Tuscany’s capital is a Renaissance wonderland of artwork and terracotta tiles. Florence is likely one of the hottest metropolis breaks in Europe, and it’s bought the superstar standing to show it. You’ve bought the Florence Cathedral, cobbled streets filled with impartial boutiques, and the Arno River operating by way of town heart. Florence is stuffed with artwork and tradition – however the place do you keep to see all the primary sights? How do you select the place to remain in Florence?
Greatest Locations to Keep in Florence
Florence is an attractive metropolis to go to. There’s artwork and sweetness in all places. In the case of the primary sights, you will have the Etruscan Archaeological Museum, the bustle of Piazza del Duomo, and the grandeur of Palazzo Vecchio. You’ve bought rather a lot to sit up for.
The place to remain in Florence is completely different for everybody and each go to. Central Florence has practically ten completely different areas, every with a mixture of trendy boutique lodges and sights. You may go native and keep away from the vacationers or pay the value and be inside strolling distance of every little thing. After numerous visits to town, we’ve whittled it down to 6 neighborhoods so that you can select from – we wish you to have the perfect.
1. Centro Storico
Centro Storico is the guts of Florence and its historical past. Image church buildings that date again centuries, slim streets, and views of the gorgeous predominant attraction within the metropolis: Florence Cathedral. Centro Storico is absolutely the hub of town, and everybody is aware of it. All the perfect lodges get booked out over the summer season, and crowds of vacationers descend on the neighborhood year-round. Most of Florence’s predominant sights are condensed into this tiny pocket of historical past, and the temptation is an excessive amount of for many guests to withstand. It’s even UNESCO-recognized.
With this nice location, you might be inside straightforward strolling distance of sights just like the Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Nationwide Museum of Bargello. The neighborhood is a vigorous mixture of main websites. You may’t beat staying right here if you wish to discover on foot.
In abstract, Centro Storico is the place to remain in Florence in case you’re a first-time customer, dedicated to sightseeing on foot, or solely have a few days within the metropolis. It’s completely handy, with the added bonus of being completely attractive (primarily because of the Duomo’s terracotta domes).
Luxurious: Rocco Forte Lodge Savoy
Rocco Forte Lodge Savoy is a sublime 5-star lodge proper subsequent to the Uffizi Gallery. You may e-book rooms with distinctive views, together with one in every of Piazza del Duomo or the well-known bell tower. Rooms don’t come low cost, however you’ll get world-class remedy in change.
Rocco Forte Lodge Savoy is well top-of-the-line luxurious lodges within the historic heart of Florence.
Mid Vary: Lodge Della Signoria
Lodge Della Signoria is a three-star property with a five-star location, simply steps from Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio. It provides a spread of rooms, together with a superior room with a non-public terrace.
This lodge is nice worth for cash and a pleasure to expertise. The terrace room is unquestionably an awesome shout, providing a little bit of solace within the busy metropolis heart.
Funds: Dante’s Rooms
Dante’s Rooms is your best possible alternative for price range lodging within the heart of Florence. You get all of the fundamentals: free wi fi, snug beds, and TVs in every visitor room.
Does it have a rooftop pool? No, however the cut price keep is definitely worth the trade-off. In the event you’re prepared to go for a extra B&B fashion expertise, Dante’s Rooms is an excellent price range lodge alternative in central Florence.
Professionals Of Staying in Centro Storico
- Strolling distance from main sights just like the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Signoria, and Palazzo Vecchio.
- Loads of buzz and an thrilling ambiance.
- A number of lodge selections.
Cons Of Staying in Centro Storico
- Heavy crowds.
- Lodges can include a hefty price ticket.
- You solely see the “predominant space”, with out the encompassing countryside or suburban areas.
2. Santa Maria Novella
Santa Maria Novella is no-nonsense. The neighborhood is centered across the Santa Maria Novella practice station. It is stuffed with in-and-out guests and, as such, has loads of budget-friendly lodging. It could actually get sketchy across the practice station at night time, with drug use and the odd opportunistic lurkers able to bag snatch. However as a complete, the Santa Maria Novella district is the place to remain in Florence in order for you an inexpensive and easy place to remain. You’re only a quick stroll into the historic metropolis heart and to all the primary sights, simply with out the expense of paying by way of the roof for extra central lodging.
Aside from the primary practice station (very useful for day journeys), the neighborhood has the attractive marble Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. You may as well take a look at the antiques alongside Through dei Fossi, a preferred buying avenue, and among the metropolis’s extra budget-friendly nightclubs, like House Membership. There are museums, too, together with the Marino Marini Firenze Museum and Palazzo Strozzi.
