My First Time in Florence: What I Loved, Regretted, and Would Do Differently
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Florence Italy was a place I’d always dreamed of visiting. Largely because of my obsession with the movie, “A Room With A View“. I finally made it there recently, and I loved it but have some thoughts.
If you’re planning your first trip to Florence, you’re in for magic and probably a few moments of overwhelm, too. That’s exactly how I felt. But now, having navigated the cobblestones (even with a friend’s sprained ankle in tow), discovered what’s actually worth splurging on, and learned what I’d do differently next time, I’ve got the tips, tales, and takeaways to help you make your first time unforgettable.
In this post, I’ll share exactly what we did, where we stayed, the meals that made me cry (in a good way), and the little surprises that no guidebook told me about. Plus honest advice to help you plan a smooth, View-filled trip. Let’s dive in.
Where to Stay in Florence (Especially If It’s Your First Visit)
Hotel David: Cozy Charm With Heartfelt Hospitality
Viale Michelangiolo n ° 1 – 50125 Florence – Italy
If you’re anything like me, choosing the right hotel can feel like a make-or-break decision. Especially in a city as walkable (and winding) as Florence. My friend and I picked Hotel David, based on a photo on their website featuring the staff peeking out from behind the front desk. What’s not to like about a hotel with a sense of humor? It ended up being a charming boutique stay a little removed from the tourist chaos, and it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip.
It’s nestled near the Arno River, about a 25-minute walk to the Ponte Vecchio. I’ll admit, I was nervous about staying outside the city center, but the peaceful location and warm hospitality more than made up for the distance. And bonus: there’s a bus stop right outside that gets you to the action in 10–12 minutes.
The Rooms: Think high ceilings, elegant old-world furniture, and bathrooms with gorgeous patterned tiles. I adored the electric blackout blinds. Perfect for catching up on jet lag naps in total darkness.
Perks Worth Packing For:
- Daily breakfast buffet with fresh pastries and the option to dine outdoors or in a sun-filled dining room.
- Evening aperitivo hour with complimentary wine and hearty snacks (think mini sandwiches, olives, pizza) so generous, we made dinner out of it more than once.
- A staff that feels like family: When my friend injured her ankle (hello, uneven cobblestones), the front desk offered crutches and even a wheelchair. I could’ve cried with gratitude. It was so nice knowing we could depend on the hotel staff at that time to help with translation and navigation during that stressful time!
Hotel David Video Tour
I made a full video tour of Hotel David to show the rooms, breakfast setup, and that dreamy patio. Watch it to see if the vibe feels right for you.
Would I stay here again? In a heartbeat. It’s ideal for a first-time visit, especially if you want a hotel that feels safe, has local soul, and doesn’t nickel and dime you on comfort.
What (and Where) to Eat in Florence for the First Time
Florence is a feast. For the eyes, yes, but mostly for the stomach. As a first-timer, I came in with a Pinterest board full of pasta and left with real-deal memories of flaky pastries, silky gelato, and a perfect cheeseburger that still haunts my dreams!
Morning Musts: Coffee & Pastries
Via Giampaolo Orsini, 125, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy
This cafe / breakfast/ lunch joint is right next door to the Hotel David. We stopped by for lunch one day and had some nice pasta. Nothing to write home about, but since it’s right next to the hotel, it’s a pretty handy spot. The decor, especially ceiling, made it worth a visit for me! It seems like a local place, people sitting outside with their dog, reading the newspaper, etc.
You could write home about this ceiling ->
Bottega di Pasticceria
Lungarno Francesco Ferrucci, 9c Rosso, 50126 Firenze FI, Italy
This pastry shop / restaurant overlooking the Arno is about a 10 minute walk from Hotel David. They have delicious looking pastries!! I was in a hamburger-missing-mode, so I tried theirs. It was huge and delicious!
Lunch and Dinner Florence Style
FrancescoVini
Borgo dei Greci 7/r, Florence
On our most fun day in Florence, when we just wandered, we stopped here for lunch. It was on a relatively quiet street (though I hilariously timed the top left photo below to make it look like it was crazy busy). Great food in a nice, calm atmosphere. Someone had recommended a Hugo cocktail to me as the “hip drink of the year,” so of course I tried it. I was excited to have a new “signature drink” (not that I have an old one). Unfortunately, I hated it! Tasted like weed juice to me. But hey, maybe that’s your thing?
Hugo ingredients
- 1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur
- 1 sprig mint, plus more sprigs for garnish
- 4 ounces chilled Prosecco
- 1 ounce chilled seltzer
There is a “Wine Window” right down the street from this restaurant… go right as you leave. I wanted to try it just for the novelty, but was too full from the food and sick from the Hugo, but hopefully you can check it out!
La Loggia
Piazzale Michelangelo 1, Florence
We visited the incredible vista point, Piazzale Michelangelo, and found ourselves starving, so we decided to check out the restaurant there. Fearing a tourist trap or a super fancy/expensive joint, we were delighted to be able to get a table without a reservation and find that the prices weren’t totally outrageous. It is a higher-end restaurant with entrees averaging from $25 – $35. It felt worth it for the amazing city views!
Apparently, they are working on a rooftop bar for the top of this restaurant. That will be incredible!
Look at the weird plants on each table (picture below right)! If you can’t tell from the photo, the tips are brightly colored and fuzzy. Other tables had purple or yellow ones. Turns out it’s a Sansevieria Velvet Touchz. Strangely, I can’t find out much about them on the internet. Anybody know what the deal is with these? Are they dyed to have the various colors?
