FLORENCE travel GUIDE: Itinerary, budget & things to Do

When we walked past the Duomo on our last night, the air carried a familiar classical tune coming from a string quartet positioned along an adjacent alley. The drizzling had stopped and a small crowd had gathered around them. Suddenly, a little young boy took his mother’s hand and together they danced to the melody, to the delight of other tourists, who viewed and snapped away.

It’s tender moments like this that made our time in this marvelous city for keeps. I felt it as soon as we emerged out of the Santa Maria Novella station when we arrived in the city. trying to find our guesthouse, we walked with 30+ kilos of luggage on our back. It’s been a long, tiring ride from Zurich and we could certainly use some rest. The concrete pavement turned into cobblestones, the streets looked to narrow alleys. It was quiet. It was as though we were never tired. and for a moment, I felt like Diane Lane (hahahahahhaahhaha), playing with the Tuscan sun, peeking from the top of the heritage buildings. then one left turn and we were greeted by a enormous swarm of people, all admiring the Duomo. hi there, fellow tourists.

We never expected to fall in love with Florence. When we were planning this 16-country European tour, I prepared for Paris or Reykjavik to take my breath away, but it was Florence who stole my heart and ran with it. Easily, it became my favorite city. (Yosh’s most-loved remains Paris, though. but he’s a Francophile, so that’s not really surprising.)

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

UNDERSTANDING FLORENCE
BEST TIME TO check out FLORENCE
HOW TO get TO FLORENCEPISA TO FLORENCE
ROME, MILAN OR VENICE TO FLORENCE
OTHER EUROPEAN CITIES TO FLORENCE
MANILA TO FLORENCE
FLORENCE airport TO CITY CENTER

POCKET WIFI and local SIM IN FLORENCELocal SIM
Pocket Wifi Rental
Roaming

HOW TO get around IN FLORENCEFlorence Hop on Hop off Bus Pass with Audio Guide
Guided walking Tours

THINGS TO do in FLORENCEAccademia Gallery
Piazza del Duomo
Pitti palace and Boboli Gardens
Piazzale Michelangelo
Other Florence Attractions

FLORENCE DAY TOURSTuscany Tour
Assisi and Cortona Tour

WHERE TO eat IN FLORENCE
WHERE TO stay IN FLORENCEWhere We Stayed: Bronze horse Guesthouse
Top budget hotels Under €60
See More: Florence Hotels

SAMPLE FLORENCE ITINERARY
OTHER suggestions FOR THE poor TRAVELER
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UNDERSTANDING FLORENCE

The city was founded as early as 59 B.C. during the medieval times, it was one of the wealthiest cities in Europe. but it is best known for giving life to the Renaissance in the 14th century, the period that gave us Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. numerous elements contributed to the rise of Florence as a cultural epicenter. one of them: its ruling clan, the Medici, were substantial patrons of the arts. Art is the heart and soul of Firenze, which continues to inspire artists from around the world. Its streets are bursting with captivating architecture, sculptures, and even musicians and street painters trying to make a living.

Today’s Florence is a metropolitan hub and the capital of Italy’s Tuscan region, but its historic core remains intact, tucked at its center. It has 80 museums, not counting outside galleries that adorn its numerous piazzas. The city’s Old town attracts 13 million tourists a year, making it one of the most went to cities in the world.

Language: Italian. many signs have English translations.

Currency: Euro (EUR, €). €1 is roughly $1.11, PHP 55.94 (as of June 2017).

Modes of payment: numerous establishments accept credit report cards, but many still choose cash.

Electricity Info: 230 volts, 50 Hz. common sockets are type F, which also accept plugs that have two round pins (C and E).

BEST TIME TO check out FLORENCE

In general, the period between October to may is alright, but April is the most comfortable weather-wise. This is when the cold is slowly giving way to the summer heat. It gets much hotter in the next months and peaks in August, the month you want to avoid. even the locals try to go out of town during this month to escape the heat.

If you delight in winter, January and February may be a terrific choice for two reasons: lower prices, thinner crowds. Florence is always jampacked practically any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions. during our visit, we discovered that even in the middle of rain showers, the piazzas remain brimming with tourists, especially the area surrounding the Duomo.

