5 Things NOT to Miss in Florence
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Florence’s “must see” attractions are hard to miss. The Duomo, for example, stands unmistakably in the center of the city. We know you’ll already have these places on your list of things to do in Florence. For us, though, it’s been the little things that make Florence unforgettable. This is a list of the top five “must-do” things in Florence that you might otherwise miss:
5. Espresso and Chocolate Pastries
Like most, we battle jetlag when traveling to other time zones. To make the most of our trips, we try to hit the ground running and adjust to the local time zone. One of the best ways to do this in Italy is espresso. Need an extra jolt? A dose of sugar from a delicious chocolate-filled pastry might be just the ticket. If you’re looking for a recommendation, we like Caffe dei Pucci for a low key breakfast—the pastries and espresso hit the spot, and the owners are friendly.
In Italy, the espresso is incredible, and far less bitter than you might expect. Adding a packet of sugar helps if you’d prefer not to drink it black. The cappuccinos made from the same incredible espresso are likewise amazing, though it’s notable that the Italians only drink them in the morning. When they swing by a cafe mid-day, they favor espresso in lieu of cappuccinos. If you do order a cappuccino mid-day, we think it’s totally acceptable, by the way. We did chuckle when a local immediately jokingly outed us as Americans for this clear faux pas. Oh well, the cappuccino was worth it!
4. Gelato at Gelateria Santa Trinita
For a sweet treat, grab some late-night gelato (on your way to the Duomo, perhaps) at Gelateria Santa Trinita. The flavors are incredible – the pistachio even had a hint of salt that really made it perfect – and we spent the rest of the trip unsuccessfully trying to top it! You can find it in the Oltarno quarter just across the Ponte Santa Trinita (pause for a great shot of the Ponte Vecchio!) at the corner of Lungarno Guicciardini and Piazza de’ Frescobaldi. One of our favorite experiences in Florence is enjoying gelato on a warm night while watching passersby. It’s one of those memories where we can literally feel the warmth of the cement we were sitting on and the incredible flavor of the gelato we were eating, and it makes us want to instantly transport back to that moment.
3. The Duomo at Night
It is hard to miss seeing Florence’s Duomo during the day, but you should definitely make a special trip to see it at night. Sightseeing the same places both during the day and at night is one of our top tips to do while traveling. It’s incredible to see how much the same place can transform from daytime to nighttime. Maybe it’s vacant during the day, but a popular spot for locals at night. Or, maybe it’s bustling during the day, but has live music and a warm calm at night. For many tourist attractions, the crowds at even the busiest sights often disperse after dinner time, leaving you with a very different—almost private—experience from what you might have during the day. The Duomo, for example, can be very crowded during the day, but it feels much more peaceful under the Tuscan moonlight. And, if you’re experiencing jet lag, it’s also a great way to make the best of your time abroad until you’ve adjusted.
2. The Open Air Market
The second floor of Florence’s Mercato Centrale offers a variety of food options including pasta, fresh juices, and even cooking classes. We tried pasta from F.N. Pastafresca on the bottom level. It was fresh, handmade, super quick when we were all “hangry,” and only €3. We would definitely go back again. We didn’t try the cooking classes this trip because we knew we’d already planned a cooking experience in Positano, but the classes were intriguing, and might be worth looking into if you’re not able to go to Positano.
Our favorite parts about the market, however, are the local sellers on the first floor. The charcuterie and cheese selection at Baroni Alimentari is wonderful, and the owners are as knowledgeable as they are helpful (thanks, Alessandro!). They helped us select a variety of cheeses and sliced charcuterie, and we loved all of them. The dried fruits are available at several stands and are just incredible. We highly recommend trying the strawberries, but also pick out a couple of pieces of a variety of different fruits so that you can sample them. The fresh fruit and aged balsamic also did not disappoint. If you don’t have utensils like knives available, just ask the fruit stand attendant if they’re able to cut the larger fruit items. They know you might not have utensils available, or might be planning to eat it immediately, so they do this frequently. We asked them to cut an incredible Tuscan melon for us, and it worked out great! We picked up quite a few items for a picnic we planned for later in the day and refrigerated the perishables at our AirBNB until we were ready to use them.
1. A Sunset Picnic at the Piazzale Michelangelo
This is our favorite memory from Florence. You can read more about our misadventures in trying to reach the Piazzale Michelangeo, as well as some insight about how to correctly get there, but the important takeaway here is that the sunset view from the Piazzale is breathtaking. We laid out such a spread that we attracted some travelers from Denmark who needed a wine bottle opener and fellow sunset watchers from Tennessee. A quick note about the wine bottle opener: You can’t carry them on flights when they have the little foil cutter knife on them, but we were permitted to carry one that only had the corkscrew. If you don’t have one, you can ask if the shop attendant is able to open it, or purchase an inexpensive wine bottle opener at the same shop.
To purchase bottles of wine, you can find several markets near the river before you make your way up to the Piazzale, or you can find wine at the Mercato Centrale. Either way, be sure to build in some time for crowds. We spent 10-15 minutes in the checkout line at Conad Sapori & Dintorni to purchase a bottle of wine, but it was worth it. They had a great selection, and the wine was incredibly affordable, with many bottles under 10 Euros per bottle (as well as a nice variety of splurge options). If you’re running really short on time, there are also stands selling beverages at the Piazzale itself.