There are a million reasons that people book flights to Florence, but a few of the big ones are food, religious sites, and well, food. But as simple as it sounds, it’s easy to go wrong. Plenty of restaurants are catered to tourists, and some churches and cathedrals will keep you waiting in line for 40 days and 40 nights. Know the ropes before you go, and make sure you get a fully bona fide experience.
Skip out on touristy Florence hot spots that offer you bland samples of what’s really cooking around the corner, and be adventurous when making choices so you can go home and brag to your friends about what you saw, ate, or experienced. Don’t waste time in line or plan a whole day for something that only needs three hours. Your time in this breath-taking city might be limited, but your experience won’t be if you take our advice.
You might gain a little weight, but we didn’t say this was a list of dieting tips.
10 Things Not to do in Florence:
1. DON’T go to the Uffizi or the Accademia without buying scheduled tickets in advance, or you’ll be in line for hours. Buy your tickets at polomuseale.firenze.it first.
2. DON’T eat at a restaurant named after a city, artist or monument. Instead, dig into tiny side streets between Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Santa Maria Novella, or just follow the locals.
3. DON’T buy leather from a market. Spend a little more money on Italy’s best leather in the Santa Croce area.
4. DON’T leave without trying a bistecca fiorentina. Nobody does steak better than the Florentines.
5. DON’T plan a whole day in nearby Pisa. Go for an hour, see the Leaning Tower, then spend the rest of the day in Lucca, a great Tuscan town.
6. DON’T take pictures of the statue of Neptune on Piazza della Signorina. Florentines consider it the ugliest piece of art in town.
7. DON’T order any wine other than the house wine unless you’re a serious wine aficionado. Unlike in America, the house wine here is delicious and inexpensive.
8. DON’T order pizza before 8:00 PM or cappuccino after 10:00 AM. No self-respecting Italian does.
9. DON’T go into churches in shorts or sleeveless shirts – it’s considered disrespectful. You’ll be turned away or forced to wear a huge paper shawl.
10. DON’T be conventional in your gelato choice. Who comes to Florence for chocolate ice cream? Try hazelnut, nutella, stracciatella or rose petal.
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