Tuscany · Italy
Where to stay in Florence
Florence is a city in Tuscany, Italy, home to about 361,000 people. This guide covers 1 apartment building, 1 hotel and 1 aparthotel in Florence, with about 124 rooms between them.
- Places to stay in this guide
- 3
- Best months
- April to June and September
- Nearest airport
- FLR6 km · Florence Airport, Peretola
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
- Language
- Italian
About
About Florence
Florence is the capital and most populous city of the Italian region of Tuscany, and, as of 2026, with a population of 361,625, the 8th most populous city in the country. It is also the capital of the eponymous metropolitan province, which counts 988,494 inhabitants, while Eurostat estimates that 696,767 people live in the urban area of Florence.
Politically, economically, and culturally, Florence was the most important city in Europe for around 250 years, from some time before 1300 until the early 1500s. It is now primarily a tourist site, with the much of its non-touristic economy powered by artisans who still nonetheless sell largely to tourist and foreign customers. In the middle ages, Florentines reinvented money, in the form of the gold florin. This currency was the engine that drove Europe out of the Dark Ages, a term invented by Petrarch, a Florentine whose family had been exiled to Arezzo.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Florence
See
Learn from Stendahl and don't try to see too much. Most tourists rush to do the Uffizi, the Duomo and the Bargello. These are indeed splendid, but you may wait hours to get in, and be jostled by tour groups. Pre-book if you know you want to see them; otherwise spread out and see stuff that is equally fine but less touristy. A long weekend here could comfortably take in a sprinkling of old churches, and a couple of museums or galleries. But leave time and energy for just enjoying the ambience. Churches: the standout is definitely the Duomo or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
- Santa Maria del Fiore
- Giotto's Tower
- Baptistery
- Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
- Galleria degli Uffizi
- Bargello
- Galleria dell'Accademia
- Palazzo Pitti
- Palazzo Davanzati
- Museo Galileo
- Museo Horne
- Archaeological Museum
Do
Great places to walk include along the Arno and across any of its bridges; through narrow, medieval back streets in the Santa Croce area; and in the Oltr'Arno, on the south side of the river, which is in many ways like Rome's Trastevere or Paris's Left Bank, but far, far smaller.
- Enjoy the view from the Piazzale Michelangelo
- Firenze Rafting
- Impruneta spa
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Places to stay in Florence
3 places to stay from the chains this guide covers, each linked to its own website.
| Place to stay | Rooms |
|---|---|
| Bob W Florence Ponte Vecchio apartment building | 57 |
| Bob W Florence Santa Croce hotel | 45 |
| Florence Via Guelfa aparthotel | 22 |
Schematic: the city centre in orange, each place to stay as a dot, distance rings in kilometres.
Where to stay
Which part of Florence to stay in
As elsewhere the price of hotels in Florence has been climbing quickly in the last few years. The golden rule here is if you want something cheap you'll have to stay outside of the historic center. The area around the train station is cheaper, but not as safe, especially for women travelers at night. If you are looking at big chain hotels you should be aware that they are usually quite a distance from the centre, the Novotel for instance is almost at the airport. Certain hotels, particularly those oriented toward business travellers offer special reduced rates during the weekend (e.g. Starhotel Michelangelo) or during slow weeks like Baglioni.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
More hotels in Florence
229 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Villa San Michele Hotel | 1401 | 5.0 km |
| Hotel Helvetia & Bristol | 0.2 km | |
| Palazzo della Gherardesca Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | 1.2 km | |
| Palazzo Magnani Feroni | 1469 | 0.7 km |
| Cinema Apollo Mercure Hotels | 0.7 km | |
| Hotel Croce di Malta | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel Laurus al Duomo | 0.3 km | |
| Hotel Medici | 0.1 km | |
| Savoy | 0.1 km | |
| Spedale del Bigallo | 1214 | 8.5 km |
| NH Collection Firenze Porta Rossa | 0.2 km | |
| Palazzo Firenze by Baglioni Hotels & Resorts | 0.7 km | |
| A Casa Di Olga | 1.4 km | |
| Adre Majestic View | 0.8 km | |
| Al Palazzo del Marchese di Camugliano Residenza d'Epoca | 0.4 km | |
| Alfieri Signature Suites - Alfieri Collezione | 0.4 km | |
| Alinari | 0.6 km | |
| Anglo American Hotel Florence, Curio Collection by Hilton | 2024 | 1.2 km |
| Antica Pieve B&B | 23.7 km | |
| Antica Torre Di Via Tornabuoni 1 | 0.3 km | |
| Antico Centro Suite | 0.0 km | |
| ApartHotel Quadra Key | 3.8 km | |
| Art Hotel Villa Agape | 1.9 km | |
| Arte' Boutique Hotel | 0.5 km | |
| Artemide GuestHouse | 0.7 km | |
| B&B Emozioni Fiorentine | 0.0 km | |
