Where to Stay in Florence on Your First Visit (2025 Guide)

If you are planning your first visit to Florence, one of the most important decisions you will make is where to stay in Florence.

You have lots of great options to choose from, from cozy boutique-style hotels, highly rated budget properties, luxurious 5-star hotels, family friendly apartments, and hotels with a view of Ponte Vecchio or the Duomo.

An important factor to consider is the location of your hotel. There are several neighborhoods in Florence to choose from. You can either stay in the touristy heart of Florence (the most convenient location but also the most expensive) or in one of the neighborhoods just outside of the historic city center, which have certain advantages.

We have visited Florence multiple times, staying in both the city center and in an outlying neighborhood. In this guide, we will share with you our favorite hotels, plus where to stay in Florence, by location and by budget.

Where to Stay in Florence on Your First Visit

Our Top 5 Recommendations

If you want to skip the geography lesson and the overview of each neighborhood, here are five hotels we recommend. We have either stayed here or the hotel has an excellent location and review score. It was very hard to come up with this list, as there are A LOT of great hotels in Florence that get rave reviews.

B&B A Florence View: Mid-Range Hotel with Views of the Duomo

If you want to stay in the city center, have a view of the Duomo from your room, and not pay a small fortune, B&B A Florence View is a mid-range hotel that gets fantastic reviews. It is located next to the Baptistery and just steps away from the Duomo, an unbeatable location in Florence. Not all rooms have a view of the Duomo…to get the view, reserve the double or twin room with Duomo view.

Santa Croce 14 B&B: Highly Rated B&B in Santa Croce

This small bed and breakfast sits next to the Basilica of Santa Croce. It’s located east of the city center but still within walking distance of Florence’s top sights. This hotel makes our list for its near perfect reviews on Booking.com, its location, and its beautifully decorated rooms. Check out the King Room with Balcony…this room is huge and from your balcony you will have a gorgeous view of Piazza di Santa Croce.

Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments: A Great Pick for Families

This is our top pick for families, those who prefer an apartment stay, and those who will need parking. Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments is located in the Santa Croce neighborhood, east of the historic heart of Florence, but still within walking distance of the must-see sights.

This property offers a wide range of apartment types, ranging from small studios to two-bedroom apartments. It gets wonderful reviews on Booking.com.

I had a hard time narrowing down the apartments in Florence, and another one to consider is Geppi’s Apartments, which is located in Santo Spirito (on the south side of the Arno River), which also gets rave reviews and is a bit more centrally located.

Emerald Palace: Budget Property with an Excellent Location

For those traveling on a budget, this is our top pick in Florence. Emerald Palace has a fantastic location, within walking distance of the train station, Mercato Centrale, and the Duomo. Take your pick from a bed in a dormitory room to a one-bedroom apartment that can accommodate up to six people.

Rocco Forte Hotel Savoy: 5-Star Splurge in the City Center

This is where we stayed on our most recent visit to Florence. It is a 5-star hotel in the city center, so it was a big splurge, but this is one of the top hotel experiences we have had, which is saying a lot.

The Rocco Forte Hotel Savoy is located on Piazza della Repubblica. From here, it’s a very short walk to the Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery. We had an extraordinary view of the Duomo from our room. What made our experience even better is the impeccable service…the staff is always available to assist you with anything you need.

On a repeat visit to Florence, we would stay here again. We still talk about the view from our room and the extraordinary service.

The view from our room at the Rocco Forte Hotel Savoy

Here is the view in the evening

Florence Geography 101

Florence is a small, compact city. Most of the things to do in Florence are located in and around the city center. In Florence, you can walk to almost everything. You can also get around by bus and taxi, but for the most part, you can expect to get around primarily on foot.

The Arno River divides Florence into two parts. North of the river is the historic city center, where you will find most of the museums, churches, and piazzas. This northern part of Florence can further be broken down into the historic city center (Centro Storico), Santa Croce, and Santa Maria Novella.

On the south side of the Arno River are the rolling hills of Florence, Boboli Gardens and Bardini Gardens, and Piazzale Michelangelo. This part of Florence, which includes the neighborhoods of Oltrarno, Santo Spirito, and San Niccolò, and has more of a local feel to it.

In this guide, we list hotels for four different areas of Florence. On the map below, each area has a different color. Here are the areas and the corresponding colors. The black markers are the top attractions in Florence.

Centro Storico (Historic City Center): Red
Santa Maria Novella: Yellow
Santa Croce & Sant’Ambrogio: Blue
Santo Spirito & Oltrarno: Green

How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.

Best Florence Hotels by Location

In this guide, we list four neighborhoods in Florence. For each, we let you know why they make a great home base, the pros and cons of each of them, and then list recommended hotels for all budgets.

