Tourist Attractions in Florence

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Florence

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Florence

Florence is the embodiment of the spirit of the Renaissance, an architectural masterpiece city and the home of great creators who have forever engraved their names in the memory of mankind. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolo Donatello, Dante Alighieri, Benvenuto Cellini – all these brilliant masters lived and created their immortal masterpieces in Florence.

The city is surrounded by the magnificent landscapes of Tuscany, Florentine museums display the finest works of art, and opera singers perform in medieval squares. Florence inspires and enchants – no tourist is indifferent to its beauty. Florence is called “the city of flowers”, which spread its beautiful petals among the picturesque plains and hills of Italy.

Top-20 Tourist Attractions in Florence

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

 4.8/5

91876 reviews

A magnificent and elegant cathedral, a true architectural marvel that has adorned Florence for centuries. The construction of the cathedral lasted several centuries under the direction of such renowned architects as Giotto di Bondone, Francesco Talenti, Giovanni di Lappo Ghini and others. The vaults of the cathedral are decorated with 15th century frescoes, the incredibly beautiful facade is decorated with marble bas-reliefs, and the red dome of the cathedral seems to float above the city.

Open time

The Baptistery of St. John

 4.7/5

7223 reviews

An octagonal marble building from the eleventh to twelfth century, intended for baptism. This is where the powerful Medici family and the great Dante were baptised. The building is decorated with bas-reliefs worked on by Byzantine masters. The eastern gate of the baptistery attracts the most attention of tourists, where scenes from the Bible are depicted on gilded panels.

Open time

Monday: 8:15 – 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:15 – 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:15 – 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Thursday: 8:15 – 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Friday: 8:15 – 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8:15 – 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Sunday: 8:15 – 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM – 6:30 PM

Giotto's Bell Tower

 4.8/5

5531 reviews

The bell tower is part of the architectural complex of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It is an outstanding example of Italian architectural art, created with the participation of the master Giotto di Bondone. His name is immortalised in the name of the campanile. The height of the tower reaches 84 metres, on the upper tier there is a viewing platform, from where a tourist can see the panorama of Florence. More than 400 steps lead up to the observation deck.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence

 4.7/5

32197 reviews

A 13th century basilica, a classic monument of the Italian Gothic style. It is believed that the architect Arnolfo di Cambio began work on the construction of the temple. According to legend, on the site of the basilica there was a chapel built by St Francis of Assisi. The interior is decorated with works of art of XIV-XV centuries. There are works by Giotto, Benedetto de Maiano, Donatello, Giovanni da Milano, Bernardo Rossellino. The basilica belongs to the Franciscan Order.

Open time

Monday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday: 12:30 – 5:45 PM

Basilica di San Lorenzo

 4.6/5

10310 reviews

An architectural monument of the 15th century, built in the early Renaissance style. The church houses the tombs of the Medici family. During the heyday of this influential Florentine family, the Basilica of San Lorenzo was the parish church of the Medici. Near the main altar is the tomb of the founder of the dynasty, Cosimo the Elder. The basilica houses a monastery and the Laurentian Library.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday: Closed

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

 4.7/5

24984 reviews

The main Dominican church of Florence, an architectural monument dating from the 13th to 14th centuries. Previously there was a Romanesque chapel on this site, which was given to the monks of the Dominican Order. The basilica is decorated with an openwork facade, a little reminiscent of the painting of a decorative box. The interior is decorated with Greek frescoes and marble bas-reliefs. The basilica is where the action of Boccaccio’s Decameron begins.

Open time

Basilica di San Marco

 4.6/5

176 reviews

A monastery that in the fourteenth century was taken over by the Dominican Order from the Congregation of the Silvestrines of St Benedict at the will of the ruler of Tuscany (the Benedictines did not manage their farming well enough). The monastery is believed to have originated in the twelfth century. In the second half of the XIX century, the National Museum of San Marco was established in the monastery. The collections of this museum contain priceless exhibits of Renaissance creators.

Open time

Monday: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:30 – 7:00 PM

Florence Academy of Fine Arts

 4.2/5

239 reviews

The very first European Academy of Painting, founded in 1561 with the participation and full support of Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici. The academy was founded by Agnolo Bronzino, Giorgio Vasari and Bartolomeo Ammanati. The institution has an art gallery where outstanding works of art are exhibited. Among them is the famous “David” by Michelangelo. This five-metre statue is one of the symbols of the Renaissance.

