Florence Travel Guide

From ancient Etruscan stronghold in the 1st century BC to pioneering centre of the Italian Renaissance in the 1400s, Florence has a backstory you will want to sit down for. During the 1800s, the city was even temporarily appointed as the capital of Italy. Stroll the city streets and you will find that the genius architecture of the piazzas and the very structure of the buildings speak of stories and treasures of eras gone by. In fact, many of Florence's cathedrals were designed and decorated by history's most acclaimed artists, including Michelangelo and Brunelleschi.

Historically, Florence's wealth hinged on the production and trade of wool and silk. Today, tourism is the most significant of all the city's industries. The bulk of the Florentine economy relies on the funds generated by international arrivals and visiting students, attracting more than five million tourists each year.

Despite these high visitor numbers, Florence has a small-town feel when you contrast it with other favourites, like Venice and Rome. There is less of the urban chaos you might experience in these other cities. In fact, the Tuscan capital is a tenth of the size of Rome, making it ideal for those who want to feel like they are experiencing a lot in a shorter period of time.

From the birth of the greatest Italian poet, Dante, in 1265, to the birth of Michelangelo in 1475, the city has been a training ground for once-in-a-lifetime artistic talent. According to UNESCO, 60% of the world's most significant artworks can be found in Italy, and around half of these lie in Florence, making art the biggest reason to holiday here.

You can’t visit this Italian city without checking out at least one or two museums during your visit. Florence is famous for its art scene. So be sure to experience true Florentine artistry, via the paintings, sculptures, and frescoes in the Uffizi Gallery.

If you are wondering where Florence is, it is located in central Northern Italy, 49 miles east of the Mediterranean coast. To reach Florence, you can take a convenient train journey from Rome - just 169 miles south of Florence - which will take you just under 90 minutes. Why not see both cities while you are at it?

If you are travelling from further north, perhaps from the dreamy canal city of Venice, it’s just over a two-hour train journey to Florence. To fly, you have a few options. Most international tourists head to the city via plane, using either Florence Airport or Pisa's Galileo Galilei Airport, which is just 60 miles west of Florence. Quite a range of budget airlines fly into Pisa from other European cities, so if you book in advance you can usually find competitive prices. Many of our escorted tours include flights for our trips to Florence. 

Florence is a popular Italian destination for solo travel and can be considered a safe place to travel alone. As it is a small city, many people tend to travel around on foot - day and night. The only thing to be mindful of is pickpockets at the larger train stations - so just like in other cities.

Solo female travellers will also feel safe during a visit to Florence. It also might help to note that dining out alone is also a very common practice in the city, so you can eat as much as you like without worrying about taking up a table for two.

With plenty of architectural splendour, artistic excellence and centuries upon centuries of rich history, Florence is an ideal place for over 50s travellers - or those looking to enrich their travel experience with more than just the usual delights like food, wine, and sun. Older travellers love the slower pace of the city, compared to the more fast-paced cities of Rome and Milan. Yet Florence has so much life to it - so travellers will never find themselves short of sights and activities during their stay.