Five Things To Do For Free In Florence

Friday, May 29, 2015 Colette Fitzpatrick

Holidays can be expensive things, especially in European main cities such as Florence.

You want to invest the bulk of your money into finding the perfect luxury villa near Florence, into food and souvenirs. You want to enjoy yourself without worrying overly about a budget.

One of the best ways to do this is find things to do that won't cost you an arm and a leg; or better yet, that are free.

This is a list of things you can do in Florence for free.

1. The Duomo

Santa Maria del Fiore (i.e. The Duomo, i.e. Florence Cathedral) is the main church of the city and one of the most important buildings in the city. It also happens to be free to visit (though bear in mind that there is a charge to go up into the cupola or the nearby campanile)! Begun in the 13th century in the Gothic style under the direction of Arnolfo di Cambio, it was not finished until the renowned Brunelleschi came to create that famous dome. The interior is rich with amazing works of art by the likes of Uccello, Gaddi and Bandinelli. It is open on weekdays from 10am to 5pm, Saturdays from 10am to 4.45pm and Sundays from1.30 to 4.45pm.

2. Orsanmichele

Nearby is Orsanmichele, a market building which became the church of the craft and trade guilds in the fourteenth century. The exterior was made extremely ornate by the guilds, who each wanted a sculpture of their patron saint to adorn the façade. Inside, on the first floor, a museum houses some of the original sculptures.

Truly a wonderful place to visit if interested in the city, its history, art or architecture, the church is open daily 10am-5pm and the museum on Mondays at the same times.

3. Piazza della Signoria

This is Florence’s central square and the iconic space is probably well-known to you from the backgrounds of movie scenes. The piazza is well worth a wander as it contains some extraordinary sculptures including Cellini's Perseus holding aloft Medusa’s head, works from Giambologna and a replica of David in its original position.

The really nice thing about this is that you can visit at any time during the day and maybe even enjoy a coffee or gelato as you do so!

4. Piazzale Michelangelo

If you've gotten a taste for Florence's piazze at this point, why not head up to Piazzale Michelangelo, especially towards the evening?

You will be richly rewarded with the most extraordinary view over the city – a perfect way to end a day of running around trying to see everything.

A romantic spot, if ever there was one, it gives you a different perspective on this crazy, wonderful historic city and takes you away from it all for just a moment or two.

5. Rodolfo Siviero Museum

This Neo-Renaissance building was once home to Rodolfo Siviero, an art collector and is now a free museum with Etruscan findings, Roman busts, 14th- and 15th-century wooden statues, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque paintings, objets d'art and modern Italian works. It is an extraordinary collection and slightly off the beaten track of the regular tourist route.

So, what are you waiting for? Florence has so much to offer!