Where to stay in Florence
Florence is small. From almost anywhere in the old center you can walk to the Duomo in twenty minutes, so choose on feel, not distance. Stay near the Duomo for a short first visit, in Santa Croce to eat and go out, and across the river in the Oltrarno for a slower, more local Florence. Santa Maria Novella is for trains and a tighter budget. If you're driving, read about the ZTL before you book anything.
The short answer
- First trip
- Near the Duomo, or Santa Croce for better food and more life in the evening.
- Couples
- The Oltrarno, or San Niccolò below Piazzale Michelangelo.
- Families
- San Marco: calmer streets, the Accademia, and the airport tram to the door.
- Tight budget
- Santa Maria Novella or San Lorenzo, by the station and the market.
- Driving
- Outside the ZTL: Campo di Marte, or Fiesole on the hill above the city.
How we judge an area of Florence: walking time to the sights, noise at night, transport, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Florence's neighborhoods, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Duomo | Uffizi | Station | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duomo and the center | A first, short visit | Busy on the main streets | 5 min | 5 min | 10 min | On foot; buses at the edges | €€€€ |
| Santa Croce | Food, evenings out | Lively; loud on the piazza | 10 min | 10 min | 25 min | On foot; buses on the river | €€€ |
| Oltrarno | Second visits, food | Loud on Santo Spirito at weekends | 15 min | 10 min | 20 min | On foot; small buses | €€ |
| San Niccolò | Couples, quiet | Quiet | 20 min | 10 min | 30 min | On foot; buses on the river | €€€ |
| Santa Maria Novella | Trains, tight budgets | Busy around the station | 5 min | 15 min | 5 min | Station; trams T1 and T2 | € |
| San Lorenzo | Value, food, the station | Quieter at night | 5 min | 15 min | 10 min | On foot; near the station | €€ |
| San Marco and Libertà | Families, the airport tram | Quiet | 10 min | 15 min | 15 min | Tram T2: San Marco, Libertà | €€ |
| Campo di Marte | Drivers, lower prices | Quiet, except match days | 30 min | 30 min | 40 min | Campo di Marte station; buses | € |
Walking times follow real streets, using OpenStreetMap's walking routes from a central square in each area, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. The north bank is flat; the Oltrarno climbs toward the Boboli Gardens and Piazzale Michelangelo. Price is our read of a standard double in the same week, from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest); prices from the booking sites will replace it.
Where the neighborhoods are
Near the Duomo, for a first short visit
Everything famous within ten minutes' walk, and everyone else here to see it too.
The old Roman grid between the Duomo, Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza della Signoria is the Florence of postcards: the cathedral, the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio and the Bargello, all within ten minutes of each other on flat streets. For two or three nights, nowhere saves you more time.
It is also the most expensive and most crowded part of the city, full of day-trippers from mid-morning and noisy on the main streets late at night. The whole center sits inside the ZTL, so you can't drive to the door. Pick a street a block or two off Via dei Calzaiuoli and Via Roma, and ask for a room at the back.
Good for
- A first trip of two or three nights
- Walking everywhere on flat streets
- Seeing the Duomo at night, after the crowds leave
Think twice if
- You want value: this is the most expensive part of Florence
- You're driving: the whole center is in the ZTL
- You want to feel you're somewhere local
Staying in Duomo and the center: nearby sights, food and getting around
Santa Croce, for food and evenings out
The center's liveliest corner, with its best food market ten minutes away.
East of the Uffizi, Santa Croce runs from the great Franciscan church out to the covered market at Sant'Ambrogio, which the city's own tourist office calls the heart of the neighborhood. It has more restaurants, wine bars and small shops than sights, and it stays busy into the evening.
It's close enough for a first visit, about twelve minutes from the Duomo, and better value than the streets around the cathedral. Two things to know: Piazza Santa Croce is loud on weekend nights, and in June it hosts the Calcio Storico, a medieval football tournament played in the square in front of stands for five thousand people. If your dates fall in mid or late June, stay a few streets away.
Good for
- Food: Sant'Ambrogio market and the trattorias around it
- Evenings out without going far
- A first visit that feels less like a queue
Think twice if
- Your room faces Piazza Santa Croce and you sleep lightly
- Your trip is in June, during the Calcio Storico
Staying in Santa Croce: nearby sights, food and getting around
The Oltrarno, for a slower Florence
The other side of the river: workshops, a neighborhood square, and the Pitti Palace at the end of the street.
Oltrarno means beyond the Arno. Across the Ponte Vecchio from the center, it takes in Santo Spirito and San Frediano, the old artisans' quarter of restorers, gilders and bookbinders, with the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens on its edge. Most of the sights are ten to fifteen minutes back over the river.
It suits a second visit, or anyone who wants a neighborhood café in the morning rather than a queue. Piazza Santo Spirito is where the Oltrarno goes out: on weekend nights it fills with people drinking outside until the small hours, and residents complain about the noise. Stay in the streets around it, not on it. San Frediano, to the west, is quieter still.
