17 free things to do in Florence

08.05.2024 - 12:43 / lonelyplanet.com / Maria Di-Santa

Don’t be deceived by the opulent Renaissance palaces, the gold jewelry shining from Ponte Vecchio’s storefronts and the high-end brands lined up on Via Tornabuoni – Florence doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

The art-filled capital of Tuscany may be brimming with treasures from the past but, contrary to what your wallet might fear, there is no shortage of experiences that come without a price tag.

From meandering through Renaissance architecture to seeking the best viewpoints to admire Brunelleschi’s Duomo from above, there are many opportunities to prove wrong the maxim “you get what you pay for.” What’s more, the free things to do in Florence are often the most neglected by short-term visitors, who tend to gather in and around the major attractions.

Here are some of the riches in Florence that won't cost you a cent.

One of Florence’s best-known landmarks, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as the Duomo, can be visited without a ticket, at least in part. Queue up in Piazza del Duomo to access the cathedral’s sparsely decorated main nave from the portal carved into its 19th-century neo-Gothic facade. 

Entering without a ticket will only allow you to explore the ground floor of the cathedral. If you want to climb the cupola and get a close look at Giudizio Universale, the fresco by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari, you’ll need to purchase one of the three passes available from the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore’s official website.

Florence's must-see museums: from the sublime to the Renaissance 

Medieval master Giotto is perhaps the biggest name in Florentine pre-Renaissance art. Most of the Gothic artworks still found in Florence are exhibited in the Galleria degli Uffizi, the Galleria dell’Accademia and the Basilica di Santa Croce (all ticketed museums) but it is possible to admire one of Giotto’s gilded crucifixes for free in the Chiesa di Ognissanti.

Believed to have been produced around 1315, Crocifisso di Ognissanti is over 4.5m (14.8ft) tall and hangs in the left wing of the church, near the altar. Chiesa di Ognissanti is also home to the painting Sant'Agostino nello Studio (St Augustine in His Study) by Sandro Botticelli, who chose to be buried in the church near his muse Simonetta Vespucci.

Offering one of the most spectacular views of the city, the open terrace known as Piazzale Michelangelo was built as part of Florence’s redevelopment in the late 19th century, shortly after Italy was unified. In charge of the project was architect Giuseppe Poggi, who designed a set of monumental ramps adorned with grottoes and waterfalls that lead to Piazzale Michelangelo from the San Niccolò neighborhood.

The uphill walk starts around Porta San Niccolò, one of the few medieval remnants of this