What do you do when you find yourself on a solo trip in Florence? Anything you want! Fortunately, there are many great activities for solo travelers in Florence. From visiting famous landmarks to great food, here are my favorite things to do in Florence when you’re on your own!
1. Visit the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore
The Duomo is probably one of the most iconic buildings in Florence and for good reason! The detail in the cathedral and the duomo is unbelievable. It took 140 years to build and it’s mind blowing that it could’ve been built without modern technology. It is impressive enough to see from the outside, but if you want to take of tour of the inside of the cathedral or the bell tower make sure to make a reservation or get a skip the line ticket.
Tip: Just like in the Vatican, modest dress is required in churches in Italy, so shorts, short skirts, and sleeveless shirts are not allowed. Make sure you have something to cover your shoulders.
2. See the David
I will admit, I am not an art or museum person, and usually skip indoor attractions. That being said, the David is ABSOLUTELY worth seeing at least once. Michelangelo’s famous statue currently sits as the centerpiece in the Galleria dell’Accademia. This marble wonder is so much larger and detailed than I could’ve imagined. As it is such a famous piece of art, you can imagine that the museum gets very busy.
I made the mistake of not making a reservation or buying my ticket ahead of time. On my first attempt, the line was over 3 hours long. So I tried again in the evening (the museum is open later in the summer) and only had to wait about 45 minutes. You can buy a skip the line ticket here.
Fun fact about the David: When Michelangelo was given the commission to finish the David in 1501, many artists were jealous, and subsequently vandalized the finished David. The sculpture was damaged by people throwing rocks, and if you look closely you can see marks from the attack on David’s back!
3. Take a day trip through Tuscany
My absolute favorite thing to do while traveling solo is booking an all day tour. It’s a great way relax and have someone else do all the planning for the day, and I almost always make a friend or two!
This trip, I booked an all day tour to Tuscany, which included stops in Siena, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, and a lunch & wine tasting at a vineyard in the Chianti region. San Gimignano is a beautifully maintained medieval town, and home to a gelato world champion. It was probably one of my favorite places I’ve been in Italy.
Siena is also a must see in Tuscany. It is a gorgeous village full of rich history and unique culture. I could’ve spent multiple days here, and still plan to on my next visit!
As a solo traveler, this tour was a great way to experience Tuscany without having to rent a car and drive around on my own. I also made friends with another solo traveler, and we ended up spending another day exploring Florence together. Travel friends are the best!
You can read more about day tripping through Tuscany and all of these stops here.
4. Stroll along the Arno River
Florence is an awesome city to just wander around with a gelato or a cappuccino. My favorite place to walk is along the Arno River. There are a ton of bridges you can wander back and forth across and get some great pictures.
The most iconic bridge is the Ponte Vecchio where the shops and buildings extend across the bridge. The best view of this bridge is actually from the next bridge over, the Ponte alle Grazie, which is much less crowded! If you’re feeling adventurous you can even paddle board under the bridges!
I suggest walking along a couple of the bridges, and then heading up in the hills behind the Giardino di Boboli for some panoramic views of Florence. As you come down out of the hills you can view the main gate of Florence and grab a bite to eat (always pasta for lunch!). I recommend Trattoria Boboli for typical Tuscan food and delicious Chianti.
5. Take a cooking class
Italy is famous for food. I had pasta, gelato, and pizza almost every day of my trip. So what better activity to book than cooking with Italians! I spent an afternoon at the Towns of Italy Cooking School Florence learning how to make pizza & gelato.
You will learn how to make and stretch pizza dough and use fresh ingredients to personalize your pizza. As your pizza cooks in a wood fired oven at 700F, chef will demonstrate making chocolate gelato and teach you the tricks to finding authentic gelato in Florence.
Even though I was the only person going solo at this class, it was a wonderful opportunity to share a meal with new friends as we bonded over delicious food and wine!
I hope this can help get you started on your Tuscan adventure. If you have any other favorite stops in Florence, please let me know in the comments below!
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