People talk about Florence like it’s one of the most amazing places in the world and they aren’t wrong. It remains one of my favorite cities but it’s expensive. That’s why I made sure to have a list of free things to do in Florence so that we did not have to worry about costs all the time. That being said, costs in Italy have a nasty way of sneaking up on you and you really don’t realize it.
Despite being mentally prepared, I was caught unawares on multiple occasions. I’ll talk about budget tips for Italy in another different post but suffice to say that traveling through the country really adds up.
Back to the topic at hand. Florence! The city is often called an open air museum because there is just so much to see. Almost every turn and every street has a monument. This means that while you don’t have to enter each and every place in the city, you will not miss out on the beauty. Plus a few of these iconic monuments and plazas are some of the free things to do in Florence.
Here are some of the most iconic free things to do in Florence that definitely should be on your list.
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Table of Contents
1. Ponte Vecchio
I have to smile when I think about Ponte Vecchio. I normally do a lot of research before heading to a city. Florence was different. While I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do, I found that the city was so big and planning was overwhelming.
We started off our trip at Ponte Vecchio which was ironically Shawn’s idea because he had read about it. It was such an irony because he generally likes to wing the trip and leave the planning and researching to me.
Ponte Vecchio is a very unique medieval bridge. Not only does it connect both sides of the Arno river, it also has houses on it. I’m not kidding. While the most obvious way to explore the bridge is to walk through it, you can only truly see the houses on the bridge from the banks of the river so make sure that you stop.
In the evenings, you will also find musicians playing music and singing which adds to the ambiance here. Ponte Vecchio remains my favorite among the free things to do in Florence.
2. Palazzo Vecchio
Palazzo Vecchio is the old palace of Florence and is one of the most crowded places in the city. I wish I was overstating it but I am not. We arrived pretty early in the morning and by the time we reached this area we were rubbing shoulders with everyone.
Now you do need a ticket to explore the palace but there are certain parts of it that are free for visitors to see. It is worth stopping here if you are short on time or even if you have plenty of time because it gives you an idea of what life was like back in the day.
Back to why I added it in the list of free things to do in Florence. If you walk into the palace, just before you have to see the people who check your ticket, you will find the inner courtyards with some amazing sculptures and paintings.
3. Logia Dei Lanzi
If you don’t have time (or the funds) to visit the Galleria dell’Academia and still want to see some of the statues that Florence is famous for then head to the Logia Dei Lanzi. This is a 14th century ceremonial building that is located right next to Palazzo Vecchio.
It is hard to miss because its platform is higher than the plaza and the arches are very noticeable. All you have to do is climb a couple of steps and you will find yourself face to face with some very beautiful statues.
As I mentioned before, it is one of the free things to do in Florence. The downside however is the crowds because you won’t be the only person who has the same idea. The best way to see it hassle free is if you come late in the evening or early in the morning when the crowds that want to visit the old palace have left.
4. Piazza Della Signoria
While we are on the topic about the free things to do in Florence around the palace, I may as well add in Piazza della Signoria which is the main plaza right next to it. I honestly had to get away from this place the first time we visited. It was so so busy. There was no way we could walk around let alone pull the stroller. I was actually afraid to let go of my kids hand lest she get lost.
On our last day in Florence, we came back in the late evening hours. The square was almost disserted. It was a far more pleasurable experience then. The piazza has some iconic landmarks that are worth noting. The Palazzo Vecchio, Logia Dei Lanzi and the fountain of Neptune are some prominent landmarks. If you pause here a bit, you will also see Michelangelo’s David right next to the palace. This is a replica and real statue is in the Galleria dell’Academia.
5. The Cathedral Of Florence Aka The Dumo
The Cathedral of Florence is known by many names. Many people just call it the Dumo which refers to its massive dome or at least that’s what I understood. This cathedral is the single most visited site in the city. This is because it is impressive and quite unlike many of the churches and cathedrals that you see elsewhere in Italy or in the rest of Europe.
Not many people realize that visiting the cathedral is one of the free things to do in Florence. You can actually enter the most iconic monument in the city for free. Bear in mind that this will not give you access to certain parts of the cathedral like the dome, the tower and the crypts. You also have to stand in a pretty long line to get in.
If you want to check out the restricted parts of the cathedral, you have to book your ticket online and in advance. We started checking and trying to book ours three weeks in advance and we were almost too late. In fact, we did not get to see the dome because of this.
6. Piazza Del Duomo
The Piazza del Duomo is one of the prettiest squares that you can visit. During the day its packed with tourists trying to get into all the different monuments around it.
There are loads of hawkers peddling their wares and obviously people trying to get their photograph taken at the famed cathedral.
The chaos is pretty much part of the vibe. On hot summer days, there is little shade so make sure you take a hat or an umbrella along.
As the evening sun hits the streets and the crowds thin, things slowly start to change. The artists that pedaled their wares move away giving space to the musicians and the vocalists.
Its a quieter pace now and the square slows. This is when I really love Piazza del Duomo. It is by far on of the best free things to do in Florence that I enjoyed.
7. Explore The Old Town
When most people told me that Florence is an open air museum, I didn’t really understand what they meant. That was till I got there. The city is alive and full of monuments from one street to the next. Every corner you turn, you will find something new to marvel at. This means that one of the best things to do in Florence is to quite literally stroll through the old town.
8. Explore The Markets
If you like window shopping they browsing through the various markets in the city is fun. You have the outdoor ones where all the leather goods are hung out for display.
They are actually nice for some colorful photographs too. Plus if you are on the look out for souvenirs in Florence then its a great place to stop.
It is also very crowded. Pretty much like most of the other parts of Florence. If you have children with you make sure to keep an eye on them because it is very easy to get lost here.
9. Porcellino Fountain
This is probably not the most popular of the free things to do in Florence but one that the kids loved. We stumbled on it quite by accident.
There was a man sitting and encouraging tourists to place a coin in the mouth of the boar and let go. If it fell between the grates of the fountain you would have good luck.
All the children in the area, loved the idea and we thought it was cool. Fair warning… If you are traveling with kids, they may want to do this again and again and again!
10. Listen To The Music
As the sun sets, various artists and street performers come out and play for the crowds. It fills the streets with music and it is beyond mesmerizing. We stopped at almost every spot because our children enjoyed it so much. It was late in the night when we finally turned home with weary tired feet but hearts full of music.
As you can see, while the city is expensive, there are still a number of free things to do in Florence that can help keep your budget under control. I wouldn’t advise sticking only to these activities because you would miss out on some of the cultural gems in the city. Instead, I would suggest cherry picking the activities that you really want to do and interspersing them with the free activities in Florence.
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