Open time

Bargello National Museum

 4.6/5

7467 reviews

A museum housed in a historical building dating back to the 13th century. The building is a real medieval castle. In past centuries, it housed a prison, a barracks, a judge’s residence and the city magistrate’s office. The collection of the Bargello Museum is considered one of the most important in Italy. It contains works by B. Cellini, Michelangelo, Giambologna and other famous masters.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 8:15 AM – 6:50 PM
Wednesday: 8:15 AM – 6:50 PM
Thursday: 8:15 AM – 1:50 PM
Friday: 8:15 AM – 6:50 PM
Saturday: 8:15 AM – 6:50 PM
Sunday: Closed

House of Dante

 3.8/5

5266 reviews

Donte Alighieri was a famous poet, politician, creator of the immortal Divine Comedy and one of the founders of the Italian language. The ancient stone house of the genius in one of the oldest Florentine neighbourhoods has been turned into a museum named after him. The exposition tells about Dante’s life and his creative path. The museum has many paintings depicting 14th century Florence.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Palazzo Vecchio

 4.7/5

21361 reviews

A palace dating from the late 13th and early 14th centuries, which houses the city’s municipality. It was the seat of the rulers of the Republic of Florence and the Duchy of Tuscany for centuries. The building is crowned by a 94 metre high tower named after the master Arnolfo di Cambio. The palazzo has survived to this day in its original form. The rich interior decoration is the merit of the court architect of the Medici family, Master D. Vasari.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Pitti Palace

 4.6/5

26865 reviews

A palace built for the Pitti family in the 15th century in the sombre Quattroceto architectural style (one of the Early Renaissance movements). It now houses one of Florence’s finest museums. More precisely, Palazzo Pitti houses several different expositions: the Palatine Gallery, the Silver Museum, the Costume Gallery, the Porcelain Museum, and the Museum of Modernist Art.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Thursday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Friday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Sunday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM

Riccardi Medici Palace

 4.5/5

8248 reviews

For many centuries the palace was the main residence of the Medici, the ruling family of Florence. The dynasty descended from the banker Cosimo the Elder, who achieved such a high position thanks to his money and influence. In the mid-15th century, a magnificent palazzo was built for the newly minted ruler. In the 17th century, the building was sold to the Riccardi family, who worked to extend and renovate it in the Renaissance style.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Piazzale Michelangelo

 0/5

Florence Square, which offers the best panorama of the city. Because of this, it is always crowded and noisy. The square was created in the XIX century during the large-scale reconstruction of Florence. It was named in honour of Michelangelo, the unsurpassed creator. In 1873, a copy of Michelangelo’s David and four other copies of this famous Renaissance sculptor’s works were erected in the square.

Piazza della Signoria

 4.8/5

74831 reviews

The historic centre and one of the most beautiful squares in all of Italy. The square is a harmonious architectural ensemble that includes the Palazzo Vecchio, the Fountain of Neptune, the Loggia Lanzi and several sculptural groups. Back in ancient times it was the crossroads of important roads, a Roman amphitheatre and ancient villas. But these buildings have not survived to this day.

Open time

Uffizi Gallery

 4.7/5

72643 reviews

One of the most famous art museums in the world. The cultural value of the Gallery for the whole of humanity can hardly be overestimated – it houses masterpieces by Botticelli, Giotto, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Caravaggio. Under Cosimo I of the Medici dynasty, the Uffizi housed administrative buildings, but over time an impressive collection of works of art accumulated inside. In the XVIII century it was decided to open a public museum on the territory.

Open time

Corridoio Vasariano

 4.5/5

192 reviews

A covered arched passageway across the Arno River that connects Palazzo Pitti and Palazzo Vecchio. It was built by Francesco I de’ Medici. Through this corridor, the ruler could quickly cross the river without having to go outside. The passageway is decorated with paintings by Titian, da Vinci, Giotto and several hundred more works by masters of the 16th and 17th centuries. These days, a walk along the Vasari is only possible for a fee.

Open time

Ponte Vecchio

 4.7/5

130697 reviews

A crossing over the Arno River that dates back to the time of Ancient Rome. Over the centuries, the bridge was repeatedly destroyed, washed away and rebuilt. In the XV century Florentine meat market worked here, because of which a bad smell spread in the neighbourhood. Now on Ponte Vecchio the place of butcher shops was taken by expensive jewellery boutiques for tourists. The bridge itself is part of the Vasari Corridor.

Open time

Parco delle Cascine

 4.3/5

14893 reviews

In the 16th century, the park was the hunting grounds of the Medici family. In the early nineteenth century the area was opened to the public, and later the park was sold to the city authorities. Since then, Cascine has become a popular holiday destination for Florentines. It is equipped with bicycle and pedestrian paths, signposts, picnic areas and other infrastructure. Entrance is free of charge for all.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

The Boboli Gardens

 4.2/5

25370 reviews

A landscaped park complex lavishly decorated with fountains, pavilions and flower beds. The gardens were laid out in the 15th century at the request of Duchess Eleonora of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de’ Medici. Over the centuries, the Boboli Gardens have changed hands several times. Each noble family that has acquired these areas has endeavoured to contribute to the landscape of the park complex.

Open time

Monday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Thursday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Friday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM
Sunday: 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM