A guide to spending 48 hours in Florence
We had a tight itinerary for Florence but made the most of it by spending two days seeing the sites, eating and drinking our way through this rad city. For a guide on all Florence highlights, scroll on down and I’ll fill you in!
How to get there:
For the majority of our Italy trip to get to and from large cities and metropolitan areas we travelled by train. They’re cost effective, comfortable, more environmentally friendly and fast to get from place to place. To get to Florence from Venice it cost €83.00 for four adults, taking roughly 2 hours. I’ve found Omio the best site to use as it gives multiple options on times to leave and costs. If needing to fly from another part of Europe you can also check out Skyscanner!
Where to stay:
We wanted to be able to walk to the main sites so when looking for accomodation I wanted to make sure that we were staying close to the centre. Using AirBnB, I booked a two bedroom apartment located ten minutes walking distance from Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The accomodation was close to bars so there was a fair amount of noise but it’s nothing some earplugs couldn’t solve. Also I found AirBnB a lot more affordable than most hotels for four people who wanted seperate rooms, super convenient in terms of location and cost effective as we were able to make some of our own meals.
How to travel within the city of Florence:
Because we had accomodation very close to all of the main sites it made walking everywhere super easy. The city is small and flat so walking is made simple. However there are other options if you are unable to walk like taking the bus, tram and taxi.
To do’s:
– If you’re a massive meat eater or just enjoy an old fashion steak, having a Florentine steak is a must. I’m not a massive meat eater myself but both Liam and Step-Dad highly recommend.
– Check out a legitimate leather and jewellery store. I’ve been twice to Leonardos Leather and Gold, once on my Contiki and then again on this trip. This is one of the most highly regarded authentic leather stores in Florence! They have everything from wallets (mens and womens) to puzzle rings. They also have a showroom where you can see how they make all of their goods.
– Watch sunset from one of the high points of the city. It’s a bit of a walk (you can also drive) but definitely worth it! Piazzale Michelangelo is a spot that I have visited twice. Two years ago to now it is definitely a lot busier! Understandable as it has a panoramic view of the city so minus the crowds you couldn’t find a more perfect spot to experience a famous Tuscan sunset! Miniato al Monte as another alternative which avoids such crowds. I haven’t seen myself but heard good things so if you’re there for two nights, why not try both?
– Visit all the main sites: Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Piazza Della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Loggia de’ Lanzi, Ponte Vecchio (the famous arched bridge with copious amounts of stunning jewellery stores) and San Lorenzo Market. We even managed to fit all of these in in one day.
– I’ve heard doing a day trip through the Tuscan countryside is amazing. As one of the things to do on my bucket–list is road trip through Tuscany, above all I would have loved to get a taste of this! We didn’t have enough time but if you do give it a go!
– Marvel at Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore before the crowds arrive. I went early with Mum one morning and it was stunning to soak it all in. Definitely one of my highlights of being in Florence!
Where to eat:
– Amorino: For some legitimate ice-cream instagram goals, hit up Amorino, they do some amazing flower shaped gelato. Pretty and delicious all in one so you can’t go wrong!
– Osteria dell’ Antico Vinaio: I’ve heard these guys have the best sandwiches! We decided to leave it till next time as there was a massive line for lunch so if you’re going there, go for an early lunch or prepare to wait!
– Gelateria La Carraia: Deeeeeeelicios gelato! Need I say more?
– Trattoria La Casalinga: Unfortunately we didn’t get to visit here but I’ve heard great things about this restaurant. Mainly for their traditional Florentine cuisine!
– La Buchetta: Apparently their Florentine steaks are UH-MAZING. It was our first option before seeing that they were fully booked so make sure you make a reservation!
General hints and tips when in Italy:
– When eating / drinking at a restaurant all bread and tips are usually included in the final bill. However if I received really good service I tipped extra as a thank you, even if only a couple euro.
– As mentioned above, visit all of the main monuments early! Ideally before 8am. This way you will be see everything without the crowds. And take some amazing photos while you’re at it!
– When booking accommodation consider who you’re travelling with, how long you plan on being there for and what kind of traveller you are as to what kind of stay is best for you. For the majority of our trip through Italy we wanted to have a home with two bedrooms and a kitchen so we could have the option of cooking. AirBnB was our main preference for long stays and booking.com for short stays. With AirBnB we found that between the four of us it was more affordable as well.
– There are fresh water fountains through-out most of the city wide areas so if you’re on a day trip take a reusable water bottle. It’s much more environmentally friendly than buying plastic bottles and will save you a few euro.
– Learn a few basic Italian phrases and download the Google Translate app. Here you can load onto your phone different languages that will work even if you’re offline. Definitely helpful if you get lost or need some help and don’t have access to WiFi.
– As most parts of Europe you will need to pay tourist tax. This all depends on the area as to the cost but it’s worth looking into before you go so you know what to expect when it comes to paying your bill at the start or end of a stay.
– When in Europe Skyscanner is the main website I use to book flights as there is a large range of options covering a lot of European airlines. They also cater for buses and trains which is super handy if you’re trying to consider all transport options.
– Make sure you do your cuisine research before you arrive, then you know you’ll be tasting the best! All delicacies are based on the region that you are in. For example Rome is well known for its Carbonara and Florence for its Florentine steak.
– Always have cash handy. You are able to use your card in most restaurants but for smaller purchases and markets cash is more accepted.
– Avoid eating next to the main sites / monuments. Take a walk for another five minutes and you’ll find places that have much nicer food, less crowds and are a lot more affordable. Also, if I know where I’m going for the day I always check out tripadvisor. They have the best reviews on restaurants and cafes from all over the world!
– If you plan on using the trains to get from city to city, I would suggest to book these online and in advance. Omio I found easy to navigate and you don’t have to print out a ticket as you can access everything on the app. Trenitalia and Italio are two main train companies within Italy. In terms of comfort, punctuality and friendliness they were very similar so if you’re wondering whether to book one or the other you can’t really go wrong.
I can’t wait to go back to Florence and explore more of this beautiful country! So if you have any additional suggestions on what to do or where to eat let me know!