30 Best Things To Do in Florence

My Top List of the Best Museums, Food Joints, Places to See, and Getting the Best Experience out of A Trip to Florence

The magnificence of Florence, the Capital of the Tuscany region of Italy, lies not just in her scale, but also in the amazing depth of opportunities and experience she has to offer. Medieval Florence gave birth to Dante, Michelangelo and the Medici, names and figures we know and honor to this day. She gave us Giotto’s Bell Tower, Brunelleschi’s Dome, and the amazing support columns of the Palazzo Vecchio.

Yet, Florence is not just about her medieval architecture, history and the legacies they left for us.

A video of some of the best things to do in Florence

Have you ever heard of the Massimo Listri Foundation’s house museum smack right in the middle of Oltrano District? There are paintings, portraits, legacies from the Age of Exploration and collections from the Oriental East, Africa, and the rest of the world. If you ever get tired of walking around Oltrano while on the lookout for wine windows, you will find the wonders of the entire world collected and preserved right here.

The Bountalenti Grotta is another wonder that ranks extremely high on my list of the best things to do in Florence. I have always loved nature and how artists are like urban engineers, fusing the natural and artificial worlds together in a seamless and perfect unity. The sculptures housed in the Boboli Gardens look so lifelike I would not be surprised if someone were to claim it was Medusa herself who turned them into stone.

Florence is filled with hidden gems, iconic sights and wonders, curiosities, mysteries, urban legends and social scenes. There are adventures to be had for families, lovers, YouTube bloggers, Instagrammers-aka-social media influencers, and lone travelers alike. I hope you see and appreciate my curation of what I believe to be the best of Florence and why these places to see, things to watch, and foods to eat are the best things to do in Florence.

A Short History of Florence

The Florence we know today was borne out of the need to make the most out of the little that was there to be had. Unlike today, Florence in the medieval ages was not part of the Italy we know today. Florence was an isolated little city in the middle of a hostile land. She had to cultivate allies and friends, all the while careful lest the merest frown turn a neighbor into a deadly enemy.

Coping with the running of a state – for that is what Florence was – became the most critical thing to do for her residents. For her rulers, the nobility, and her common people, making Florence beautiful was not simply an investment into one’s homes or streets; it was their whole world, and beautifying her in the face of the largeness of Europe’s greater powers was the best way to express Florence’s uniqueness.

Enter the Medici, the Strozzi, the Rucellai, and the other great medieval families of Florence whose patronage of the Borticellis, Da Vincis, Giottos and others left us with so much to appreciate. Without their support, it is doubtful whether the city would have survived and remained ‘Florence’ in the face of so much external and internal pressures.

Why do I say this?…

The Three Davids and Florence’s Evolution

One way to understand Florence is to look at her character growth in exponential terms rather than linear ones. Sure, it was the great families of nobility that contributed to much of the legacy we see today, but it was the Florentine people whose character molded and transformed her over time.

One of the best ways to see Florence’s evolution – and another reason to consider her art scene as one of the best things to do in Florence – is to tour and visit her art galleries and museums. Set aside the glorious transformations you will see and look towards the reasons for their being.

Donatello, Verrochio, and Michelangelo all produced their iterations of David within decades of each other.

Why do I say iterations?

First of all, visit the Galleria dell’Accademia Museo Nazionale del Bargello. Trust me on this! You want to capture something of Florence’s character and personality on a single tour? This is one way to do it.

These 3 Davids are of the same Biblical figure, telling the same story over the same event. Yet, the artists, their patrons, and the people of Florence saw these three Davids differently, demanding that they were made differently.

Why?

What could have changed over the space of barely 30 years in between each David?

Not to be a tease, but the answer lies in somewhere in between my list of the best things to do in Florence and the way I see her.

To me, it is through such transformations that Florence came to be. Her refusal to be stuck in just one mode of being, a single point of reference, is what makes Florence unique. Why does Tuscany in general, and Florence in particular, have like a thousand recipes of ham, parmesan, Lambrusco, gelato, wine, and fish foods when just a handful were enough to get the rest of us by for thousands of years?