Menchetti
Piazza del Grano, 6, Florence
Cool, rather tropical-feeling cafe / pizzeria / bakery / bar! Great people watching spot.
By the way, If you’re worried about dining solo, I found most places here to be welcoming and unfussy. Grab a book, sit outside, and enjoy a people-watching session with your coffee and dessert. No one batted an eye when I lingered.
Disopra Rooftop Bar
Lungarno degli Archibusieri, 4, Florence
This bar is on the roof of the Hotel degli Orafi. This was the location of their hotel in the movie “A Room with a View“. The views are indeed fabulous! Be sure to also take a peek at the hotel’s breakfast room on your way up to the roof!
Sophia Loren Restaurant
Via dei Brunelleschi, 11, Florence
Though the timing didn’t work out to eat here I would like to sometime. It has pretty good ratings, and looks like a fun place. Lots of pictures of Sophia all over. Apparently she was/is involved in its food and design decisions. Check it out!
What to See in Florence (Without Feeling Rushed or Overloaded)
Florence is packed with art, history, and enough museums to make your head spin. As a first-time visitor, I knew I couldn’t see it all and honestly, I didn’t want to. Instead, I focused on what felt meaningful, beautiful, and worth my limited time and energy.
First Time in Florence Tip: Don’t try to do it all. Pick 2–3 must-sees each day, and let the rest unfold naturally. Florence has a way of delighting you in the unscripted moments. Trust that, and enjoy them.
Ponte Vechhio Bridge
The Ponte Vecchio Bridge crosses the Arno River at its narrowest point. It’s believed to have been first built during Roman times. It was one of the only bridges not destroyed in WW2. Legend has it that even Hitler revered the bridge!?
Nowadays it is full of jewelry shops. I assumed these shops were major tourist traps. I asked many locals, including Uber drivers, waiters, our hotel staff, if it was a rip off and the ALL assured me it was not. They said it is where they would go to shop if they were buying jewelry. So, I took them at their word and did get a lovely silver ring from The Ponte Vecchio!
After I got my new ring, I threw my old, cheap costume jewelry ring into the Arno! So, if you happen to go swimming in the Arno and find a ring with the “silver” coating rubbed off and a weird fake orange stone, it was mine!
Pitti Palace & Boboli Gardens
The Pitti Palace was the last residence of the Medici family. It’s located on the south side of the Arno River, not far from the Ponte Vecchio. It is full of amazing works of art collected by the Medicis and the families who lived there afterward. Even Napoleon hung out here for a while and you can see his bathtub!
I took a private 1.5 hour tour, which was excellent! It felt luxurious to wander through without a crowd, learning about the scandalous drama and opulence of Renaissance Florence. Check the tour out below.
The Boboli Garden is a vast 11 acre wonderland, with statues, fountains and artificial caves/grottos.
Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Gallery
These are the must-see spots in Florence. The Uffizi Galleries house some of the Western world’s most well known masterpieces. Michelangelo’s David sculpture lives at the Accademia Gallery. I booked a small-group guided tour, and I’m so glad I did. Our guide brought the stories behind the paintings to life, which helped me actually enjoy the art instead of feeling museum fatigue. Check out the details by clicking below:
Scuola del Cuoio – Leather School
This was one of the highlights of Florence for me!
This leather school was founded in 1950 to teach war orphans a trade from which to earn a living. The school continues its mission to help young people succeed, with a focus on discovering hidden talents among the disadvantaged. The quality and innovation of this leather school has made clients of loads of famous folks, including Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, and me, of course.
You can purchase all sorts of leather goods here, coats, purses, belts, wallets, backpacks, briefcases and more! I bought myself a red wallet, soft as buttah!
The school also offers 3 hours to several-month workshops and courses the average Joe like us could sign up for! Check them out here!
I recommend visiting in the late morning after touring Santa Croce, which is nearby. This would also make a great rainy day activity.
Florence Letdowns (And How You Can Avoid Them)
One of my top pieces of advice for travelers is to research things like how crowded and hot a destination is supposed to be so you can set expectations for yourself and not end up disappointed or frustrated. Well, I kind of failed on this!
My visit was mid-June, and though I vaguely thought it would be crowded, I didn’t realize just how crowded. This is kind of silly because I’d just come from Rome, which was probably even more crowded, but I think because Rome is so much bigger than Florence, it somehow felt a bit less intensely crowded.
So, set your expectations! This is a great You Tube channel to check out: Wayfarers_Our Step. I’d frequently watched walking tours of Rome, but actually didn’t check out Florence. I felt pretty prepared upon arriving in Rome, and I think if I’d watched some Florence videos, it would have helped me there.
Be sure to look up the places for which you need tickets to enter. Even though these places are free to enter, tickets are required. We missed getting into the Duomo and the Basilica of Santa Croce because we didn’t have advance tickets.
You can also check out the tale of my meltdown at the Florence Airport, if you need to brace yourself for other travel pitfalls!
Final Thoughts on My First Time in Florence
Florence didn’t give me a perfect trip but it gave me a real one. It gave me flaky pastries, Renaissance drama, crowded sunsets, a red wallet I adore, and enough pinch-me moments to make the chaos worth it.
If you’re planning your first visit, I hope this post helps you feel less overwhelmed and more excited. You don’t need to see it all, know everything, or do it perfectly. You just need to go…with a little prep, a little patience, and an appetite (for both food and wonder).
Florence is layered, beautiful, and very much alive. You’ll find your own favorites, surprises, and maybe even a “bad” moment that turns into a great story later.
And if you’re anything like me… you’ll already be planning your return before you even leave.
