This might be the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited and has been on my bucket list since I was a teenager.

The city is full of breathtaking architecture and history, with a total of 77 museums (all of which you’ll need to pay to visit) .  The best and most well known is theq Uffizzi. (tickets will cost €29 to book in advance, and you can get a combination ticket that will also allow you to visit the Pritti Palace and Bomboli gardens a short walk over the Ponte Vecchio).

A quick word of warning, even if you book your ticket online in advance you’ll need to queue to collect your physical ticket (no scanning QR codes) and then join another queue for entry.  Also don’t bring a heavy coat (the gallery gets really warm even on a cool Spring day) the cloakroom ironically   doesn’t accept coats or jackets but you can stash backpacks there.

Once you get inside you’ll see arguably the best collection of Renaissance art in the world from Botticelli, Michael Angelo and Leonardo da Vinci among others.  If you need a break from all this fabulousness the museum has a cafe that serves drinks, snacks and lunch and if you take a table on the terrace you get an amazing view of the Palazzo Vecchio while enjoying your Aperol Spritz, with prices that are compatible with the surrounding bars and restaurants.

When you’ve finished with the Uffizi you can walk a short distance to the famous Ponte Vecchio lined with super expensive jewellers.  On the other side of the river you’ll find the Pritti palace (home of Elanora Di Medici who believed the air was better in that side of the river).

If you cross the river Arno at the bridge before the Ponte Vecchio you’ll find yourself in the Santo Spirito district which is still inhabited by locals (virtually everyone has been priced out of the historic areas).  You’ll find authentic food, shops selling delicious mortadella, salami with fennel and great cheeses.  As this is still a local neighbourhood it’s less touristy and prices in restaurants are about 25-30% cheaper than in the main tourist drags.  You can try authentic dishes like gnudi (potato and ricotta dumplings) and ribolleta (a thick hearty soup, cooked to use up left over bread and vegetables which is incredibley tasty).

Food in Florence as you can imagine is amazing.  The city is a meat lovers paradise with the most famous dish being steak, the traditional cut is split between 2 people and officially needs to weigh at least a kilo and according to locals should be least 4 fingers wide and is served rare (you might be asked to leave the restaurant if you ask for a well done steak).  I had tried a regular steak served with a black truffle sauce (it was so good I think I may have left my body at one point) Wild boar stew cooked long and slow with red wine and lots of black pepper is also popular.  You’ll find great pasta everywhere and one of my favourite things we’re the huge schiaccatia (flat Tuscan bread) sandwiches filled  with the local cold cuts and cheese (don’t worry vegetarians won’t starve, you’ll find lots of tasty food, vegans may struggle a little).

You’ll find gelato (Italian ice cream) everywhere, it was invented in Florence.  Local foodies say to avoid brightly coloured gelato (articial colouring is a no no) and you should also try to avoid shops where the gelato is not covered.

If you feel like treating yourself to something luxurious Florence is famous for its gorgeous perfumeries where you can pre book an appointment and they will help you make your bespoke fragrance in beautiful shops full of original polished wood and apothecary cabinets .  Leather goods are also really popular and the San Lorenzo market close to the Duomo is a good place to haggle with the stall holders for nice leather bags.  There are also some super fancy cafes and restaurants if you feel like pushing the boat out (the fancy little cake below was €8 but was indescribably delicious).

One of my favourite things in Florence were the walking tours.  Lots of companies offer “free” walking tours and simply ask that you tip the guide (usually a minimum of at least €10) and last between 2-3 hours .  These guys are great and you’ll learn so much.  Florence was founded by the Etruscans (pre Roman empire), but became famous mainly, due to the Medici family 5-6 hundred years ago.

If you’ve never heard of them try watching the series on Netflix.  They were a ruthless banking dynasty that invented the mortgages and cheques.  More interestingly they were probably the most important patrons of the arts in Italy, which kicked of the Renaissance along with other wealthy families.  It was probably the equivalent of the rivalry between today’s billionaires sponsoring space travel (basically guys with too much money getting into d1ck measuring contests with each other and being afraid of being forgotten after they die like the rest of us).   The Medici history is fascinating, full of betrayal, vandettas, intrigue and double crossing. But hey we got lots of stunning art and architecture out of it so it wasn’t all bad.

I’m sad to be leaving Florence and will definitely come back.  It’s an incredible city but very busy, so if possible avoid visiting during the Summer when the crowds and heat are meant be unbearable. (Quick traveller tip, if you’re staying in the historic part of the city many of the hotels aren’t based on street level which can make them hard to spot. You’ll also pay a premium for modern luxuries like elavators, air conditioning and en suite bathrooms.   But it’s worth foregoing these if you want to stay in a great central location at an affordable price).  I stayed in the Hotel Bavaria, which still had beautiful frescoes on the the outside of the building and a now defunct wine window (if you’ve watched Stanley Tucci’s Italian food adventure you’ll see more about these, they were used during times of epidemics to avoid contamination (if they’re good enough for the Tooch, they’re good enough for me).