This is one of those posts that you’re gonna need a pretty huge cuppa tea, some biscuits or perhaps even a scone or two slathered with clotted cream and (strawberry) jam to go with the post as it is rather ‘picture heavy’ so I’ll give you a minute or two to get yourself prepared.
All ready? Tea at the ready? Right! Let’s go! As you already figured out from the post title, these are the things you need to get up to on a long weekend in Florence – which, by the way, is officially my favourite Italian city – right up there with Venice…
1.) First off, in typical style, dump things off in the hotel and head on out to get get lost on the streets. No maps. No plans – just walk where ever you feet take you.
2.) Perhaps stop for that mandatory Facebook cover/profile photo? Or even one for instagram? 😉
3.) Next, head off to go see Ponte Vecchio – the famous stone bridge with houses on it!
4.) Definitely take a little walk on the bridge itself to see what it’s like. Looks like any other street and you wouldn’t even guess that all of this is on a relatively small bridge.
5.) Next, do some more side street wandering. Again, no plans – just carry on and let the streets guide you….
…or perhaps follow Lloyd.
Ponte Vecchio looks pretty darn beautiful in its very own mish-mash way. 🙂 Truly magnificent Tuscan architecture.
6.) Make your way to Piazza della Signoria which is a big square – well actually, it’s L-shaped but it’s effectively a big open space between buildings
7.) Check out Palazzo Vecchio – the town hall.
8.) Before you do anything else, check out the copy of Michelangelo’s David statue as well as some other impressive statues guarding the.
9.) Take a walk into the courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio to check out the intricate and ornately designed courtyard.
10.) Perhaps take a romantic (or otherwise) ride on a horse and carriage across the city?
11.) Stop for some fresh, homemade pizza! The best in all of the land (in my opinion – maybe because I ate so much of it!)
12.) Meander through side streets to Piazza della Repubblica. You will probably end up being entertained by street performers, musicians and even indulge in a little gelato pit stop!
13.) Explore the Duomo in more detail along with the Baptistery of San Giovanni. Easily one of the most iconic structures in Florence.
14.) Carry on walking some more… (you can probably sense a theme starting here…)
15.) Stop to take in the lover’s tokens on the chains which serve as sort of road barriers. Lovers sure do love a good set of padlocks… 🙂
16.) Take another sneaky gander at Ponte Vecchio (Why? Because you can! That’s why.)
17.) Stop for some much needed gelato on the walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo! The ice cream here is amazing!!!
18.) Take in the view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo. It offers the very best view of Florence and truly shows off what an amazing city Firenze (Florence) is!
19.) Check out the replica of Michelangelo’s David at Piazzale Michelangelo. You may need to stop for a while to get a good photo with no tourists in it. I couldn’t be bothered with waiting so I have random people in my photos… 🙂
20.) Move on to San Miniato al Monte (St. Minias on the Mountain) – it’s at one of the highest points in the city and as you can imagine, it’s a pretty big trek up here. Once you get here though, take some time to explore the grounds and step in to explore the Basilica.
21.) At this point, stop for a rest and take in the scenery properly! You’ve walked all the way up here, might as well make it worth your while!
22.) On the walk back, stop again for a quick view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s pretty epic as we established before. 🙂
23.) Make your way back into the city centre via a different route from the way you got up! It’s a nice and ingenious way to see different parts of the city.
24.) You’ve probably worked up and appetite by this point so stop for a little pizza break! (Check out that pizza cooking in the oven! Next stop, our tummies!)
25.) Explore Florence’s many different side streets – they offer the best value for gelatos and pizza (your recommended staple diet as a tourist in Florence). How tiny are these side streets? Barely big enough for a tiny car to walk in and yet buses try to squeeze through them! Only in Florence, eh? (Gotta admit, it still adds to the authentic Tuscan rustic-ness that you’ll come to love in Florence)
26.) Stop to check out a street market (there’s one ahead in the photo below). Beware though, there are quite a lot of counterfeit leather goods on sale here!
27.) Finally, make some time to check out the sunset here!!! Preferably with some gelato!
Check Out The Very Best Of Great Britain!
