Florence On a Budget (Great Saving Tips)

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Visiting the beautiful Florence on a budget is not only possible, but can also be an amazing experience. There are numerous ways to immerse yourself in the rich culture, history and beauty without breaking the bank.

The valuable suggestions below, cover various aspects of your trip, including optimal timing for your visit (with a focus on the less crowded and more affordable autumn and winter months), strategic accommodation choices (such as staying in charming areas just outside the historic centre), enjoying delicious local cuisine without overspending and exploring the city's iconic sights at discounted rates or even for free. Continue reading to find out more...

Visiting Florence in low season (to save on accommodation)

Visiting Florence in high-season (from March until November) can be pretty expensive, as prices of hotels and apartments are very high.

For saving on accommodation, opt for a visit during a low season, which considers mostly winter months, with the exception of the busy Christmas and New Year's holidays. So consider visiting during the months of November, December, January, February until mid-March.

During this period, prices of hotels and apartments are considerably lower and you can find affordable stay in Florence. Bear in mind that August is the cheapest month to visit in the summer, as it is also considered something as "low season" (this is the month when many Italians go to summer vacation).

Note that during the winter months, there are not so many direct flights to Florence. For this reason, consider flying into Rome, taking Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini, and from there catching one of many daily high-speed trains to Florence (it's a pleasant 1.5-hour ride).

Staying outside the historic centre

While staying in the historic centre is convenient for easy sightseeing, and getting from one attraction to another is quick, be aware that you'll be paying more for a hotel room or apartment. Choosing your accommodation outside the city centre means quite a bit of saving.

Renting an apartment can also be a budget-friendly option, especially if you are travelling with a group or a family. This way, you also have use of a kitchen, which makes eating much cheaper.

We can recommend Casa di Chiara, the beautiful and elegant apartment, offering a pleasant stay not far from the historic centre (the owners are super friendly and helpful).

Here are areas outside of the center that we would recommend staying, without being too far away from main sights: Fortezza da Basso, Piazza Beccaria, Porta al Prato, Oltrarno, Piazza della Libertà, Poggio Imperiale, Piazzale Michelangelo/San Niccolò, Campo di Marte and Via Bolognese.

Walk around the Florence (or take a bus)

The historic centre of Florence is easy to walk around, and if you stay there or nearby, you won't need any kind of public transport. You can reach all main sights on foot and can walk everywhere.

If you are staying outside the centre, use buses or trams; the single ticket costs €1.70 euro for a 90 minute ticket (you can get 10 for 14€). Ticket is the same for bus and tram and you can buy them from the machine at the station or at tobacconists - just be aware that they can't be paid by credit card (only in cash).

If you don't want to walk up the hill to reach Piazzale Michelangelo, take bus no.23 from the historic centre.

Note that taxis here are expensive compared to other European cities. The traffic is often congested in Florence so for a short ride you could pay €15-€20.

Sightseeing Florence for less (or completely free)

Florence offers numerous opportunities for sightseeing without paying. The Duomo, which is Florence's cathedral can be visited for free. Just be prepare to wait as the lines are constant there. To climb the Dome, you need to buy a ticket as well as to visit the Bell Tower and Opera Duomo Museum.

Piazza della Signoria is known as open-air museum, with numerous sculptures around the square. Here you can admire and take some of the best photos in the whole Florence. While there, enter the Palazzo Vecchio and admire beautiful courtyard, decorated with colonnades and frescoes.

Right in front of the Palazzo Vecchio is the Loggia dei Lanzi, where you can admire the sinuous Giambologna’s “Ratto delle Sabine” and the gruesome “Perseus” by Cellini amongst others. Great art, right there in the open-air. The copy of the statue of David stands nearby. The original sits in the Accademia Gallery which costs to enter.

You can freely visit some churches in Florence. Among them are Santa Trinita Church, where you can admire a beautiful fresco by Ghirlandaio and Santo Spirito Church in the Oltrarno area. A few steps up from panoramic terrace of Piazzale Michelangelo, visit the Romanesque masterpiece of San Miniato al Monte.

