24 hours in Florence

Any visitor to Tuscany and arguably Italy will have several ‘must sees’ on their hit list. Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance will be at number one, closely followed by other Tuscan gems like Siena and San Gimignano.

So if you had 24 hrs in this stunning city, what do you squeeze in?

The iconic Ponte Vecchio – a romantic bridge, bedecked with jewelers shops, dating back to Roman times. It was almost lost to destruction in the second world war, a personal decision by Hitler to leave it, thankfully, means its now a tourist hot spot today. We suggest (unless you are out of high season) to visit in the evenings. The area will be placid and considerably more pleasurable…and a perfect place to stroll and soak the atmosphere up with a gelato in hand.

The Duomo – Florence’s famous cathedral - is probably a contender for number one spot in truth. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, it contains stunning artwork and is free to enter, but expect queues.

The Uffizi gallery – one of the most well known in the world, contains some incredible pieces of art from the Renaissance period, many from the Medici. Spot works from Botticelli, Giotto, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raffaello to name a few.

If you have managed to tick off the three items above in your 24 hrs, you will definitely need some sustenance. We advise to wander off the main streets where tourist menus proclaim in several languages that they can do average dishes well and find a secret trattoria. Usually the house wine is inexpensive but palatable and where you can try a classic Florentine dish like Pappardelle Sulla Lepre (pasta with hare) or for hearty appetites, Tuscan soup or Tuscan steak (after personal experience, the advice is to avoid both in the same sitting!)

If you still have room, a Passeggiata (Italian for a leisurely walk) with a gelato ice cream from one of the many roadside vendors is the perfect finish.