Florence is flooded with millions of tourists each year,
but when should you go to avoid the crowds?
Florence is the home of the Uffizi Gallery, 'The David' by Michelangelo, the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), and of course the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It is a living museum! There’s no question as to why so many people want to see it for themselves, but Florence is a small city and there are a lot of tourists.
My suggestion is if you have the flexibility to take a trip during the Fall - go then! Fall has the perfect temperature to walk around to see the city without getting too hot. It also is when the tourist season is calming down, and prices for hotels and flights drop. Universities are starting up and there are student discounts. It is the perfect time to stay cool, eat gelato, and walk around.
If you can’t make it in the Fall go around Spring time: April/May. The temperatures are just warming up and people are starting to move around. It is nice enough to stay out for the day to explore. Florence hosts its annual Gelato Festival on Piazzale Michaelangelo so you’ll have a nice panoramic view of Florence while trying new flavors of Gelato.
Tips:
A word I’d learn before going to Florence is ‘allora’. It literally means ‘then’, but it is often used in the beginning of a phrase like an “okay…” before to start a sentence.
When planning your trip you will have more flexibility booking the flight to Rome (FCO) or Malpensa Airport (MXP) in Milan and then take the train to Florence. Remember to also book your train ticket in advance.
Since Florence is pretty small, I’d dedicate about three days to see everything and use it as a base to travel around Tuscany.
All Taxi Cabs must be called on the phone for pick-up.