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After Venice, Florence felt like a shift — from water and motion to stone, art, and history all around us.
After Venice, Florence felt like a shift — from water and motion to stone, art, and history all around us.
Piazza della Signoria - The most famous and most recognisable square in Florence
Florence: A City Shaped by Art and History
Florence: A City Shaped by Art and History
Florence felt like a completely different chapter of the trip. After Venice, we were suddenly surrounded by stone streets, grand buildings, busy piazzas, and art woven into everyday life — plus motorized vehicles again, which was an immediate reminder that Florence had a very different rhythm. It felt historic, but also active and modern.
What stood out just as quickly was how walkable it felt. In a relatively compact area, we could move from major landmarks to quieter streets and then back into the energy again. Florence felt historic, lively, and full of beauty at street level.
Craig & Susan at the Famous Boboli Gardens
What Surprised Us Most About Florence
What Surprised Us Most About Florence
Florence surprised us in some of the best ways. One of the first things we noticed was how walkable it felt. So much of what we wanted to see was within reach on foot, which made it easy to keep moving and exploring.
We also noticed the contrast with Venice right away. After a city shaped by water, Florence brought back streets, traffic, and motorized vehicles — a completely different rhythm, even though we were still surrounded by so much history.
Another surprise was how much beauty was outside the museums. Piazzas, statues, church facades, and historic buildings made the city itself feel like an open-air gallery.
And free time was easy to enjoy. Even simple wandering led to memorable moments, which ended up being one of the best parts of our time there.
The reduced sizes of vehicles surprised us as well!
Trip at a Glance - Florence
Trip at a Glance - Florence
Day 4 - (Florence): Transfer to Florence + Renaissance city center tour • Local guide: No • Free time: No • Walking: Moderate (2–6 miles)
Day 5 - (Florence): Backstreets tour + cooking class • Local guide: Yes (local scholar - She was amazing!) • Free time: Afternoon • Walking: Strenuous (2–8 miles)
Day 6 - (Florence): Uffizi + evening Accademia/David • Local guide: No • Free time: Midday/Afternoon • Walking: Moderate (2–6 miles)
Florence Free Time Tips & Tricks
Florence Free Time Tips & Tricks
Florence is one of those cities where free time can go quickly, especially because so much is within walking distance. That makes it easy to fit a lot in — but it also makes it easy to overpack your plans.
One thing we learned is that timing mattered more than we expected. Crowds built quickly around major sights, so planning ahead and choosing priorities really helped us make the most of our free time.
It also helped to group nearby stops together instead of zig-zagging across the city. Florence is very walkable, and a simple route can save both time and energy.
And just as important, we found it was worth leaving a little room to wander. Some of our favorite moments came from walking, noticing details, and stopping when something caught our attention.
If you decide to visit Pitti Palace, be sure to include Boboli Gardens as well (one of Susan’s favorites). Just be aware that there is quite a bit of walking, including hills and uneven surfaces. Views of Florence from the top of the gardens are amazing too.
Comfortable shoes, water, and realistic expectations made a big difference.
Florence — A Renaissance Welcome
Florence — A Renaissance Welcome
Our first full Florence touring day gave us a great introduction to the city. After arriving that morning, we headed straight into the historic center for a Renaissance walking tour, and Florence immediately began to feel different from Venice in all the best ways.
The day helped us get oriented while also giving us some early “wow” moments. As we walked, Florence’s art, architecture, and history were not tucked away — they were all around us, woven into the streets and major landmarks we were seeing for the first time.
It felt like a strong start to our time in Florence and set the tone for everything that followed.
The Franciscan Church of Santa Croce
The Franciscan Church of Santa Croce
Santa Croce was one of our first major Florence stops, and it made a strong impression. It brought together art, history, and a real sense of Florence’s past in one place.
Seeing the church itself — and paying our respects at the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo — made this a memorable part of our first day.
Santa Croce — a memorable first-day stop.
