February 14, 2024 | View Online | Sign Up
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Italy’s immensely popular. With cities like Rome, Milan, Venice, and Naples all vying for dominance, it’s clear the boot-shaped country is a tourism heavyweight. But, while everyone else argues over their favorite city, those lucky enough to see Florence already know their answer.
Breathtaking from every angle and boasting an almost unmatched history, cuisine, and artistic reputation, Florence is a treat for every sense. Few destinations can offer so much.
Cliches are far too easy here. So we’ll just get to it.
🇮🇹 Welcome to Florence.
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| EAT, SLEEP, DO
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Your Guide to the Best of Florence
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🖼️ What to do
A better question is, “What can you afford to miss?” Florence is unequaled as an artistic powerhouse, while its influential past leaves a historic breadcrumb trail you’d need a lifetime to see to completion. And the architecture? Have you seen the Duomo? Then you can step outside the city to the Tuscan countryside and die happy. These are the best things to do in Florence.
🥩 What to eat
You haven’t fully experienced joy until you polish off a Florentine steak or a panini from All’antico. Italy’s food is legendary already, but Florence offers a new dimension to the tried and true stalwarts of the cuisine. Here are just a few of the best places to eat in Florence.
🛌🏻 Where to stay
Yet another tough decision. Florence has a rich supply of stunning accommodations, from decadent historic palazzos to chic modern efforts designed for budget travelers. Here are some of the best hotels to stay in Florence for any budget.
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| TRAVEL PLANNING WITH CONCIERGE
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Even with all our tips above, planning a trip can be tedious. So, why not have someone else plan your next trip? And the one after that? And after that? When you sign up for Concierge, you will get a custom travel itinerary every year, for life.Â
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You could have trips like these planned for you without lifting a finger:
🇮🇹 10-day romantic getaway on the Italian Riviera
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| MONEY MOVES
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One No-Annual Fee Card Can Get You There For Pennies
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Getting to Italy has never been easier. Its popularity means every airport worth its marbles vies for regular routes to Rome, Venice, Florence, and beyond.
But that doesn’t mean flights to Italy are cheap.
Thankfully, however, that same popularity means flying to Florence with points and miles is incredibly cheap. In fact, just one no-annual-fee card with a $500 spending threshold could be enough to fly you there for almost nothing.
Check out our guide to flying to Florence (and Italy as a whole) using points and miles.
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| FLORENCE FAST FACTS
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🏰 Top dog days: While Florence may now fall behind Rome and Venice in the pecking order, it was once the capital of the United Kingdom of Italy. Several decades of complex power shifts eventually saw Rome take the mantle.
🛣️ Paving the way: Florence was the first city in Europe to pave its streets. The stone paving was installed in 1339 using donations from wealthy citizens.
⛪ Home of the dome: Florence’s legendary Duomo, atop the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, took a staggering 140 years to complete. It was once the largest in the world, now sitting third behind St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London.
🅰️ Old-time A-list: Florence has produced some of the most famous and powerful people to ever walk the earth, from Dante Alighieri, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Donatello, Florence Nightingale, Salvatore Ferragamo, Galileo Gallilei, and the Medici Family.
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| KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
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It Can Get Busy…Very Busy
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Don’t be fooled by Florence’s popularity compared to Rome. The city still attracts as many as 16 million tourists every year. With numbers that staggeringly high, you must anticipate some heavy crowds, especially during the peak summer months.
When planning your trip, do as much pre-booking as possible. Book timeslots for the Duomo, Uffizi, and Accademia tours, as well as tables at your “can’t miss” restaurants.
For everything else, be prepared to wait. Just wait till you see the lines at All’ Antico–no bookings there.
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It’s an Incredibly Walkable City
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Unless you’ve opted for a hotel well outside the city center, you’ll be absolutely fine on foot for the bulk of your visit. The historical center, where you’ll spend most of your time, is comparatively small when compared to the likes of Rome, and it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to walk more than around twenty minutes.
One exception could be the Piazzale Michelangelo, which is at the top of a hill overlooking the city, but it’s still not too far.
If you’re heading further afoot, into the Tuscan countryside, it’s best to use the bus or opt for a pricier taxi. Check for tours that offer transport to make things a little easier.
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Do Your Research Before Shopping
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Florence’s big thing is leather. You’ll find some unbelievable bags, belts, and other leather goods often made on-site by some of the best craftsmen on the planet. But, as with any major tourist spot, for every genuine store, you’ll find two or three rip-off joints shipping fake bags in from abroad.Â
Do your research beforehand to pin down the best shop for you, and make sure you’re not dropping your hard-earned cash on a phony bag. It generally helps to step outside of the super-busy tourist areas as a starting point.
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| WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN FLORENCE
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*This link is sponsored.Â
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