When you think of Italy, Rome is probably the first destination that comes to mind.
As the country’s capital and a cultural powerhouse, it’s home to some of Europe’s most iconic attractions, like the mighty Colosseum, the ornate Fontana di Trevi, and the Vatican, to name a few. With so much to see, it’s no surprise that many tourists make it their first stop in Italy.
Despite all its undeniable charm, it’s not always Rome that leaves a lasting impression.
In fact, according to over 657,000 votes that were cast on Travel + Leisure‘s annual World’s Best Awards, it’s the equally gorgeous Florence, in the sun-drenched Tuscany, that was crowned both Italy and Europe’s best city:
Florence Is The Best City In Italy
The historic capital of Tuscany, Florence (or as Italians call it themselves, Firenze) is in fact one of Italy’s strongest offers on the culture front, despite being much smaller than Rome, and being arguably more quaint.
Make no mistake, Florence is a sizable city with over 700,000 residents, and it can get quite busy. Despite the crowds, life here moves at a slower, far more relaxed pace, and for many, it even has a hint of that small-town charm.
That’s partly why it’s scored an impressive 90.08 out of 100 on Travel + Leisure’s survey, the most out of any European city listed, but the idyllic appeal of Tuscany is not the only reason why visitors come from far and wide.
Have you ever seen how gorgeous the fiorentina skyline is?
Explore Florence’s Medieval Old Town
This classic Florence postcard you see above is taken from Piazzale Michelangelo, a public square on the top of a prominent hill overlooking the historic city. Up there, you can spot several of the city’s most striking landmarks.
There’s Ponte Vecchio, a medieval covered bridge that’s been serving as a marketplace for centuries now, the fast-flowing Arno River itself, cutting through the heart of the city, and of course, the unmistakable red dome.
That big dome, locally known as the Cupola del Brunelleschi, towers above a pastel-colored cityscape, and it belongs to the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the city’s imposing cathedral. At one point, this dome was considered the largest in the world.
It was built at a time when Florence pivoted from being an obscure medieval township, to a flourishing center for the science and the arts during the Renaissance, and in case you didn’t know, the much-referenced cultural awakening was brought forth right here.
Back to the cathedral itself, it is even more impressive seen from up close and from within, with frescoes painted onto the dome and a haunting, but beautiful Gothic interior.
A Maze-Like Historic Center
Gorgeous as the cathedral may be, it’s not Florence’s only manmade wonder. Still on cathedral square, you’ll find a sole-standing bell tower.
Featuring the same polychormatic, patterned marbles, they form the city’s most easily-recognized architectural ensemble, and the historic cafés and museums ringing the old square only add to the overall charm.
A short 4-minute walk away, Palazzo Vecchio is yet another one of Florence’s medieval treasures, and a fortress-like town hall built all the way back in 1299.
Walking distances here are quite short, but seeing that Florence’s historic center is like a maze of winding alleys, you might take a little longer to get to where you’re going. Not that you’ll mind, as there’s always a picturesque piazzetta to photograph.
Now, Florence is a city of many basilicas, and you could easily spend weeks on end here and still not see them all, but if you’re only in town for a couple of days, you definitely shouldn’t skip:
- Basilica of Santa Croce, the burial place of three of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli
- Basilica di San Lorenzo, the oldest-surviving church in Florence, consecrated in the year 393
- Badia Fiorentina, an abbey and church home to the Monastic Communities of Jerusalem
Did You Know Dante Aleghieri Grow Up Here?
If you want to know a little fiorentino secret, Dante Aleghieri grew up only a few steps away from Badia Fiorentina, on a stone-built house just across the street, now open as a museum chronicling the life of one of Florence’s most-celebrated writers.
Looking for more hidden gems tourists often skip when visiting the best city in Europe? Check out Torre della Pagliazza, now squeezed between a couple of modern apartment buildings, yet probably one of the most ancient structures in Florence, dating back to the Byzantine period.
About 500 feet from the cathedral, there’s another fiorentino secret spot to be discovered: Orsanmichele is a 14th-century building that has had many a use throughout its history. It’s been a church, a granary, and more recently a guild hall.
Finally, if you’re as much of an oenophile as you are a culture buff, look for Florence’s world-famous buchetta del vino: a tiny ‘wine window’ overlooking a cobbled alley, where you can get a glass of the good stuff poured by mysterious hands.
The exact address is Via dell’Isola delle Stinche, 7r, a couple of minutes’ walk from Basilica di Santa Croce.
World-Class Museums Galore
Of course, there is no Florence without its world-class museums, and trust us when we say you would need a lifetime of visits to the capital of the Renaissance to soak up all the Old World allure in sight.
The Uffizi Gallery is a good place to start, however, with its ample selection of Renaissance paintings and sculptures, from Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus to da Vinci’s Annunciation, and many other masterpieces signed by Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Raphael.
Perhaps Florence’s most admired carving, the monumental David by Michelangelo is housed in another gallery, Galleria dell’Accademia, and it’s even more impressive in the flesh than on the pages of your History textbook.
For a glimpse into Florence’s myth-envelopped aristocratic life in the Middle Ages, head over to Palazzo Pitti (and its adjacent Boboli Gardens), and wander oppulent rooms and lush landscaped giardini that were once reserved only to the legendary Medici family.
Though not as popular as the other one, Museo Galileo is just as fascinating to visit. You know, it’s not every day you get to see some of Galileo Galilei’s actual original telescopes, and a myriad of scientific instruments from the Renaissance period.
Florence Has An Unrivaled Food Scene
We could write an entire article about Florence’s unmatched food scene, but we’ll do our best to keep it short.
If you’re keen on trying the traditional bistecca alla fiorentina, make sure you add Trattoria Sostanza to your list. A laid-back, local-owned restaurant in the heart of historic Florence, it serves flavorsomeT-bone steaks and earthy Tuscan wines.
Craving some good old pasta instead? Trattoria Anita, located near Piazza Santa Croce, is your best bet at Tuscan home-cooked pasta dishes. Don’t forget to try their local pappardelle al cinghiale, a ribbon-shaped pasta in wild boar ragù sauce.
For that classic, no-frills pizza spot that’s not only cheap, but good quality, Pizzeria O’Vesuvio, up Via de’ Benci, and La Divina Pizza, down by Via dei Neri, both have great toppings, oven-baked dough, and most pizzas cost under $14.
To sum it up, Florence has the Old World charm, the beautiful dome, narrow, winding streets galore just begging to be explored, fascinating museums, and the amazing food to top it off.
Talk about being the quintessential Italian city break.
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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