Falling in love with Florence
- Jordan Milano Hazrati
- Feb 15
- 8 min read
Florence has been on my ‘must see’ list for quite some time, having fallen in love with all things ‘Italian’ at a very young age, when I was lucky enough, at the age of 9, to experience my first trip to the home of La Dolce Vita. It’s been a love affair that’s lasted a lifetime, and I can happily report that this trip to Florence only cemented that bond further.
A Florence city break is the perfect destination for a long weekend, completely doable in three nights without feeling overwhelmed and although you could absolutely do more, you leave feeling as though you’ve not missed out on too much. As such, we landed in Florence at around 11pm on a Thursday night and stayed through to late Sunday evening.
To get from the airport to the city, the best and cheapest option (at EUR1.70 per ticket) is to take the tram, directly from the terminal into the city centre, taking around 20 minutes. From there, it was a ten-minute walk to the hotel, which was right in the heart of the city, ideal for exploring on a shorter trip. The hotel, Hotel Torre Guelfa, is one I would highly recommend. Friendly staff who accommodated our late check-in time, rooms that were individual and bespoke in style and to top it off, each room on arrival is equipped with two books (one in English and one in Italian) written by the owner all about Florence. It’s these little touches that make a hotel stay stand out and entirely memorable for the right reasons.
Breakfast was included in the hotel booking, and it was a delightful spread of meats, eggs, cheeses, yoghurts, local breads (including my favourite, Panettone) and freshly made coffees. After breakfast, we climbed the unique selling point of this hotel, it’s very own bell tower. One of the things I’m known for when travelling, is finding the highest structure that you can climb, and climbing it, and whilst this bell tower wasn’t the tallest in the city, it certainly provided a flavour of what was to come for the day and having landed in the dark, allowed a clear view of the city, the river and the most popular landmarks.
It was then time to head out for some exploring, and after walking through the picturesque streets and stopping by a local church, we arrived at our first stop of the day, Piazza del Duomo and the famous Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral. Tickets were booked in advance, and we’d selected the Brunelleschi pass. This ticket allowed entry to the Cupola (dome), Campanile (bell tower), Battistero (baptistery), Museo (museum) and the Santa Reparta over a period of 3 calendar days (it’s as if it’s perfectly set up for a long weekend). You have to book your time for the dome climb, but for everything else you can come and go as you please, and all of that for EUR30.
Firstly, we climbed the bell tower. Known as Giotto’s Campanile, the bell tower rises elegantly above the city of Florence, providing one of the most rewarding viewpoints in the city. Construction began in 1334, under the watchful eye of artist Giotto di Bondone, and the narrow staircases each lead to a new level revealing a new perspective over the city of Florence and the River Arno. You’ll need comfortable footwear, but the climb to the top is well worth it, with the views at the top allowing you the time and space to appreciate the timeless charm of the city.
Following this, we clearly couldn’t get enough of stairs because it was time to queue up for the dome climb, a true highlight of most people’s visit to the city. Completed in 1436 and designed by Filippo Brunelleschi (hence the name of the ticket), the dome actually remains the largest masonry dome in the world and unique in that the climb takes you between the inner and outer shells revealing close up views of Vasari’s frescoes before emerging at the top, where the panoramas show seemingly endless Tuscan hills beyond the Florentine rooftops.
After all of that exercise (leg day who?) it was time for a reward and in Florence there is only one thing for it. Time to hit the wine windows. If you look closely, you’ll find these tiny wine windows (buchette del vino) tucked away into the facades of many buildings around the city. Rumour has it, they date back as far as the 16th century, and recently many have been revived to allow passers-by to knock, or ring for wine, pay the price and receive a glass of chianti, or a cheeky spritz on the streets of the city. The first one we visited was called Osteria Belle Donne and for a very reasonable price, this experience allowed us to enjoy a spot of people-watching, whilst sipping a fine Chianti in the warm Winter sun.
In the warmth of the sunlight, it was only right to have a wander down to Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s most recognisable bridge, dotted at each side with beautiful jewellery shops. It is the oldest bridge in the city, dating back to 1345 and it’s known to be the only bridge to survive World War 2. I know my parents, when they visited a few years ago, spoke of how busy the bridge was with tourists (visiting in peak season), but it was remarkably calm in December allowing time to pause and take in the sights of the city either way you looked.
Florence may not be the most popular Christmas market destination, but it does in fact have a lovely Christmas market located in Piazza Santa Croce. It’s very much designed to look like the German-style Christmas market, with wooden stalls filling the square, and a myriad of stalls to take your fancy including crafts, food and bar stalls, and well worth a wander round if you’re hitting the city in December.
