Florence
Things to Do Near Hotel Firenze 2000: Your Local Guide to Oltrarno and Beyond
If you’ve chosen to stay at Hotel Firenze 2000, you’ve already made a great decision — even if you don’t know it yet.
Most tourists base themselves near the Duomo or Santa Croce and spend half their holiday fighting through the same crowded streets. Our hotel sits in Oltrarno — the other side of the Arno — and from this side of the river, Florence looks completely different. Quieter streets. Fewer queues. The same beauty, without the chaos.
First things first: where are you?
Hotel Firenze 2000 is at Viale Raffaello Sanzio 16 in the Oltrarno district, Florence’s left bank. The Arno is about 9 minutes on foot; Ponte Vecchio — the famous medieval bridge lined with goldsmiths — is roughly 20 minutes away at a comfortable pace.
Within walking distance (under 20 minutes)
1. Ponte Vecchio
Florence’s most iconic bridge deserves to be seen at least twice: in the morning light when it’s relatively calm, and at dusk when the gold shop windows glow and the Arno reflects the last of the sun. Walk across slowly; the jewellers here have traded on this bridge for centuries. ~20 minutes on foot.
2. Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens
The Pitti Palace houses multiple museums including the Palatine Gallery. Even if museums aren’t your thing, the Boboli Gardens behind it are worth the entrance fee alone — Renaissance gardens climbing the hill with fountains, sculptures, grottos and terraces. Go on a weekday morning, find a bench on the upper terrace, and look out over the city. ~18 minutes on foot.
3. Piazza Santo Spirito
This is where locals actually spend their evenings. No tour buses — just a relaxed piazza with café terraces, the Basilica di Santo Spirito, and a neighbourhood market in the mornings. Sit down for an aperitivo in the early evening and you’ll understand why people fall in love with Florentine life. ~14 minutes on foot.
4. Oltrarno’s artisan streets
Via Maggio, Borgo San Jacopo, Via de’ Serragli — lined with furniture restorers, leather workshops, antique dealers and family-run trattorias, many here for generations. This isn’t a curated “artisan experience”; it’s just how this neighbourhood operates. 5–15 minutes on foot.
A short ride away (15–25 minutes by bus or tram)
5. Piazzale Michelangelo
The view from this hillside terrace is the one on every postcard — the Duomo, the Arno, terracotta rooftops in every direction. Go at sunset with a gelato; half of Florence gathers here in the evenings, and for once the crowd is part of the pleasure. Bus 13 from the centre, or a 25-minute uphill walk via the rose garden.
6. The Uffizi Gallery
Yes, it’s a classic and busy — but there is no equivalent to standing in front of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus in real life. Book tickets weeks ahead, dedicate at least three hours, and choose two or three rooms to spend real time in rather than trying to see everything. 20 minutes on foot via Ponte Vecchio.
7. Basilica di Santa Maria Novella
Often overlooked in favour of the Duomo, this is one of Tuscany’s finest Gothic churches — an extraordinary geometric marble façade, frescoes by Masaccio and Ghirlandaio inside, and a museum section (the cloisters) that is genuinely quiet and exceptionally beautiful. ~20 minutes on foot.
Where to eat near the hotel
An honest note: the closer you are to the Duomo, the worse the food tends to be and the higher the prices. Oltrarno is the opposite — this is where the better trattorias hide.
- Trattoria del Carmine — a Piazza del Carmine institution. Unpretentious, generous portions, proper Tuscan cooking; go for the ribollita or the bistecca.
- Buca Mario — one of Florence’s oldest restaurants, near Ponte Vecchio. Not cheap, but consistently good for a special dinner.
- Il Guscio — a neighbourhood favourite on Via dell’Orto. Seasonal menu, no tourist pricing, genuinely warm service.
- Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio — for a proper local lunch, this covered market has prepared dishes, cheese and cold cuts. Locals eat standing up; prices are honest.
For breakfast: the hotel serves a homemade breakfast daily — start there before a full day of walking.
Getting around Florence
- Tram: the Paolo Uccello stop (T1 line) is the hotel’s reference stop, connecting to the centre and Santa Maria Novella station.
- Buses: bus 13 is useful for Piazzale Michelangelo; buy tickets at tobacconists or pay contactless on board.
- Parking: we partner with a nearby garage at a special rate (€30/24h) with car drop-off and pick-up at the hotel included — genuinely rare in Florence, and handy for Tuscan day trips.
- Walking: for Oltrarno and most centre sights, your feet are the best transport. Comfortable shoes from day one.
Day trip ideas
- Siena — 90 minutes south; one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities. The Piazza del Campo alone is worth the drive.
- San Gimignano — medieval towers and Vernaccia white wine, about 60 minutes by car.
- The Chianti wine route — the SS222 between Florence and Siena passes through some of the world’s most beautiful vineyard landscapes.
- Lucca — a compact walled city, about 80 minutes by car or direct train. Relaxed and far less visited than it deserves.
One last thing
For questions about any of these places — the best time to visit, how to get there, which restaurant to try on a Tuesday evening — just ask at reception. Our staff know this city well and give proper, honest recommendations rather than the standard tourist-office answer.
Florence rewards curiosity. The further you wander off the main routes, the better it gets — and from our hotel in the Oltrarno, you’re already starting from the right side of the river.
Ready to explore? Browse our rooms for 1–5 guests and book direct for our best available rate — or get in touch with any questions.
