Compare Prices from All US Cities
| From | Airport | Est. Price | Flight Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BESTBoston | BOS | $333 | ~9h | View → |
New York | LGA | $349 | ~9h | View → |
New York | JFK | $349 | ~9h | View → |
Newark | EWR | $350 | ~9h | View → |
Philadelphia | PHL | $357 | ~9h | View → |
Baltimore | BWI | $365 | ~10h | View → |
Washington D.C. | DCA | $367 | ~10h | View → |
Detroit | DTW | $378 | ~10h | View → |
Chicago | ORD | $394 | ~10h | View → |
Charlotte | CLT | $394 | ~10h | View → |
San Juan | SJU | $396 | ~10h | View → |
Minneapolis | MSP | $400 | ~11h | View → |
Nashville | BNA | $411 | ~11h | View → |
Atlanta | ATL | $413 | ~11h | View → |
St. Louis | STL | $414 | ~11h | View → |
Orlando | MCO | $421 | ~11h | View → |
Fort Lauderdale | FLL | $425 | ~11h | View → |
Miami | MIA | $427 | ~11h | View → |
Tampa | TPA | $427 | ~11h | View → |
Denver | DEN | $455 | ~12h | View → |
Dallas | DFW | $460 | ~12h | View → |
Seattle | SEA | $464 | ~12h | View → |
Houston | IAH | $467 | ~12h | View → |
Salt Lake City | SLC | $471 | ~12h | View → |
Portland | PDX | $474 | ~12h | View → |
Austin | AUS | $474 | ~12h | View → |
Las Vegas | LAS | $502 | ~13h | View → |
Phoenix | PHX | $506 | ~13h | View → |
San Francisco | SFO | $513 | ~13h | View → |
Los Angeles | LAX | $521 | ~13h | View → |
San Diego | SAN | $524 | ~13h | View → |
About Florence
Florence is the kind of city that makes you question why you ever visited anywhere else. This compact Tuscan capital holds more UNESCO-listed Renaissance art per square mile than almost any place on Earth — the Uffizi alone contains Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, Michelangelo's Tondo Doni, and dozens of Caravaggios. Unlike Rome, which requires a week to scratch the surface, Florence rewards even a three-day visit because the historic center is entirely walkable and most major sights cluster within a 20-minute radius of the Duomo.
For Americans, the food and wine scene is often the surprise highlight. Florentine cuisine is aggressively local — bistecca alla Fiorentina (a massive T-bone from Chianina cattle), ribollita (a thick bean-and-bread stew), lampredotto (tripe sandwiches sold from street carts), and Chianti Classico poured by the glass for €4 at old-school wine bars called fiaschetterie. The Mercato Centrale's upper floor is a legitimate foodhall with everything from fresh pasta to craft beer, open until midnight. Eating cheaply is easy here; eating badly takes effort.
Florenceis increasingly crowded in peak season — July and August see upward of 15 million annual visitors squeezing through streets built for medieval foot traffic. Booking the Uffizi and Accademia (home to Michelangelo's David) three to six weeks in advance is non-negotiable in summer; showing up without reservations means two-hour queues in 95°F heat. The sweet spot is shoulder season: April through early June and late September through October deliver manageable crowds, temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and wildflower Tuscany just outside the city.
Flights to Florence's Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) are limited from the US — most Americans connect through Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, or Rome. Pisa's Galileo Galilei Airport (PSA), 50 miles away, serves more budget European routes and is worth considering if you're already in Europe. The train from Rome Santa Maria Novella takes 1.5 hours on the high-speed Frecciarossa; from Venice, it's 2 hours. Florence sits perfectly for an Italy multi-city trip.
Best Time to Fly to Florence
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Track Florence flights →Airport to City: How to Get There
Florence's Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) is just 3 miles from the city center with three practical options. The Vola in Bus shuttle (€6, tickets on the bus) runs every 30 minutes and takes 20-25 minutes to the main bus terminus at Via Santa Caterina da Siena, two blocks from Santa Maria Novella train station — this is the best value option. A taxi from the official white cabs costs a flat rate of €22 daytime or €25.30 nights/Sundays to any address inside the ZTL (historic center); don't use unofficial drivers offering rides outside the terminal. The T2 tramway opened in 2019 and now connects the airport to the city center (Unità stop near SMN station) in 20 minutes for €1.70 — the cheapest and most reliable option, running roughly 5am-midnight daily. Uber operates in Florence but only the UberTaxi option (same price as regular taxis).
Neighborhoods & Where to Stay
The neighborhood surrounding the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, and the Uffizi — Florence's tourist bullseye. Hotels here command premium prices (€200-500/night for decent rooms) but you're steps from everything. Eating near the Duomo is overpriced; walk two blocks in any direction for better value.
The authentic Florentine neighborhood across the Arno river from the tourist core. Home to Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens, artisan workshops, and genuinely good restaurants like Buca Mario and Trattoria Sostanza. B&Bs run €80-150/night and you'll feel more like a resident than a tourist.
Centered around the Basilica di Santa Croce (Michelangelo's tomb is here) and the fantastic Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio, this neighborhood has the best balance of location, price, and local life. The Enoteca Borghese and countless wine bars keep evenings lively without being rowdy.