HOW TO get TO FLORENCE

Florence is served by Amerigo Vespucci airport (FLR), an international airport situated just 30 minutes from the city center. but the Galileo Galilei airport in Pisa is the largest in Tuscany. because the the two airports are connected by rail and bus, Pisa is also a good gateway to Florence. Pisa airport also serves numerous of Europe’s inexpensive carriers including EasyJet, RyanAir, Transavia, and Thomsonfly.

PISA TO FLORENCE

From Pisa Airport’s terminal 1, you can board the train to Firenze SMN Station. multiple trains ply this route per day so reservation is not needed. just purchase a ticket when you arrive. The journey takes 1.5 hours. Fare is fixed at €11.10.

ROME, MILAN OR VENICE TO FLORENCE

If you’re on a bigger trip around Italy, you can easily reach Florence from Rome, Milan, Venice and other Italian cities by train. There are multiple trains a day.

There are two high-speed train companies in Italy: the state-owned Trenitalia and the privately owned Italo. Both use dynamic pricing (much like airlines). This implies that fares are not fixed. They change over time. Hence, it is best to book in advance. If you don’t have fixed plans yet, you can book on the same day, but expect to pay much more for your seat.

Usually, the most affordable fares are at €14.90 for Italo and €19.90 for Trenitalia. but Italo’s fare for some routes can go as low as €9.90 if you book way in advance. If you don’t have fixed plans yet, you can book on the same day, but expect to pay much more for your seat.

OTHER EUROPEAN CITIES TO FLORENCE

If you’re coming from other cities in Europe, the fast and low-cost option is typically flying. Intercity flights within Europe are surprisingly low-cost and they will save you a lot of time.

However, there are also trains available coming from outside Italy. There are day trains and overnight trains, depending on where you’re coming from. typically they make stops in another Italian City, typically Milan or Turin.

From Paris. The most affordable option is to travel by high-speed to Turin (Travel time: 5h40; Fares from €29). Then, board an Italian train from Turin to Florence (Travel time: 2h45; Fares from €19.90). book the Italian train with Trenitalia.

From Zurich, Switzerland. Take a EuroCity train to Milan (Travel time: 3h26; Fare from €9) and then board an Italian train to Florence (Travel time: 1h40; Fare from €19.90).

From Munich, Germany. travel with German Railways to Verona, Bologna, or Venice (Fare starts at €9). then take an Italian train to Florence SMN (Fare from €19.90).ole trip, but this does

MANILA TO FLORENCE

If you’re a Filipino citizen, you’ll need a Schengen visa. Here’s how to get a Schengen visa.

There are no direct flights from the Philippines to Florence. many routes entail a few layovers. A good option is to fly to Pisa instead. Pisa is easily accessible. Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways fly to Pisa with stops in Istanbul and Doha respectively.

FLORENCE airport TO CITY CENTER

The fastest way to get to historic center from Florence airport is by bus. Bus ticket price for single trip is €5 (P281.25 or $5.57) and €8 (P449.35 or $8.92) for round-trip ticket. Take the Volainbus, operating from 06:00AM to 11:30PM and departs every 30 minutes in front of the airport. It will take you directly to Santa Maria Novella (SMN) Train Station, which is located just next to the Old Town.

POCKET WIFI and local SIM IN FLORENCE

Local SIM

If you own an open-line or unlocked phone (meaning, your phone can accept SIM cards from other carriers), this is your most affordable option. Italy has four main telco companies: Vodafone, TIM, Tre, and WIND. The first two have the best coverage and 4G data connection.

TIM for Visitors. Cost: 30€. includes 4GB of 4G internet, 100 minutes of international and national calls, and a SIM Card. Valid for 30 days. The price is fixed, but you will be encouraged to top-up to get much more data, especially if you’re a heavy user.

Vodafone Holiday. Cost: 30€. includes 2GB of 4G data, 300 minutes and 300 SMS to all Italian numbers and to your home country, and a SIM Card. There is a 1€ maintaining balance.

Before you decide to purchase an Italian SIM, take note of the following:

You can only get one at the physical store or booth. Activation can’t be done online. The challenging part is that it can be challenging if you don’t speak Italian, so make sure you know exactly what plan you want before approaching any store staff to avoid confusion. note that the name of TIM’s holiday package is “TIM for Visitors” and Vodafone’s is “Vodafone Holiday.”

Bring your passport to the store. SIM registration upon activation is required by law.