Good for
- A second visit, or a longer stay
- Food, wine and small workshops
- The Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens on foot
Think twice if
- Your room overlooks Piazza Santo Spirito on a weekend
- You want to be a few minutes from the Duomo
San Niccolò, for a quiet corner by the river
A few old streets under the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo, quieter than anywhere in the center.
San Niccolò is the eastern end of the Oltrarno: a short run of medieval streets between the river and the old city gate, with the steps up to Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato behind. It's the place to watch the sun set over the city and walk back down to dinner.
It is small, with few hotels and more apartments. The Uffizi is about ten minutes' walk over the Ponte alle Grazie, but the station is nearly half an hour, and every walk uphill is steep. It sits outside the daytime ZTL, which makes a car less of a problem here than in the center, though you'll still need somewhere to park.
Good for
- Couples, and sunsets from Piazzale Michelangelo
- Quiet evenings close to the center
Think twice if
- You want plenty of hotels to choose from
- Hills are hard for you: the streets up the hill are steep
- You're arriving and leaving by train: the station is nearly half an hour's walk
Staying in San Niccolò: nearby sights, food and getting around
Santa Maria Novella, for trains and a tighter budget
The station, the airport tram and the cheapest beds near the center. Pick the street with care.
The area around Santa Maria Novella, the church and the main station named after it, is where most visitors arrive. The airport tram stops here, the fast trains to Rome, Bologna and Venice leave from here, and the Duomo is under ten minutes away on foot. It has more budget hotels than anywhere else near the center.
The square in front of the church is lovely. The streets right around the station are not, and the city has made the station area and Via Palazzuolo official red zones, where police have extra powers to move people on. Look near Piazza Santa Maria Novella itself, or toward the river, rather than on the streets beside the station.
Good for
- A tight budget
- Day trips by train, or an early train out
- The airport tram at the door
Think twice if
- You'll be walking back late at night through the streets by the station
- You want Florence's charm outside the door
Staying in Santa Maria Novella: nearby sights, food and getting around
San Lorenzo, for value next to the market
Market stalls by day, a food hall upstairs, and the Duomo a few minutes away.
San Lorenzo is the quarter between the station and the Duomo, around the Medici church of San Lorenzo and the Mercato Centrale: a working food market on the ground floor and a food hall upstairs. It's central, busy and good value, with the Medici Chapels and the Accademia each a few minutes' walk away.
The streets around the market are crowded with stalls by day and can feel scruffy after dark. It's a practical base more than a romantic one: well placed for the station and the sights, with plenty of mid-range hotels. Choose a street away from the market itself if you want quiet.
Good for
- Value, close to everything
- The Mercato Centrale for breakfast, lunch and picnic supplies
- The station and the Accademia on foot
Think twice if
- You want a pretty, quiet street
- You're after nightlife
Staying in San Lorenzo: nearby sights, food and getting around
San Marco and Libertà, for families
The university quarter by the Accademia: calmer than the center, and on the airport tram.
North of the Duomo, San Marco is the university district: the Accademia with Michelangelo's David, the San Marco museum, and wider, calmer streets running up to Piazza della Libertà on the old ring road. The Duomo is about ten minutes' walk.
Since January 2025 the airport tram has run through here to San Marco, which makes this the easiest arrival in Florence: about thirty-five minutes from the airport for two euros. It's a sensible base for families and budget trips. Libertà itself is further out, nearly twenty minutes from the Duomo on busier roads.
Good for
- Families, and anyone who wants quieter nights
- The Accademia first thing in the morning
- The airport tram to the door
Think twice if
- You want to step out into the Florence of postcards
- You're out by Piazza della Libertà and want to walk everywhere
Staying in San Marco and Libertà: nearby sights, food and getting around
Campo di Marte, if you're driving
A residential district outside the ZTL, with local prices and a half-hour walk into town.
Campo di Marte is the residential quarter east of the old ring road, around the Artemio Franchi stadium and its own railway station. There is nothing much to see, but it is outside the ZTL, hotels are more likely to have parking, and prices are lower than anywhere central.
The Duomo is about half an hour on foot, or a few minutes by train or bus. On match days the streets round the stadium fill up, and the stadium area is one of the city's red zones. It makes sense for a road trip through Tuscany; for a city break, stay in the center and leave the car behind.
Good for
- A road trip, with a car to park
- Lower prices
- A local neighborhood, and trains from its own station
Think twice if
- You want to walk to the sights
- It's a city break without a car
Staying in Campo di Marte: nearby sights, food and getting around
Where not to stay in Florence, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Florence. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A hotel inside the ZTL, if you're arriving by car
Drive into the limited traffic zone at the wrong hour and a camera fines you. Ask the hotel to register your plate before you arrive, or stay outside the zone and park.
