresh coffee and pastries.

Where to Stay in Florence

I recommend staying near the Piazza del Duomo, because its also just a shot walk from the Florence Central Station. This makes it easy to get to other parts of Tuscany, or to the next leg on your Italian vacation

• Budget: Residenza Conte di Cavour & Rooftop At certain times of the year, you can snag this place for under $150 USD, so its affordable compared to other hotels in the area. Only a 2-minute walk from Gallería (where the David is located)
• Mid-Range: Hotel Spadai (around $300 USD per night, but it fluctuates with the season) only a 3 minute walk from the Piazza del Duomo, has stylish rooms and serves an awesome breakfast
• Luxury: Hotel Cerretani Firenze This is a place to be pampered, with the best view of Florence. Excellent buffet style breakfast, café and 24 hour room service. Helpful staff can help you arrange excursions and day trips

Visiting Florence FAQ

Here are the most commonly asked questions about visiting Florence

How many days should I spend in Florence?

You need at least 2-3 days in Florence to make the visit worth your while. If you only want to see the highlights, you can do this in 2 days. However, I recommend having an extra day to walk around, and take in the ambiance of Florence.

Is Florence still worth visiting?

Florence is definitely still worth visiting. It’s the most easily walkable, charming, artistic and food-oriented of the three major cities in Italy. The Tuscan region is not to be missed, and there are a 3-5 bucket list places that can easily be accessed by train from Florence.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Florence

By now, you know a lot of the hidden delights that make Florence such a romantic, iconic and magical city. It’s an exciting city to visit for any traveller, with a beautiful atmosphere and so many things to do. It has great food, exciting museums, and one of the best vibes of all the cities in Italy.

When you walk around Florence, every corner and street really charms you, and there are a lot of gems that fall outside of the typical tourist agenda. Its old architecture and ambiance make it an impossible place to not be in a good mood.