Florence is one of my favorite cities in the world. I have come here during almost every Italy trip I’ve taken, and I still absolutely love it. The architecture, food, shopping, countless museums, and art just everywhere you look. During February 2024, I decided to come to Florence for a full week during the off-season and stayed at an Airbnb conveniently located by the Ponto Vecchio.

My Itinerary

Day 1- Arrive in Florence, see the Duomo and city walk, check out sunset view from Piazzale Michelangelo

Day 2- Day trip to Rome (1.5 hour by train) to visit cousins and enjoy city sites

Day 3- Day tour to vineyard for wine tasting & pasta making class

Day 4- Enjoy art at the Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Pitti, evening in Santa Croce

Day 5- Visit the Museum of San Marco, check out Mercato Centrale

Day 6- Visit the Palazzo Vecchio, evening cocktails at Locale

Day 7- Enjoy lunch at Trattoria Sabatino, go shopping

Day 8- Train to Milan and spend the last day/night in Navigli before departure

Tips and Highlights

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I came to Florence in the middle of February. However, it was mostly comfortable and mild weather (a jean jacket usually sufficed in the evening).. and while the crowds were less than high season, there were still way more tourists around than I would have expected.

I flew into Milan and took the train straight to Florence, which is under 2 hours. The day after arriving, I took the train to Rome to spend the day with my cousins. I’ve been to Rome a few times before, but it was really fun to revisit the main sites and go to some new places like the cool Trastevere neighborhood. We wandered around and ate delicious pasta there at a restaurant called Nannarella! It’s very quick and easy to travel from Rome to Florence using the trains.

I found the day that most museums were closed was Monday, so I booked a full day tour (through Airbnb Experiences) for that day to visit a nearby vineyard. It included a tour of the property, wine tasting, and pasta cooking class followed by enjoying the pasta lunch outside with a beautiful Tuscan view. If you appreciate wine, I definitely recommend checking out a vineyard while you are in Tuscany! There are lots of options for various experiences throughout Tuscany, and many will pick you up right in Florence.

Beautiful view from the vineyard visit

The next day, I went to the Uffizi Gallery first thing in the morning when it opened. It worked out perfectly because I didn’t have to wait and there were very few people in the museum first thing in the morning. I wandered around this museum for a couple hours and it was surprisingly a pleasantly peaceful experience! Later in the day, I used my combo ticket to also visit the Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens. In the afternoon, it was a bit more crowded, but still not bad.

View from Piazzale Michelangelo

I have a strange love for violent Renaissance art, so Florence was a great place to explore that. I loved going inside the Palazzo Vecchio which was covered in interesting art. I loved looking at all the little details, and might have left with a neck-ache from staring at all the intricate ceilings. Another special place to see art was the Museum of San Marco where you can see the works of Fra Angelico on display in an old convent. I loved visiting the art museums so much. In that way, Florence was a great location for a solo trip… because my favorite solo activity is going to museums- mostly because I find it relaxing to explore everything at my own pace.

In addition to the museums, art is everywhere you look in Florence. There’s the piazzas, the Duomo, of course, and the basilica of Santa Croce and Santa Novella. The Ponte Vecchio is such a cool bridge, especially at night. Santa Croce is a great neighborhood for cool restaurants and night life.

I ended my trip with just one night in Milan before my flight back to NY. I stayed in the Navigli area (by the canals) at the Art Hotel Navigli and visited the nearby MUDEC museum, then ate dinner at one of the restaurants in Navigli. I often fly in and out of Milan and try to take a day or two to explore different areas of the city each time.

Restaurants I Loved…

  • Trattoria Sabatino– I came here before it opened to line up outside. This place had a lot of locals, and low priced home cooked style food. It’s sort of communal style seating which is not my usual go-to, but I loved this dining experience so much.
  • Trattoria Mario– This is another spot that I was sure to line up outside before it opened (for lunch). I tried the bistecca all Fiorentina here, which is a very rare but flavorful steak. It might make some people uncomfortable to eat rare meat, but it was very fresh and no problem at all for me!
  • Locale– This was a beautiful cocktail bar housed in an old Castle, listed on the World’s 50 best bars. I loved the herbal and unique cocktails on their menu and enjoyed a delicious snack to go with my drink.
  • Le Volpi L’Uva– Located on a side street near the Palazzo Pitti and Ponte Vecchio, this was a great place to stop for a glass of wine and small plate. I stopped by here twice!
  • Panini and Vini– Every afternoon, you’re going to see tons of people walking around with panini in hand. On my first day in Florence, I stumbled into this awesome, tiny spot for a panino and spritz on my way back from the Piazzale Michelangelo.
  • I Fratellini– This was another super popular place for panini… the line can get long, but it moved pretty quickly and the panini are great.
  • Enoteca Spontanea– This was a lovely wine bar with great food!
  • Cibreo Trattoria– Located in Santa Croce, I had a great meal at this Michelin listed spot.
  • Nugolo– A more modern restaurant in Santa Croce, I saw this lovely place featured on Stanley Tucci’s Florence episode. Beautiful restaurant, but some of the food I ordered was a bit rich.
  • Osteria Cinghiale Bianco– I stumbled in here with no reservation when the front room looked pretty full, but I was pleasantly surprised when they took me to a back room which was half filled with other solo diners. This place (also featured on Stanley Tucci) had awesome food and a nice vibe.

Next time?

Next time I come to Florence, there are still even more museums I would visit. I would also take other day trips to visit other areas in Tuscany, such as Lucca or Siena.