13 Tips for a FANTASTIC Trip to Florence

[Music] Florence the city where the modern world began the first time I saw this place I knew my life would never be the same yes I saw a beautiful city filled with some famous art and some stunning medieval architecture but the history of Florence isn't just seen in the famous sights it's written all around you it's painted on the ancient walls it's etched into every winding cobbled Street and it's rich culture lives on and it's delicious food it's fabulous art and in the faces of the vibrant people who take such pride in calling this majestic city their home Florence was once the very center of the civilized world and from where I stand I don't see that much has changed in that regard so come with me as I show you what to do where to go and what to eat in the birthplace of the Renaissance [Music] tip number one how to get around when you're flying to Florence you've been landing in one of two airports the larger gallileo gallileo International Airport and Pisa or Florence Airport also known as parrot Ola both airports are serviced by major airlines but you're more likely to find cheap rates flying into Pisa if you're flying into Pisa to get into the city just hop on the PISA mover to Pease it should try a rail station buy a ticket to Florence for about 10 euros and after an hour train ride through the countryside of Italy you'll be dropped off at Santa Maria Novella Florence's main train station right in the heart of town if you're flying a parrot Ola the cheapest way to get into the city is by tram that runs directly from parrot Ola to the city but given how much closer this Airport is to the city than Pisa I usually just hop in a cab mostly out of sheer laziness it takes about 15 minutes to hit the city center and it costs around 25 euros and if you're coming to Florence from somewhere else in Italy and taking the train you'll arrive at the same main train station now complicated part over once you're in the city how to get around becomes pretty darn simple you walk you walk everywhere this simply put is one of the most walkable cities on earth you can pretty much get from one end of the historic city centre to the other in about 30 minutes or two hours if you constantly stop for gelato not that I do that I do I really do plus walking around the city lets you discover this town and be delighted by every little thing that is undoubtedly hiding around the corner of the next little Street River walkway or Old Market Row tip number two where to stay so let's be honest hotels in the city can be a little spensive you can find some budget options on your typical aggregate sites but the cheapest and best deals I've found are on condo rental sites like Airbnb I found an incredibly charming flat on Airbnb right in the heart of town for around 80 bucks a night during peak season in June a good thing to remember and the high season during the summer prices will be higher and it will be hot during the winter months prices will be lower and it will be colder I'm studying to become a meteorologist as for where in the city to stay if you want to be close to all the major attractions stay somewhere in the vicinity of the Duomo or Piazza della Signoria or for a more local Laidback five stay across the river in ultra no but really this city is so compact state anywhere in the historic city center and I promise you will not be disappointed if you are I guarantee you all the money that you spent to watch this video back tip number three how to skip the lines florence has some of the most incredible sights of any city in europe and it's not a secret so it can get crowded and lines for the attractions like the duomo the david and your fitzy gallery can get downright CRAZY so instead of wasting your precious vacation time queueing like you're at Disneyland the best way to avoid this plan ahead you can book specific entry times that allow you to skip the line for pretty much all the attractions in the city ahead of time except for the Duomo which is free and you just kind of have to wait now how to do this was a bit confusing for me the first time I visited so I've taken a leg workout for you because I'm such a swell guy zero ulterior motive but if you do all them subscribeee stuff to my channel like they always ask in these videos I'd really appreciate it anyway I'll include all the relevant links and phone numbers for these places in the description below but basically the three attractions that absolutely require advance tickets are the Accademia Gallery where the David lives the Uffizi gallery and declined at the top of the duomo the simplest and easiest way to book a time is online there are third-party websites like Florence tickets com that are very user friendly and also offer other tours but you'll pay a bit more of a fee so I recommend booking ahead directly through Florence's official ticketing website B ticket for the Duomo climb you'll need to book a specific time on the twelve always official website also linked below finally the last option is to call ahead you can sometimes get lucky if you're trying to book last-minute tickets just call during their business hours someone who speaks English will answer and you can ask if they have any last-minute availability note the Accademia gallery and your feet see are both closed on Mondays so the busiest days will be Sundays and Tuesdays tip number four check out the many little neighborhoods and piazzas of this utterly captivating city first up hang out in the Piazza della Signoria Florence's main square this is one of my favorite spots in the city a wide open Piazza frame by old buildings countless Renaissance statues a