Inside Santa Croce — beautiful and memorable as well
Michelangelo’s tomb in Santa Croce
Piazza del Duomo — The Heart of Florence
Piazza del Duomo — The Heart of Florence
Piazza del Duomo was one of those places that made Florence feel both grand and alive at the same time . The scale, detail, and constant activity made it the kind of place where we kept stopping to look — and then looking again.
What stood out to us was not just the beauty of Santa Maria del Fiore and the surrounding Duomo complex, but the energy around it. It was busy, full of people, and very much alive, which made the contrast of old stone, intricate design, and everyday city life even more memorable.
Giotto’s Bell Tower was part of this same scene, and with its 414 steps, it was one attraction we decided to admire from the ground! This was also the area where we stopped to enjoy an opera singer performing outside the cathedral — one of those unexpected moments that made Florence feel even more memorable.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo)
Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo) and Giotto’s Bell Tower
One of our favorite unexpected Florence moments: an opera singer performing outside the Duomo
The Backstreets of Florence
The Backstreets of Florence
One of the most interesting parts of our Florence time was the backstreets walking tour. A local scholar (who was awesome) joined us that morning and helped us see a different side of the city beyond the biggest landmarks.
What made this tour stand out was how it connected different layers of Florence’s history. Along the way, we got fascinating glimpses into Roman, medieval, and 19th-century Florentine life, which gave us a broader sense of the city and how much history is built into it.
It was a great complement to the major sights — a chance to slow down, look more closely, and appreciate Florence in a different way.
Our local scholar helped us notice the layers of Florence history hidden in the backstreets
Our backstreets tour gave us a different view of Florence — beyond the major landmarks and into the city’s everyday streets
Cooking Class in Florence — A Hands-On Highlight
Cooking Class in Florence — A Hands-On Highlight
Our Florence cooking class ended up being one of the most enjoyable hands-on experiences of the trip. After our morning backstreets tour, we headed to Tavola Cooking Academy in Florence and helped prepare a home-cooked Italian meal from start to finish.
One of the highlights was making fresh pasta (which Craig helped with) from scratch and then helping cook and plate parts of the meal. It was fun, interactive, and a great change of pace from sightseeing — and even better because we got to enjoy the meal for lunch afterward.
We also made panna cotta for dessert (which Susan helped with), which was a great finishing touch. This class was a memorable part of our Florence time and one we were really glad was included.
Tavolta Cooking Acadamy in Florence
Helping with the fresh pasta during our cooking class — one of the most memorable hands-on experiences of the trip
Dessert from our cooking class: panna cotta, made as part of the meal we prepared together
Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens — Worth the Walking
Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens — Worth the Walking
Another of our memorable free-time experiences in Florence was visiting Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. It gave us a different side of the city and was a nice change of pace from the churches, piazzas, and museum-focused parts of the trip.
The Boboli Gardens were especially enjoyable (one of Susan’s favorites). It was a beautiful place to walk, explore, and take in a quieter side of Florence.
If you decide to visit Pitti Palace, it’s well worth including Boboli Gardens too — but be prepared for a fair amount of walking, including hills and uneven surfaces.
Inside Pitti Palace
Bust of Marcus Aurelius
Boboli Gardens
The Uffizi, Accademia, and David
The Uffizi, Accademia, and David
The Uffizi was impressive not only because of the famous works it holds, but because of the sense of being surrounded by so much of the art and history that helped define Florence. Later that evening, seeing Michelangelo’s Prisoners and David at the Accademia gave the day a powerful finish.
It felt like a fitting way to wrap up Florence — world-class art, time to explore on foot, and one more unforgettable highlight before moving on.
Inside the Uffizi Galleries
View from the Uffizi Galleries toward Ponte Vecchio
At the Accademia, the long approach toward Michelangelo’s David made the moment even more memorable
Seeing Michelangelo’s David in person was a powerful way to finish our final major Florence day
After Florence’s art, history, and walkable streets, we headed next to Rome — a city with a different kind of energy and another layer of Italy’s story
After Florence’s art, history, and walkable streets, we headed next to Rome — a city with a different kind of energy and another layer of Italy’s story
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