The Best Things To Do in Florence

1. Piazza Del Duomo

Just like the name suggests, the Piazza del Duomo is a major hub for all things grand and cathedral-like. The main attraction is the Florence Cathedral, a Gothic-style eminence built in 1296, completed in 1436, capped by Brunelleschi’s Dome, and still as magnificent as ever. Within a mallet’s throw distance is Giotto’s Bell Tower, part of the amazing complex that is the Florence Cathedral, but too awesome to bundle them up as one.

I would say the number one best things to do in Florence is walking and sampling the medieval marvels of the Piazza del Duomo. The same central square is host to many more amazing constructions: the Baptistry of St. John, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, the Logia del Bigallo, and the Torrini Museum. These structures are filled with history and culture; the Baptistry, until only recently, was the only place Florentines would baptize, meaning people from as late as 1935 were sharing the same experience with Dante, Amerigo Vespucci, and the entirety of the Medici family.

Those last two are not as well known as most of the rest, and it would be easy to pass them off as mere apartment residences. Yet, the Torrini Museum hosts not only a building founded in 1369, it is also the oldest known jewelry firm still in operation. As is the Logia del Bigallo, a Gothic structure not only just as old, but home to stunning bas-reliefs of Biblical figures like Prophets, angels, the Virtues, and an Ecce Homo.

2. Visiting Piazzale Michelangelo

Essentially named after one of Florence’s most celebrated architects, the Piazzale Michelangelo was constructed during a time of urban renewal for the city. It is like a museum of all things Michelangelo, with replicas of his marble statues from everywhere else in the world placed on the piazzale, and walking around or simply sitting and gazing around the piazzale, is one of the best things to do in Florence.

I made sure to drop by here because the place is like on a hill that overlooks much of Florence’s grandness all while ensconced in a beautiful garden. It offers one of the most panoramic views of a city one could wish for, capturing the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, the Croce, and the Badia Fiorentina.

I found that timing was one of the best ways to carry away the most breathtaking photos. In the evening just as the Sun sets, or just when it is getting cloudy with the winds pushing everything before it. You can then catch the horizon where the city landscape and the distant hills just touch the sky in the distance and perhaps get a sense of why so many artists came to this city.

3. Ponte Vecchio

A medieval stone bridge with the fame of being so beautiful that Hitler broke policy and allowed it to be one of two bridges in Florence left intact.

The bridge is like a microcosm of Florence’s grace. There are numerous art sellers, souvenirs, and mostly gold jewelry shops offering stuff in every design conceivable. I saw cuff-links aplenty there, and figurines on offer. One of the best things to do in Florence is to take advantage of the collection of goods on this street because some of these establishments have handed down generations of traditions in crafting and designs and taking something away is guaranteed to leave you with a unique piece of Florence.

One of the best things about the ancient bridge is the spot mid-way across, where you can see both sides of the river running along and also capture photos of the two Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie on the river from the Ponte Vecchio.

4. Galleria dell’Academia

Home to Michelangelo’s giant-sized David, the Galleria is also home to works from lesser-known figures – to me at least – like Paolo Uccelo, Domenico Ghirlando, and Andrea del Sarto. There are works from Sandro Botticelli and Giambologna – but these are names I am proudly familiar with!

High on my list of the best things to do in Florence is visiting the Academia‘s Hall of Prisoners. There is a sad, even curious tale, behind them. The sad part is how they were intended to grace Pope Julius II’s tomb but because of money problems, the project kept being delayed until it was thrown away altogether and the sculptures forgotten in Michelangelo’s studio for a time. My take is that Pope Julius II, or his successors, simply didn’t like the largess of the project, to say nothing of the prudishness of the Pope and his entourage at the time.

The curious bit has to do with the fate of the statues. They found their way to the Boboli Gardens, donated by Bernado Bountalenti – Michelangelo’s understudy – where they are now the central pieces and to be admired forever in the open. Had it not been for the workings of fate, they would have been buried under a grand project and lost in the detail.

5. The Uffizi Gallery

A super-massive museum of art whose halls are themed; portraits and canvases occupy one hall, statues and busts in another, combinations of both in the same rooms etc. It is one of the best things to do in Florence as a family because the museum actually has an initiative where they arrange for kids’ activities and guided tours. Additionally, they have art and books for sale, getting you souvenirs to take back. For me, them allowing us photographs was the best part of the experience; just like we today posing in-front of the camera, the ancients would pose as well, offering their best sides for posterity.