replica of the David statue and the towering Palazzo Vecchio despite being very crowded I probably stroll through this Piazza at least once every day I'm in Florence next don't miss the famous Ponte Vecchio without a doubt one of the most interesting bridges in the world built in 1345 the bridge is lined with gold and jewelry shops and just as it has been since the 1500s this bridge will be utterly packed by midday so the best time to see it is right in the morning as the shops open up next right across from the Ponte Vecchio or any of the bridges really hit up the ridiculously charming Oltrarno which means the other side of the Arno River located shocker on the other side of the river this is one of my absolute do not miss sections of town it's a super cool more residential local neighbourhood with some great cafes far fewer crowds excellent food options and alluring little winding streets my favorite bits of the ultra know are the san frediano area and the area right around the santo spirito church this little square is filled with locals and expats just hanging out having a beer eating and at night the area becomes lively and filled with young people spilling out into the square and sitting on the steps to have a drink with friends and lastly make sure to take a stroll along the river and soak in this bewitching City tip number five where to eat this ones both easy and difficult throw a rock anywhere in Florence and it's bound to end up hitting something incredible to eat or a person it's pretty crowded I don't recommend throwing rocks but like anywhere in Italy the problem isn't finding a great place to eat it's narrowing down my list of spots to suggest so as always here is a smattering of my favorite picks so if I left off your favorite place which I'm sure I did please throw in the comments below no rocks please my first stop whenever I get to Florence usually immediately after dropping off my bag of the hotel sometimes even before is Atlanta Cove in IO near the effete Sea gallery the sandwiches here are so good you will want to kiss them as much as eat them my two favorites are the porchetta succulent spicy roasted pork and the fava Lassa a sandwich with eggplant tapenade some sort of sharp mystical creamy pecorino spread and mounds of salty salami I could eat them every day of my life and it would not be a wasted life I just might be to invest in a treadmill and some blood thinners note the line for this place can get super long so the best time to go is right when they open at 10:30 a.m. next up is gusta Pizza this is not just my favorite pizza joint in Florence it's one of my favorite pizza spots anywhere and get it get it to go or sit at communal tables with strangers and chow down on pizza that you will be dreaming about long after your Italian trip is over another excellent little spot is called level P Aluva more of a wine bar than a restaurant it's a great place to sit back sip some Chianti and snack on one of their utterly scrumptious Christine crostinis I don't know just plural anyway it doesn't matter it's as if they made a cured meat that is basically meat butter yes I said meat butter for lunch I love tomato Mario a tiny busy place always packed with hungry locals and tourists alike the pastas here are wonderful and they serve up one of the best Florentine steaks I've had dear God order that beautiful steak i right next door is trattoria Zaza everything here is incredible and reasonably priced but my top recommendations are the pappardelle and duck ragu and anything covered in their succulent truffle cream sauce next up Zeb the food at Zeb is splendid a little joint and the altar are no run by a mother-son team the son is admittedly a bit surly but the food is ridiculous I love all the ravioli the meatballs are so packed with flavor they don't even need a sauce and the beef stuffed with carrots and celery is succulent savory and beyond tender next territory etre Braille the flan with a meat ragout and char Parmesan cheese was one of the more surprising and delicious things I've eaten anywhere and the stuffed rabbit and the savory sauce was umami tender and full of flavor moving across the river to my beloved ultra no area host Edea Santo Spirito serves up some of the freshest pasta I had in the city and their sizzling yoki is a cheesy revelation and my final two restaurants a couple of spots with very similar names trattoria Giovanni and Osteria Giovanni some of the best food you can get in Florence is at Osteria Giovanni not to be confused with the aforementioned trattoria Giovanni trattoria Austria completely different things that both mean restaurant anyway the homemade peachy with sausage and kale ragout is one of the best plates of pasta I've ever eaten and the roasted meat dishes here are truly truly special it's not the cheapest meal in town but it's totally worth it and it's a perfect place for a date I personally had a very romantic evening with myself that sounded different in my head next a lovely little trattoria Giovanni located in the ultra know everything I've had here is delectable and quite affordable my favorite dishes were the homemade pappardelle with rich beef ragu the unbelievable peachy and the beef stew is tender rich savory and ah it's just so good order it also the owner Darko is one of the friendliest guys I've met might a note on pretty much all of these restaurants they have a midday closed from about 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and if they accept for reservations it's always a good idea and last but certainly not least gelato which almost deserves a video of its own you should enjoy it before lunch after lunch before dinner