No Small Wander

For my first trip to Florence, I had a few experiences I didn’t expect. I’d visited Italy before, but Rome, Sorrento, and Naples had different vibes to them, and I wasn’t sure what would be consistent in Italy. Four things I wish I’d known before visiting Florence are:

Taxis are overpriced, but public transit makes up for it

When I first tried to order an Uber in Florence (Bolt isn’t available in the city yet, which surprised me!), it was late at night after a concert. I figured that the €100+ charge for 25 minutes was due to increased demand. But the next day, I was trying to get to a museum and missed my bus, so I looked into getting a 15-minute taxi. The cost was over €80! I don’t know why, but taxis were massively overpriced. Luckily my bus came again within 10 minutes, and I never had a problem with the tram. Air conditioning was available on both forms of transit!

The city is walkable, and if overheating, there are a lot of places to rest

I’ve written before about free places to rest in Florence; the 37ºC heat was at times almost unbearable. But walking the city really was the best way to get a feel for it! The narrow streets between buildings cast lots of shade, if you’re careful. And there are so many places that offer air conditioning, taking a break from extreme heat is common. Plus there’s always gelato or ice cream to cool off with!

Don’t rent a bike or scooter in the historical city centre

I saw tourists doing this, and on the asphalt roads, it makes sense! But when you get into the city centre, the cobbled stones lead to uneven surfaces. I saw many tourists on those electric scooters and bikes, and could tell instantly that they were having a hard time. Those bikes were rattling over the cobbled stones, you could hear them shaking from a mile away. If you’re taking a longer trek, there were bike paths on the streets—but I’d avoid them in the city centre!

The toilet seat situation is mixed

It shocked me in Rome and Naples that many public toilets didn’t have seats. I hate that—public toilets are gross enough, and I don’t think that removing the seat makes them cleaner. I worried that it would be the same in Florence.

What I found was…different. In some bars and restaurants, no seats; in others, toilet seats. My hotel bathroom had a toilet seat, and a bidet. It really seemed to be a coin flip as to what it would be when I walked into a stall.

The Florence airport was the best (or worst?) of both worlds; the women’s loo had toilet seats on a spring, so you had to use your hand to touch it, in order to sit down.

What do you wish you’d known about Florence before you went there? Let me know in the comments—happy travels!