Visiting the Uffizi Gallery is a highlight of the top best things to do in Florence, just be ready to beat the crowds!

6. Shop in the Mercato Centrale

I would have loved to chart for you where you can go for something specific, but the best I can do is tell you where you would most likely find something.

For example, at Piazza del Mercato can be found Chinese dumplings and Rotisserie, while on the Via Panicale can be seen some American dishes. The Italian dishes, however, are all over the place. Lampredotto and Tuscan Schicciata on the Piazza del Mercato, ice-cream, pizza, Neapolitan sfogliatella, and cold cuts of ham and cheese on the Via Rosina…

Did I mention the wild and freshly caught seafood, shellfish, fruits and vegetable stands that draw in locals and tourists staging in Florence?

Or the local, home-brewed wines at a stall or twenty?

What I can say is that if you are not looking for something specific, then you are in for a treat of everything Florentine. For one, I have mentioned the cosmopolitan nature and content of the place. However, for someone looking for a deeper take on Florence’s effect on an outsider – read tourists – shopping or eating here is one of the best things to do in Florence because it lets you meet people from everywhere, seated down and sharing their stories over meals and drinks.

7. Sampling the Leather shops and markets

This is a city that once hosted over 1600 leatherworkers, as well as producing Gucci. True, Gucci is one of the most famous, but don’t ignore the history and knowledge handed down over time. Today, Italy has close to 4 million companies dealing in leather and while most of them run small-scale operations of 2-4 people, it is this very small-scale that tells me they are professional and authentic offers.

There are shoe-making shops, leather bags, belts, leather wallets, baggage, key fobs, etc. Telling the real apart from the fake will be a challenge. Real, Italian leather has a distinctively strong smell – part of the legacy of the tanning process used in Florence. Genuine Italian leather also doesn’t change when lit on fire with a lighter and absorbs water without changing the material.

Ahem…I’ll let you work out how you are going to convince the seller on these tests!

I won’t mention what places you can genuine Florentine leather, but I will mention the leather workshops and schools. Piero Tucci on the Via Lungo L’Ema, 17, and Scuola del Cuoio on the Via di S. Giuseppe, 5/R offer tours, classes, and lessons on the whole process of tanning, curing, cutting, assembling, stitching, and finishing.

8. Marveling at the Cappelle Medicee

Another Florentine structure that was restored in 1869, the Cappelle Medicci is a true marvel of Florentine art and architecture, and visiting here is one of the things to do in Florence. There are tombs of the Medici that are themed with figures from the Bible and Romano-Greek culture alike. Michelangelo’s Day and Night sculptures are especially noteworthy in their gracefulness.

However, for me, it was the flooring of the chapel of the Princes. Sure, the statues and frescoes and even the cupola’s scenery from the Old and New Testament stories are one thing. However, you are crossing the floor, moving from one tomb to the next to marvel at the sarcophagi. Eerily, a shadow seems to always follow you, silently standing beside you, as if judging your expression for whether you like what you see. Then you turn to the next and one shadow leaves you, the next catching up to do the same.

I am not saying the place is haunted, and even if it were, they are not malicious. I am simply wondering whether it is the medieval Princes or the architects themselves…

9. Piazza della Signoria

Another one of the best things to do in Florence is to walk the Piazza della Signoria. It is like an old square where some of the older Romanesque buildings were first built when the city was coming to terms with itself as a city-state. Taking a video of yourself amidst this urban centre can be a good experience to always remember because it is very panoramic.

Around the Piazza can be found the Loggia dei Lanzi, as I already talked about, but so much more besides. There is the Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Uguccioni, the more modern (year 1871) Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali, and the Tribunale della Mercanzia. A fortress, an old parliamentary forum, a judiciary building; these are basically the constructions that make up a country’s government.

10. Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence

Once a marshland few paid attention to, it is now the final resting place of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, Foscolo, and Rossini. It is the largest Franciscan Church in the world with some 16 chapels and has all the hallmarks of the grandness of Gothic buildings.

Much about the interior of the Basilica is worth mentioning, but I was especially struck by the expansiveness of the East-facing nave and the apse. The columns tower above you in the nave and even when I was surrounded by crowds I could not help feel diminutive without feeling small at the same time.

