Florence is one of the many Italian cities extremely popular for first-time visitors to Italy.
If you are travelling to Florence this summer, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. With the uncertainty of what you should and shouldn’t do, here’s a small list of do’s and don’ts while you’re in Florence.
Do try out the food and wine
First things first, make sure you try out the delicious food and wines of Florence. A famous meal in Florence is Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a Florentine steak that’s aged for two weeks before being cooked on charcoal embers. It’s an absolute must-try if you’re in the city! Pasta is also a must, of course, especially paired with rich a ragu, and don’t forget about gelato for dessert.
Florence is the capital of the Tuscan region, which is famous for its red Tuscan wine. So, you obviously need to pair your meals with a full-bodied Tuscan red wine.
Do book tickets early
We recommended booking tickets for museums, galleries, and other attractions in Florence early! These attractions can sell out or have very long lines, so you should try to line up early or buy skip-the-line tickets.
Do learn some Italian
While this is slowly changing, many older restaurant staff and shopkeepers don’t speak English, so it’s nice to learn some basic words and phrases still.
Here are some of the basics that might come in handy:
Ciao means hello and bye.
Buongiorno means good morning.
Buonasera means good evening.
Grazie means thank you.
Even if you only remember a couple of words, it’s always nice to include them in your conversations and to show the extra effort you’ve gone to.
Don’t fully schedule your day
It can be reassuring to schedule plans for every day and make sure to squeeze in as much as possible. But it can be just as fun to walk around and explore the town for a few hours each day. This is usually the way you find parts of the city unexpectedly and run into some truly hidden gems.
We recommend you take a walk by the river in Florence and just see what you can find along the way.
Don’t make yourself a target
Florence is overall a safe city, but there are still scammers and pickpockets around, especially in the busier, more touristy areas. The best tips are to have a secure crossbody bag, all items in your bag, and avoid wearing expensive jewellery and designer items.
Florence is a popular city for art and culture and has very charming streets to walk through. You can spend about three days in Florence, you can see enough and still have the time to explore the city with no schedule.