We’d recommend staying within the lower-eastern area of Santa Maria Novella, away from the practice station and alongside the Arno River. It has extra of a central attraction and is a brief strolling distance from Centro Storico anyway, which is a pleasant contact. Santa Maria Novella is well top-of-the-line neighborhoods in order for you a extra budget-friendly different to Centro Storico with out sacrificing a lot for handy sightseeing.
Luxurious: Portrait Firenze
Portrait Firenze is a beautiful 5-star lodge simply 30 meters away from Ponte Vecchio. Portrait Firenze is the place to remain in order for you luxurious with water views, they usually have superb lodge rooms with marble bogs and home windows overlooking the Arno River.
This luxurious property is well top-of-the-line lodges, centrally positioned, providing tasteful decor and upscale rooms.
Mid Vary: Novella Home
Novella Home is stuffed with character, with a boutique lodge inside that includes patterned wallpapers and frescoed ceilings. It’s superbly positioned within the Santa Maria Novella district, inside a straightforward stroll of Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria.
Novella Home is about in a Seventeenth-century constructing, which is simply the cherry on high. It’s a historic spot and top-of-the-line lodges in order for you loads of character.
Funds: Foresteria Sociale Florence Heart by New Era Hostel
Foresteria Sociale Florence Heart by New Era Hostel is ideal for anybody who likes a cut price. The most affordable rooms are dormitory choices, with female-only and mixed-sex rooms obtainable. There are additionally costlier non-public rooms with mid-range costs in case you choose privateness however nonetheless desire a hostel atmosphere.
You may as well entry a shared kitchen, bogs, and laundry amenities.
Professionals Of Staying in Santa Maria Novella
- It’s barely cheaper than Centro Storico.
- It’s nonetheless within the metropolis heart, which means you’re inside strolling distance of main sights.
- It has a enjoyable ambiance.
Cons Of Staying in Santa Maria Novella
- The realm across the practice station and Piazza Santa Maria Novella may be sketchy at night time.
- You’re nonetheless within the metropolis heart, so the perfect lodges may be costly.
- Santa Maria Novella nonetheless will get crowded with vacationers and native individuals utilizing the practice station.
3. San Niccolò
San Niccolò is an attractive place to remain in Florence. The historic neighborhood is a community of cobbles and twisting streets backed by artisan workshops earlier than exploding into open expanses of inexperienced areas and villa gardens. It completely balances historical past, tradition, and nature. And for these eager to dodge the crowds, it sits a protected distance away from Florence’s manic metropolis heart, overlooking the cityscape from throughout the Arno River.
San Niccolò is on town’s south financial institution, which is the alternative aspect of the Arno River to Centro Storico and Santa Maria Novella. Due to this, you’ll need to plan some further journey time to succeed in town heart and sightsee issues like the foremost attraction of Florence Cathedral. Nevertheless, it solely takes round 20 minutes to stroll from San Niccolò to Florence’s central vacationer district – how straightforward is that? You’ll cross over the long-lasting Ponte Vecchio bridge or Ponte alle Grazia, each of that are pedestrian-friendly.
There may be additionally lots to see and do within the neighborhood itself. The Piazzale Michelangelo is a panoramic viewpoint overlooking Florence, with a bronze David reproduction standing guard. The Terzo Giardino and Villa Bardini are additionally nice locations for peaceable walks in serene nature.
San Niccolò is the place to remain in Florence if you wish to expertise a quiet tradition within the metropolis. It’s filled with gardens and serenity, with an opportunity to expertise Florence with fewer crowds.
Luxurious: Lodge Lungarno
Lodge Lungarno is one other stunning riverfront property. It’s positioned only a quick distance from Ponte Vecchio and provides suites overlooking the water. The lodge is adorned with priceless artwork, together with authentic items by Picasso.
Onsite eating places and nice eating choices can be found, and practically each visitor room or suite provides gorgeous marble bogs.
Mid Vary: Serristori Palace Residence
Serristori Palace Residence is positioned within the far west of San Niccolò. The Nineteenth-century constructing has a mix of luxury-furnished flats, supplying you with the right self-catering base.
Each condominium has a kitchen and laundry amenities. You additionally get entry to a small however fairly shared backyard. It’s a calming base for visiting San Niccolò on a mid-range price range.
Funds: QK Costa58 House Tower
QK Costa58 House Tower is as budget-friendly as this neighborhood will get. Fortunately, the attractive setting of this property makes these further pennies worthwhile. Overlook reserving a cookie-cutter lodge with a swimming pool or rooftop terrace. As a substitute, you can be staying in an actual medieval tower. You enter the stone tower by way of basic wood doorways – an actual expertise.