How do I explain that?

I can’t, really. I just felt welcomed in this holy place that showed my place and role in the universe and somehow I felt I belonged.

11. Buontalenti Grotta

I thought I would kick off this list with some selfishness on my part.

I adore nature. I also love art. What could be better than the fusion of the two?

The Buontalenti Grotto is an amazing place to visit and definitely first on my list of the best things to do in Florence. The sculptures alone are amazing, right up there with the best bronze or marble creations of Michelangelo and Raphael. The only difference is the setting!

When I first set my eyes on the three chambers, I was struck by the life-like nature of the stone statues set against rock. There are nymph-like figures seeming to take a stroll while tending to their goats below. Two Greek figures, Apollo and Ceres, seem to either come out of the rock to present themselves to mankind, or sink into the rock, their time and age passed over.

The main gallery’s scenery is filled with stalactites, stalagmites, sponges, stones, and shells, carved by Pietro Mati. Above are more of the same, splitting the frescoes above into sections as if unwilling to let the different worlds touch and come together.

Then, as if to make this strange underwater/underground and unnatural world stranger, there is a circular hole right above the dome of the grotto, as if a window peering into the weird world below.

12. Brunelleschi’s Dome

Nothing to do with nature here; this is all pure man and oh boy, man can be magnificent!

My visit to Brunelleschi’s Dome had all to do with the panoramic view of the city I could grab. Sure, from the ground looking up, the Cathedral is all arches and triangles, geometric rectangles and windows and monochrome. It is like the black swan in the midst of a beautiful street and on first glance, you think, very boring…you’d think.

But then it has you wondering why this black swan is so massive and dominant. You walk around the Cathedral and walk and walk and walk. It is that large. And, apart from the size, very boring…you’d think.

So you go inside and you see everyone looking up and queuing to go even higher.

And you have to work for it.

We had to book a time slot to climb the steps; everyone has to because everyone knows of the gold up top. The steps are many – 450+ if my cardio and calves got it right – and there are no lifts to mar the beautiful yet medieval work of man’s brilliance. And they even warn people with heart conditions that the climb will cost their bodies.

Along the climb you see Verocchio’s Golden Ball, the 8 drum windows by Donatello, Ghiberti, Andrea del Castagno and Paolo Uccello, and Giorgio Vasari’s Last Judgement painted on the ceiling. And then you get to the top and the glorious views you wanted.

From the top you can see Florence’s red-brick roofs laid out like a carpet before you. Giotto’s Bell Tower is right beside you, as are the Medici Prince Chapel Dome, the Orsanmichele Pitti Palace, and Bargello Bardia, Santa Croce Church and all the rest of the world of Florence. Truthfully, I really couldn’t tell what most of what I was seeing was, and part of the fun when I was back home was going detective to find out what I was seeing from the rest.

13. Loggia dei Lanzi

Back in the day, Florentines would gather at this loggia to debate on critical issues about the city. Loggia are open air rooms and in the 16^th century, the Medici brought in dozens of sculptures, creating an impressive gallery of sculptures open to the public to see.

There are many sculptures here, and if the legend is true, each was curated with a specific political message in mind. For example, there is a life-size statue of Perseus with Medusa’s head in his hand, supposedly meant to represent what the Medici would do to their enemies. Or the pair of Medici Lions at the entrance, representing Florence’s heraldry. Just below the parapet are the Four Virtues Fortitude, Temperance, Justice and Prudence cast in trefoils, another message for the Florentines.

But not all the statues there are political or meant to display a message.

There was one in particular that struck my eye and felt more like the artist demonstrating their powers of creation.

The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna was supposedly cast from a flawed block of marble. Giambologna then created a marvel of art; from any angle, you can see something of the story of the ancient Roman tale. This is a very solid contrast from most art where the viewer’s eye is directed towards the centre or some dominant viewpoint that catches their eye.

I loved this particular spot because of the photo-opportunities it offers at your convenience. Most monuments and galleries are filled with people, all huddling together at the same time frame. Here, right in the middle of the street, you get to walk among statues whose forms are meant to tell you something about the city’s people.

