Disclosure: I earn a commission if you make a purchase through my links at no additional cost to you! I have personally stayed at this hotel and highly recommend.
Who chooses to go to Florence in February? ME! it wasn’t crowded at all and at night I felt like i was the only one by the Duomo. Not only did i get a great deal on a hotel 1 block from the Duomo, but i was able to get into many restaurants and get great pics with no crowds.
This blog isn’t about how to visit the museums or climb the Duomo, but how to navigate your solo trip to Florence. Let’s get started and see how I chose to spend 4 days in Florence in February.
Logistics:
This city couldn’t be any easier or cheaper to get to/from Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR). What a bargain at €1.70 each way! The station is only a few steps from the airport exit, and you can purchase your ticket from a kiosk at the platform or on the train (tap of the phone). Just be sure to validate your paper ticket onboard. The trip is about 20 minutes to the main station in Florence, Santa Maria Novella. I strategically chose a hotel walking distance from here (about 7 minutes away and super close to Duomo). The entire city is small, but it could get tough dragging a suitcase on the cobblestone streets much further!
Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) does have a Priority Pass lounge which i did swing through before my flight out. It was EMPTY at 6:30 am and quite large with a decent selection of food and drinks. Location is very convenient as you have to pass it to get to the gates.
By foot: Florence is super small and very walkable. I was able to cover the entire city center in under 30 minute radius from my hotel. My furthest walk (or hike!) was to see the view from Piazzale Michelangelo across the Arno river.
While I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Florence solo, one of the main differences I saw from other parts of Europe like Spain were the lack of communal bar seating I was used to. In my experience, restaurants did not have bar seating so I had to sit at a table for 2 – and they would remove the extra place setting. I could see how this wouldn’t be ideal for some solo travelers who prefer to sit at the bar. Something to keep in mind if you do plan a solo trip to Florence…..
Hotel:
Hotel Perseo – LOCATION, LOCATION LOCATION! I chose this hotel for its close proximity to the train station, walkability and 24/7 front desk. It is a smaller hotel with 25 rooms located on floors 3-5 of a building. You do have to access the gate using a code and then can either do the stairs or a small elevator to access the hotel floors. They did offer free breakfast but i opted to get Italian coffee and food outside. My single room was a good size, with a double bed, private bath, in room safe and nice large window overlooking the street. Bathroom amenities included shower cap, multi functional soap/shampoo, hair dryer and a shower cap. The price was VERY affordable as I was there in February too!
*if this exact hotel is on the pricier side, anything close by would work too. I chose it due to location and price at time of booking (average $80 USD/night)
Eating and drinking:
Bookmark this for your next trip, as lots of the places other blogs had mentioned are no longer operational or the hours were very different! I ended up going to places that I found on Google or were recommended by locals.
PIZZA:
Gustapizza – must try wood oven pizzeria located across the river in Oltrarno. I went mid afternoon and didnt have to wait for a table, but could see the line building when i left. I ordered the Calabrese with tomato, mozzarella, Spicy salami, basil and olive oil for €10. Perfect for sharing as I couldn’t finish one myself!
Mister Pizza – a chain with one location right in the Duomo plaza. They are open till 4 am and I was able to get a pizza after 11 pm when other restaurants were closed. Prices were average and I found the pizza to be very good (not as good as Gustapizza though!). 20% surcharge for all food after midnight.
PASTA:
Trattoria Zà Zà – what a hidden gem! I am so glad someone recommended this to me as everything was amazing! From the decor, food, price and portion sizes its great! The restaurant is huge so you can easily get a table for lunch. Reservations highly recommended for dinner. You know its popular when there is a line for those WITH reservations! I went here twice – lunch and dinner, and did have to wait about an hour the latter with no reservation.
Trattoria 13 Gobbi – stopped here for a late lunch and had their famous rigatoni, served in a HUGE soup bowl. Although it was very tasty, I found it to be a bit overpriced. I spent around €40 for the pasta, 2 glasses of house wine and a water.
VINO y CAFFE- Here’s a few places I stopped for wine or coffee.
In Vino Veritas – cute little wine bar with some small tapas style bites. HUGE selection of wine by the glass at all price points.
Osteria Belle Donne – wine window. This was the most affordable one I saw, €5 for a glass of red wine and they also had cockails available.
Cibrèo Caffè – cute little cafe I stopped at for a coffee, but would be great to for a snack, meal or even a drink! They had outdoor seating and red velvet chairs that reminded me a a theater.
ToscaNino – rooftop bar/restaurant in Rinascente department store. They serve drinks and food with a view of the Duomo overlooking Piazza della Repubblica. Surprised it wasn’t too expensive given a rooftop bar.
Things to see:
I spent most of my time exploring Florence by foot – shopping, eating, drinking and taking in the Tuscan ambience. Here are a few spots to check out:
Ponte Vecchio Bridge – while walking across the bridge is a must, walk across the bridges on either side for great photos with this as your backdrop. Ponte Santa Trinita and Ponte alle Grazie.
Piazzale Michelangelo – photographic view point of Florence across the river. While it was about a 25 minute uphill walk, it was worth it!
Officina Profumo – Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella – the oldest historic pharmacy in Europe – gorgeous architecture and can even pick up a few souvenirs.
Fontana del Porcellino – stop by and rub the nose of the bronze boar. I swung by at night and there was no one there!
San Lorenzo Market – while all the vendors have the EXACT same products, it was still fun to walk around and browse. They were very eager to make a sale, so be prepared to bargain. They all accept credit cards, but some tried to charge me extra and even tax! Shop around to be sure you are paying the right price for the exact item you want.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore – the only part of the Duomo that does not require a paid ticket. It opens at 10:15 am and I got in line at 9:30 am to be one of the first in. I have to say, it was not that impressive from the inside as the outside! I am still glad I went in, but maybe should have opted for one of the paid tickets like climbing the Dome.
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