after dinner after after dinner now this city is full of excellent gelato but my favorite spots are Venky which admittedly is a bit of a tourist chain replete with a chocolate waterfall but their gelato is legit vivoli said to be the oldest gelateria in florence I also love the very popular gelateria liqueur aya and finally in my humble opinion the two best gelato Ria's in the city gelateria de neri and Parque no gelateria de neri has some of the creamiest most perfect gelato in Italy my favorite flavors here are the blunt the lengthy with mascarpone which is similar to a sweet cream and unique to Florence and the a morena with delicious black cherries and finally we hit Pat okay no in a little side street near the Duomo lies my favorite gelateria in Florence all the flavors here are sensational but my favorites are the crema and the stracciatella so simple so creamy so ridiculously perfect plus mari and Sergio are some of the warmest people you'll ever meet and really there are dozens of gelato areas I could have included here but a basic rule of thumb avoid gelato that it's piled high in giant decorative mounds they may look appetizing but they're kind of crap it usually just indicates that there's too much air in the gelato and they use fake ingredients to add color and no disrespect to these places like yet they're just trying to run a business but they're doing a disservice to the artisanal gelato places that put the time and energy into getting it right so I guess a little disrespect tip number six hit up Florence's terrific markets let's start with marcado James Robert one of my most loved markets in Europe downstairs you can shop for crafts fresh produce and meats while upstairs they have a newer food court which is one of the best places to grab some phenomenal and casual local growth next mercado de san lorenzo a great place to buy affordable leather goods like gloves bags probably some whips here into that sort of thing and great affordable leather jackets it's also just a fun place to stroll and check out the many stalls another much smaller but super charming market is the loggia del mercado nuovo housed underneath a stunning 16th century arched Lodge and finally the santambrogio market more of a local spot here you can get some of the best produce you can find in Florence come here for fresh fruit veggies pasta whatever you can think of this would be a great place to come if you're staying in a condo with a kitchen and decide you want to save a little money and cook for yourself one night [Music] tip number seven see Michelangelo's masterpiece David located in the Accademia gallery stands one of the grandest and most perfect examples of Renaissance art in the world is it one of the most visited tourist sites in all of Italy yes is there a reason for that yes to stare up at the David is to lose yourself in something grander and greater than you can even imagine words video and photos simply do not do this precious piece of art and history justice if you visit no other museum scene no other piece of art which would be near impossible because there are statues literally everywhere you must see the David it's adapt special and as I said before the lines can be ridiculous so make sure to book your ticket for a reserved entrance time online a good while in advance tip number 8 let's head up some of the other places to stop up some of these centuries of astonishing history florence has to offer the most famous of these is without a doubt that your feats a gallery filled with countless priceless pieces of art and Michelangelo Raphael Leonardo basically all the Ninja Turtles there are also incredible works by Caravaggio about the celli and countless others and the museum itself offers some wonderful views of the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River and generally speaking I'm not a fan of guided tours but this museum has thousands of pieces of art and you could easily get lost for an entire day in here so a tour will help you a lot if you do join a tour you also get a skip the main line I went with a tour from art vive and it was excellent and so informative also make sure to visit the palazzo vecchio or old palace which brand Li frames the Piazza della Signoria built in the early 14th century the ceiling alone of the Hall of 500 is one of the most impressive things you can see in Florence and you absolutely must hike to the top of the tower for some utterly stunning views of the city another famous landmark not to be missed while you're wandering around the altar Arno make sure to check out the Palazzo Pitti once the residents of the Medici visit the museum inside or just stare up marvel at the amazing architecture tip number nine florence is home to some of the most dazzling and beautiful churches in the world first of course the duomo with its famous red dome rising high above the city one of the grandest and largest domes ever built make sure to climb to the top for incredible views I'm not breathing heavily you're breathing heavily the main part of the church doesn't allow reservations and it's free so you'll just have to wait but that line does move relatively quickly once inside the church makes sure to head down to the Crypt to see the foundations of the original Church built in antiquity and right next to the Duomo visit the beautiful baptistry one of the oldest buildings in Florence another dramatic fixture of the Duomo complex is giotto's bell tower when you buy your duomo ticket online it also comes with the option to climb the bell tower but once you get to the top you're basically just standing inside of a cage you really can get much better views of the Duomo