14. Massimo Listri Foundation

Visiting the foundation is one of the best things to do in Florence because of the massive collection of artworks and curiosities from Italy and the rest of the world. Listri himself is a photographer whose love for architectural works have driven him to create his own museum of wonders. Nothing establishes this more than the design and cultural foundations behind a particular people, case in point the Japanese folding screens in the main floor and the exquisite gardens just before.

The foundation itself is a house, where the rooms serve as galleries with eclectic collections. For example, I found the living room the best gallery so far because of its contents. There is a Egyptian table made from the red porphyry found only in Egypt and was reserved for the Pharaohs. There is the tooth of a narwhal, the mystical foundation behind both unicorns and mermaids. Chinese vases abound the place, among them blue and white Ming Dynasty whose making is now forgotten to artisans.

15. Florence Street Art

Ever seen Roman graffiti somewhere during your walking tours of Rome or Florence herself? Think Banksy, Gec art, Clet Abraham, and Blub. In the streets where you’d expect them to be, only in a weird, very socially modern way.

The street art scene in Florence has been cultivated into an art… sic! I have seen an underwater Cupid, goggles and all. The Pope and the David in scuba, and the famous Dutch painting of the girl with a pearl earring – also with scuba goggles on. These are all conventional art in a way, borrowing from Italy’s famous creations and repurposing them for fun. However, my favorite street art are less conventional, and more in tune – and out of tune – with what I know of Florence.

Apparently, Pompeii has over 11000, telling us something about this ancient tradition the Italian people have never abandoned.

Road signs and street posts are covered in street art. The ‘Stop’ signs in Florentine streets have an old school Pac-man eating up the dash line, with another being pooped on by a bird. Another is set on fire, another in the crashing grip of a fist. There is one with an ice-skater on the dash line, and another with a traffic cop, worn and tired from keeping people from being free to go their way, leaning on the dash line in fatigue. I feel these are all telling us more about the Florentine spirit of defiance and walking the streets, discovering them, is truly one of the best things to do in Florence!

16. Vasari Corridor

Did you know that the Vasari Corridor was built to counter hatred?

The Medici are at the heart of Florence, but the political life is hard. There was a time the family was so reviled they had to build the corridor just so they could move across Florence in some safety lest a dagger find a vest.

Did you know that the Vasari Corridor survived hatred?

When the Nazi invaded Italy, they destroyed every bridge they could find, save two; the Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor. I find this an interesting side note to history because the Nazi hated the Jews with a passion, yet the Vasari Corridor once saw meat sellers and butchers kicked out in favor of jewelers – many Jews among them – because the Medici didn’t like the smell of meat.

The corridor now serves as home to over 500 self-portraits collected from all over Italy. Basically, walking across the Corridor that is across the river is like walking across time, seeing the faces of people whose touch on history deserve remembrance.

17. Florentine Street Food and Tuscan wine!

You already know that there are thousands of recipes in Florence, cultivated over thousands of years of history. However, you will not encounter most of them because they do not have a good platform, like a café or restaurant, to say nothing of making the business profitable over time. So, most of it is al passegio, food on the go.

This is why diving into the Florentine street food scene is one of the best things to do in Florence.

Forget the pasta or pizza; I am talking about Schiacciata all’olio, a flatbread dipped in oil and salt. Trippa, cow-stomach lining stewed in tomato and served like they did in the Roman times; in hard bread, gobble it down with some fine locally made Tuscan wine! Schiacciata is fairly common in restaurants, but the street version can come with some interesting flavors. Panini is also a common street food, with several rather famous restaurants like All’antico Vinaio also selling the sandwich.

How do you get all these in your tummy while having fun? Grab a bike instead of walking or driving and you will create space where none existed before.

18. La Specola Zoological Museum

While the Florentines were Masters of Italy, they were also jacks of all trades. Some of the greatest adventurers and sailors of Europe were Italian. They brought wealth and knowledge from all over the world back home, and some of this wealth and knowledge can be found in the La Specola Zoological Museum.

There are over 5000 animals displayed – and 3 million more in storage. Imagine 24 rooms filled with animals taxidermed and mounted with never coming across a repeat. From Hippos from the Nile to Tasmanian Tigers from…sic… Tasmania. All of them were once living and breathing creatures and for a nature lover like myself, seeing them all in one place sort of calms me with the thought we were trying to preserve something of the natural world from as far back as the 1700s.