The student and market district around the Mercato Centrale and the Accademia. Budget hotels, hostels like Plus Florence, and dozens of affordable trattorias make this the practical choice for backpackers and frugal travelers. The leather market stalls here are touristy and aggressive — skip them.
A separate hilltop town 20 minutes by bus from the center (Bus 7 from SMN, €1.70) with stunning views over Florence. Villa San Michele and other luxury properties sit up here; it's impractical for budget travelers but magical for a splurge or a day excursion. Much cooler in summer than the city below.
Daily Budget: What to Expect
$20 dorm bed at Plus Florence or Ostello Bello, $25 food (€3 lampredotto sandwich for lunch, €2 espresso, €12 trattoria dinner with house wine), $5 tram/bus passes, $25 one paid museum (many churches free)
$90 B&B or 3-star hotel in Oltrarno, $50 food (coffee and cornetto breakfast, proper sit-down lunch €15, dinner at Buca dell'Orafo €30 with wine), $15 transport including one taxi, $25 one major museum entry with booking fee
$250 Lungarno Collection property or Villa Cora room, $120 food (hotel breakfast, Enoteca Pinchiorri tasting menu or equivalent €120-200/person), $30 private transfers, $100 guided Uffizi or private David experience
What to Eat in Florence
Bistecca alla Fiorentina at Buca Mario or Trattoria Sostanza — a Chianina T-bone sold by weight (usually 1.2kg minimum for two people, ~€65-80 total) cooked rare only; ordering it well-done will offend staff and ruin it
Lampredotto sandwich from Nerbone inside Mercato Centrale or from a street cart at Piazza del Mercato Nuovo — chopped tripe in a crusty roll dipped in broth and topped with salsa verde for €4, a true Florentine street food experience that no tourist guidebook does justice
Ribollita at any old-school trattoria in Oltrarno — this thick stew of cannellini beans, cavolo nero, and stale Tuscan bread tastes aggressively rustic and costs €8-10; Trattoria Mario near San Lorenzo makes a legendary version at communal tables
Gelato at Gelateria dei Neri or Gelateria Sbrino — avoid any place with massive piled-up mounds of fluorescent gelato (that's whipped air and stabilizers); real gelato sits flat in metal containers under lids, usually costs €2.50-3.50 for a small, and the pistachio should be grey-green not bright green
Crostini neri (chicken liver pâté toasts) and a glass of Chianti Classico at Buca dell'Orafo or any fiaschetteria in the center — this €6-8 aperitivo combination is Florence in a nutshell; try Cantinetta dei Verrazzano near Via dei Calzaiuoli for authentic atmosphere
Flying from the US to Florence
Airlines & Routes
- →American Airlines via London Heathrow (connection to FLR on British Airways)
- →Delta via Amsterdam on KLM codeshare
- →United via Frankfurt on Lufthansa connection
- →Air France via Paris CDG
- →British Airways via London Heathrow
- →Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich
- →ITA Airways via Rome FCO (then train or domestic connection)
- →KLM via Amsterdam
Flight Duration
Safety Tips
Florence is very safe by any major city standard — violent crime against tourists is extremely rare. The real threats are pickpockets and ZTL driving fines. Pickpockets work the crowds around the Duomo, on the #12 and #13 buses to Piazzale Michelangelo, and inside the train station. Wear a money belt or front-pocket wallet; keep bags on your lap in restaurants. The ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) is the historic center's restricted driving zone — if you rent a car, enter the ZTL and your plate is photographed, expect a €90-250 fine mailed to your home months later. Take taxis or walk everywhere inside the center. Avoid unmarked taxis at the airport — use the official white cabs from the taxi stand only. Watch for counterfeit €50 notes in tourist-area restaurants. Keep digital copies of your passport in email. The areas around the train station after midnight get seedy but not dangerous; just be aware.
Book the Uffizi and Accademia (David) through the official Firenze Musei website (firenzemusei.it) rather than third-party resellers — the booking fee is €4-5 vs €15-25 on Viator or GetYourGuide, and you pick your exact entry time. Do it the moment you know your Florence dates, even six weeks out in shoulder season. Also: the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is criminally undervisited — it holds the original Ghiberti Baptistery doors (the 'Gates of Paradise'), Donatello's Mary Magdalene, and Michelangelo's unfinished Pietà Bandini, all for €18 with no lines most mornings. Many visitors spend more time at the Duomo exterior and skip this museum entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to fly to Florence?
The cheapest route to Florence from the US is typically from Boston (BOS), with estimated round-trip prices around $333. Prices vary significantly by season and booking timing.
What is the best time to visit Florence?
The best time to visit Florence is April, May, September, October. Spring and fall are ideal — warm but not the brutal summer heat, fewer crowds than July-August. Avoid Ferragosto (mid-August) when locals leave.
Do US citizens need a visa to visit Florence?
Visa-free for US passport holders for up to 90 days within any 180-day period (Schengen Area).
How long is the flight from the US to Florence?
Flight time from the US to Florence (FLR) is approximately 9 hours from Boston. Flight times vary by departure city — eastern US cities are typically shorter to Europe.
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