Florence is flourishing before your very eyes! 1.6 million people visited Florence during the summer of 2022. That’s up by 35% over the first five months of the year.
Yet many people interested in Italy travel skip Florence to go to Rome or Milan. If you’re interested in Florence but aren’t sure if you want to visit Florence, you should think of a few good reasons to go.
What can you see in Florence? What is the cuisine of Florence like? How can you go shopping in Florence?
Answer these questions and you can have a premium Italian vacation. Here are four great reasons to visit Florence.
1. The Art Galleries Are Amazing
The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most renowned art museums in Italy. The museum holds a premium collection of Italian Renaissance art, including paintings from Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Raphael.
The Accademia Gallery is the home of Michelangelo’s David. You can also look at other sculptures and paintings from Italian artists as well as works from the collections of the Medici family.
2. The City’s Medieval Architecture Is Incredible
The buildings are just as beautiful as the art they contain. The Florence Cathedral has one of the largest brick domes in the world with polychrome marble panels in magnificent shades of white, green, and pink. Go inside and you can look at arches, tall pillars, and stone chains.
The Basilica of San Lorenzo is less famous than the Florence Cathedral, so you won’t have to wait in a long line to get in. The Basilica has a simple bare stone facade, but if you go inside, you can find an elaborate system of vaulted ceilings, arches, and columns.
3. Florence Restaurants Offer a Mix of Flavors
Ask a local about famous Florence dishes, and Florentine steak will come up. It is a T-bone steak that is more than two pounds in weight. It is fire-grilled over roasted chestnuts and pink on the inside, allowing you to taste the natural juices.
As you might imagine, Florence restaurants prepare many types of pasta. Pappardelle is a long pasta that chefs mix with heavy sauces, including ones made with wild boar and rabbit. Tagliatelle is a thin and flat pasta with vegetable sauces, especially mushroom-based ones.
4. Florence Is a Fashion Destination
Florence is well-known in the fashion world for leather and handcrafted clothes. You can stop into small shops during Italy tours and find items you cannot get anywhere else.
You can also visit outlets for luxury brands like Gucci. Some stores require you to make reservations, so visit the homepage of a store to see what you need to do before you travel to Italy.
You Should Visit Florence for Many Reasons
Most people visit Florence to see the priceless works of art. Nearly all of the major figures in the Italian Renaissance are represented in galleries and museums across the city. You can also find legendary architecture, namely the cathedrals and basilicas.
But you can find incredible culinary feats like steaks and pasta dishes. Step off the beaten path, and you can shop for luxurious clothes and fashion accessories. Go on a tour of famous brands and not-so-famous ones.
You’ve scratched the surface of the Florentine iceberg. Read more Italy travel guides by following our coverage.
Read more articles for ibomma