Slow Travel in Florence: A Week Like a Local
Updated: Oct 27
Updated October 2026
My best trips to Florence were the slow ones. I stayed in one neighborhood for a week, learned the barista's name and found my own bench by the river. Here is how to do the same.
Use my list of the best things to do in Florence for the highlights, then slow down and let the city come to you.
Pick one neighborhood
Choose one base and live there. The Oltrarno, across the river, is my favorite for this: artisans, squares and evenings in Santo Spirito. Read my Oltrarno neighborhood guide to get to know it. My guide to living like a Florentine has more about the local rhythm.
A slow week in Florence
Day 1: Settle in
Unpack, walk your neighborhood and find two places: your morning cafe and your evening wine bar. By day three, the barista will start your order when you walk in.
Day 2: Market morning
Shop at the Sant'Ambrogio market, where locals buy their produce, then cook a simple lunch at home with whatever looked best. Point at what you want and let the stallholder choose.
Day 3: One museum, slowly
Pick one museum and spend the whole morning there. I like the Bargello or San Marco, where you can stand in front of a single work for ten minutes without being jostled. Then do nothing in the afternoon.
Day 4: Artisan workshops
Visit the workshops of the Oltrarno, where craftsmen restore furniture, bind books and make jewelry. Or watch leatherworkers at the Scuola del Cuoio behind Santa Croce.
Day 5: Cook
Take a cooking class and learn to make fresh pasta. See my guide to cooking classes in Florence.
Day 6: The hills
Take bus 7 up to Fiesole for the view and the Roman theater, or spend a day at a villa in the hills.
Day 7: Wander
No plans. Get lost on purpose, follow a side street because it looks pretty, and see where the day goes.
Slow travel habits
Walk everywhere. Florence is small.
Eat lunch as the main meal, like Florentines.
Learn a few words of Italian. People appreciate it.
Go to the same places twice. That is when you become a regular.
Short on time?
If you only have a weekend, read my Florence weekend guide instead.
Where to stay nearby
For a slow week, an apartment or a villa works best. The Oltrarno is ideal. See where to stay near Oltrarno.
Why slow travel works in Florence
Florence is small. You can walk from one end of the historic center to the other in about half an hour, and the city's best moments are not on any ticket.
The light on the river at seven in the evening, the smell of bread from a forno at dawn, a conversation with an artisan in his doorway. When you stop trying to see everything, you start to notice these things. That is when Florence becomes yours.
Longer stays and apartments
For a week or more, I rent an apartment. Ask for one with a washing machine, a real kitchen and windows that open onto a courtyard rather than a busy street.
Check the stairs, because many historic buildings have no elevator. In the Oltrarno, San Frediano and Santo Spirito are quiet at night and full of life by day. My hotels vs apartments guide explains the tradeoffs.
Slow travel beyond the city
A second week in the Tuscan countryside is the perfect slow travel pairing. Base yourself in a farmhouse or a villa in Chianti, shop at the weekly markets in Greve or Radda, and take one day trip a day at most. Browse Tuscan villas at Exclusive Villa Collection, and my Tuscan towns guide helps you choose.
Things to learn while you are here
A week of Italian classes at a language school.
A paper marbling or bookbinding workshop in the Oltrarno.
A wine tasting course to understand Chianti and Brunello.
A drawing class in the Boboli Gardens.
A slow week in Florence
Monday: settle in, walk the river at sunset and find your local bar.
Tuesday: one big museum in the morning, then a long lunch in the Oltrarno.
Wednesday: Sant'Ambrogio market, cook lunch at home, then the Bardini Garden.
Thursday: a workshop with an artisan or a cooking class.
Friday: a day trip by train to Siena, Lucca or Pisa.
Saturday: San Miniato al Monte at vespers and dinner in San Niccolò.
Sunday: a slow morning, a walk in the Boboli Gardens and a final aperitivo.
Read my Siena day trip for Friday.
Seasons for slow travel
November and February are my favorite slow months. Rooms are easier to find, the light is soft and the markets are full of artichokes, chestnuts and new olive oil. Locals have more time to talk, too.
A slow travel mindset
Leave the afternoons empty. Say yes to a second coffee. Eat where the locals eat, even if the menu is only in Italian. Go back to the same trattoria twice. And put your phone away on the Ponte Vecchio at sunset.
Volunteering and giving back
One of the most meaningful ways to slow down is to give something back. Some organizations in and around Florence welcome volunteers, especially during the olive and grape harvests, when farms often need extra hands.
Others work on conservation, community gardens or English conversation exchanges with local students. Ask at your accommodation or through local language schools. Even a single morning of shared work tells you more about a place than a week of sightseeing.
Language exchange
Florence has many language schools, and they offer everything from a few lessons to month long courses. Even an hour a day of Italian changes your trip: you can chat with shopkeepers, read menus and street signs, and understand more of the city's history.
I also like tandem language exchanges, where you trade English conversation for Italian with a local. Many happen in cafés and bars in the evenings and are a wonderful way to meet Florentines.
Following one artist or one theme
Instead of trying to see everything, slow travelers can follow one thread. Spend a week with Michelangelo: the David at the Accademia, the Medici Chapels and the Laurentian Library at San Lorenzo, his early works in the Bargello and Casa Buonarroti, and his tomb at Santa Croce.
Or follow Brunelleschi from the dome to Santo Spirito. A theme gives your days a gentle shape and a deeper understanding.
Writing and sketching
Keep a journal or a sketchbook. Sitting in a piazza to draw a facade forces you to look closely, and people often stop to watch or talk. Florence has a long tradition of artists sketching in its streets, and many art schools offer short drawing classes for visitors, from beginners to advanced.
Eating slowly
Slow food is a Florentine habit. Lunch can last two hours, and dinner longer. Choose a trattoria you like and return several times. By the third visit, the staff will remember you, suggest dishes not on the menu and perhaps pour a glass of their own wine. That is the reward of slow travel: being known.
Taking the long way
When I have time, I walk to places I could reach by bus: from the center to Fiesole, along the river to the Cascine, or through the hills to Settignano, where Michelangelo spent his childhood. Each walk shows a different side of the city and its countryside.
FAQ
How long should I stay in Florence?
For slow travel, a week or more in one place.
Which neighborhood is best for slow travel?
The Oltrarno, with its artisans, markets and local squares.
Can I stay in a villa near Florence?
Yes. The hills around Fiesole and beyond have many villas.
What does slow travel mean?
Staying longer in one place, living like a local and choosing depth over a long list of sights.
Is a week too long in Florence?
Not at all. A week lets you see the city properly, take a class and make day trips.
About the author
I'm Jason GaNung, and I write every guide on Florence Life. I have spent extensive time in Florence over many trips, and I have stayed in many of the hotels and villas I cover, so my picks come from my own stays, not press releases. More about me.
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