Firenze, once the capital of Italy, now the capital of Tuscany. The city of the renaissance, the city of art, the city of culture, the city of style (sorry Milan, but Florence has Gucci, not you).

Oh yeah, and the piano was  invented here.

Of all the countries in the world, Italy is the one with the most UNESCO Heritage Sites, and the entire centre of Florence is on the list.

So wow, with all of that to bear in mind, what should you definitely not miss while you’re here?

 

1.1 The Cathedral / Duomo

Did you know when the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was consecrated in 1436, it was the largest church in the world?! I didn’t!

The Duomo has something for everyone. It’s beautiful, it’s old, it’s historic, it has gorgeous views, and it’s full of art from the likes of Michelangelo, Donatello, and Giotto. You have to go!

 

1.2 Piazza del Duomo (the whole square)

  • Cathedral
  • Giotto’s Bell Tower
  • Baptistery of St. John
  • Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

 

2. Michaelangelo’s David

Pop in and say ciao to David in the Galleria dell’Accademia. Be sure to book your ticket in advance online, and you can choose a time slot to go and (if you’re lucky) avoid the crowds.

My favourite fact about the statue of David, is that originally he was meant to be one of many prophetic figures on the roof of the cathedral, but that Michaelangelo got carried away and basically just made him too big to go up there.

 

3. Piazzale Michaelangelo

All I wanted was to see the skyline of Florence. I was willing to pay the €30 to go up to Brunelleschi’s Dome of the cathedral, but then I was thinking “hey, that means the Duomo won’t be in my photos!” My friend told me about this lesser-known place (although I’m sure many do know it) Piazzale Michelangelo.

 

From here you can see all of Florence – and all it costs is a bus ticket!

 

4. Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio translates to “Old Bridge” in Italian, and it’s been there since 1350, and I mean the same structure that’s there now! It used to be where everyone would buy their meat from the many butcher shops that lined the bridge, and in the end, the upper class built a corridor above here so that they wouldn’t have to “endure” these crowds. Now it’s a very different vibe altogether, with jewellers and other fancy stores, but mostly selling gold and silver.

Attractions that other people love, but I didn’t visit this time:

  • Uffizi Gallery
  • Boboli Gardens