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Florence Cathedral and Brunelleschi's dome above the city's rooftops

No. 23 Top 100 City Destinations 2025

Florence

Italy

The cradle of the Renaissance: Brunelleschi's dome, Botticelli, Michelangelo's David and Tuscan food.

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Photo: Felix König, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Florence is No. 23 in Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025. The capital of Tuscany was the birthplace of the Renaissance, and under the Medici family it drew artists such as Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982.

The compact centre on the Arno River is packed with churches, palaces and museums. Florence is also a base for exploring the Tuscan countryside, its hill towns and vineyards.

The Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, Florence
The Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, Florence. Photo: Commonists, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Best time to go

April to June and September to October bring the best weather. Book museum tickets well ahead at any time of year.

July and August are hot and crowded. Winter is cooler and quieter, a good time for museums.

Top sights

  • 1

    The Duomo

    Florence Cathedral is crowned by Brunelleschi's great dome. Climb the 463 steps to the top, or Giotto's bell tower beside it, with a timed ticket.

  • 2

    Uffizi Gallery

    The great collection of Renaissance painting includes Botticelli's The Birth of Venus and Primavera.

  • 3

    Galleria dell'Accademia In our Top 100 Museums

    Home of Michelangelo's David. Book a timed ticket to avoid long queues.

  • 4

    Ponte Vecchio

    The medieval bridge over the Arno is lined with jewellers' shops.

  • 5

    Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio

    The city's civic heart, with an open-air sculpture gallery in the Loggia dei Lanzi.

  • 6

    Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens

    The Medici's palace across the river holds art collections, with terraced Renaissance gardens behind it.

  • 7

    Piazzale Michelangelo

    The terrace on the hill south of the river has the classic view over the city, especially at sunset.

Getting there

Firenze Santa Maria Novella station is served by high-speed trains from Rome (about 1 hour 30 minutes) and Milan (about 2 hours).

Florence Airport (FLR) is linked to the centre by the T2 tram. Pisa Airport is about an hour away by train.

Getting around

The historic centre is best explored on foot. Trams and buses serve the outer districts.

Most of the centre is a limited traffic zone (ZTL), and cars without a permit are fined, so do not drive in.

Practical tips

Currency
Euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted.
Language
Italian. English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
Safety
Florence is generally safe. Watch for pickpockets in crowds and on buses. The emergency number is 112.
Visa & entry
Italy is in the Schengen Area. Many visitors, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now records non-EU travellers' entries and exits at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow. Check the official EU site travel-europe.europa.eu and your own government's travel advice before you go.
Power
230 V, 50 Hz; plug types C, F and L.

Official information: Feel Florence (official tourism website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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