4 Days in Florence, Italy - Apr 2025
- Desmond
- Apr 20
- 5 min read
As part of my regular Milan work trip, I have decided to pop down to the famous city of Florence for a few days before the madness begins at the Salone de Mobile. Florence, capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture. One of its most iconic sights is the Duomo, a cathedral with a terracotta-tiled dome engineered by Brunelleschi and a bell tower by Giotto. The Galleria dell'Accademia displays Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture. The Uffizi Gallery exhibits Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” and da Vinci’s “Annunciation.”
Accommodation
As with any other 1st tier toutist cities in Italy, Florence is expensive and very busy. However I did manage to find an interesting stay near the city centre. La Dimora del Cardinale - Residenza d'epoca is a historical residence located in the famous Borgo degli Albizi in the heart of Florence. Located on the first noble floor of the ancient building, it offers comfortable and elegant Renaissance-style suites. From the residence it will be possible to walk to the Duomo of Florence in 5 minutes. the art gallery, the Uffizi and the Academy of Fine Arts. I booked the Signoria Room. The room is a bit on the dark side as it is only on the first floor and it could get noisy at night due to the location, I still think it offers great value in order to stay in such an historic building. Note the bath tube is for decoration only. Water pressure is barely acceptable.
Getting Around
As I flew into Milan Malpensa, my best option was to go to Centrale Station and take the train. If you are going to prebook your train ticket I would suggest you to go with Italo trains. They have a lounge at the station which you can pay access to if you are travelling with them (or included in your ticket class). The station can be hectic with no public waiting area, so if you get there too earlier the lounge is a great option to stay away from the crowd.
Sightseeing
Cradle of the Renaissance, romantic, enchanting and utterly irresistible, Florence (Firenze) is a place to feast on world-class art and gourmet Tuscan cuisine. However Florence can be hectic and I have been to Italy plenty of times so a lot of the attractions I only visited the exterior.
Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze
Art museum with Michelangelo sculptures, including David, plus Renaissance painting & Russian icons. Home to the famous David.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Landmark 1200s cathedral known for its red-tiled dome, colored marble facade & elegant Giotto tower.
Chiesa di Santa Margherita dei Cerchi - Chiesa di Dante
The church of Santa Margherita dei Cerchi is a Catholic place of worship in the historic center of Florence , in the homonymous via Santa Margherita. The church is known as the church of Beatrice , beloved by Dante, for being close to Dante's house and for having been a burial place of the Portinari family, who had their main residence nearby . However, it is very unlikely that Beatrice was buried here, since the burial place of her husband's family, the Bardi, was in Santa Croce .
Palazzo Vecchio
Fortified, 13th-century palace housing lavishly decorated chambers & ornate courtyards.
Uffizi Galleries
16th-century building housing vast collection of Primitive & Renaissance paintings & masterpieces.
Ponte Vecchio
Picturesque medieval arched river bridge with Roman origins, lined with jewelry & souvenir shops.
Palazzo Pitti
Gallery complex in Renaissance royal palace housing vast Italian & European masters art collection.
Rooftop Yoga
A pretty unique experience in Florence and the view at the top was stunning!
Wine Windows
Florence is famous for its "wine windows" (buchette del vino), small openings in building walls where wine is sold directly to customers. These windows were originally used during the Renaissance to allow wealthy families to sell wine without paying high taxes or using traditional shops. They also became a way to serve wine safely during the plague in the 17th century. Today, many of these windows have been reopened, with businesses like Babae and Vivoli serving wine, aperol spritzes, and even food through them.
Restaurants and Nightlife
Corte dei Pazzi
Cute Courtyward and innovative pasta.
Trattoria dall'Oste Chianineria
A highly rated restaurant specialised in Florentina steak. However as the minimum order for the steak is 1.2kg, I ordered the smaller fillet instead. Honest it was a bit try and the place had way too much tourists in there. I also had he tripe.
Ristorante La Gioia Toscana
Slightly less touristy and their recommendation seems a but more authentic.
Cacio e pepe
Seems like a restaurant specialised in pasta. My carbonara was decent.
Ristorante Gastone
Fish & seafood specialties, plus an extensive list of Italian wines, in an airy, modern space. A bit on the pricier end.
Trattoria Maga Magò
One of my best finds in Florence. A bit out of the city centre and the Tuscan Hot Pate is a must try. My carbonara was a bit over salted though.
Le Vespe Cafè
Seasonal Canadian-style brunch & smoothies offered in a spacious, informal setting. A great alternative if you have had enough of italian food. Get there early as the queue is long.
La Fettunta
An interesting find in the side streets on Florence. Specialised in their open top sandwiches, it looks like a great meat location. I wished I tried their lasagna.
THE ARTS INN
An intimate cocktail bar with innovative cocktails.
Manifattura
Classy spot for cocktails & Italian spirits ONLY in a dimly lit vintage-inspired space.
Surrounding Areas
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Italy's Tuscany region best known for its iconic Leaning Tower. Already tilting when it was completed in 1372, the 56m white-marble cylinder is the bell tower of the Romanesque, striped-marble cathedral that rises next to it in the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Siena
Siena, a city in central Italy’s Tuscany region, is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings. The fan-shaped central square, Piazza del Campo, is the site of the Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall, and Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th-century tower with sweeping views from its distinctive white crown. The city’s 17 historic “contrade” (districts) extend outward from the piazza.
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is an Italian hill town in Tuscany, southwest of Florence. Encircled by 13th-century walls, its old town centers on Piazza della Cisterna, a triangular square lined with medieval houses. It has a skyline of medieval towers, including the stone Torre Grossa. The Duomo di San Gimignano is a 12th-century church with frescoes by Ghirlandaio in its Santa Fina Chapel.
Chianti Wine Tasting
Massages
Shu-Xin massage and foot massage
The only chinese massage place in Florence. A great place to take a break after walking all day.
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