When to Visit
The best time to visit Florence is when you can.  That said, know that the summer months (“high season”) are often hot, humid and crowded. The “shoulder seasons,” my favorite time to visit, are the spring (March-April) or fall (October-November). Winter (“low season”) also has many advantages: the museums and restaurants are less crowded and the weather is bearable.

Florence is a Unesco World Heritage site with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 710,000. In 2018, before the pandemic, 27.7 million tourists visited Florence. Put differently the total number of visitors in 2018 was 39 times that of the resident population. Moreover, 95% of tourists concentrate their activities in the 5 square kilometers of the historic district. With the waning of Covid-19 protocoles, the number of visitors is expected to meet or exceed pre-pandemic numbers.

Population

Accommodations
Links go directly to the establishments’ websites for information and booking.

★★★★★Five Star Hotels

★★★★Four Star Hotels

★★★Three Star Hotels

★★Two Star Hotels

Dining

Shopping
Leather
China

Travel Insurance

Visa and Passport Information

United States Consulate General
Lungarno Vespucci, 38
50123 FIRENZE
Phone: (+39) 055.266.951
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates provide updated Health and Security Travel Advisory Information.

British Nationals Contact

British Consulate General Milan
Via S. Paolo, 7
20121 Milan
Phone: +39 02 723001 / +44 20 7008 5000 (24hrs)

British Embassy Rome
Via XX Settembre 80/a
00187 Rome
Phone: +39 06 4220 0001/ +39 02 723001/+44 20 7008 5000

Medical Emergency
The recent Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns, and travel restrictions remind us that medical emergencies of all sorts are a part of everyday living including travel. Therefore, one should consider purchasing travel insurance that covers medical emergencies in addition to trip cancellations, trip delays, lost luggage, et cetera since many health plans issued in the United States provide limited coverage abroad. Medicare does NOT cover hospitalization and medical services outside the United States and its Territories.  Medicare Supplement Coverage (Medigap) standard plans (i.e. C, D, F, G, M, N) provide foreign travel emergency coverage up to plan limits at 80%. For additional information see the current year Official U.S. Government Medicare Handbook: Medicare & You.

Most visitors never experience medical emergencies, but in the event than an unfortunate event occurs, know that medical care in Florence is first rate and most, if not all, Florentine hospitals have some English speaking staff.

Depending on the severity of the medical issue, consider the following:

Life-threatening emergencies require immediate hospitalization. Once the patient is admitted, contact the patient’s travel insurance provider, if applicable, for additional steps or your national Consulate.

Non-life-threatening emergencies contact the patient’s travel insurance provider, if applicable. Hotel staff can also provide assistance and recommend English-speaking physicians.

If your Travel Insurance policy provides medical and or dental emergency coverage, follow the procedures outlined in the policy.

Additional Travel Advisory Levels information is available from the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Italy.