image: get ty. illustration: Lis watkins
FLORENCE
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ESSENTIALS -
When to go: Spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) offer milder temperatures and fewer crowds. Summer can be extremely hot, particularly in July and August. Currency: Euro Language: Italian, though English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and tourist areas. Getting around: Florence is best explored on foot. The historic center is compact and largely pedestrian-friendly, while trains make day trips easy. Did you know? Many visitors assume the Ponte Vecchio has always housed jewelers, but it originally contained butchers until the Medici family decided the smell was contaminating their nearby palace; they had the law changed so only shops selling glittering jewels were allowed on the bridge.
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BOOK IT NOW -
Visit Florence as part of a seven-day Mediterranean journey with Norwegian Cruise Line from Barcelona to Rome. As a complimentary gift from our agency, you’ll get $100 shipboard credit per stateroom. Norwegian Epic departs Barcelona, Spain, on May 2, 2027.
The view from Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset
CALL US TO BOOK YOUR TRIP TO F LORENCE
NIGHTLIFE Florence’s nightlife is sophisticated rather than frenetic, favoring atmosphere and elegance over excess. Aperitivo culture defines the early evening. Rooftop terraces at hotels like the Continentale are particularly popular, offering sweeping views of illuminated domes and church towers as the sun sets. The city’s wine bars provide another distinctly
Florentine experience. Candlelit enotecas like Il Santino tucked into medieval buildings invite leisurely tastings of regional wines paired with local delicacies. Furthermore, many of Florence’s luxury hotels have elegant cocktail lounges — the perfect place for a classic negroni, invented in Florence over a century ago. Live music is woven throughout the city’s cultural
life. Opera performances, chamber concerts and jazz evenings regularly take place within historic churches, theaters and intimate clubs. During summer, outdoor events spill into piazzas and gardens. Night walks are among Florence’s greatest pleasures.
Illuminated bridges reflect across the Arno River, quiet alleyways echo softly with footsteps and the Duomo glows dramatically against the night sky. It's the ideal time to experience Florence at its most romantic.
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