12 Reasons You Should Visit Florence Over Rome

When you think about Florence, the main things that come to mind are art, architecture and museums. Florence may not be big as Rome, but it has plenty of important museums and art galleries that are world-famous and deserve to be visited, such as the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia. Not to mention all the churches and buildings around the city that host masterpieces by the greatest artists, such as Michelangelo and Donatello just to name a few.

If you’re looking for romance, Florence has plenty to compete with. It’s small enough to get around on foot and discover romantic and picturesque lanes and stunning views. It’s no wonder that so many painters and artists come in town to capture the beauty of Florence.

Milan may be one of the international capitals of fashion, but Florence is no less in comparison. The Tuscan town is the place where Italian fashion was born and it is also the creative birthplace of some of the most famous designers of the world like Gucci (we recommend you to visit the Gucci Museum to learn more about the history of the brand).

Florence is the birthplace of the art’s movement of Renaissance, which means there are masterpieces by the greatest painters, artists and sculptors of all the time in the city. The result is a city that oozes charm and elegance from every corner. Just look up to the majestic Duomo, or check out the prestigious Palazzo della Signoria.

With a relatively compact historic city centre, Florence is easier to navigate than Rome – it’s no secret that the Italian capital is much bigger than Florence. You can easily visit the city walking through its narrow streets without using buses or taxis to reach the most impressive spots and areas.

Nightlife in Florence is acclaimed because the town has plenty of cool bars. Obviously so does Rome but in Florence, thanks to its dimensions, you can easily move from a bar to another by foot in the same night without waiting for a bus or looking for a space for your car.

It is not hard to find good gelato in Italy, but Florence is noted for its excellent gelato and sampling it all over the city is a cool way to pass the time. One of the most famous gelato shops in Italy is Vivoli, a small gelateria near the square of Santa Croce. The best of all ice-cream shops in town is no doubt Gelateria La Carraia, on the left bank of the Arno River, where it is possible to taste classic flavors as well as yummy mixes.

It’s the idea that seeing so much outstanding art in rapid succession can cause someone to become lightheaded or dizzy. The other name for Stendhal Syndrome is Florence Syndrome. Once here, you may not be surprised why this syndrome is linked to Florence.

If you like good wine, Florence is the place to be. In many restaurants and bars, you can taste some of the most famous and expensive wines, but you can also decide to book a tour in the Tuscan countryside and taste several kinds of grapes in authentic Italian wineries.

Florence is located in a perfect position, in the middle of Italy surrounded by gentle hills and picturesque hamlets. You can easily visit neighboring medieval villages, such as San Gimignano or Siena to name few for a day trip. Both are stunning and worth the travel time from the Tuscan capital city.

Recently named by Lonely Planet as the “coolest neighborhood in the world”, Oltrarno is indeed the nicest area of Florence frequented by Florentines. This place is not only a good place to spend the night out, but is also an area full of interesting places to visit, such as Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace.