Nach Ort oder Aktivität suchen

Wie man Florenz als Erstbesucher besucht

Hier sind unsere Tipps, damit Erstbesucher das Beste der toskanischen Hauptstadt erleben können.

The red roof of the Florence Duomo and the rest of the city skyline in Italy.
Hi, I'm Rebecca!

Rebecca’s first visit to Italy was a coup de foudre and her affection for Il Bel Paese has only grown over almost 30 years of living here, during which time she has mastered the art of navigating the sampietrini cobblestones in heels but has yet to come away from a plate of bucatini all’amatriciana with an unsullied blouse. She covers Italy travel, culture, and cuisine for a number of print and online publications.

Florence may seem rather small, but countless Renaissance masterpieces are packed into its compact old town. World-class museums sit shoulder-to-shoulder with monumental churches and noble palaces, storied neighborhoods are thick with traditional artisan workshops, and the city is ringed by vineyards and rolling Tuscan hills. It can be a challenge to know where to begin exploring this cultural and culinary capital, so follow our recommendations for making every minute count in Florence.

1. Marvel at Renaissance grandeur

A view of the Florence Duomo at street level.
Florence is famous for its architecture and art.Bildquelle: Eustacio Humphrey / Viator

Tour the highlights of the historic center.

Florence is an open-air museum. Each square overflows with stately architecture and art, and you can’t walk a block without admiring a building or statue. Get your bearings and make sure you see the most important highlights by exploring the centro storico with a guide.

Take in headliners like the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, and the Ponte Vecchio easily on foot in this walkable city, or strike further afield with an e-bike, e-scooter, golf cart, or tuk-tuk to visit the Piazzale Michelangelo scenic overlook for views across the Arno River to Brunelleschi’s picturesque dome.

2. Check off the top museums

Tourists taking photos in front of The Birth of Venus painting of Sandro Botticelli in Uffizi Gallery Museum in Florence.
Florence museums and galleries are home to renaissance greats.Bildquelle: canbedone / Shutterstock

Book skip-the-line tickets to avoid a wait.

Home to two of the most popular museums in Italy and dozens of equally important but lesser-known collections, Florence is one of the world’s top destinations for art.

See works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and other Renaissance greats without having to wait in line with fast-track entrance tickets to the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Gallery. Alternatively, join a guided tour to focus on the most important pieces and cover these vast collections in just a few hours. After you’ve checked Florence’s two headliners off your list, spend some time visiting other fabulous museums like the Bargello National Museum, Palazzo Vecchio, and Pitti Palace.

3. Visit the Duomo from top to bottom

Interior of Florence's Duomo Cathedral.
Florence's Duomo is majestic from all angles.Bildquelle: Steve Lovegrove / Shutterstock

See it all, from the dome to its underground ruins.

Brunelleschi’s soaring dome atop Florence’s Duomo is one of the symbols of the city, so take some time to take in this engineering marvel up close, as well as the rest of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral complex.

Savor views over the city’s rooftops from the dome and Giotto’s Bell Tower, admire the architecture and art inside the cathedral and baptistery, and venture below the cathedral floor to discover the ancient ruins of the Basilica of Santa Reparata, an early Christian church that once stood on this spot. A guided tour of the complex that includes the Opera del Duomo, which is the Cathedral Museum, is a top option.

4. Cross the Arno River

View of the Arno River.
Visit artisan markets beside the Arno River.Bildquelle: Eustacio Humphrey / Viator

Discover the traditional artisan workshops in Oltrarno.

Florence has a history of artisan crafts, and the city’s traditional ateliers are famous for their fine handcrafted gold jewelry, colorful mosaics, leather goods, marbled paper, and more. The bohemian Oltarno neighborhood across the Arno River from the city center has long been a hub of the local artisan culture and still has landmark workshops passed down through generations, as well as up-and-coming creatives breaking new ground with their handmade goods.

Browse the shops in the Oltrarno to admire the quality handicrafts and pick up a few one-of-a-kind mementos of your time in Florence. Workshop tours are an ideal way to learn about the city’s artisan traditions and discover the most storied spaces.

Related: 8 Must-See Florence Neighborhoods and How to Visit

5. Delve into Florentine cuisine

Tourists view the food market offerings in Florence.
Start your culinary adventure at the Florence markets.Bildquelle: Eustacio Humphrey / Viator

Visit the city’s markets and cook up a Tuscan feast.

There are a number of landmark food markets in the heart of Florence where locals have been shopping for generations. A market visit with a foodie guide or passionate home cook offers a unique glimpse into Florentine life. Take a guided market tour of Mercato Centrale or Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, paired with stops to sample classic street food favorites like lampredotto (stewed beef offal) and gelato.

Or, opt for a culinary adventure that includes a market visit and cooking class to learn how to prepare a number of beloved Tuscan dishes from scratch.

6. Find fashion

Vintage Gucci luggage on display at the Gucci Museum in Florence, Italy.
See vintage bags on display at the Gucci Museum.Bildquelle: DELBO ANDREA / Shutterstock

Admire iconic designs from famous Italian labels.

Milan may be Italy’s fashion capital, but Florence holds its own when it comes to Italian style. There are a number of fashion museums in the city that highlight some of the top names in haute couture and shoe design. Admire vintage clothing and shoes at Gucci Museum, the Ferragamo Museum, and the Museum of Costume and Fashion in Pitti Palace with a Florence fashion tour, or go on a fashion spree of your own with a private shopper. For a wardrobe overhaul that won’t break the bank, visit outlets such as the Barberino Designer Outlet.

7. Take to the Tuscan hills

Countryside looking out from Poggio Alloro estate in San Giminiano.
Escape to the Tuscan countryside just outside of Florence.Bildquelle: Zoe Vincenti / Viator

Explore the slopes ringing the city.

