Why Autumn is the Best Time to Fall for Florence

Masterpieces at Human Scale

Few galleries can rival the Uffizi, and under its new director, Simone Verde, it’s become easier to navigate. The rooms now follow a clearer story rather than a strict timeline, connecting artists by influence instead of date. You’ll move from Giotto to Leonardo to Raphael in a sweep that shows how ideas evolved, not just techniques. Try visiting late in the afternoon, when the windows reflect the Arno and the light turns the marble floors gold. Tickets cost €25 in high season, but entry drops to €12 from November to February. Book ahead.

Just across the river, the Pitti Palace offers a different kind of grandeur. Once the Medici family’s main residence, its vast rooms still hold the family’s private art collections - Titian, Caravaggio and Rubens among them. Behind it lie the Boboli Gardens, 16th-century terraces of cypress and sculpture designed for slow wandering. You’ll find shaded benches, fountains carved from myth and, at the top, one of the best skyline views in the city. Bring water: the climb is steeper than it looks.

The Medici Chapels, inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo, are another essential stop. Their marble interiors were designed by Michelangelo as a monument to Florence’s most powerful dynasty. The carved figures of Night and Day, Dawn and Dusk still hold a quiet tension - an artist testing the limits of stone. Entry is €9 and includes the crypt where the Medici rulers are buried.

Beyond the Obvious

Away from the big sights, Florence rewards slower exploration. The Museo di San Marco in Piazza San Marco, once a Dominican convent, contains frescoes by Fra Angelico painted for private prayer. Each monk’s cell holds a single image - angels, annunciations, small miracles rendered with absolute calm. It’s a peaceful counterpoint to the city’s busier museums.

For the best panorama, head uphill to San Miniato al Monte, an 11th-century Romanesque church that predates the Duomo. Its striped façade gleams in the sun, and inside, monks still sing vespers at dusk. Just below, the terrace at Piazzale Michelangelo fills each evening with travellers and locals watching the skyline fade into pink. Bring a takeaway aperitivo and listen to the buskers who play until the light fades.

In the Oltrarno, Florence’s artisans still work in the shadow of the Pitti Palace. Book a pasta-making class here - many include unlimited wine and are taught in small workshops that once housed marble carvers or gilders. You’ll learn how to roll pici or tagliatelle by hand, share plates with strangers and, for a few hours, see how the city’s craft traditions survive through its kitchens.

If you have time for a day trip, head to Fiesole, a hilltop town just above Florence with Etruscan ruins, a Roman amphitheatre and wide views over the valley. It’s also home to Il Salviatino Firenze, a 15th-century villa surrounded by olive groves. Book dinner on its terrace at sunset – the view of the Duomo glowing below the hills is unforgettable, and the kitchen’s seasonal Tuscan dishes make it a fitting finale to a Florentine day.

Food Worth Travelling For

Florence’s food scene is grounded in tradition: unfussy, generous, and proud of its roots. At Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori, tucked behind the Uffizi, there’s no printed menu; a waiter calls out what’s cooking that day. The pappardelle al cinghiale, rich with wild boar ragù, is a staple, followed by tiramisù so light it barely holds together. Reservations are taken only by phone, and tables go quickly.

For a true taste of Tuscan cooking, order a bistecca alla Fiorentina. The steak, cut thick from local Chianina cattle, is grilled over wood until seared outside and ruby rare within. Locals eat it simply: a drizzle of olive oil, salt and a glass of Chianti Classico. Trattoria Sostanza, a no-frills spot near Santa Maria Novella, has been serving it the same way since 1869.

And for a uniquely Florentine experience, ring the bell at a buchetta del vino, one of the city’s tiny Renaissance-era wine windows. A hand still appears with a glass of red, just as it did four centuries ago. Try Buca del Vino on Via Santo Spirito or Babae on Via Santo Spirito, both open most evenings.

Where to Stay

The Hotel Savoy, overlooking Piazza della Repubblica, remains Florence’s grand dame. Opened in 1893 on the site of the city’s old marketplace, it’s now part of Rocco Forte Hotels and was redesigned by Olga Polizzi to reflect Florence’s twin obsessions: fashion and art. The interiors are sleek: marble floors, crisp linen, flashes of Pucci print – but never cold. 

Downstairs, Irene, the hotel’s restaurant, serves a refined take on Tuscan classics: saffron risotto, tagliolini with truffle, and fish from the nearby coast. Breakfast on the terrace comes with front-row views of Florentine life unfolding around the Column of Abundance, the marker of the city’s ancient centre. Corner suites overlook the Duomo, its dome glowing pink at sunset, and the service is the sort that anticipates rather than asks. Rooms from €750.

If you prefer something quieter, the Helvetia & Bristol offers 19th-century elegance just behind Via dei Pescioni. Opened in 1885 as Florence’s first grand hotel, it hosted everyone from Pirandello to Gabriele D’Annunzio, and the building still carries that literary hush. The renovation, led by Anouska Hempel, balances polished walnut and frescoed ceilings with discreet technology – a nod to comfort without compromising heritage.

The highlight is La Spa, built directly over the remains of a Roman bathhouse discovered during restoration. The complex covers 540 square metres of vaulted chambers where steam curls around marble plunge pools lit by flickering lanterns. Signature treatments use local botanicals (olive leaf, cypress, Tuscan salt) and guests emerge perfumed and unhurried.

Dining here is equally considered. The Cibrèo Ristorante and Cibrèo Caffè serve Florence’s most reliable Italian comfort food – pappa al pomodoro, slow-braised veal cheek, and pastries from master pâtissier Iginio Massari, whose adjoining gallery café has become a breakfast destination in its own right. Doubles from €650.

Practical Tips

Florence is best explored on foot, though bikes are available to rent through the city’s Mobike app. Most major museums close on Mondays. Book Uffizi and Accademia tickets online to skip the queues. Avoid driving – parking is limited and fines for entering restricted zones are steep.

Spring and autumn bring the best balance of weather and crowds, though winter has its charm: clear light, short lines and locals reclaiming their city. Whatever the season, Florence never feels finished; it simply reveals itself in layers, one fresco, one meal, one quiet walk at a time.

If You Go

Getting there: British Airways and Vueling fly direct from London to Florence. Pisa, served by more carriers, has frequent trains (1hr 15min).
Where to stay: Hotel Savoy (from £650; roccofortehotels.com); Helvetia & Bristol (from £580; sinahotels.com)
Where to eat: Cammillo (Via Borgo San Jacopo 57r); Il Santo Bevitore (Via Santo Spirito 64/66r); Vini e Vecchi Sapori (Via dei Magazzini 3r).
Don’t miss: Botticelli’s Primavera at the Uffizi; vespers at San Miniato; a negroni in Santo Spirito.