Florence is such a magical and desirable city to visit in Italy. Being such a popular and wonderful place to visit also comes with a LOT of viral recommendations. Some are fantastic, and some not so much. In this post I am going to detail a few of those viral or very popular recommendations that we felt truly were “worth the hype in Florence”.
I’d also like to add that although I have been traveling throughout Italy for years and love getting off the beaten path, I am still VERY much a tourist. Italy makes me ridiculously happy and both touristy and non touristy things I find SUPERB! Sometimes I truly believe that touristy things are popular for a REASON! I think there is so much value in doing small, less popular, less touristy things, but sometimes you have to just let go and ENJOY the ride. These things fit that bill for me and if you’re visiting Italy I think you’ll enjoy these spots too!
Please note that some of these “worth the hype in Florence” spots come with disclaimers! For example: I likely wouldn’t wait in a line for any of these. I wouldn’t go without a reservation or plan. I wouldn’t spend hours to have a panini! But if you follow my tips you should be able to enjoy them with ease like we did, which also makes them more worthwhile!
Affogato at “Vivoli” (my person #1 for a worth the hype in Florence spot)
In case you’re unaware, Affogato is gelato with espresso poured over top and it is a gift to anyone who is lucky enough to have it! Honestly, just about any affogato that you have is going to be worth the hype in Florence.
The great thing about Vivoli is that most people are going for the same thing. They are only making 2 kinds of Affogato and they are making it fairly quickly. Even if there is a small queue you shouldn’t have to wait long to get your treat! This shop has been in a family business since 1930! They are located in Florence near the Santa Croce church and right near many of Florence’s main attractions.
The affogato is beautiful and SO delicious! The flavors are perfection and I like that they don’t give you too much choice, so you can’t mess it up! We tried their pistachio special and it was fantastic! The only mistake we made was getting one to share instead of getting two! Vivoli also has gelato and other treats that are fantastic and not to be overlooked.
There is a small wine window here (which you may have seen on social media) it is not actually in use. It is there for decoration, and for fun you can pass the affogato through to your travel buddy if you want to. But I was duped by social media into thinking it was a functioning window, it is not. The affogato however, is 100% worth the hype in Florence and I highly recommend this spot.
Here is a link to the shops website if you want more info & location : Vivoli
Osteria Pastella
First of all, I don’t know how or where this place went viral, I never saw it on any social media. But there are tons of things in the reviews about it going viral and it becoming too touristy. I’ve also seen a number of people who live in Florence say to skip it, so I was really nervous to book the reservation. But, I can say without hesitation that it was WONDERFUL! DO NOT SKIP IT! I’m sure that all of the alternative recommendations that people are giving are amazing too, but this spot was a GEM! I honestly get the vibe that it was a fantastic spot that just got found out! It happens, especially when the food is THAT good! It is certainly worth the hype in Florence.
SO here is my rundown of this spot. First of all you can make reservations, so why anyone wouldn’t is beyond my comprehension. People line up for this place, but do not let that deter you. Make a reservation and you’ll have no trouble. The line may seem intimidating but they treated us like there was no line outside at all. We did not feel rushed in any way during our meal and felt the service was as attentive as anywhere else in Italy.
The reason this place apparently garnered so much attention was the Truffle Pasta and its fun presentation. Again, I found it to be amazing. The presentation is so fun, they kind of put on a little show by using a flaming wheel of cheese and talking you through the process table side. I loved seeing how it was made, I also LOVED the pasta itself. My husband got risotto with pigeon and it was shockingly delicious as well! We also shared an appetizer of grilled vegetables and warm pecorino cheese in honey and it was phenomenal. Again, my only regret here is that we didn’t order more. The couple next to me got the lobster pasta and it looked and smelled fantastic! I also had an excellent glass of Montepulciano wine.
Overall I was so pleased that I didn’t skip this place due to its “touristy” vibe.
Here is the website if you want to check it out and also make a reservation: Osteria Pastella
All’ Antico Vinaio
This place is WILD. We saw lines DOWN THE BLOCK AND AROUND THE CORNER! I can’t even believe, even though I saw it with my own eyes, that people would line up like that for a panini. HOWEVER, it was an absolutely FANTASTIC panini of dreams.
The secret: we went at 10am!
There was not another person in line or even on the street. We walked right up and got a panini and it was DELICIOUS! I honestly regret that we didn’t order a few more and just stash them to have throughout the rest of our trip. I understand why people say you shouldn’t wait for this place, because honestly waiting for a sandwich is just extreme, but you SHOULD NOT skip this place. It was SO GOOD!
