Florence art itinerary: around the duomo and the centre
My guide to the best art museums to visit and most delicious food to eat near the duomo and in the centre of Florence
Duomo is a word for cathedral in Italian, meaning each city has one. Florence’s duomo is specifically called the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The duomo is the centre of Florence and defines the main touristic area of the city. This guide outlines the best art museums and cheap eats in Firenze’s centre.
At a glance…
Art to see in the centre of Florence:
Santa Maria del Fiore and Brunelleschi’s Dome
Palazzo Vecchio
Loggia dei Lanzi
Uffizi Gallery
Orsanmichele
Bargello Museum
Where to shop in the centre of Florence:
Jewelry: Rinascimento Fiorentino di Ladisa Patrizia
Gucci Garden
Where to eat in the centre of Florence:
Panini Toscano
Da’Vinattieri
Grom
Vini e Vecchi Sapori
All’Antico Vinaio
Santa Maria del Fiore and Brunelleschi’s Dome
Duomo free to enter | ticket prices vary for the dome and tower
Santa Maria del Fiore, otherwise known as the duomo, is the centrepiece of Florence. Brunelleschi’s dome is an enormous feat of architecture and sits iconically on Florence’s skyline. Entering the duomo itself is free, but tickets can be purchased to go atop the dome or Giotto’s tower, or inside the baptistery which is adorned with Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise.
Palazzo Vecchio
Free to enter ground level courtyard | museum € 12.50 | free with Firenze Card
Palazzo Vecchio functions as Florence’s town hall and is a 15th C building overlooking Piazza della Signoria. The entryway on the lower level is a stunning courtyard with frescoes depicting various important European cities and their maps. This part is free to enter, is is worth a look at. Inside the Palazzo is an art collection and ornate rooms, such as the Hall of Five Hundreds, the largest room in Florence.
Loggia dei Lanzi
Free to enter
The Loggia dei Lanzi is a covered porch on Piazza della Signoria which holds several significant marble sculptures, including Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women and Cellini’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa. While the subjects might be gruesome, it is an arresting experience to be able to view these outdoors amid the crowds of Florence.
Uffizi Gallery
€20 | free with Firenze Card, but must reserve ahead
The Uffizi Gallery is the jewel of Florence’s art scene and by far its most famous attraction. The Uffizi displays a host of Renaissance masterpieces, perhaps most famously Botticelli’s Primavera and Venus, along with various Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raphael works and more. Do not miss the downstairs level which holds late Renaissance/Baroque works, like Artemisia Gentilleschi’s Judith Beheading Holofernes. The drawback for the Uffizi is that it is so impossibly busy that visitors face long queues to enter and packed galleries inside. Tuesday and the weekends are the busiest days. Early morning slots or after 3pm are probably the best bet for a quieter visit.
Orsanmichele
€4 | free with Firenze Card
Orsanmichele is a church with centuries of history behind it. The structure as it stands now was built in 1404, and it contains frescoes, alterpieces and niche sculptures made throughout its history. Notably, the niche sculptures on the exterior were commissioned by Florence’s various guilds during the Renaissance. Copies now adorn the exterior, while the original sculptures are displayed in a gallery above the tabernacle.
Alongside valuable art history, Orsanmichele also offers one of the best viewing platforms in the city, with direct views onto both the duomo and Palazzo Vecchio.
Bargello Museum
€11 | free with Firenze Card
The Bargello Museum is one I nearly did not visit, but I am so glad I did. It focuses on sculpture and decorative arts. Donatello’s David is a highlight, but there are countless treasures to encounter here, from marble sculptures to ceramic roundels and Islamic tiles. Generally quiet and the spaces of the museum itself are beautiful to see.
Beautiful shops in the centre of Florence
I don’t have the budget to be a big shopper, but I do love browsing beautiful shops, especially when abroad. The centre of Florence is filled with designer shops and is one of the most luxurious places in the world for a shopping spree. Because its known as a shopping haven, Florence is a great place to pick up Italian souvenirs. While I did find many beautiful shopfronts and artisan shops around the city, only two places caught my eye in the centre.
Gucci Garden
Gucci Garden is a Gucci shop, museum, and even restaurant in Piazza della Signoria. I didn’t pay to enter the exhibition, but the shop itself is beautiful in that colourful and upbeat Gucci style. The space includes a bookshop as well.
Rinascimento Fiorentino di Ladisa Patrizia
This is a jewelry stall in Piazza della Repubblica that caught my eye when walking past. It stocks a beautiful array of colourful, vintage looking jewelry at fair prices.
Where to eat in the centre of Florence
Panini Toscano
Right across from the duomo, this tiny sandwich shop is an excellent Florence experience. When you enter, staff allows you to try the various meats and cheeses on offer before you build your own sandwich.
Vini e Vecchi Sapori
A charming, art-filled restaurant with classic dishes. Can’t go wrong.
All’Antico Vinaio
The other internet-famous Florence sandwich stop, right outside the exit from the Uffizi Gallery.
Grom
Classic gelato, the best you’ll get in the centre.
Da’Vinattieri
My favourite sandwich in all of Florence. This tiny hole-in-the-wall serves panino, such the soppressota, ricotta and orange sandwich I have been dreaming about since I ate it. They also have a window from which you can order lampredotto, Florence’s famous offal dish, for the bravehearted.
