Earlier this week, we released the Florence issue of Bellissimo, our quarterly e-magazine for Premium Members. Previously, each new issue of Bellissimo focused on one of Italy’s 20 regions (Puglia, Abruzzo, Tuscany and Sardinia have been some of the most popular). But with the launch of Bellissimo: Aosta Valley this past winter, we reached the end of the regional list. So for spring 2026, we’ve rolled out an updated format, highlighting a city (Florence) alongside bonus features on three day trips in the area that are either underrated (Arezzo, Prato) or misunderstood (Pisa).
Florence was the natural first city for this new approach. For one thing, it’s where our editor and much of our extended team have roots. But for another, it’s a perennial favorite — not just among our readers, but among the world at large. That said, such “favorite” status can be tricky, and we owe it to you (and Florence) to acknowledge the complexities. Since 2000, visitors to Florence have increased by a whopping 436%, according to figures from city hall. “Low season” is largely a thing of the past, short-term rentals have decimated much of the housing market, and residents are increasingly wary of “hit and run”-style tourism. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it belongs to humanity, but at the same time, it deserves to be treated with a humane touch by those who come to town. From the sea of online content and TV specials about the Tuscan capital, it can be tough to know who to trust and how to approach Florence with the care it deserves. We hope that the new issue, put together by our embedded experts on the ground, will give you a good starting point for moving beyond the viral hotspots.
We also know our readership is made up of many repeat visitors who encourage exploring Florence responsibly. Ahead of the issue launch, we asked our readers to share some of their favorite memories and tips from their time(s) in the city. Here’s what some of them had to say.
Some comments have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Italy Magazine readers on finding Florence
Arthur K. found an anniversary treasure:
“During our first trip to Europe, my wife and I were staying at a modest hotel in Florence. We asked a woman working there who’d taken a liking to us for some advice on where to buy jewelry. She sent us to her brother’s store near Ponte Vecchio. With help from a young lady (who as I recall was married to a baron), we bought gold earrings and a necklace. But my wife had more in mind, batting her eyelashes and reminding me it was our 35th anniversary. We settled on a lovely sapphire ring that she’s worn ever since as her wedding ring. We’ll soon celebrate our 59th!”
Becky B. appreciated the local hero:
“David … need I say more?”
Dennis T. discovered her favorite beverage:
“The best hot chocolate in the entire world is at Rivoire in Piazza della Signoria, which I discovered during my first trip to Florence in 2015. After a steak dinner, as the evening began to cool, I stopped at Rivoire for dessert and ended up drinking two of them. I was so wired I didn’t sleep until 2am, but it was so good I went back for that same hot chocolate in 2025.”
Robert B. moved at a more humane pace:
“Florence has a way of changing your pace without asking permission. You arrive thinking about what you want to see, and before long, you start paying attention to how you feel. The beauty is obvious, but what I’ve come to love most is the rhythm: unhurried mornings, long walks, lingering meals and the sense that not every moment has to be optimized to be meaningful. Florence reminds me that wonder does not always arrive loudly. Sometimes it shows up in stillness.”
Caterina C. shares Florence with the next generation:
“My relationship with Florence began in 1989, when I was a scholarship student. Today, I am an Italian teacher, and one of the greatest privileges of my work is returning to Florence with students. I try to share with them not only the famous monuments but also the small stories that give the city its soul. On an evening walk I challenge them to find la finestra che non si chiude mai, the window that, according to local legend, must always remain open. On another day we climb up to San Miniato, where we encounter the quiet compassion of the man who comes each day to feed the cats that live in the cemetery.
I remind my students that Florence is not simply a Renaissance museum. It is a living city where Florentines go to work, buy bread, raise families and carry on the rhythms of daily life. Learning to move through the city with curiosity, and with respect, is part of the experience. As is falling in love; not necessarily with a person, but with a place, a street, a building, a view across the Arno, something that stays with you long after you leave. If you do that, you will always want to return.”
David C. stumbled upon an adventure:
“I have a memory of pulling our VW Bus into a parking lot below Piazzale Michelangelo right on the Arno River; in the bushes, we found an abandoned moped painted purple with pink dots. It worked! We filled it with gas and spent two weeks touring the city on it (and left it behind where we found it when the trip was over).
I especially remember venturing to a church [ed. the Brancacci Chapel at Santa Maria del Carmine] not far from our parking space on our newfound moped. To my surprise, it held the Adam and Eve painting by Masaccio that I had just studied in my Renaissance art class. What fun we had. That was 1971; I was 21 years old.”
Carol H. recommends an unexpected treasure:
“You won’t find it in your average guidebook, but an excursion to the WWII Commonwealth War Cemetery just outside Florence is a memorable day trip. Girone is part of the network of beautifully maintained Commonwealth burial grounds found throughout Italy (and meticulously maintained by the Italian government). Here on the very bank of the Arno rest most of the 1,632 Allied soldiers killed in the Florence area alone between July and September 1944. A stunning monument that honors those who left home and family behind in the UK, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Canada and Australia.”
Kaci D. felt connected to people, above all:
“Studying abroad in Florence recently opened me up to a world beyond just life-changing food, fashion and wine. Mostly, it opened me up to people — to locals navigating through waves of tourists seeking refuge in their city. Photobooths around town invited us to commemorate our time here. Florentines greeted us with open arms, allowing us exploration of the Renaissance city with the same curiosity they modeled.”
Judith B. misses a gentler era:
“I’m so glad that I first visited Florence over 25 years ago before it was overrun by mass tourism and influencers. One of my favorite places (still at least somewhat off the beaten path) is the Dominican Convent of San Marco with its beautiful frescoes, many by Fra Angelico. Its former prior, Girolamo Savonarola, played an important role in Renaissance Florence, famous for his impassioned sermons against corruption, luxury and moral decay. You may be recalled of his memory when you hear the term ‘bonfire of the vanities,’ a practice he initiated where citizens burned items seen as sinful.”
Ee-Tan C. never really left:
“I fell in love with Florence during a month in autumn 2018, studying Italian. Living in a small apartment near Piazza Santa Croce, I enjoyed slow mornings and long walks along the Arno. The cool air and golden light made everything feel quietly magical. Beyond its famous galleries, it was the rhythm of life that stayed with me. Firenze is not just a city I admire, but one I never quite leave.”
Denise S. could spend days in the Uffizi:
“The Uffizi Gallery’s sculptures and paintings made me cry. I’d need two weeks to take in all of its beauty.”
Christopher A.C. embraced Tuscan cuisine in tumultuous weather:
“I was with a friend, visiting Florence again after 27 years. We spent a pleasant spring day visiting the city and then walked to dinner near Piazza della Libertà. But on the way, the weather shifted to a torrential storm (acquazzone!). We were soaked. The restaurant floor was flooded. But we tucked into a warm ribollita and succulent bistecca alla Fiorentina paired with Tuscan wine and finished off with Vin Santo and cantucci. Rain or shine, Florence never disappoints!”
Mary G. found her professional calling:
“I was so struck by Masaccio’s frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine many decades ago that I was convinced that I wanted to learn more in graduate school. Not only did I learn about Masaccio and the culture of his time, but I also continued my studies to earn my Ph.D. in History of Art and became a tenured university professor. Thank you, Florence, for inspiring me — it has meant a lifetime of joy!”
