How to Spend the Perfect Solo Day in Florence

Nothing is better than visiting the magical city of Florence; like Paris, it’s the perfect place to spend time with yourself and enjoy doing the things you love. This past summer, I had the opportunity to take a quick 30-minute train from Bologna and spend a gorgeous day exploring the city and checking things off my list. Without further ado, these are the places I visited and recommend you add to your list. 

I arrived early at the Florence train station and headed straight to the Santa Maria della Novella, just a 5-minute walk from the station. I entered the beautiful church and visited the famous cloisters. Filled with so much peace, I walked along the church, learning about its foundation. It was such a pleasure and peaceful tour. It was an even better spot to escape the scolding Italian heat. A must-visit! The same church of Santa Maria della Novella created the infamous pharmacy. While there, I made a video explaining why you must visit this store. Located just outside the church in Via della Scala 16, the pharmacy (known as the oldest in the world) has every product imaginable, from arnica creams to herbal remedies. However, they have always been known for their incredible perfumes and colognes. My favorite is the Acqua della Regina, the original scent of the pharmacy that, to this day, uses the same recipe to be created. It is a beautifully fresh and light scent worth purchasing as a little token of your time in Florence. 

By this time, I was famished, and I needed to recover from the heat. I decided to stop at a place whose name I cannot sadly remember. Its decadent pistachio pesto gnocchi was indeed a delight. I will continue searching for this name for you; do not worry! 

After my dreamy lunch, I continued strolling through the beautiful high-end stores, passing the Uffizi Gallery (if you have more time or are a museum lover, I highly recommend visiting the galleries or the Gucci Gardens) into Ponte Vecchio, where I admired the different jewelry stalls and reminded myself of my budget. However, if you find yourself in the Ponte and want to purchase quality jewelry reasonably, don’t let me stop you! In the Ponte, you will also have the most magical views of Florence. I reached the other side of Florence and, by that time, was craving a delicious gelato. I walked along the beautiful cobblestone streets until I reached Gelateria La Carraia (right in front of the river). I enjoyed my refreshing lemon gelato, sat by the river, and took a second to take in the glory of Florence. I share other favorite gelato spots: My Sugar Gelato Artigianale, Carabé Firenze, Perché No!, and Gelateria Della Passera. 

Now, apart from finding my perfect perfume in Santa Maria, I was also searching for a good-quality leather wallet. I had done my due diligence in research and found various stores that must be in your books. These include Cellerini, Casini Firenze, San Lorenzo Market, Giorgio 1966, Ben Heart (leather jackets), and Massimo’s Leather. However, I had my heart set on visiting La Scuola di Cuoio. Now, I must admit I found it difficult to see the actual store; however, once you enter, it feels like a museum with beautiful works of leather art. I found my dream wallet and strolled along the store for an hour, enjoying all the displays and the workshops.     

Finally, my train back to Bologna was coming up, and I was, yet again, hungry. I knew I wanted one of the infamous All’Antico Vinaio sandwiches (which, yes, are incredibly famous and touristy, but you have to admit that they are crazy delicious). They have a few locations around the same street with much shorter lines. Indeed, I do not regret getting a sandwich for my train ride back! However, I did visit other spots before deciding on All’Antico. Here are a few suggestions for a more local spot: Sandchick, Fratellini, L’Girone de Ghiotti, and Pino’s. 

Finally, I returned to Bologna for my last night in Italy! Although this article mostly shares my food and shopping adventure, I wanted to point out how proud I felt for doing this solo trip, even if it was just for one day. I made a video back in August discussing how I’m starting to solo travel a bit more, and this trip to Florence was the perfect example. I felt comfortable visiting this city as I’ve been here before, but I made it a plan to find new spots and attractions to visit to make my visit even more special!