VIDEO: Five Things to Do in Florence
There are more Renaissance artworks than people in this famous Italian city—and you’ll want to see them all. But these underrated Florentine attractions are what to do in Florence after (or before) admiring Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Michelangelo’s David.
Traditional street food in Florence includes some dare-worthy items, like tripe and lampredotto (cow’s stomach and intestines) served in a bun. Be brave, and order the local snack from Loggia del Porcellino or Mercato Nuovo. The latter is just one of the many markets popular in the city. One of the most authentic is Sant’Ambrogio, though the new Mercato Centrale is also worth visiting.
Make sure your art tour of Florence includes these famous frescoes (plaster paintings on walls and ceilings) at Brancacci Chapel and Palazzo Medici Riccardi, by Masaccio and Benozzo Gozzoli, respectively.
No matter if it’s your first trip to Florence or you’re a repeat visitor, climbing the 463 stone steps to the Duomo terrace is a must if you can. But equally worthwhile (and with fewer lines) is the belltower, Giotto’s Campanile, which provides grand views of Florence’s postcard-worthy red terracotta rooftops and a close-up view of the Duomo.
One of the most fun things to do in Florence is to eat gelato. Carapina makes some of the best flavors, and it's just as good on your way home from the opera (see a performance at Opera di Firenze) as it is strolling the ancient streets on a balmy summer night.
