An Artist's Guide to Florence, Italy

Two weeks before taking a train from Switzerland to Florence, I called my mom and told her she should come. She had never been to Italy before, and I don't think she was convinced Florence was going to be that exciting. First of all, Florence was the name of her mother-in-law (ha!), and second, from the outside, it sounds like a city filled with really old buildings and art museums. She decided she was game anyway.

I arrived at night, and almost immediately, Florence blew me away. I had purposefully not looked up many photos and that made it all the more exciting to walk by the Duomo, nothing can quite prepare you for turning a corner and seeing how MASSIVE it actually is. Something so enormous is just sitting in the middle of a city, what!?

We spent a week here in March, and I thought the timing was most ideal. The weather was beautiful for walking around, and even though Florence was already quite busy, I can't imagine navigating the crowds (and heat!) in the middle of summer. What I loved most was how much there was to discover without having to plan every minute. The plan: head out for a morning coffee and a bomboloni (an Italian filled doughnut, and yes, I got my mom obsessed and we made a habit of finding new ones, multiple times a day), wander into the nearest old building we see, stumble across an art supply shop, and hopefully a wine window (a specialty here), and in the end, I’ve spent an entire day surrounded by art and creativity without ever intentionally seeking it out.

We stayed right in the middle of the city (Santa Croce), which I'd absolutely recommend. Florence is wonderfully walkable, and being able to pop back to our apartment for a break before heading out again was kind of imperative, especially with a 14 month old!

If you're planning a trip, here are some of the little discoveries that made Florence so memorable for me.

Cross the River to Santo Spirito

If you only spend time around the Duomo and the main tourist attractions, you're missing one of my favorite parts of Florence. Head across the Arno to the Santo Spirito neighborhood, part of the Oltrarno district and you’re in for a creative treat. At first glance, it might not look quite as exciting as the historic center because the streets are quieter and the buildings a little more understated, but pay attention!

Oltrarno has a long history as Florence's artisan quarter, where craftspeople worked in small workshops producing everything from leather goods to furniture and jewelry. And while the neighborhood has certainly changed over time, you can still find some of that tradition tucked into the streets. We discovered a tiny leather shop where a woman was making the purses herself. You can tire quickly of the stores selling the same souvenirs all over the city, so an actual little workshop where someone is creating something beautiful with her hands is always welcome. Another fave was Switch, a fun shop worth popping into.

I'd recommend wandering this neighborhood without too much of a plan. Look into the windows, step inside the little shops, and don't assume that because a street looks quiet, there isn't something interesting around the corner.

Art Supply Shopping in Florence Is an Experience in Itself

Okay, this section might be especially exciting if you're an artist, but even if you're just a creative person who loves beautiful little shops, hear me out. One of my favorite things about Florence was discovering its art supply stores. I'm used to shopping for supplies in the States, where you can find almost anything online or in a large art store.

But it’s Florence, it’s a whole different experience. These shops were often small and absolutely PACKED with materials like pigment powders, all the Sennelier products I love, paints, brushes, and a bunch of things I don't normally see at home. I loved the feeling that the person behind the counter could probably tell you exactly what you needed to create whatever you were imagining.

Two worth visiting are Zecchi Colori Belle Arti and Rigacci Belle Arti. I could have spent hours looking through everything (okay I probably did) but it wasn't just the art stores that inspired me. I loved noticing the layers of paint and texture on buildings throughout the city where you could see that walls had been painted, worn away, repaired, and painted again over centuries. As someone who works with layers in my own paintings, I found that incredibly interesting. Surprisingly, there's so much contemporary artists can learn from looking at old things. I could def spend a month in Florence just creating and exploring the art shops, and come away much better for it.

Some Spots to Jot Down

One of the best things about spending a full week in Florence was having time to find (and go back to) places we liked, rather than just running from one famous attraction to the next.

Here are a few I wanted to mention:

Todo Modo A café and bookstore, which is pretty much my ideal combination. I love finding places like this when I travel, where you can sit with a coffee, browse books, and feel like you're experiencing a little slice of everyday life in a new city.

DiVin Boccone Such a unique wine cellar! Exactly the place I love discovering when traveling.

Bread & Break Bakery One of the best parts of being in Italy is finding a new little place for breakfast every morning, and since this one is a little out of city center, it’s less busy but so delish.

Floret San Niccolò For a gorgeous brunch before you go up to Piazzale Michelangelo.

Firstglass Wine when you need a glass amidst the touristy craze

MANLY The Office A little Australian influence in the middle of Florence! I always think it's fun to find cultural crossovers while traveling.

The SS. Annunziata di Firenze There’s so much incredible art and architecture throughout Florence, you can’t go wrong. This is another pretty church.

And don't skip the il Mercato Centrale Firenze just because it's touristy. Yes, you'll be surrounded by visitors, but I still thought it was absolutely worth experiencing. Some places absolutely live up to the hype.

A Few Things I'd Do Differently

The main bridge of Florence has a cool history (read about it!) but don't feel like you need to spend a ton of time on the Ponte Vecchio itself. It's cool to see the gold shops and almost always crowded, but personally, I think one of the best ways to appreciate it is from one of the neighboring bridges, where you can actually SEE the whole thing, and get cool photos.

Second, give yourself enough time to wander around aimlessly; Florence is not a city I'd want to experience by rushing from reservation to reservation.

Third, if your train leaves hours after checkout, look for luggage storage lockers. They're easy to find, relatively inexpensive, and make a HUGE difference. Florence's streets are lovely for wandering, but dragging a suitcase around on the uneven pavement? Nahhh.

And finally, don't assume every touristy-looking restaurant or shop will be disappointing. One of our favorite lunches for clearly catering to visitors but was our favorite of the week! Others were definitely overhyped, you just have to be willing to explore a little.

Go for a Week!

I know plenty of people squeeze Florence into two or three days on a bigger Italy itinerary, but my mom and I both agreed that having a full week made the experience so much better. We weren't racing through museums or trying to see every famous attraction. And more importantly, we had time for morning bomboloni, afternoon gelato, unexpected wine windows, and we could return to places we liked, which always gives more of a local feel. If you're an artist or a creative traveler, especially if you’re someone who loves wandering through beautiful places and finding interesting little shops, you'll love Florence.

After Florence, we headed to Lucca, which I thought was absolutely perfect in its own way. Florence was incredible for its art, energy, and endless discoveries, while Lucca offered a quieter, more chilled atmosphere. And if you want to see more of what our week actually looked like, I filmed the whole experience for my YouTube vlog. Come along for the cafés, markets, art shops, and all the little moments in between.

[Watch my week in Florence on YouTube →] (coming soon)

My mom loving the wine windows :)