48 hours in Florence

If Italy was distilled into a single city – sunlit piazzas, sinuous sculptures, pavement cafes, grandiose museums and galleries – it would have to be Florence. 

Best visited outside the high-season months of June-September, Florence is a gloriously walkable city. Often referred to as an open-air museum, for me this does it a disservice; contemporary Florence is just as enchanting. Build time into every day simply to stroll, sit, sip a Campari and let the city slowly reveal its soul. 

Day 1 – Sculpture & Scenery 

Breakfast early. This is my golden rule – up and out while the shutters are still being raised on cafes and panetterias, the streets are peaceful and the sun is just starting to illuminate the elegant Renaissance palazzos with a crisp, buttery sunlight. There’s no better place to begin than the 414-step climb to the top of the Campanile; Giotto’s masterwork in mint-green, auburn and white marble, overlooking Brunelleschi’s iconic Duomo. Looking out from the three-mullioned windows gives a bird’s eye of Florence’s patchwork skyline, little changed for centuries. 

Back on ground level, catch your breath and refuel with a doppio espresso at one of Florence’s grand literary cafes, famous for hosting writers, artists and intellectuals in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Less than five minutes’ walk from the Piazza del Duomo, Caffe Gilli is the only one that retains the original belle epoque features, and feels equally as grand whether you’re sipping coffee at the bar or settling in beneath the ornately-painted ceilings for something more sustaining. 

For an early lunch, a visit to one of the city’s vibrant food-markets is a must do. The Mercato Centrale is the best known, leaving the Mercato do Sant’Ambrogio – a 15 minute walk from the Piazza del Duomo – to locals and more well-researched tourists. Pick up goodies for a picnic or bag a table at the Trattoria da Rocco, right by the entrance, for classic pasta and simple meat dishes, but be aware, the market closes at 2pm and, like everywhere in Florence, it’s much less hectic on a week day.   

While the Uffizi and the Galleria dell’Academia are on most visitors’ must-see list (and if you do want to visit either or both, do book tickets in advance), there are plenty of other galleries to explore that offer the same world-class art and sculpture with none of the jostling, or being poked by selfie-sticks. The Bargello, housed in Florence’s oldest public building (originally founded in 1255), is the world’s greatest collection of Renaissance sculpture. Many of the works, including those by Michelangelo, Donatella and Giambologna, were originally owned by the Medicis, and to wander through the grandiose halls, filled with fabrics, weapons, ivories and ceramics, gives a sense of the glittering opulence of their era. 

By now, it’s time to eat again. Florence has its fair share of contemporary, fine-dining restaurants but for me, nowhere beats a classic trattoria – many of which have been owned by the same families for decades.  For a Florentine steak and a glass of excellent Barolo, it’s hard to beat Buca Lapi, serving diners in the cellars of the Palazzo Antinori since 1880.  Finish the night with a cocktail on one of the city’s rooftop bars; the Loggia Roof Bar at the Hotel Palazzo Guadagni is my current favourite, although you do need to reserve in advance. 

Day 2 – Sunsets and Schiacciata 

For many visitors to Florence, the shimmering waters of the river Arno marks the border of the city they’ve come to explore. But across the Ponte Vecchio, the Oltrarno (literally translated as ‘the other side of the Arno’) brings together two neighbourhoods, Santo Sprito and San Frediano, that are home to ateliers and artisans, cafes and vintage stores that are more affordable and authentic than their siblings across the river. I come to stroll, dipping in and out of boutiques, and graze on schiacciata – a crisp-edged flatbread that’s perfect on-foot fuel, particularly when stuffed with fresh prosciutto and fragrant basil. 

The Oltrarno is also home to another gargantuan gallery – the Pitti Palace, also crammed with art and sculpture. The best way to reach the palace is via the newly-opened Vasari Corridor – a 750m-long passageway, originally built in 1565 to give the Medicis a safe way to move between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Pitti. Another treasure trove of art, the walls are lined with over 1,000 paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Velazquez and Delacroix. 

For me, the real joy of the Pitti Palace is the Boboli Gardens that unfold behind it. An oasis of pristine lawns, alfresco sculptures and shady walkways, it was designed by the Medicis in a classic Italian style that would become the blueprint for regal gardens across Europe, and is a lovely place to spend an afternoon. From here, it’s an easy walk to the Piazzale Michelangelo – famed as one of the best places to watch the sunset over the city. I keep on going, up to the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte, an 11th century church with better views than the Piazzale. It’s a bit of a haul on foot – buses 12 and 13 offer an easier option. 

And then, before you realise, aperitivo time will have rolled round again. Head back to Oltrarno for a sundowner with the locals. Il Gusto e Luva is a hole-in-the-wall classic on Via del Leone 39 (there’s no signage, just ‘Pizza and Wine’ written across the window), where wines are served from vintage taps set into tiles behind the bar. There’s no real menu; just describe the kind of wine you like and trust the staff’s recommendation. This is Italy, after all. 

 

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