Visit the lesser-known Church of Ognissanti, located in the square of the same name, where you’ll find the fresco “Saint Augustine in his study”. Botticelli painted this in 1480, a couple of years before his “Allegory of Spring”.

In addition to the places that never charge an admission fee, all state museums are free on certain number of days every year as well as many city museums.

Many major museums offer low-season rates which are made even more attractive by the absence of crowds. Access to the Uffizi, for instance, costs €12 instead of €25. Tickets for Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens cost €10 and €6 respectively, instead of €16 and €10.

Check out the many group activities organized by MUS.E, the association handling the tours of Florence’s civic museums. With €5 you can book a visit to Palazzo Vecchio’s secret passages, which will take you to Francesco I’s Studiolo – a Renaissance wonder room – through the hidden staircases of Florence’s city hall.

The Uffizi, the Accademia, the Bargello Museum, the Medici Chapels, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Santa Maria Novella, Brancacci Chapel, the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens are all free on the first Sunday of every month. But be aware that lines can be long and crowds huge on these days.

Santa Trinita Church in Florence is free to visit

Buy Firenze Card for discounted access to museum

In Florence you'll find so many museums to choose from. If you decide to squeeze in as many cultural sights and museums as you can, it's worth checking out the Firenze Card. Costing €85 and valid for 72 hours (with an extension option available), this card includes access to over 70 museums, galleries, churches and monuments.

Just remember that aside from the major museums (the Uffizi, the Cathedral Complex and Accademia Gallery), most museums in Florence will cost you less than €10 for a visit. So if you think you’ll only see two museums a day over three days, the card won’t be worthwhile.

See Botticelli's "La Primavera" while visiting the Uffizi Gallery

You'll love Best of Florence Guided tour that covers the most iconic city's sights (including the Uffizi and the Accademia Gallery) in 5 hours (save's you time and money).

Eating on a budget in Florence

Eating in Florence can be as luxurious and expensive as you want. If you are on a budget you can still have great meals like a typical fixed price lunch or dinner, which comes with two courses and wine for between €10 and €15, depending on the restaurant.

Italian breakfast is relatively cheap - just go to a bar and have an espresso or cappuccino and warm sweet pastry (usually filled with cream, fruit jam, chocolate or pistachio spread). This will cost you around €3-5.

For lunch or dinner there are numerous options of eateries offering panini or schiacciata sandwiches stuffed with various fillings. We love "I' Girone De' Ghiotti" (Via dei Cimatori 23 - second street from Piazza della Signoria), offering freshly made sandwiches, with prices starting from €6. Choose from various combos among different salami, mortadella, prosciutto, ham, cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini...

For eating something authentic, try lampredotto sandwich (with cow stomatch) which is sold by street food vendors in the centre. Among the most popular one is near the Porcellino statue and another one in Mercato Centrale.

For bakery products, head to "Forno Canapa" tucked behind the stalls of San Lorenzo Market (Via dell'Ariento 21R) to stock up on plain or stuffed coccoli (fried dough balls). Both plain and those with prosciutto and cheese are addictive. Very fair prices and friendly owners!

For something more filling, go to a eateries offering variety of dishes, such as porchetta, meat balls with tomato sauce, pasta... We love "Il Cernacchio" (Via della Condotta 38R), a small place offering affordable local meals, such as lampredotto panini, meat lasagna, pappa al pomodoro, meatballs in tomato sauce...

At Mercato Centrale, you'll find a variety of quality food at reasonable prices. On the ground floor there are salumerie that prepare delicious sandwiches on the spot. On the first floor, there are many eateries offering typical Tuscan food (we find this slightly chaotic and prefer the ground floor).

Planning Your Travel to Italy

Best Ways to Visit the Uffizi Gallery

Cooking Classes in Florence

Rome to Florence Day Trip

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