19. Gregorian Chants from the Basilica San Miniato al Monte

I tend to run Gregorian Chants on loop, letting the harmonic sounds draw me to sleep or relaxation during afternoons. So it was with great pleasure to find the Basilica San Miniato al Monte. The experience of listening to the monks chant is very spiritual, something an audio file can barely match.

20. The Craft Shops Of Oltrarno

Antique shops, picture restorers, bijou art, jewelers, print-makers, carpenters, lithographers, Cantucci and cheese-making, leather-shops and all kinds of crafting works can be found on these streets.

You know Gucci, right? Leather shops in Oltrano have a lot to be grateful to the designer. Today, there is a leather school called Scuola del Cuoio where you get to see how everything from bags to jackets are made.

There is something about watching a master at work, doing their thing and producing something that is unique or special. That something is more cherished and wonderful when they take the time to let you in on their secrets to crafting. Sometimes, they offer crafting lessons and it is this that drove my family to the crafting shops of Oltrano. They are legion in number, making a tour of Oltrano district one of the best things to do in Florence.

21. The Wine Windows of Florence

We did a walking tour of Florence where the activity of the day was to see whether we could discover the oddities of Florence, like street art on road signs, or the famous wine windows that were unique to Florence.

Wine windows are small openings in doors or walls where back in the medieval times, some homes and palazzo would sell wine directly from their homes. There is an art to discovering them, and the fun experience of receiving wine from a small opening without exchanging faces is one reason many tourists hound Oltrano just to do it.

They are legion in number, some 200 of them according to those in the know. Many are in disuse, with a good portion covered up because the residential owners no longer wish to be bothered by some errant tourist knocking on their doors and demanding wine.

I did a blog post where I list several dozens of beautiful wine windows in Florence (MAP INCLUDED) and I would advise carrying a map with you because many of them can be well hidden. These wine windows are a must-see in Florence.

22. Knights in Armor

The history of the world is the history of the development of arms. For my brother, this would be one of the best things to do in Florence and part of the itinerary I have planned for him.

The Stibbert Museum hosts the most complete and incredible collection of armor I have ever experienced. There are armored knights from all ages and fashions and seeing them arraigned is like seeing the evolution of warfare from simple leather tunics to plate steel. There are also armor from all over the world, ranging from Japanese Samurai in their terrifying yoroi masks, to haughty Moghul warriors standing proudly in formation. My best was the gallery with knights with their family heraldry draped across their horses, telling the world the pride of their family lines and the rich history of warfare.

23. The Oldest Perfume Shop in the World

The oldest perfume shop is also home to the oldest pharmacy in the world. Back in the day, scientists were usually considered witches and magicians and for the most part, distrusted and shunned. When times were bad, i.e., during plagues, famine, droughts, earthquakes etc, they would be the subject of inquisition, harassment, and blame.

So it is no surprise that the oldest pharmacy in the world was opened by members of the Church, in this case, the monks of Santa Maria Novella who would give medieval medicines to the needy. In the early 1600s, Fra Angiolo Marchisi turned the pharmacy and perfume business commercial, selling everything from toiletries to potpourri to balms and food.

The Sala Vendita and the Sala Verde are interesting places o visit because there they would sale and make the ancient remedies, and above in the ceiling looking down, the portraits of old patrons like Catherine de Medici.

24. Hills of Firenze

The hills of Florence are a magical green teeming with energy and life. They are also home to some 18 aerial courses in an adventure park called Il Ggante. We are talking ziplines 100m long high up in the canopies. Tibetan bridges 20m in the air and crossing from tree to tree. Courses are available for children as young as 3 years, not only suited to drive the restlessness out of their bodies, but to build up their tolerance for heights all the while being extremely fun.

And you don’t have to be the one to bring them there!

There is a bar, the Bar Bagianni, with drinks and foods available. You can let your own parents take their grandkids off to have fun while you look into other places on your own, like walking the forests of Monte Ceceri Hill. If you are looking for the best things to do in Florence with an entire family in mind, taking your kids here is guaranteed to set them up for the rest of your tour around Florence.