- The streets right around the station, if you'll be out late
Cheap and practical, and part of the city's official red zone. Stay near Piazza Santa Maria Novella or toward the river instead.
- A room on Piazza Santo Spirito or Piazza Santa Croce, if you need sleep
Both fill up late on weekend nights, and Santa Croce hosts the Calcio Storico in June. Ask for a room at the back, or stay two streets away.
- A 'Florence' hotel out by the airport or the motorway, for a city break
The rate looks good until you add the tram or a taxi each way. Florence is small: stay in it.
- Fiesole, without a car
Beautiful and cool in summer, and a bus ride from the center whose last run leaves around half past midnight. Stay there if you have a car or plan early nights.
Which neighborhood suits you
First time in Florence
Near the Duomo for two or three nights; Santa Croce if you want more life in the evening.
Couples
The Oltrarno or San Niccolò, a bridge away from the crowds.
Families with children
San Marco, calmer, and on the airport tram.
A tight budget
Santa Maria Novella, by the square rather than the station, or San Lorenzo.
Food
Santa Croce for Sant'Ambrogio market, San Lorenzo for the Mercato Centrale, the Oltrarno for trattorias.
Nightlife
Santo Spirito in the Oltrarno, and the streets of Santa Croce.
Peace and quiet
San Niccolò, or Fiesole on the hill above the city if you have a car.
Day trips by train
Santa Maria Novella or San Lorenzo, minutes from the station.
Driving
Campo di Marte or Fiesole, outside the ZTL.
Before you book a room in Florence
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Florence makes a good stay.
- The city taxFlorence charges every guest aged 12 or over per night, for up to seven nights: €3.50 at a one-star hotel, rising to €8 at a five-star, and €6 in B&Bs and holiday rentals. It's paid at the hotel and usually isn't in the price the booking sites show. Two adults in a four-star for five nights pay €70.
- Driving and the ZTLCars can't enter the historic center's limited traffic zone on weekdays from 7.30am to 8pm or on Saturdays until 4pm, and from April to early October the zone also closes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 11pm to 3am. Cameras fine you automatically. A hotel inside the zone can register your plate: ask before you arrive.
- From Florence airportThe T2 tram runs from the airport to the station in about twenty minutes and on to San Marco in about thirty-five, from 5am to half past midnight (2am on Friday and Saturday nights). A ticket is €2 for ninety minutes; you can tap a contactless card on board.
- From Pisa airportTake the PisaMover shuttle to Pisa Centrale, about five minutes for €6.50, then a regional train to Santa Maria Novella, which takes fifty minutes to an hour and twenty.
- June in Santa CroceThe Calcio Storico is played in Piazza Santa Croce in mid and late June, in front of stands for five thousand. Wonderful to watch, hard to sleep near.
- Lifts and stairsMany hotels are in old palazzi with small lifts or none. If stairs are hard for you, check the floor and the lift before you book, not when you arrive.
Where to stay in Florence: questions people ask
What's the best area to stay in Florence for a first visit?
Near the Duomo, for a short trip: the cathedral, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio are all within ten minutes' walk on flat streets. Santa Croce is the close second, a little further out, with better food for the money and more life in the evening.
Is it better to stay north or south of the Arno?
North for a first visit, because that's where most of the sights are. South, in the Oltrarno or San Niccolò, for a quieter, more local stay, still ten to fifteen minutes' walk from the Uffizi over the Ponte Vecchio or the Ponte alle Grazie.
Oltrarno or Santa Croce: which is better?
Santa Croce if you want to be close to the sights, with restaurants and bars around you. The Oltrarno if you would rather have workshops, a neighborhood square and the Pitti Palace on your doorstep. Both are loud around their main squares on weekend nights.
Is Santa Maria Novella a good, safe place to stay?
For trains and a tight budget, yes. The square in front of the church is lovely, and the Duomo is under ten minutes' walk. The streets right around the station are part of the city's official red zone and can feel rough late at night, so stay near the square or toward the river, and watch your bag in the station.
Where should I stay in Florence if I have a car?
Outside the ZTL: Campo di Marte, or Fiesole on the hill above the city, where hotels are more likely to have parking. If your hotel is inside the zone, ask it to register your plate before you drive in, or the cameras will fine you.
Can you walk everywhere in Florence?
Yes. Santa Maria Novella to Santa Croce is about twenty minutes on flat streets, and nothing in the center is more than half an hour from the Duomo. Only the Oltrarno climbs, toward the Boboli Gardens and Piazzale Michelangelo.
Which area is the best base for day trips?
Santa Maria Novella or San Lorenzo, a few minutes from the main station, where the trains leave for Pisa, Lucca, Siena and Bologna.
How much is the city tax in Florence?
From €3.50 per person per night at a one-star hotel to €8 at a five-star, and €6 in B&Bs and holiday rentals, for up to seven nights. Children under 12 don't pay. It's paid at the hotel, usually on top of the price shown online.
