Smart Self-Managed Tours

City guide · Italy

Florence

A photograph of Florence
Photograph · Wikibusters · CC BY-SA 4.0

Florence has a compact, largely pedestrian historic centre on both sides of the Arno. The Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Uffizi and Santa Croce form the main north-bank cluster; the Oltrarno begins across the river around Santo Spirito and Palazzo Pitti. Santa Maria Novella station lies northwest of the centre, while hilltop viewpoints and Fiesole require a separate climb or transport leg.

Practical information

Language spoken
Italian
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+39
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C, F and L · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walking, tram and bus
  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Teatro Verdi
    02 1 hour

    Teatro Verdi

    Teatro Verdi is a historic theatre in Florence, Tuscany. It stands as a significant cultural venue within the city's rich performing arts landscape. The theatre contributes to Florence's reputation as a centre for music, opera, and theatrical performance.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
  2. Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
    03 1 hour

    Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

    Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is Florence's principal opera house and home to the annual Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival, one of Europe's oldest music festivals.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
  3. Porcellino
    09 1 hour

    Porcellino

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
  4. Teatro 13
    26 1 hour

    Teatro 13

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  5. Pegaso
    39 1 hour

    Pegaso

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  6. Aruch
    42 1 hour

    Aruch

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  7. Autunno
    43 1 hour

    Autunno

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  8. Bazzanti
    44 1 hour

    Bazzanti

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  9. David
    51 1 hour

    David

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  10. Dietrofront
    52 1 hour

    Dietrofront

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  11. Duellante
    53 1 hour

    Duellante

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  12. Estate
    55 1 hour

    Estate

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  13. Factory
    59 1 hour

    Factory

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  14. Fiorenza
    61 1 hour

    Fiorenza

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  15. Il Sole
    75 1 hour

    Il Sole

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  16. incontri
    76 1 hour

    incontri

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  17. Incontro
    77 1 hour

    Incontro

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  18. Instabile
    78 1 hour

    Instabile

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  19. Inverno
    79 1 hour

    Inverno

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  20. Lopez
    91 1 hour

    Lopez

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  21. Marzocco
    94 1 hour

    Marzocco

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  22. Nokike
    98 1 hour

    Nokike

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

The cathedral is the clearest central landmark. Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi lie south toward the Arno, Santa Croce lies east, and Santa Maria Novella lies west near the main station. Cross Ponte Vecchio for the Oltrarno, Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens. Piazzale Michelangelo sits above the river and should be treated as a separate uphill destination rather than part of a flat centre walk.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Walk for most journeys inside the historic centre. Visit Tuscany describes Florence as relatively small and largely pedestrianised, with buses and trams serving places beyond the walking core. The tram also connects selected outer districts and the airport corridor. Restricted traffic zones make driving impractical for many visitors, so use public transport for outlying stops and keep central days on foot.

Checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Florence?

A fixed duration is not recorded. Plan by clusters: the cathedral and civic centre, Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, the Oltrarno and any hilltop or day-trip destination.

Is Florence easy to explore on foot?

Yes. The historic centre is compact and largely pedestrianised. Most major central sights can be linked on foot, while outer districts and uphill destinations may need transport.

Which sights are south of the Arno?

The Oltrarno contains Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens and Santo Spirito. Reach it across the central bridges and treat it as a separate neighbourhood cluster.

Does Florence have trams and buses?

Yes. Florence uses buses and a tram network for journeys outside the pedestrian core, including selected outer districts and the airport corridor.

Should I drive in central Florence?

Public transport and walking are usually more practical. The historic centre has restricted traffic areas, narrow streets and a layout designed for short pedestrian journeys.

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Florence