from the aforementioned Palazzo Vecchio without having to wait nearly as long and long next church the Basilica of Santa Croce this is for me the most astounding church in Florence the burial site of so many famous Italians from Michelangelo to Galileo to Rossini walk around this beautiful structure and literally step over the rest in places of countless famous old Italians finally don't miss the Medici Chapel whose interior while currently under construction is still undeniably beautiful and full of some wonderful sculptures from famous artists including Michelangelo tip number 10 explore some of Florence's greener spots first the beautiful and impressive boboli gardens a 45,000 square metre park stroll it's many pathways sit and relax by the gorgeous pond taken to many statues or just sit on the top of the hill and stare out at the beautiful city below next my absolute favorite Park in the city Giardino Bardeen this place is beyond beautiful walk up the trail to the top of the hill to be greeted by Gardens waterfalls a walkway with hanging wisteria that I can still smell now and some of the most spectacular views of the city and finally rent a bike and ride around the hills above Florence on the south side of the river start at the Ponte elekid I see a bridge and head up the hill above Piazzale Michelangelo along the way you'll see views of the Tuscan countryside vistas of the city below and the hills are dotted with many little charming parks and speaking of views tip number 11 hike to the top of Piazzale Michelangelo for some of the absolute best views of the city and if you've had enough of gazing at Florence take a stroll through the truly wonderful and peaceful adjacent Rose Garden another great way to see the city is on one of the many rooftop Bars if you're not staying in a hotel with its own rooftop bar I recommend heading to the top of Lorraine agente which is basically just a department store but head to the fourth floor walk up the green stairs to be greeted by one of the best spots to have a drink in the scene another awesome spot particularly at sunset is the top of the west and Excelsior right on the river Arno for 25 euros you get a drink and all-you-can-eat buffet of delicious snacks and one of the best views of this magnificent city and the river Arno and lastly my favorite place to watch the sunset is to simply stand on the st. Trinity bridge stare out at the river and let the orange glow wash over [Music] tip number 12 if you have more than a few days take a day trip outside the city to explore some of the many splendid escapes just an hour or so away first visit the rolling hills of Chianti and experience the insane beauty that is the Tuscan countryside go on a wine tasting tour drink are too much wine stroll the vineyards and contemplate never going back home I went with the small group tour buy prestige rent and it was fantastic plus with a tour you don't have to worry about a designated driver next visit the stunning town of Siena one of my favorite little cities on the planet Siena is a mythical spots walk its medieval streets visit these striking main Piazza del Campo shop at its charming little market stalls or sit back and relax in the square just like people have been doing since the Middle Ages and very near Siena is another must hit spot san gimignano a fascinating 13th century walled city wander it's ancient walkways shopping its many delightful kitschy shops and take a stroll far back in time note for siena I recommend taking the bus instead of the train because it drops you off much closer to the city center but if you feel comfortable I recommend renting a car to give you the freedom to explore the area as you see fit another popular day trip you can visit Pisa to get this requisite Italian vacation for there something I have totally done that is definitely not photoshopped ok it's been slightly altered also lucca is another wonderful and oft overlooked Tuscan city and lastly basically my personal travel motto just walk this magnificent city and get lost in its many alleys streets and piazzas Florence is a wonder everywhere you walk you were surrounded by something delightful something beautiful something ancient also the people of the city are some of the warmest friendliest and most fun-loving people I've met anywhere in my travels as author Jennifer Coburn said visiting Florence is like attending a surprise party every day so go ahead wander Blore allow yourself to be surprised and lose yourself in the magic of fit n saying thank you so much for watching if you liked the video make sure to gently caress that subscribe button and hit that notification bell so you don't miss any upcoming videos and like I say with all my videos if I left off your favorite spot please throw it in the comment section below I always love to hear what you have to say I've also included a comprehensive list of all the things covered in this video below and some things that I didn't have time to fit in one huge final thank you to Audrey Kennedy for her help with this video thanks so much I'll see you soon from somewhere else in the world

Channel: Matt's Travel Tips

Views: 709,924

Keywords: Best things to do in Florence, Florence travel tips, Florence guide, Top things to do in Florence, Tuscany travel tips, Best things to do in Tuscany, Best things to do in Italy, Tuscany guide, Best things to eat in Florence, Best gelato in Florence, Best restaurants in Florence, Best restaurants in Tuscany, Florence food guide, Best museums in Florence, Chianti, Siena, San Gimignano, food porn, funny, travel, Pisa, foodie

Id: q51Atktm244

Length: 23min 2sec (1382 seconds)

Published: Wed Jun 26 2019