| B&B Floralia | 0.3 km | |
| B&B Kingsman | 0.9 km | |
| B&B La Marmora 39 | 1.3 km | |
| B&B La Residenza Dell'Orafo | 0.6 km | |
| B&B Lorena Suites | 1.6 km | |
| B&B Santa Maria del Fiore | 1.4 km | |
| Be One Art and Luxury Home | 0.1 km | |
| Bed & Breakfast D. Alighieri | 0.0 km | |
| Bed & Breakfast La Martellina | 7.0 km | |
| Bed and Breakfast Il Bargello | 0.3 km | |
| Best Western Plus CHC Florence | 4.5 km | |
| Borghese Palace Art Hotel | 0.4 km | |
| Borgo Sant'ippolito Country Hotel | 18.1 km | |
| Boutique B&B Torre De' Conti | 0.3 km |
All 232 hotels in Florence, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Florence
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Florence are April to June and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; November is the wettest, with about 124 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Florence: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR), about 5.8 km from the city centre in a straight line; Pisa International Airport (PSA, 70 km) and Forlì-Luigi Ridolfi International Airport (FRL, 81 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
The airport of Florence is Amerigo Vespucci International Airport (FLR IATA) (4 km northwest of the center), locally known as "Peretola", to which there are flights from major destinations in Western Europe. There is only one runway covered by hills, and therefore the flights that land there are relatively infrequent and expensive. The airport is connected by tram line T2 connecting the airport to the train station SMN; The station is on the south side, and ends at Piazza San Marco. The tram station is controlled, to the left of the main entrance.
Getting around
Most of the major tourist sights in Florence are within easy walking distance of each other. It is possible to walk from one end of the historic center of Florence to the other - north-south or east-west - in a half hour. Walking is not only an easy way to get around, it also offers the chance to 'take in' much more of the city life. Be warned though, that electric motor scooters are small enough to fit where cars cannot. They are relatively quiet but quick and in the summer they often travel into the plazas. Some of the streets in central Florence are closed to traffic.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
FLR · Florence Airport, Peretola
PSA · Pisa International Airport
FRL · Forlì-Luigi Ridolfi International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Florence
Eat
Restaurants have separate prices for food that is taken away or is eaten standing up versus sit down; don't try to sit at a table after paying for food or coffee from the restaurant's take away booth. Also ask always beforehand for the price if you want to sit at a table. Otherwise you might be uncomfortably surprised. Cappuccino al banco i.e. standing up might cost €1-3, but at a table €4. Florence's food can be as much of a treat to the palate as the art is a treat to the eye. There is good food for any price range, from fine restaurants to take out food from window stands. You will find the best price/quality ratio outside the historical centre, where locals go to eat.
Drink
Tap water is safe but those who prefer bottled water will find it plentiful. Still (naturale) and sparkling (gassata) water is available for free from a fountain set into the wall of the Palazzo Vecchio. Make sure to sample the excellent wines of the region. Chianti is the local wine that can be ordered cheaply. Many eateries will offer carafes of various sizes of "house chianti", usually for under €4.
Stay safe
Florence is generally safe and healthy, but beware the inevitable purse-snatchers and pickpockets. They thrive in crowds, particularly around SMN railway station and on the buses, sometimes working with a decoy such as an insistent beggar. If you have a bag with a classy, noiseless zipper, it will be opened. Also beware at night around tourist spots such as Ponte Vecchio where pickpocketers may approach you pretending to be drunk and friendly, and then snatch your belongings when your guard is down.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Good to know
Accessibility, parking and families in Florence
How many places to stay in this guide offer each, in their operators' own words.
of 3 places
of 3 places
of 3 places
of 3 places
Questions
Florence: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Florence?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Florence are April to June and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; November is the wettest, with about 124 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Florence?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR), about 5.8 km from the city centre in a straight line; Pisa International Airport (PSA, 70 km) and Forlì-Luigi Ridolfi International Airport (FRL, 81 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Florence?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Florence
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.