about this guide
Lena studied abroad in Florence her junior fall. She asked everyone who went before her all of their recs. I'm not kidding — I think she has a list of 300 places. Unfortunately we couldn't mention all of them here (yet…). Here are all of her favorites and must-do's in Florence.
the recommendations
Osteria Pastella
They have a big block of cheese that's carved out, they light it on fire and make pasta inside of it — super cheesy and so good.
Pino's Sandwiches
Really yummy — not that huge on sandwiches in general but this was good.
Vini e Vecchio
Cute, smaller restaurant vibe.
Osteria Santo Spirito
In the Santo Spirito neighborhood. Didn't go but it's probably good just based on location.
Perché No!
Solid gelato spot.
Angel Rooftop
Really beautiful, went too late at night with my parents which changed the vibe, but beautiful location.
Coin
Really strong drinks, yummy. They have good aperitivo and a yummy limoncello spritz.
Pink Box
Really cheap drinks, good location. They serve drinks in buckets.
Procacci 1885
Wine bar. Couldn't remember the difference between any of the wine bars honestly, but lots of good options.
Flo
Only open in the summer so I never went, but heard it's really fun.
Club 21
Has more locals and less study abroad crowd. The guys can be more aggressive here so just be careful.
Bayside Leather
The wife was British and the husband was Italian, each had their own shops right down the street from each other. Really cute. Expensive though.
Santo Spirito Market
Incredible vintage market every second Sunday of the month, a million finds. Also a lot of good designer vintage pop-ups on the weekends.
Mercato Centrale
Huge central market full of food, so many delicious options.
Palazzo Strozzi
Big palace that sometimes has pop-up art events inside.
Ferragamo Museum
Fun to go to.
Ponte Vecchio
The bridge the Medici family used to cross over to the other side of the city. Pretty to walk over and they sell jewellery on it.
Santo Spirito Neighborhood
On the other side of the Arno River, way less touristy. A more authentic experience overall.
Stay on the Santo Spirito side of the river if you are looking for somewhere less touristy.
Spritz culture is real. Grab one on your walk to Piazzale Michelangelo and drink it on the steps watching the sunset.
Florence has multiple wine bars and honestly they're all pretty good. Don't overthink it, just pick one in a neighborhood you're wandering through.
All of Lena's recommendations above are saved in this Google Maps list so you can use them while exploring Florence.