Phoebe Hunt

Small but perfectly formed, Florence is a city that feels stuck in time in all the best ways. When I moved here in 2020, I planned to stay for a summer. Like so many drifters and dreamers before me, I remained, fell in love with Italian life and built my home here. For me, Florence isn’t just about queuing for the Uffizi or climbing the Duomo. It’s stumbling upon Renaissance frescoes in obscure places, savouring a morning cappuccino, or taking a evening stroll along the Arno and up to Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s those lesser-known museums, low-key aperitivo spots, vibrant weekend markets and the age-old trattorias I’ve discovered since being here.  🍂 Autumn 2024: Florence has year-round appeal, but Autumn is an especially magical time to visit: the hordes diminish, the heat abates, and mist rises from the surrounding hills. It’s also the season for winemaking, the olive harvest, and truffle hunting in the surrounding countryside.  RECOMMENDED:📍 A weekend in Florence: the ultimate itinerary🛍️ The best shopping in Florence🍴 The best restaurants in Florence🏡 The best Airbnbs in Florence🏨 The best hotels in Florence This guide was recently updated by Florence-based writer Phoebe Hunt. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidel

There’s a reason Florence is one of the most popular city breaks in the world. It excels in food, art and culture in equal measure, but as the secret is most definitely out, parts of this beautiful city can feel overcrowded with tourists (and the inevitable tourist traps that follow).  So if you’re planning a weekend trip, what you need is local knowledge. And that’s where we come in. Phoebe Hunt is a writer living in Florence, which means she knows where to find the really good stuff: spontaneous wine tastings, food markets, family-run cafés and more. From the must-see tourist haunts to the city’s biggest secrets, here’s our ultimate weekend itinerary.  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Florence📍  The best things to do in Florence🛏️ Where to stay in Florence🏡 The best Airbnbs in Florence🏨 The best hotels in Florence Phoebe Hunt is a writer based in Florence. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

When it comes to Italian food, Florence is where it’s at. This is the birthplace of gelato, bistecca fiorentina, and even vodka pasta, don’t you know? In the heart of the Tuscan hills, this city is known for its meat dishes, from wild boar pappardelle to tripe sandwiches).  But don’t be mistaken, no one goes hungry here – veggies can get stuck into truffle pastas, summery panzanella and hearty soups like ribollita, made from veggies, beans and soaked bread. Here, you can choose from rustic family-run trattorias tucked down cobbled side streets, or more glamorous destinations with flower-covered walls and cellars strewn with fairy lights. Our local writers have scoured every one of them. Read on for the best in Florence.  RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Florence🍝 The perfect weekend in Florence🏡 The best Airbnbs in Florence🏨 The best hotels in Florence This guide was recently updated by Phoebe Hunt, a writer based in Florence. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Along with Milan, Florence has long been one of the epicentres of the ‘Made in Italy’ movement. Home to Gucci, Pucci, Ferragamo and a host of other luxury designers, he high-end shopping spots here are some of the best in the business. Beyond flashy designer brands, the pocket-sized renaissance city is also filled with unique independent stores. Grand promenades such as Via Roma and Via dei Calzaiuoli slice through the main historic centre with all the big brands, while sleepy Sant’Ambrogio and the Oltrarno are where you’ll find more unusual treasures. Florence is as well known for its crafts and textiles as it is for its art scene, so it’s no surprise that this creativity leaks into its threads too. Fancy vintage garms and made-to-order jewellery, custom-made shoes and classic souvenirs? You’re in the right place. Here are the best spots for shopping in Florence. RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Florence🍴 The best restaurants in Florence🏨 The best hotels in Florence🏡 The best Airbnbs in Florence This guide was last updated by Phoebe Hunt, a writer based in Florence. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

How would you rate your city’s culture scene? To find out the best cities for art and culture right now, we asked over 21,000 city-dwellers across the globe that exact question – and the results are in.  Each city on this list has earned its place through a meticulous curation process. Locals were quizzed on their city’s best cultural venues and experiences, and were also asked to score their city’s cultural offering based on both its quality and affordability. Of course, affordability is relative here: what’s considered cheap to locals in one city might not be to those in another. But whether it’s because of discounted museum entry for locals or free open-air festivals, these are destinations where art and culture won’t break the bank.  We then narrowed down the selection by excluding cities with lower overall scores, and only including the highest-scoring city for each country. (Better luck next time, London!) Four ‘spotlight’ cities were added to the final ranking – cities that weren’t surveyed but were nominated by Time Out’s clued-up editors and local experts as cultural capitals that deserve a spotlight on this year’s list. So, ready to get out there? From Mumbai to Melbourne, these are the very best cities for art and culture right now. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for the latest travel news and the best stuff happening across the world.

What is it and why is it important? The Duomo is Florence’s central landmark, a piece of architecture so ginormous and complex that it took 150 years to complete. The first stone was laid in 1293, but the technology didn’t yet exist to construct the giant dome, so building work ground to a halt. Eventually, Brunelleschi was tasked with creating the cupola, which is still the largest masonry dome in the world.  Is it worth visiting? Though you can ogle at the Duomo’s impressive red-tiled dome and vast marble façade for free, seeing inside the cathedral complex gives a whole new perspective to Florence’s Renaissance history. If you want to go inside the main cathedral without paying, join a one-hour Catholic Mass on Sunday, but be mindful of worshippers and don’t snap any photos. What does the ticket include? To climb the dome you’ll need a ‘Brunelleschi Pass’, which costs €30 and is valid for three days. This allows you not only to climb the narrow and vertigo-inducing passageways inside Brunelleschi’s Dome, but to access Giotto’s Bell Tower (another hair-raising climb for views over the main Duomo itself), the ornate Baptistery of San Giovanni, and the underground ruins of the ancient Santa Reparata church, upon which the current cathedral was built. You’ll need to wear respectful clothing (shorts below the knee, and shoulders covered) to enter any part of the cathedral.  Where should I eat nearby?  Head to Osteria Nuvoli for platters of cured meats and rustic Tuscan dishes,

What is it?  Palazzo Vecchio, translated simply as ‘old palace’, is a maze of ancient government buildings dating back to the Medici rule over Florence. The outside is somewhat austere, designed to intimidate citizens against uprisings, but inside countless frescoes, marble statues and artworks reveal the Medici’s true wealth. Is it worth visiting? The main attraction is climbing the ancient tower – the tallest in Florence – with views over the Duomo, the river Arno and the rest of the city stretching out beyond. You can wander around the frescoed courtyard for free, but tickets to climb the Arnolfo Tower and visit the museum cost upwards of €12.50.  When should I visit? Time your visit carefully, as Palazzo Vecchio is only open Friday to Monday from 3pm-8pm. If you want to climb the tower, leave a couple of hours to look around the museum and then scale the 223 steps in time for sunset. Where should I eat nearby? Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Gucci overlooks the Palazzo Vecchio if you’re after fine dining by Florence’s most notable fashion house. On the other side of the square, Caffè Perseo does some of the best pastries and coffee in town.  📍 Discover more of the best restaurants in Florence

What is it? Often voted the best museum in the world, the Uffizi Galleries are a vast collection of art and sculpture – mainly focused on the Italian Renaissance – housed within the historic Medici offices and just meters from the Arno river. Is it worth visiting?  Even with the recent price hike to €25 during peak season, the Uffizi Galleries are still a non-negotiable when coming to Florence. Where else can you see the works of Leonardo da Vinci in the artist’s home town, and gaze at Botticelli's Birth of Venus in the flesh? Reward yourself with an espresso in the sun on the rooftop cafe, only accessible to Uffizi visitors.  What should I not miss at the Uffizi? However much you love Renaissance artwork, it’s impossible to do the whole Uffizi in one sitting: there are around 10,000 artworks spread over three floors. So our tip? Make a bee-line to the second floor for most of the the big-hitters: unmissable pieces include Caravaggio’s dramatic painting Medusa, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Annunciation, and the famed double portrait The Dukes of Urbino by Piero della Francesca.  Where should I eat nearby? Much-hyped schiacciata from All'Antico Vinaio is just a stone’s throw from the Uffizi, selling huge sandwiches stuffed with truffle, local cheeses, cured meats and more. 📍 Discover more of the best restaurants in Florence