Postcard from Florence
Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, is a pretty city that draws thousands of tourists all over the year for its museums, monuments, and impeccable architecture. Being the capital of the dreamy Tuscany region, Florence is often used as a base to explore Tuscany. Our trip to Florence was very short. As our main destination was Tuscany, we spent little time in Florence. We took a morning train from Rome, dumped the luggage in the train station’s left luggage, and walked towards the historic center of the city to explore. We hardly spent 4 hours in Florence and really did not do justice to this beautiful city. In the hindsight, we really recommend at least a day’s time for Florence. If you are in a hurry, check out our quick guide for a short stay in Florence!
Quick guide for a short stay in Florence:
Cathedral – Duomo di Firenze:
Wow! One of the most amazing architectures we have seen in our lives. The Cathedral was as grand as it could get. While mom and dad stood in the queue to go inside to check out the magnificent frescos on the wall, I and Raga spent some time in the nearby cafe enjoying one of the best espressos we have had so far.
Museums:
If you are into paintings, do visit the Uffizi gallery which hosts paintings by the greatest artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. One of the other famous museums is Museo di San Marco.
Panoramas:
When you look up Florence on the internet, you will be greeted with some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city which includes the iconic Duomo, the Alnolfo tower, and the river. If you would like to soak up the lovely views of the city and create a similar scene for yourselves, visit Piazzale Michelangelo and the tower of Palazzo Vecchio. The views offer a grand panoramic perspective and are a photographer’s delight. The Duomo and the nearby Giottoâs Campanile also offer great views of the center of the city. But be sure that you are fit enough to climb these monuments as they would really test your stamina and glutes.
Read Also: where to find the best pizza in Italy and a quick day trip to Pisa
Walk around the Duomo:
To get a feel of the city, just walk around the backstreets near Duomo. The streets are filled with small restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops. It’s a treat to watch the great Duomo from these streets and it would appear only partly, leaving you with asking for more.
Ponte Vecchio:
This is a romantic spot in Florence with amazing views of the river Arno. This old bridge houses many small shops on either side and looks way too beautiful from a distance during sunsets. The reflection of the three arches of the bridge on the river is a must-visit place in Florence.
As we did not spend enough time in Florence, we could not take many pictures. Leaving you with some of the photos we snapped during our visit…
Read about our first impression on Italy and other postcards from this beautiful country like Tuscany, Rome, Positano!
Postcard from London
33 Comments
Pramod
Raga and Nandita, our visit was for a very short duration but we did enjoy Florence. Nice architecture and the place has old world charm.
SendingPostcardsHome
Florence definitely has an old charm and we couldn’t have missed the Cathedral. One of the most stunning architectures we have ever seen…
Discover and Explore
We spent 4 days last Autumn (2017) in Florence. What a dream of a city:) thank you.
SendingPostcardsHome
Glad you enjoyed Florence! It’s a dream for sure ðŸ˜Å
sportsdiva64
Love your postcards from the different cities. Also what a blessing to have your parents with you on your trips. Can’t wait to see where your next postcard is going to be from. Safe travels and keep on blogging 😉
SendingPostcardsHome
Thank you so much and for reading our blog! Totally agree with you. It was so good to have our parents travel with us – a memory of a lifetime! 🙂 We still have a couple of postcards from Italy and then let’s see!
zestinatote
Your pictures have made me relive our visit to Florence. We didn’t visit the Uffizi or the Academia – it would have been difficult to keep our 4-yr-old engaged in these vast museums. But the city itself is a living breathing museum! It is so amazing to walk around and see all the lovely buildings. We also spent hours at quaint cafes sipping coffee and having gelatos.
SendingPostcardsHome
So glad our pictures brought all your memories back Shweta! We spent very less time in the Florence as Tuscany was our main destination. We didn’t want to miss out on the famous Cathedral but the city definitely looks grand.. We were blown away by the architecture of the Domino. Traveling with a 4 year old would be definitely interesting as you get to explore a new place through their eyes…
realmaven18
Yes, Florence is sensational! History, great food, and yummy gelato:)
ourhoppytravels
Florence looks so grand with all those gorgeous buildings and churches! And you guys have brought the city to life with your stunning pics as always!
SendingPostcardsHome
Thanks Smitha! Are you guys planning to visit Florence as well? My parents found the basilica in Vatican more beautiful on the inside than the Domino. We never entered the Domino as we were put off by the long queue.
ourhoppytravels
Yeah, we’ll be doing Florence as well. I think we are going to run into some seriously long lines as well considering the time we’re planning to visit. Will need to book the tours ahead of time and try visiting at non-peak hours.
SendingPostcardsHome
Yeah, with the tours you should be ok. The entry inside the Domino is free and hence the long lines. ðŸ˜Å
Joanne S
It;s been more than 15 years since our last visit, but I hope to get back to Florence. Beautiful place!
SendingPostcardsHome
We didn’t see much of Florence but the city had a different vibe to it. We really enjoyed the time we spent there. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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realmaven18
I agree, Florence is a dream of a vacation spot!
SendingPostcardsHome
Wish we had more time to spend in Florence. 🙂
2weekendwanderers
Love the colours you captured in the photos! I really enjoyed Florence when we visited in the summer, I think it’s such an interesting city with art and beauty at every corner.
https://2weekendwanderers.com/
SendingPostcardsHome
Thank you so much! I had very little time in Florence but enjoyed every minute of it – especially the cafes and the architecture.. 🙂 Did you visit Florence this summer?
2weekendwanderers
Yes, we did a mini tour of Northern Italy and visited Milano, Turin, the Ligurian coast and Florence just at the end. Not enough time though to see Tuscany so I’d love to go back.
https://2weekendwanderers.com/
No Compass Wanders
Wow! These pictures are amazing! I will be traveling to Florence next year and cannot wait! Did you climb the Duomo when you were there?
SendingPostcardsHome
Thank you so much! No, we were actually put off by the queue.. Do plan to book in advance if you plan to go in and climb the Duomo..
No Compass Wanders
Understandable! And thank you for the tip!
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