The double room is your most budget-friendly possibility and has nice views over town beneath.
Professionals Of Staying in San Niccolò
- There are extra peaceable areas of nature and inexperienced house.
- There are artisan workshops, villas, and off-the-beaten-track tradition.
- You expertise fewer crowds.
Cons Of Staying in San Niccolò
- There are fewer lodges to select from.
- You’re farther from town heart.
- There are fewer main vacationer sights.
4. Santa Croce
Santa Croce is extensively hailed as probably the most “charming” place to remain in Florence. It has tons of lingering heritage, being the ultimate resting place of giant names like Galileo and Michelangelo. You’ve gotten bars and cafes, plus recent produce offered on the healthful avenue market of Sant Ambrogio. It’s a romantic and ever so barely eclectic neighborhood. You’ll discover monumental tombs of the late and greats on one avenue and al fresco eating and markets on the subsequent. We love its sense of avenue tradition and out of doors dwelling. And in order for you someplace with historical past however laidback tradition, city Santa Croce is the place to remain in Florence.
Santa Croce sits east of town heart, lower than a 15-minute stroll from all of the central sightseeing and sights just like the Uffizi Gallery. The south border overlooks the Arno River, whereas the east borders the Florence ring highway, offering swift entry for these driving or catching a taxi to the airport. It’s central sufficient to nonetheless be handy however far out sufficient to flee the stifle of different weekend metropolis breakers.
In Santa Croce itself, you’ve bought the Florence Nationwide Central Library, Casa Buonarroti, the attractive Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze, and monumental tombs. It’s nice for artwork, literature, and academia. And whenever you aren’t embracing inventive historical past in Santa Croce, you may be purchasing for recent fruit and greens. The overall consensus is apt; Santa Croce positively has a “allure”.
Luxurious: YiD Cantoria
When staying in Santa Croce, YiD Cantoria is by far your greatest luxurious possibility. The gorgeous condominium has a non-public entrance and inside designs to die for. Fresco-style paintings items adorn its partitions, and loads of wood notes. It’s a mixture between fashionable and conventional, and it sleeps as much as six individuals – group journey, anybody?
You additionally get a non-public balcony with attractive avenue views. It’s a wonderful alternative for anybody wanting privateness and independence in Santa Croce.
Mid Vary: Borgo Signature Rooms
Borgo Signature Rooms is a guesthouse in Santa Croce with splendidly adorned rooms. It’s the place to remain in order for you aesthetically pleasing guestrooms on a mid-range price range. The combination of wood furnishings and paintings is simply stunning.
As if all that wasn’t sufficient, you might be simply minutes from the Basilica di Santa Croce Firenze. Borgo Signature Rooms are useless centrally positioned.
Funds: Bargello Visitor Home
Bargello Visitor Home provides guestrooms in a B&B fashion with quite a few shared areas, together with a snug lounge space. Every room has a non-public ensuite with complimentary toiletries and a TV for downtime after sightseeing.
Bargello Visitor Home is likely one of the few budget-friendly lodging choices in Santa Croce, so snap it up whereas it’s obtainable.
Professionals Of Staying in Santa Croce
- It’s central and inside strolling distance of all the primary sights, together with the Uffizi Gallery.
- It has an attractive market scene for laidback, genuine dwelling.
- There’s tons of fascinating historical past, particularly artwork historical past and monumental tombs belonging to Galileo and Michelangelo.
Cons Of Staying in Santa Croce
- It could actually get busy nonetheless.
- You continue to must stroll slightly longer than in case you stayed extra centrally (quarter-hour on common moderately than 5 minutes or so).
- Lodging may be costly and promote out in peak months.
5. Santo Spirito
The Santo Spirito neighborhood is fashionable, with an electrical sense of nightlife. That is the place you possibly can keep in Florence in order for you events after darkish, and it has a classy assortment of vibrant bars that keep open lengthy into the early hours. Santo Spirito is a implausible place to embrace the native vibe and socialize in your journey to Florence. Oh, and it additionally has nice eating places, if these vigorous bars weren’t sufficient for you. Unsurprisingly, it’s thought of top-of-the-line neighborhoods in Florence.
Santo Spirito is positioned south of the river, like San Niccolò. Nevertheless, it’s barely extra central, positioned simply off the steps of the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Due to this, you might be already on the outskirts of town heart and only a quick stroll to Florence’s predominant sights just like the cathedral and Piazza della Repubblica. It’s only a bit extra handy.
