It’s really difficult for me to pick my favorite city. But every time someone asks me this question, Florence comes to my mind first. We had a wonderful time in Italy in 2018. We visited Rome, Pisa, Florence, Siena, Venice and Milan. Each of these places is unique, and I don’t like to compare places. However, if there is one place that I would definitely go back, it is Florence (and Venice too). Till then, I keep reminiscing and reliving those two days in the “city of dreams” (Mark Twain)- Florence.
{More iconic cities of Europe: Amsterdam ||| Paris ||| Geneva}
That night in October
15th October, 2018. Winter was yet to set in; so, weather was quite pleasant. We reached Florence by train from Pisa late in the evening around 8 PM. It was a walk of 1-2 kilometers to our Airbnb accommodation in the city center. As we were following the google maps on the mobile phone towards our accommodation, quite unexpectedly, we came across the iconic Florence Cathedral at Piazza (square in English) del Duomo.
It looked stunning under night lights, and the vibes of the place was just amazing! We stood there awe-struck for a while looking at the magnificent cathedral, and then walked again. It was a bit difficult to locate our Airbnb apartment; but we could hardly let that diminish our excitement.
A single mother of Chinese origin was running the Airbnb apartment. She was very well-organized, and helpful. We kept our luggage in the room, and without wasting much time, we were back at the Piazza del Duomo again.
Florence, the city of dreams
Florence is situated in the Tuscany region in the middle of Italy. My interest in Florence was mainly because of its Renaissance history. In the beginning of the 14th century, it was the cradle of renaissance and led the way for the western world to move out of the dark ages and embark on a path of human excellence. Its elites, intellectuals, artists and clerics had a vision to change the world in a way never seen before.
The period saw the emergence of geniuses like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Medici, to name a few. They shaped the growth of new knowledge in the fields of art, sculpture, architecture, science, medicine and engineering. In the quest of excellence, they built magnificent buildings and sculptures, which stand with all their glory to this date. I always wanted to see for myself the symbols of pinnacle of the renaissance period.
No city in the world history has influenced world art and architecture as Florence has. Its beauty and serenity romances the soul. Not for nothing, Mark Twain termed it the “city of dreams”.
If you are travelling with kids, here’s a good article on Italy by a friend: 15 Best places to visit in Italy with kids. And if you are interested in ancient wonders in Europe, read another article in this blog: “Stonehenge and Bath- Two Ancient Wonders in a Day“.
Two days in Florence
After arriving in Florence that October night, we wasted no time to explore the city at night; walked around Piazza del Duomo and Piazza Della Signoria, and had dinner at a restaurant there.
The next day, we went to Siena to meet Sara, an Instagram friend of ours. She walked us around the beautiful medieval city showing us all the amazing monuments.
Coming back to Florence, we hiked up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to enjoy the spectacular sunset with a panoramic view of the city.
The second day was reserved for exploring the monuments and other important places of interest in the city. Though it’s not a large city, it has a plethora of things to do. However, if you have only two days, like us, here’s a list of our most favorite places to visit/ things to do in Florence for your convenience.
8 things not to miss in Florence:
1. Piazza della Signoria, the historic Center of Florence:
On the first night itself, after dinner, we took a walking tour of the city center including the Piazza della Signoria. The medieval buildings looked beautiful under light. It was pleasurable to watch the local musicians in their elements, and absorb the night time serenity of the historic city center. And the knowledge that it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, made my experience extra special.
2. Piazza del Duomo and Florence Cathedral:
Piazza del Duomo is the most famous square in Florence, and consists of three famous buildings- Florence cathedral, Giotto’s Bell Tower, and St. John’s Baptistery.
If you are in Florence, it’s not possible to miss Florence cathedral (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore). It’s situated in the middle of the city, and is an absolutely imposing and gorgeous structure. Initially built in the 1436, it took 400 years to come to its final glory. The Duomo was a glorious achievement of Filippo Brunelleschi. It also encompasses the frescoes of Giorgio Vasari’s Last Judgement (1572), and the scenes of Florence by Dante (1465).
3. Piazzale Michelangelo
Walk a bit, and hike some distance, and you reach the most amazing sunset point in Florence- Piazzale Michelangelo. The gorgeous red colour of Florence dazzles under evening sunlight. Then slowly as the sun sets behind the great Duomo, the panoramic view of the city will enthrall you. Listen to the local musicians play beautiful music as you take a stroll around the piazza overlooking the city and the Arno river.
4. Uffizi palace and gallery
Florence is home to some of the finest museums in the world. Uffizi gallery housed within Uffizi palace is definitely one of the most important. Because, it is home to a large number of masterpieces from Italian artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Giotto, Botticelli, Correggio, Raphael, Caravaggio and and other European artists. Besides, the Uffizi palace is also a beautiful work of architecture.