Another helpful tip is that if you don’t want to wait or queue as long and you don’t need to make any alterations to your order, you can order from the kiosks. They will make the panini and call your number and you don’t have to wait to place your order with a person.
I can’t even tell you which one you have to get because I literally KNOW they would all be incredible. Get whichever one you know would suit you, but definitely go. Just find the right time. Again, this is only worth the hype in Florence if you don’t have to wait in line!
Here is a link to the site so you can check out all the offerings in advance : All’ Antico Vinaio
Babae
I am not sure how popular this one is, but it was popular to me. The great thing about this spot though, is we never found it overly crowded. It’s on the “other side” of the river, and immediately upon crossing the bridges you’re greeted with a bit of a more quiet atmosphere. It always amazes me how many people stay in such a small radius in cities like this.
We visited this spot initially to visit the “Wine Window” but went back again for a late lunch and it was fantastic. It is so charming inside, the staff were really kind, and the food was great. We had some paccheri with tomato, cheese, and basil that was wonderful. We had a mushroom soup and a porchetta bruschetta. I also had a nice glass of Montepulciano. This place felt very relaxed and on the inside didn’t feel touristy at all.
We also visited the wine window separately and it is really beautiful. When you look inside to ring the bell they have a lovely mural on the back wall that is perfectly framed by the window. You can get a few different types of wine and sit out on the street and sip and hang out. On a nice day this is really lovely to do. I also noticed that most wine windows in the city would give a plastic cup when asked so that you could take it and walk.
Here is a link to check out this spot when you visit! You can decide for yourself if this one is worth the hype in Florence. Don’t miss this side of the river! : Babae Firenze
Terrazza Sul Duomo
This place was SUCH a pleasant surprise. Again, I am not totally sure how widespread the popularity of this spot is, but I had seen it all over social media and that can always make you a bit skeptical.
In my opinion this spot was a DREAM. We booked the apartment, which is on the top floor and you are able to walk out directly onto the Terrace. We also visited in November and paid about $1000 for 4 nights. I found this to be worth the cost for how much space we had, for the location, and for the terrace. I am not sure how much the price would differ depending on the season, but I’ll provide a link below so you can search your own dates.
We don’t often stay in the center or main parts of major cities due to cost, so this was a really special experience for us.
The apartment had a kitchen, living area, bathroom, and two bedrooms. It would be a tight squeeze to have 2 couples in here though. We used the extra bedroom as our space for luggage etc. Having walk out access to the terrace was a dream. We were out there CONSTANTLY. We enjoyed the scene at literally all hours of the day! We loved waking up to the bells from the bell tower at sunrise with views over all of Florence. This place was without question worth the hype in Florence.
If you are interested in other amazing places that we have stayed over the years in Italy, you should check out my post here ——-> FREE Guide to My Favorite Stays in Italy
Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
This one is free and easy as long as you don’t mind walking. It is very crowded but honestly I think the view is insanely good and worth the hype in Florence. I also think there is something special about enjoying a sunset with a bunch of other happy people! There is often music or some type of street performance going on. You may want to get there early to get a good spot or just wander up if you’re not too worried about it! The views over Florence are truly dreamy!
Pro tip: we walked away a bit and wandered to the church of San Miniato and had it almost entirely to ourselves with equally as impressive views over Florence. If you like the idea of less crowds and a more peaceful sunset this is your spot! We couldn’t believe how few people had wandered over here.
Pro tip 2: Go for SUNRISE! While it is not as lively of an experience it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! For sunrise it was only myself and a handful of others and it was so beautiful to watch the rays reflect off the Duomo to start the morning. Truly a beautiful and peaceful scene and I highly recommend it!
Final Thoughts about Florence
If you enjoyed this guide to to things that are worth the hype in Florence, you may enjoy some of my other posts as well.
5 Amazing Day Trips that Are Worth the Hype in Florence : this post includes visiting Montepulciano, Siena, San Gimiganano, Lucca, and a wine tasting day in the hills of Tuscany.
48 Hours in Florence, Italy : I have spent far more than 48 hours in Florence. But if you’re short on time, this post details what I think are some of the absolute best things to do!
This post about things that are worth the hype in Florence contains affliate links. This means that if you click and book through my links I will earn a small commission at NO COST to you. This helps me to keep sharing out this awesome info! I also will FULLY recommend things that I acquire NO commission on and I just think are truly good recs. You will always get the truth from me here I would never recommend something I didn’t love.