Got 72 hours in Florence? We’ve Got It Figured For You
After 72 hours in the Tuscan capital, we distilled the city’s best into an insider guide to Florence—equal parts history, magic and dolce vita
IN FLORENCE’S HISTORIC Piazza della Signoria, the city’s main public square, a 12-foot bronze statue by British artist Thomas J Price towers over the tourists. The subject? A modern woman in skinny jeans anda polo, back turned to centuries of Renaissance glory, eyes locked on her phone. It’s hard to imagine a sharper metaphor for how we travel now—hopping from one Instagrammable stop to the next, barely pausing to soak in the city itself.
So yes, you’ll hear about Vivoli’s viral affogato (cue my local guide’s scoff) or the much-Instagrammed wine windows (eye roll included). But Florence—the seat of the Renaissance—has far more to offer than TikTok-approved queues. And while even a lifetime may not be enough to take in all of Florence’s marvels, I found that 72 hours in the city can be the perfect crash course to its insider-approved hits.
STAY
The Four Seasons Hotel Firenze’s still the gold standard—Renaissance art, soaring architecture and one of the city’s largest private gardens, with some rooms framing the Duomo. For something more hip, check into the new 159-key Hoxton, designed like a palazzo with a modern edge. Or go full insider and book the historic apartment that once belonged to Pope Clement VIII—yes, it’s on Airbnb.
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EAT
Long-standing family-run trattorias to Michelin-approved restaurants—prepare to be spoilt for choice. Trattoria Zà Zà, Il Santo Bevitore and CibrèoFirenze are local favourites. For fine dining, Atto di Vito Mollica serves modern Tuscan in a room frescoed by 16th-century artist Alessandro Allori, while Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura remains one of the hottest tables in town. Need a break from pasta? Make a reservation at the glamorous Gusto Xinge for contemporary Chinese. End the day with pistachio gelato at Sbrino or Gelateria della Passera.
DRINK
Legend has it that when Filippo Brunelleschi banned wine on the Duomo site, his workers went on strike—proof that wine is stitched into Florence’s DNA. Sip yours with a view from the rooftops of Grand Hotel Baglioni or Hotel Palazzo Guadagni. For a buzzy night you’ll remember (or not), make a beeline for Locale or Cestello. Or book a sommelier-led cocktail and
aperitivo tour with Curious Appetite. Or go all out with dinner and a show at the eclectic Hotel Number Nine.
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SHOP
Leather, artisanal perfume, handmade jewellery—Florence makes souvenirs worth treasuring. Start at Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novellssa, a 1221 apothecary founded by Dominican friars, still selling soaps and potions from monks’ recipes. Head to Il Bisonte for vegetable-dyed leather bags, I Visionari and Antica Occhialeria for eyewear, Stefano Bemer for handcrafted shoes, and Vannaty for vintage fashion. Or wander the bohemian Oltrarno and let the city surprise you.
DO
Once you’ve had your fill of Renaissance art—the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti, Michelangelo’s David, the Duomo— dig into the city’s other delights. Take a day trip to Antinori or Il Borro for Tuscan wine tastings, or craft your own sunset picnic at Piazzale Michelangelo before a hearty meal at family-run Zeb nearby. Learn pasta-makingwith Sfoglia Re Firenze via Airbnb Experiences, and cap your trip with a night at the opera at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino—a true swan song to your 72 hours in the city.
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