Last October 2019, I was able to catch a glimpse on one of the most beautiful towns of Italy, Florence.

Florence, the capital of Tuscany,  is arguably one of the most charming and romantic cities I have visited in Italy. No wonder this city is one of the favorite cities to a lot of travelers and I must admit it has become one of mine too. There is so much history, culture, wonderful landscapes and definitely so much more!

The iconic spot in Florence

To be able to explore Florence the whole day, we arrived there at night and stayed in Hotel Nuovo Italia for  86Euro a night, which is right behind the Mercato Centrale and just a few minutes away from all the tourists spots. For us, it was important to stay in the city center especially if you don't have many days to explore this incredible town. We also woke up as early as 6 am to be able to beat the crowd and manage our time.


Without further ado, here are my top things to do in Florence for one day :

1. Mercato Centrale : 

Stroll around Mercato Centrale as this was as mentioned just beside our hotel. This might not be interesting to some, but for someone like me who loves fashion and play dress up, I was interested in what the sellers here had to offer. Don't forget to haggle here as well, as they tend to give you a high price at first.

Let's start shopping , shall we?

2. Santa Maria del Fiore :

Definitely visit Santa Maria del Fiore, one of the best highlights in Florence. This church is just the most beautiful church I have ever seen with pink, green and white marbles. Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the biggest churches in the world. The dome however is the biggest on earth without using iron to build it. It is simple stunning and jaw-dropping, no wonder it's the city's most iconic landmark here in Florence.

Amazing Santa  Maria del Fiore

3. Ponte Vecchio: 

Go to Ponte Vecchio or the famous "Old Bridge" which is also one of the iconic spots of Florence. This medieval stone three-arch bridge over the Arno River is something you shouldn't miss when you're here. We arrived there so early to beat the crowd and I saw lots of jewelery shops, art dealers and ofcourse souvenir shops as well along the bridge which was quite unique as this used to be once a common.

From Ponte Vecchio with Kisses

4. Piazza della Signoria :

Next, go to Piazza della Signoria, the main square where you can see a lot of statues with small, well you know, penis. This is just right infront of Palazzo Vecchio and this is such an essential place in Florence as this is the center of the political existence since the 14th century.

The iconic spot in Piazza della Signoria

5. Dante's House Museum : 

Visit the Dante's House Museum or  Museo Casa di Dante. Well, basically we just passed by there as the museum was closed on that day and you will need to book a ticket in advance to be able to enter the museum.

Dante's Museum

6.  Piazzale Michelangelo :

Next, pay Piazzale Michelangelo a visit, this was one of my favorites as well as this is a square with  an incredible panoramic view of Florence. It is situated in the Oltrarno district within the city and we had to drive up to get there. Be there as early as you can as it can get crowded and parking lots are limited.

Beautiful Panorama of Florence

7. Florentine Steak :

Don't forget to try their huge Florentine Steak which costs 40Euro/kg in every restaurant. So I guess it doesn't matter which restaurant you choose. It is definitely worth a try! The steak was good for 4 but there were just me and my partner. We didn't wanna stop eating but we had to give up on it, it was way too big for us, but it was definitely a nice experience.

I can eat like a pig.

8. Certaldo Alto : 

 Lastly, another favorite place of mine is to proceed to Certaldo Alto. The home of the famous Giovanni Boccacio.  Certaldo is a beautiful preserved medieval walled town. I really love how charming and serene this wonderful small town is. I honestly prefer to stay here more than in San Gimignano. One of the reasons is because it is less crowded. As you may have known by now, I love non touristy gems.

Got thirsty at Certaldo Alto, Tuscany