5. Academia gallery and the statue of David
It’s one of the most enduring work of art and craftmanship of European Renaissance in early 16th century. And perhaps, it is the most celebrated sculpture in the history of the world.
It represents the human body in its supreme form. David is a Biblical hero, who defeated the Goliath, and became the first king of Israel. Michelangelo had sculptured it as a state of his being just before he faced Goliath.
Height of the statue: 5.17 mt or, 17ft
This one is a replica at the Piazza della Signoria; the original is kept at the Academia Gallery. The gallery houses a number of other masterpieces as well.
6. Ponte Vecchio
One of our lasting memories of Florence is the time spent at Ponte Vecchio, a medieval stone bridge over the river Arno. The arch bridge has a long history of being built, destroyed, and rebuilt over at least a thousand years. Once upon a time, butchers and tanners occupied the shops on the bridge, but now only jewelers do.
In 1901, a jeweler of Ponte Vecchio built a monument (bust of Cellini) on the bridge, in order to celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of Benvenuto Cellini. Because, Cellini was the most celebrated goldsmith from Florence. People (lovers) used to attach padlocks (known as love locks) around the railing of the monument. The civic administration considered this as ugly, and thus, removed thousands of these locks in 2005. However, when visited in 2018, thousands of these locks were there again!
Though the bridge remains crowded throughout the day, it really comes into life in the evening. We enjoyed window shopping at the beautiful jewelry galleries lining the bridge. Then, late in the evening, we sat there enjoying performances by local musicians. It was indeed a beautiful evening.
7. Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
Another beautiful church in Gothic architectural style is the 13th century basilica of Santa Maria Novella. The beautiful building along with the happening piazza surrounding it, is a must in the list of things to see in Florence. On our evening walk up to the Piazza Michelangelo, we spent some good time at the square.
8. Have a gelato in the city of its origin
Florence is said to be the birth place of gelato. In the renaissance period, Bernardo Buontalenti, an architect, sculptor and painter in the court of Medici invented gelato. However, after almost a century, another Italian named Francesco Procopio (from Sicily) made it commercial. Though we are no connoisseurs in gelatos, the gelato in Florence was as good as we have ever tasted.
Some good places for gelato:
You may want to know some of the best places to have your gelato in Florence; here are they:
- Gelateria La Carraia
- Il Procopio
- Cantina del gelato
- Gelateria de’ Medici
- La Stregga Nocciola
- My Sugar
- Mordilatte
- Badiani
- Gelateria de’ Neri
- Cantina del Gelato
- Carapina
A few tips on gelato: Generally, a cone contains a bit more ice-cream than a cup; and then you have the cone to eat as well! ‘Artigianale’ means home made gelato; they don’t add artificial flavours or colours. They maybe a little dull in colour, and a little more pricey, but if you want natural, preservative-free ice-cream, you have to pay a bit more!
A memorable day-trip to Siena
Apart from Florence, Tuscany region is blessed with a number of beautiful cities like San Gimignano, Lucca, Pienza, Cortona, Siena, Pisa, Arezzo, Pistoia and many others including 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Siena, just 100 kms away from Florence, has some of the best preserved medieval architecture. Though we would have liked to visit more of these cities, time permitted visiting only Siena, an hour’s bus ride.
We have an Instagram friend (Sara) from Siena, who very happily met us in Siena and showed us around the city. It was a great experience to meet someone from the place, who explained us the history of the place, and a few trivia too. It was interesting to know about the significance of various flags that people use in front of their houses. The flags represent various districts of the city, and are close to people’s hearts. Because, they are associated with an annual horse race (il palio) organized at the Piazza del Campo. The 17 districts (contrade) of the city compete in the race.
Two of Siena's major landmarks:
We really loved Siena, especially its beautiful buildings and streets. Two of the most vivid memories of the city are the Siena City Hall and the Siena Cathedral.
Siena City Hall:
Siena City Hall (Palazzo Comunale/ Palazzo Pubblico) is the symbol of Siena. It is the focal point of the famous central square of the city, called Piazza del Campo. Built in the late thirteenth century in medieval-gothic style, it still looks as magnificent as ever.
Siena Cathedral:
Also known as the cathedral of Saint Mary, Siena Cathedral is one of the finest example of gothic architecture of medieval period. It was built (chief architect: Giovanni Pisano) between 1215 and 1263, and rivalled its Florence counterparts.
In fact, when Florence built the enormous Florence cathedral, Siena started building an even bigger cathedral. However, the project was abandoned later due to the black death (bubonic plague).
Today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts millions of tourists every year.
The white and dark-green marble built cathedral is an extravagance in architecture and design. Every inch of the cathedral is a work of art. Even a novice like me would instantly say wow!
Apart from the cathedral, the complex consists of five more buildings of importance: a library, a museum, the crypt, the Facciatone and the Baptistry.
