Italians tend to be very patriotic, and if you ask them what the most beautiful city in Italy is, you’ll likely get the person in question’s home town. Milan, Rome, and Verona are all great options, but Florence is easily the best renaissance city. The beautiful art, architecture, and history set it apart, even from the rest of Italy. If you want to know what the best of the best is, and where the rich areas of Florence are, keep on reading:
Campo di Marte
Depending on how you enter the city, Campo di Marte might be the first district of Florence you encounter. The train station is located here, but besides being convenient, this area has a lot to offer. The Giardino Della Gherardesca is a great little park to take a walk around, and the Piazza Della Libertà is also within walking distance. Overall, this is a nice, communicable area that has a touristy landmark, but also some nice restaurants. However, the architecture is a bit more modern than what you might want to experience from Florence.
San Giovanni
This is the must-see area of Florence. The city center is hardly worth pointing out, as any self-respecting tourist will seek it out themselves. A lot of Piazzas, cathedrals, and landmarks that you may have seen on postcards are located here. Of course, it can be crowded, hectic, and noisy, but this is a must-see area. As you can imagine, it’s a very expensive area to stay at, and the prices of the many bars and restaurants include the tourist write-up. However, if you are just staying in Florence for a few days, it’s worth the money, just for the view.
Oltrarno
South of the river Arno, you will find the Oltrarno. This is an older, more local district of Florence, that in recent years has begun turning hip and gentrified. Regardless of what you think about gentrification, this is a really cool and interesting district to walk around in. There are a couple of landmarks, like the Palazzo Pitti, Belvedere, and Piazzale Michelangelo, but just walking around and having a drink at one of the many local establishments is good enough in and of itself.