25. Aperitivo

Florence is history…and Aperitivo.

The timelessness of aperitivo is what makes Florence so lovely; you can be having something light like a prosecco, light wine, beer, or something else like a negroni, vermouth or spritz.

The good thing about aperitivo is they are there just when you need them, like, for instance, after a long walking tour of Florence. Caffe’ Sant’Ambrogio, Il Locale, Rex, Quelo, Ditta Artigianale and Fermino are but a few of the ones I have sampled personally, and hope you try them out before venturing out for others not listed here.

26. Cooking Class experience

Florentine pasta, bruschette, paninis and cakes are to die for. One of the best things to do in Florence is to do a walking tour of the city but learning the different cultures and minds behind the recipes that have been developed over time hits differently. From making fresh pasta, pizza, breads and pastries to gelato, all from scratch, make such tours among my top best things to do in Florence Italy. Once you learn this skill, you are truly set for life, you know exactly what you put in your mouth when you make it yourself.

27. Visit the Museo Galileo

They haunted the old man to his grave.

In 1737, Galileo’s body was exhumed and a post-mortem done on it. It was not enough that he had given his life to discovery and science; now they wanted to know how his body worked.

However, it was Galileo who had the last laugh; for some reason, his entire body disintegrated, leaving only his middle finger. Distraught and dissatisfied, they refused to give in and mounted the finger in a glass case.

Now, Museo Galileo is home to astrolabes, telescopes, compasses, his personal objective lens, and is itself housed in a former castle, Palazzo Castellani, itself built in the 1100s. The Medici Collection was my favorite because of Santucci’s gigantic armilliary sphere and the collection of globes charting both the stars and the world around us.

28. Florence’s Greatest Architectural Wonders

Florence long served as an independent state for most of modern history, and during this time the residents built and preserved monuments and buildings right in the city.

This makes Florence home to a staggering number of architectural wonders. I am talking about the Basilica di Santa Croce, the Basilica di San Lorenzo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Palazzo Pitti. These are architectural marvels facing off against each other in a grand array. I was amazed at the brilliance of the stunning dome of the Cappelle Medicii, the free-standing columns of the Hospital of the Innocents, the Romanesque five-bay Temple front of the San Miniato al Monte, the military structure of the Palazzo Vecchio, and others.

With the River Arno as the starting point, you can cover all these and many more of Florence’s architectural wonders in a single day, making the time spent one of the best things to do in Florence.

29. The Laurentian Medici Library (Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana)

So, best not take young kids here.

The design of the Library is an oddity through and through.

I know that Libraries are mainly meant to go for reading, but I read somewhere that the Laurentian Library is not only famous for its use of all three Classical Orders, but that there is an apparent mystery behind their use.

You see, the Classical Orders as specific in character, with the Corinthian and Composite Orders the most decorative and elaborate. Yet here, the Corinthian Columns are stripped of their decorative features.

For one, you know about how they started covering up genital parts in art? I have a blog on the subject of the Great Castration worth checking out on everything to do with Nudity and Fig Leaves in Art and why there are so many ”male genitals” masquerading in Italy.

Then, it is a bit of a wonder that the medieval age allowed for a Library to be constructed with the walls of the vestibule looking like human skin, apparently in celebration of the human body.

Then there is the building’s columns supported by corbels, making the entire structure look weak, as if about to collapse.

Was Pope Clement VII – a Medici by the way – trying to say something here? A Place of knowledge where you can expect the unexpected?

Let me know whether you discovered any more oddities here please. Thanks!

30. Selfie Museum Firenze

Like the name suggests, this place is filled with insta-mad visitors each seeking to capture hundreds of great moments and pin them.

400 contributing artists. 70 installations. Rooms and corridors arranged like a maze with backdrops and props waiting on you to fill them.

The best part?

Each exhibition, gallery, or room is only complete with your active participation. The Selfie Museum is an interactive place where the flying carpet room and the unicorn room and the colorful plastic balls room and the Fading Vector Lines illusion room are all waiting for that one single perspective – you – to complete the image.

Are you visiting Italy? I am also a travel Youtuber living in Italy and I share Italy travel guides and tips to help you navigate your Italian vacation. Watch my YouTube Channel for everything about Italy.