The historic center of Florence lies along the banks of the Arno River. It’s surrounded by lush green hills dotted with historic villages like Fiesole, Bellosguardo, and Settignano. A jaunt to these nearby slopes offers both sweeping views across Florence’s terracotta-tiled roofs and striking domes and a quiet respite from the crowds and chaos of the city center.

Set off by e-bike, Vespa scooter, or even on foot to take in the views from the San Miniato al Monte overlook and explore the hills and hamlets that inspired Leonardo da Vinci and other Renaissance greats.

8. Savor the sunset

Tourists near the Arno River at dusk.
Florence shines bright at golden hour.Bildquelle: Eustacio Humphrey / Viator

Capture the Renaissance capital at the golden hour.

Die Renaissance-Stadt Florenz, eines der beliebtesten Reiseziele Italiens, bietet so viel Kunst und Architektur, dass es überwältigend sein kann, herauszufinden, was zu tun ist und wie es zu tun ist. Hier sind unsere Tipps, damit Erstbesucher das Beste der toskanischen Hauptstadt erleben können.

Orientieren Sie sich auf einer Segway- oder Hop-On-Hop-Off-Tour

Eine Hop-On-Hop-Off-Tour ist ideal für den ersten Tag Ihrer Reise und bietet eine einfache Einführung in die Stadt, sodass Sie die Lage des Landes kennenlernen können, bevor Sie auf eigene Faust weiter erkunden. Wenn Sie eine geführte Erfahrung bevorzugen, entscheiden Sie sich für eine Segway-Tour, um den motorisierten Transport zu vereinfachen, und für einen Insider vor Ort, der Sie über die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten von Florenz informiert.


Buchen Sie ein Skip-the-Line-Ticket

Die Hauptattraktionen der Stadt, wie die Kathedrale von Florenz (Dom), die Uffizien und die Accademia-Galerie, ziehen besonders in der Hochsommersaison große Menschenmengen und lange Schlangen an. Buchen Sie den Skip-the-Line-Eintritt im Voraus zu den Orten, die Sie besuchen möchten, und verbringen Sie Ihre Zeit mit Besichtigungen, anstatt sich anzustellen.

Klettere auf den Dom

Ein Inbegriff von Florenz. Wenn Sie die 463 Stufen zur Spitze des Brunelleschi-Doms (Cupola del Brunelleschi) hinaufgehen, können Sie die Stadt von Herzen aus der Vogelperspektive betrachten. Nicht alle Besucher der Kathedrale Santa Maria del Fiore (auch bekannt als der Dom) machen die lange Reise nach oben - es gibt keinen Aufzug und es wird nicht für Reisende mit bestimmten gesundheitlichen Problemen empfohlen -, aber diejenigen, die dies tun, sind froh, dass sie es getan haben.

Genießen Sie die Aussicht vom Piazzale Michelangelo

Auf der Südseite des Arno, etwas außerhalb des Stadtzentrums, bietet die Piazzale Michelangelo einen Panoramablick auf die roten Dächer, Türme und Kuppeln der Stadt. Es ist eine beliebte Website für Fototermine bei Sonnenuntergang.

Erfahren Sie, wie man authentische italienische Küche macht

Essen ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil jeder Reise nach Italien, und Sie können lernen, wie man echte italienische Pasta, Pizza, Eis oder andere Gerichte zubereitet, indem Sie an einem Kochkurs teilnehmen. Es ist eine großartige Möglichkeit, die lokale Kultur kennenzulernen und Rezepte zu entdecken, die Sie mit nach Hause nehmen können.

Besuchen Sie Wine Country

Wenn Sie Zeit haben, nehmen Sie sich einen Teil Ihres Aufenthalts in Florenz Zeit für einen Tagesausflug zum Chianti, wo Sie Wein und andere lokale Köstlichkeiten probieren und die toskanische Landschaft bewundern können - es ist genauso schön, wie Sie es sich vorstellen.

9. Stroll the stately gardens

Boboli Gardens in Florence, Italy.
Soak in the natural beauty at Florence's Boboli Gardens.Bildquelle: Alex_Mastro / Shutterstock

Slow down in Florence’s historic gardens and parks.

Hidden behind the city’s Renaissance palaces lie equally storied gardens which offer a break from Florence’s crowds, just steps from the city’s top sights. Stretch your legs along the gravel walks in the Boboli Gardens, known for its ornate fountains and grottoes and set just behind Pitti Palace, or walk up the terraced grounds of Bardini Gardens behind Fort Belvedere for unrivaled views over the historic center and Brunelleschi’s iconic dome. You can also visit both in a single gardens walking tour to learn more about the history and design of these lush urban refuges.

10. Visit the Chianti countryside

View of a winery estate in Chianti.
Drink in more than just the scenic Chianti countryside.Bildquelle: Eustacio Humphrey / Viator

Sip your way through Tuscany’s famed wine country.

Just beyond the hills that encircle the city, Tuscany’s Chianti wine country beckons with historic family-run cellars that have been producing Chianti Classico and other flagship Italian wines for centuries.

Florence is an ideal jumping-off point for a day trip to Chianti filled with winery tours and tastings, leisurely strolls through picturesque hill towns, and farm-to-table Tuscan cuisine. You can explore on your own, but a full-day or half-day wine tour with transportation included lets you skip the stress of driving and imbibe worry-free.

More ways to explore Florence

1 / 3

Keep reading

1 / 5
de
bb63553b-cf5b-4173-b4e4-7ba784dcbf67
article
Erleben Sie mehr mit Viator
1 Website, über 300.000 unvergessliche Reiseerlebnisse – direkt in Ihren Posteingang
Informiert bleiben