Have the staff set up the APN on your phone to be sure you have the settings right. This changes depending on the device you use.

If you’re a heavy data user, top up after activation so you don’t need to return to the store in the middle of your trip.

Pocket Wifi Rental

You can rent out pocket wifi before your flight.

If you’re coming from the Philippines, one of the brands you can use is Flytpack.

Flytpack charges P500 per day for Europe and an additional P2800 deposit, which you can get back after your trip.

Because it can connect multiple devices, you can split cost with your companions.

The unit comes with a built-in power bank, which guarantees you get to use it for an entire day trip without draining the battery.

Each rental comes with a universal adaptor. very useful!

Roaming

If you’re based in the Philippines, you can also use your provider’s roaming services. rates will vary depending on your provider.

Globe Telecom: They have lots of roaming options. You can choose the Roam Viber (P199) or Roam Facebook (P299) for 24 hours. Or choose the unli data roaming for P599. You can check all their rates by accessing globe Roaming Page

Smart: They also have the unli data roaming service called surf Abroad for P550 or their TravelWifi for P390 per day with 1GB data for 24 hours. You can check the their site for much more info –> smart travelling The World

This isn’t the most economical option, but roaming has its own advantages. Postpaid roaming is activated automatically, so you don’t need to register or check out a store or make a deposit. You also don’t have an extra gadget to charge and take care of during the trip. and if you’re a group, you can turn on personal hotspot or tethering to split the cost.

HOW TO get around IN FLORENCE

Florence’s historic center can be easily explored on foot. In fact, numerous streets are for pedestrians only and block automobile access. However, it can still be very confusing. Google Maps ought to be able to help you with navigating.

But if you want to explore the much more modern side of Florence, you can take the bus or the tram. The T1 tram line runs from vacation home Costanza (Scandicci) to Santa Maria Novella (SMN) station. You can purchase your tram tickets from the SMN station or any authorized establishment — pharmacy, coffee shops, newspaper stands — that has a “ATAF” sticker.

There are numerous types of tickets available. The common ticket can be used once and is valid for 90 minutes. best to book in advancement because it costs much more if you purchase the ticket onboard. but there are also multiple ride tickets, which you can use multiple times within the same 90-minute period. here are the costs:

1 ticket x 90 minutes (pre-booked): €1.20

1 ticket x 90 minutes (onboard): €2.00

2 Tickets x 90 minutes: €2.40

4 ticket x90 minutes: €4.70

Longer-duration tickets are also available, if you plan on using the tram and bus systems frequently.

24-hour ticket: €5

3-day ticket: €12

7-day ticket: €18

You can also use the ATAF tickets on the bus.

Florence Hop on Hop off Bus Pass with Audio Guide

Image courtesy of Klook
If you’re a fan of the hop on hop off bus, there’s also one operating in Florence. This will take you to some of the city’s essential attractions. Every seat comes with a multi-lingual audio guide, sharing information about each spot.

The pass is available in 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour variants.

✅ RESERVE A PASS HERE!

Guided walking Tours

Although touring Florence can be done DIY-style, you’ll be able to appreciate the city and its history much more if you join a guided tour. walking trips will take you to essential attractions like Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery, and Giotto’s Bell Tower, with a guide discussing the importance of each stop.

Klook provides a walking trip in English, Spanish, and Italian. The trip makes a stop at Piazza Duomo, Piazza Signoria, and Ponte Vecchio among others. A guide will be leading the tour, sharing essential insights about each stop along the way. The English trip costs €13.20 per person.

✅ RESERVE A SLOT HERE!

There are totally free walking trips available in Florence, too.

THINGS TO do in FLORENCE

Accademia Gallery

Image offered by Klook
Accademia Gallery founded in 1784 and it’s the museum where you can see Michelangelo’s well-known sculpture David.
Address: through Ricasoli, 58/60, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Admission Fee: full €8.00 (€12.50 during exhibits) | decreased €4.00 (€6.25 during exhibits)

If you need a guide, you can book a trip from Klook, which is inclusive of a skip-the-line ticket.

✅ RESERVE A SLOT HERE!

Piazza del Duomo

Piazza del Duomo, the location of one of the most breathtaking churches I’ve ever seen: the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore or Il Duomo di Firenze. The enormous struct