If you aren’t partying or strolling briskly over Ponte Vecchio for inner-city sightseeing, there’s lots to do in Santo Spirito. The largest attraction within the neighborhood is Pitti Palace. Pitti Palace is an artwork gallery advanced inside a Renaissance royal palace and opens onto the Boboli Gardens.
Santo Spirito is undoubtedly the place to remain in case you like to get together and expertise nightlife in new cities. Nevertheless, it’s equally a wonderful place to let your hair down in nature and admire paintings – the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens are two of Florence’s most spectacular outer-city sights.
Luxurious: Brunelleschi Imperial Home
Brunelleschi Imperial Home is an attractive two-bedroom condominium in central Santo Spirito. The design is extravagant, with heat lighting and spectacular options like a stone fire. You even get entry to a scorching tub. With all this on provide, the posh of self-catered lodging to slink again to for privateness, peace, and quiet after a protracted day is sensible.
The condominium sleeps as much as six individuals. You’ve gotten a spacious lounge and very good kitchen amenities, so it’s an attractive spot in order for you spacious lodging in Florence.
Mid Vary: Lodge Palazzo Guadagni
Lodge Palazzo Guadagni oozes custom and sophistication. Its most eye-catching high quality is its stone rooftop terrace, adorned with stone columns. The entire property is adorned with antiques and frescoes. In order for you someplace memorable to remain in Santo Spirito, that is the place to decide on.
Some rooms overlook the Pitti Palace, and a few bookings embrace a every day breakfast (on the terrace, after all). In the event you actually desire a memorable expertise, you possibly can e-book one of many rooms that includes an open hearth. It is a good possibility in winter.
Funds: House in Florence
House in Florence is a standard little condominium with terracotta-tiled flooring and a wrought iron mattress body. Staying right here is equal to stepping right into a novel or TV present. The property’s barely primary, rough-around-the-edges attract offers it that genuine vibe. Consider Emily in Paris if Emily moved to Florence as an alternative.
This one-bedroom condominium has every little thing a pair or solo traveler wants. You get a kitchen, lounge, and a toilet with a superbly tiled bathe. Quaint and mild on the pockets, House in Florence is a implausible budget-friendly possibility in Santo Spirito.
Professionals Of Staying in Santo Spirito
- It has a stylish bar scene for after-hours socializing.
- It’s only a quick stroll over Ponte Vecchio to succeed in town heart.
- You’ve bought stunning sights like Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens.
Cons Of Staying in Santo Spirito
- You continue to have a 15-minute stroll or so through the Ponte Vecchio to succeed in the northern metropolis heart’s sights, just like the Florence Cathedral and Piazza del Duomo.
- It may be rowdy and busy in elements.
- There are fewer lodges, so e-book upfront for peak months.
6. San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo is an attractive neighborhood to the northwest of town heart. It’s proper on the cusp of being within the central historic district, making it one of the handy locations you possibly can keep in Florence. So, aside from its location, what precisely makes San Lorenzo so particular? In a phrase: meals.
The entire neighborhood revolves round hospitality and culinary experiences. It’s the place you’ll discover the Mercato Centrale, promoting avenue meals from 9am till midnight seven days every week and a mix of low-light wine bars and upscale eating places. In the event you take a meals tour in Florence, San Lorenzo is the place guides will take you. So, in case you’re a foodie, chances are you’ll as effectively skip that and simply e-book to base your self there as an alternative.
It isn’t all meals on this culinary-focused neighborhood (though what can be improper with that?), and also you’ve bought sights just like the Basilica di San Lorenzo and the Museo di Casa Martelli. You’re additionally lower than a 10-minute stroll from main sights just like the Piazza del Duomo, so you possibly can simply spend your days sightseeing. This neighborhood is the place you possibly can keep for leisurely sightseeing and culinary experiences within the galore.
Luxurious: Lodge Cerretani Firenze
It doesn’t get extra attractive than Lodge Cerretani Firenze on this aspect of city. This 4-star lodge is simply 300 meters from Florence Cathedral, and a few of its rooms have views of the terracotta dome. Every room oozes class, with complimentary particulars like slippers and robes. You may select from a mix of superior rooms and suites. Nearly each reserving features a complimentary every day breakfast service, with 24-hour room service obtainable.
Lodge Cerretani Firenze is about in a Seventeenth-century constructing. It provides a lounge bar and onsite eating places, so mainly, every little thing you want is inside its 4 partitions.