{To read about more such UNESCO sites in this site, please check out: Khajuraho- Orchha || Gagron Fort}
Siena Streets:
While walking around the city, we loved the narrow bylanes with old buildings. Siena has a reputation of producing the highest quality ceramic products. It was definitely tempting to buy these finely crafted products at the numerous shops selling them. It was very interesting to observe the finer details on the private houses and public buildings, especially those flags dangling over the buildings throughout the city.
10 other important places to visit:
If you have more than two days, here’s a list of 10 other important places to explore:
- Palazzo Vecchio (Town Hall of Florence; near Piazza Della Signoria)
- Bargello museum (a former barrack and prison)
- Boboli gardens (one of the first grand Italian gardens)
- Palazzo Pitti (a palace not far from Ponte Vecchio)
- Giardino Bardini gardens (for an amazing panoramic view of Florence)
- Da Vinci museum (an interactive museum dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci)
- Galileo museum within Palazzo Castellani (adjacent to the Uffizi gallery)
- Piazza Santa Croce (near Basilica Santa Croce)
- Basilica di San Lorenzo (one of the largest churches in Florence)
- Central market (a beautiful two-storied building; mainly for food)
More day-trip options from Florence:
- If you are a wine lover, take a wine tour through Tuscany
- For heritage lovers, a day trip to any of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites near Florence is a great option. These places are: Pisa, San Gimignano, Pienza, Vaoldorcia, the Medici villas and gardens
- If you are a nature lover, take a day trip to Cinque Terre, a coastal beauty
Florence: Travel tips
Quick tips:
- In Italy, they call it ‘Firenze’, and not ‘Florence’
- Best time to visit: April to October
- Carrying cash is wise, because ATMs charge a very high fee
- Ques are very long; so, booking ‘skip-the-line’ entry tickets will save you time
- It’s easy to find free wi-fi points in the city
- Exploring the Tuscan country side is great idea, especially, riding a Vespa
- Look for street-side art and music
Moving around in Florence:
The best part of moving around in Florence is that all the sites of interest are close to each other. They are situated in a concentrated area of a few kilometers. So, one can easily walk around and explore the city. In fact, it’s the best way to explore Florence. Further, the city is as good at day time as at night. One can visit the famous museums and galleries of Florence in the day time, and enjoy a leisurely stroll around the city at night and have gelatos.
Must-try food:
- Florence special pasta (thin sliced)
- Bistecca Fiorentina (it’s basically a steak made of cow meat, of a cow who has never given birth). We haven’t tried this; but people love this in Florence.
- We also saw whole body barbequed pork being popular too
- Schiacciata alla Fiorentina (a special cake)
- Cantuccini with vin santo (dessert)
- For wine lovers: Vernaccia (a Tuscany specialty)
- And of course, Gelato (see above).
The best hostels in Florence:
Plus Florence || Archi Rossi hostel || Tasso hostel || Ostello Bello || Wow Florence || Hostel Gallo D’oro || Academy hostel || Emerald Palace
Two days in Florence, still fresh in the mind
While leaving Florence, I left a piece of my heart in this city of dreams. The city mesmerized me so much that it’s still fresh in my mind, like I was there last week.
Honestly, there are so many things to explore that two days are too less. One should plan for at least 5 days, and more, if one is planning for day-trips. If money was not a factor, I would love to go back to Florence every year.
Like Florence was a city of preeminence in the medieval era in Europe, Hampi was in Asia. If Hampi was not destroyed back then, it would be a great flourishing city today. However, if you visit the ruins of the great city in south India, you can feel that vibe. To have a glimpse of the place, please check out: Hampi.
If you liked this article on Florence and Siena, do write to us.
Pinkle
I love the way the tiny details are described. Not only informative but also kind of gives a feel of the place. A reader’s delight.
stampedmoments
Hi Pinkle! Thanks for reading, and for your encouraging words. Means a lot.
Just starting out; will try to make even more reader-friendly in course of time.
Keep connected, and give meaningful feedback. Thanks.
Jayvanti Einjen
Lovely pictures
stampedmoments
Thank you so much!
Soumen Chatterjee
I just love the way tiny and minute details are described in the blog. I could sence that when I read 1st few lines after u landed Florence and watched the iconic Florence Cathedral at Piazza (square in English) del Duomo and from that moment I felt it’s an interesting read. Well coming back to the entire blog the way Florence was described was purely awsome because of its Renaissance history. Then one after the other may that be Piazzale Michelangelo,Uffizi palace and gallery,Academia gallery and the statue of David,Ponte Vecchio,Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, and finally have delicious gelato. The last part of explaining the city Siena. Quite well explained what to visit and what are the iconic places to see while moving around the city. A must read for us and I feel I must visit
stampedmoments
Everything is so attractive and classy in the city! Beautiful statues, architecture and of course, the amazing historic vibes! I can never forget the experience. If you get a chance, spend at least two evenings there.