After a pick me up featuring coffee and snacks, it was time to check out 'Florence lights up', the annual event where after dark, monuments, streets and places of interest light up, brightening up the dark and dreary month of December. We made our way back to Ponte Vecchio, where the whole bridge was illuminated with a programmed light show. Quite spectacular and definitely a point of interest for the locals and tourists alike. The lights trace the main streets of Florence including the main shopping district and seemed to light the way back to our hotel, where it was time for a quick freshen up before heading out for dinner.
Dinner consisted of sharing a bowl of gnocchi, and a pizza at Trattoria Carrozze, a very traditionally decorated restaurant complete with a menu containing everything you could ever want from an Italian restaurant, followed by drinks at a local bar where we were accompanied by Gino… the dog! Gino took a liking to us and sat on his own chair at our table, where the bar owner was more than happy to give up his dog for an hour or two to two animal loving tourists. A walk through the city to check out the lit-up tree, and the light-lined streets completed the first day, and 21,000 steps later, it was time to crash out at the hotel for the night.
After a second hearty breakfast, where the barista serving at breakfast remembered my drink order (what a legend!) it was time to check out the world-famous Uffizi Galleries. The Uffizi Galleries are one of the most famous and important cultural landmarks in Florence, originally designed in the 16th century for the Medici family. The upper floors were transformed into a private art collection which then became one of the earliest public museums. I would highly recommend booking the audio tour if you’re a bit like me and not super clued up on your art, but even for those unfamiliar with art, you can’t help but be impressed by the Botticelli collection, complete with The Birth of Venus which is one of the most recognisable pieces of the Renaissance.
After becoming incredibly cultured for a few hours, it was time for (you guessed it) a wine window stop! This one was located conveniently just around the corner of the Uffizi galleries in Piazza della Signora, at a small bar called Osteria dell’Orcagna. Joining the slower pace of life, famously lived by the Italians, is incredibly easy, and several hours were lost sitting in the sunshine, sipping on a Chianti.
I’d heard on the grapevine that the best place to check out sunset in the city was Piazzale Michelangelo. The viewpoint offers sweeping, and panoramic views of the city and iconic skyline. Created as a grand terrace, overlooking the city, it was intended to honour its’ namesake, Michelangelo, but what I didn’t expect was the sheer volume of people who’d had the same bright idea as I, and given the clear skies experienced on this December day, had all flocked to the vantage point. I was also pleasantly surprised with the vibes, largely helped by street art and entertainment, completely free to enjoy and passing the time whilst waiting for the sun to set over the city.
Piazzale Michelangelo is located about a half hour walk from the city centre, so after walking back, we though it was time for a sit down and drink and we found a beautiful little ‘Bistrot’ called Dondino Bookique. It was completely dead when we sat down, however soon enough, this little haven in the city was busy and bustling with locals. The shelves in the bar were stuffed with books, games and card decks, which made it especially easy to while away a few hours with an Aperol or two.
Dinner was had in Toto Ristorante, a few doors down from our hotel, where a few glasses of warming red, and a steak were devoured after walking the length and breadth of the city again, and after strolling off dinner through the sparkling city it was time for bed and the close of the second day here in Florence.
The third and final morning started much the same as the previous two, with nods of familiarity from the breakfast team, as we took our usual space in the quaint and traditional dining room. After checking out and leaving our bags at the hotel, I fancied checking out the Boboli gardens, known for being a space of peace and calm in the city.
Originally created in the 16th century and located behind Palazzo Pitti, these gardens demonstrate the style and design of the formal gardens from the Renaissance era. The gardens are dotted with fountains, statues and wider avenues lined with trees, and there are many a viewpoint to take in the breathtaking beauty of the rolling Tuscan hills … making it the perfect place to slow down and experience a calmer side to Florence. We paid EUR10 each for our ticket on the day but combined tickets for the palace and the gardens are available if you have longer to spend.
One final wine window later at Ristorante Matteoni, and it was time to head to the airport for the late evening departure flight back to Gatwick. Florence stole my heart from the moment I landed here, as it’s a city that effortlessly blends history, art and that laidback Italian life … true Dolce Far Niente vibes. Whether you want to climb ancient towers, wander Renaissance gardens, or sip your way around the wine windows, the city of Florence invites you to slow down and savour each experience. It really is the perfect place to relax for a long weekend, whilst simultaneously tempting you back for more. With that in mind, here’s my top 5 things to do in Florence to help make the most of your time here:
1. Visit the Duomo and the Giotto Campanile: for delectable views of the city and to understand the deep and meaningful history of Florence, this should be your starting point.
2. Window shop (or actually shop) at Ponte Vecchio: if you’re after something special or just like to admire what you might buy for yourself, here’s your perfect shopping spot.
3. Check out the sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo: you won’t regret or be able to forget the ember-like colours of the Florentine sky.
4. Wander the corridors of the Uffizi galleries: Renaissance-era art really shows off it’s best angles here.
5. Stroll through the Boboli Gardens: slow down in these gardens that seem hours away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
For more insight into my trip to Florence, check out my gallery Florence
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