Mid Vary: B&B Lorenzo di Medici
B&B Lorenzo di Medici provides a spread of room choices, all together with complimentary every day breakfast and considerate perks like a shuttle service to the airport. The inside design is recent and trendy – a stylish base on your time in Florence. It’s simply that excellent step between cheap costs and luxuries you crave. And whereas these are guestrooms, not flats, you continue to get useful facilities like a microwave, fridge, espresso machine, and toaster.
It’s straightforward to see why the evaluations are type to B&B Lorenzo di Medici. It’s a cool mid-range spot on this foodie neighborhood in Florence.
Funds Lodge: Hostel Archi Rossi
Hostel Archi Rossi is likely one of the few typical hostel lodging in Florence, and it doesn’t fail expectations. It provides a enjoyable atmosphere with white wrought iron beds in dormitories for as much as 9 individuals. There’s hand-painted paintings in all places and a extremely sociable format. It’s an awesome place to remain if you wish to follow a price range and make loads of mates.
You additionally get a shared kitchen, which is nice for saving cash when consuming out. Hostel Archi Rossi is reasonable and cheerful.
Professionals Of Staying in San Lorenzo
- There are a whole bunch of meals experiences.
- You’re simply minutes from main sights.
- There’s an attractive church and historic sights.
Cons Of Staying in San Lorenzo
- It could actually get busy, particularly in peak seasons.
- It has fewer sights than different neighborhoods in Florence.
- Lodging may be costly.
Greatest Areas to Keep in Florence: FAQ’s
By now, you might be effectively ready to make your closing resolution on the place to remain in Florence. You actually are spoiled for alternative, and town has among the greatest lodges, too – simply pondering of Lodge Palazzo Guadagni’s rooftop terrace makes us need to head again to Florence!
Earlier than you make any closing choices, although, listed below are some frequent FAQs. This part will assist solidify your alternative, particularly in case you’re visiting Florence for the primary time.
What a part of Florence is the perfect to remain in?
Centro Storico is the perfect a part of Florence in case you’re visiting for the primary time or simply for a weekend. It is because you might be proper in the midst of every little thing and only a nice stroll from sights like Piazza della Signoria, Florence Cathedral, and Piazza della Repubblica. It’s the guts of town, which is great for a time restrict.
The place ought to I keep in Florence for the primary time?
Once more, Centro Storico is the most suitable choice for first-time guests to Florence. Its easy accessibility to central sights is unbeatable. It’s handy and thrilling for first-time guests to be so within the thick of it. E book upfront to keep away from steeper costs and peak occasions, although.
The place to keep away from staying in Florence?
We wouldn’t advocate staying on the outskirts of Florence, particularly because it’s such a metropolis break-style vacation spot. In the event you’re visiting for a weekend, save your time on ridiculously lengthy public transport journeys simply to succeed in town heart.
What’s the most stunning space in Florence?
San Niccolò is gorgeous. It’s filled with beautiful gardens, wine bars that sprawl out in al fresco seating, and views of Florence’s cityscape from throughout the Arno River.
The place to not keep in Florence
On the whole, wherever in central Florence is nice. The worst you’ll must put up with is vacationer crowds and the opportunistic petty crime that may generally entice – like pickpocketing or bag snatching. As a complete, central Florence is protected and simple to navigate, with most locations accessible inside a brief strolling distance.
Nevertheless, we might rule out neighborhoods in Florence’s outskirts. Not solely are these areas extra susceptible to crime, however you’re additionally battling prolonged journey occasions on public transport simply to succeed in town heart to sightsee. It’s the very last thing you need. Listed below are a number of specifically to keep away from:
1. Peretola: The area across the airport is just too removed from town heart and has nearly fixed noise air pollution.
2. Le Piagge: A budget-friendly area that sadly struggles with low-level crime in northwestern Florence.
3. Galluzo: A reasonably disagreeable area within the south of Florence, most well-known for its massive jail facility.
As a substitute, in order for you a extra suburban and off-the-beaten-track place to remain, head to San Niccolò. It’s set on the alternative financial institution of the Arno River, away from town heart, with extra inexperienced house and a laidback ambiance.
Why we love Florence
There’s no denying that Florence is likely one of the prettiest cities in Europe. We love its attractive structure and the cultural issues to do. Selecting the place to remain in Florence is simply the cherry on high —good lodging is heaven-sent and helps you immerse your self much more deeply into town and its tradition.
In Florence, the neighborhoods have such particular person senses of character. You’ve bought San Niccolò’s laidback greenery and Santa Croce’s market buzz. Or Santa Maria Novella’s no-nonsense price range lodging scene. Wherever you select to remain, we hope you will have a implausible time.
