Florence – the capital of Italy’s Tuscany Region – is most known for its Renaissance art and architecture.
It is filled with museums and art galleries that feature famous works like Michelangelo’s David sculpture. Florence is also home to the Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Duomo, a massive cathedral with a terra cotta tiled dome.
My husband and I spent 3 days here. We were able to see the main attractions on our list, but could have easily spent a couple more days here. Below is a list of my favorite things we did in Florence.
Free 15 Day Italy Itinerary at the bottom of this post!
Things to Do
I recommend doing a tour (or two) in Florence. There is so much to see and do and a tour helps cover a lot of ground while providing you with lots of information!
1. Market Tour & Cooking Class
We did a Cooking Class with Market Tour through Florencetown that I would highly recommend! This was one of the best days of my life! Foodie heaven from start to finish!
We started our class out with a tour of a local market in Florence where we learned about the produce that grows in the area, talked with the vendors, and sampled some fresh fruits and veggies.
After we gathered all of our ingredients from the market, they shuttled us to a villa in the Tuscan countryside. We had our class inside this adorable rustic building below.
We learned how to make homemade pasta and ravioli!
Then we learned how to make a traditional Bolognese meat sauce, a tomato sauce for our ravioli, and tiramisu.
At the end of our class, we learned about balsamic vinegar and did a tasting of balsamic that were aged for various number of years. A very unique experience!
The views from this villa that we cooked in were pretty spectacular!
2. Piazza Di Michelangelo
We walked to the Piazza Di Michelangelo from our rental. The views here were so worth the walk up here!
You can see the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio bridge from this piazza.
3. Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio is a famous arch bridge in Florence with many shops and vendors.
4. Walking Tour
We did this Florence in a Day Tour by Walks of Italy. It was a 5 hour tour and included the Statue of David, the Duomo, & the Uffizi Gallery. It was packed full of history and information.
I highly recommend a tour in Florence! There is so much to see and tours are a great way to pack in as much as possible.
5. Pizza & Gelato Cooking Class
We really enjoyed this hands on Pizza and Gelato making class through Florencetown.
At the end of the class you get to eat the pizza you make while drinking some delicious Italian wine.
6. Walk around and Explore
Everywhere you walk in this town, you will find beautiful architecture and works of art. Get lost in this city!
If you have time, I suggest walking through the Mercato Centrale. It’s filled with lots of vendors and yummy food.
7. Enjoy a Negroni
A negroni is a classic Italian cocktail made with gin, vermouth, and Campari. We had to try one while we were here!
Where & What to Eat
- Affogato – These are the greatest thing in the world! It is a scoop of vanilla gelato that has been “drowned” with a shot of espresso. So so heavenly! It makes for a great afternoon pick-me-up! We got the affogato pictured below from Vivoli.
- Fresh Pastries – Of course, be sure to try as many pastries as you can while you are here!
- Ristorante Borgo Antico – yummy pasta dishes!
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florintine Steak) – Probably the most famous food in Florence. This is a huge T Bone beef steak that is meant to be shared! It is simply seasoned, fire grilled, and pink on the inside (if you don’t like it this way, order something else – this is made one way).
- Bolognese – You are close enough to Bologna (home of Bolognese meat sauce) that I would recommend trying this if you see it on the menu. It is not the same as a traditional red spaghetti sauce! This is a ‘must try’ dish in Italy! It typically simmers on a stove for hours. It is a beautiful.
- Pizza – I would recommend trying pizza in every region in Italy you can! Depending on where you are they are made slightly different (ex: the pizza you get here will not be the same style of pizza you get in Rome). We took a pizza cooking class which was a lot of fun and you get to eat what you make at the end of class.
- Gelato – There are so many gelaterias! Research how to tell real vs fake gelato so you get only the best!
- Tiramisu – This is also a must try when in Italy!
- Visit the Butcher & the Baker – Stop into a butcher shop and buy some prosciutto and cheese. Then stop at a focacceria for fresh focaccia. Add a bottle of Chianti and this sounds like a complete meal to me!
- Lampredotto – If you are feeling brave, give this a try. It is a very common sandwich in Florence, so I had to try it. It consists of tripe which comes from a cow. I won’t go into details. I tried a couple bites and that was plenty for me. We got the one pictured below from Da Nerbone located in the Mercato Centrale.
- Balsamic Vinegar – Traditional balsamic comes from Modena which is not far from Florence. We did a balsamic vinegar tasting in our cooking class. We got to try balsamic vinegars that had been aged for various number of years. It was an awesome foodie experience!
Where to Stay
We stayed at this beautiful Airbnb in Florence. We were able to walk everywhere we needed from here. And our host here was great!
If you are looking to spend more time exploring Italy, check out my 15 Day Itinerary below!
Free 15 Day Italy Itinerary:
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