At the end of this guide, we list hotels based on travel style (by budget, if you are a family, etc.), plus a section dedicated to hotels with breathtaking views of Florence.

Here is a very quick summary of each neighborhood (click the link if you want to skip ahead to the one that interests you the most):

Centro Storico: This is the historic city center of Florence. It is the best location in Florence but comes with higher prices. But if you want to be in the heart of the city, this is the best place to stay in Florence.

Santa Maria Novella: This is the area around the train station. Prices are cheaper here but you are still within walking distance of most sights.

Santa Croce & Sant’Ambrogio: Stay east of the city center. You will have a slightly longer walk to the top sights, but prices are cheaper, the neighborhoods have more of a local feel, and it’s easier to find a hotel that offers parking.

Santo Spirito & Oltrarno: Stay on the south side of the Arno River. This is a good pick for those who want a neighborhood with a local vibe but still within walking distance of the city center.

How we chose these hotels: The hotels we list in this article are very highly rated. All but a few get 8.5 stars or higher on Booking.com, and many of them get at least 9 stars. We prefer to stay in hotel that gets a 9.0 or higher. Very rarely will we stay in a hotel that gets a rating less than 8.0.

I list hotels as luxury, upscale, mid-range, and budget. A luxury hotel is a 5-star hotel, an upscale hotel is a 4-star property, a mid-range hotel is a 3-star property, and a budget hotel is a 1 or 2-star property or a hostel.

Hotels in Centro Storico

The Historic City Center of Florence

If it is your first time in Florence, this is our #1 recommendation for where to stay. Centro Storico is the neighborhood that includes the Florence Cathedral (the Duomo), Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Uffizi Gallery. By staying here, you are centrally located in Florence and can easily walk to everything. The Duomo could just be a block or two from your hotel and you may even be able to get a room with a view of it.

For those who want to stay in the heart of Florence, within walking distance of the main sites, this is the best place to stay in Florence. It’s also great for those with limited time (just a day or two), since you can easily walk to the main sites.

Top Experiences in the City Center: The Florence Cathedral, the Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello.

Pros: Central location, easy to walk to most places in Florence, possible to get a room with a view of the Duomo, lots of great rooftop bars are in this area.

Cons: Expensive, touristy, extremely difficult to drive to a hotel in this area (if you will have a rental car).

The Florence Cathedral and the city center (photo taken from Palazzo Vecchio)

Piazza del Duomo at night

LUXURY: Rocco Forte Hotel Savoy. This is one of the most luxurious hotels in Florence and the location is unbeatable. We splurged by staying here and had a room with a view of the Duomo. It is one of our favorite hotels of all time. Not only was the view spectacular, but the service is impeccable and we were a 3-minute walk from the Duomo and a 10-minute walk to most places in Florence. The Savoy is located on Piazza della Repubblica, so from here it is a short walk to the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Uffizi Gallery. Service is top notch and some rooms have views of the dome of the Florence Cathedral.

The view from our room at The Savoy

Our hotel room at the Savoy

LUXURY: Portrait Firenze – Lungarno Collection. This hotel is located on the Arno River, just a short walk from the Uffizi Gallery. Some rooms have gorgeous views of Ponte Vecchio. From here, it is a short walk to most sites within Florence and some rooms can accommodate up to four people.

UPSCALE: B&B La Terazza Sul Duomo. It’s hard to beat this location since you can have a view of the Duomo from your room. Rooms are large and comfortable and breakfast can be served in your room. As a bonus, you get to enjoy views over Florence from the terrace on top of the hotel. This is an excellent choice for those who want a hotel with a great view of the Duomo without paying a small fortune.

UPSCALE: Granduomo Charming Accomodation. If you stay here, the Duomo will literally be on your doorstep. Some rooms look directly at the cathedral. Each room is a spacious apartment that can accommodate between 2 and 4 people. For families who want to be in the heart of Florence, this is one of our top picks.

MID-RANGE: Hotel Duomo Firenze. We are listing this hotel because it has a fantastic location on Piazza del Duomo, which means the Duomo is right outside your front door. Some rooms have a balcony with incredible views of the Duomo. Rooms are basic, but the view and the location is hard to beat, and this hotel gets very good reviews.

MID-RANGE: Relais Piazza Signoria. This highly rated hotel is located next to Piazza della Signoria, placing it in central Florence. If you want your own private terrace with an amazing view of Palazzo Vecchio, take a look at the Penthouse Apartment with View. The Penthouse Apartment can accommodate up to five people, making this a great pick for families.

MID-RANGE: B&B San Remigio. This bed and breakfast is located on the east side of the city center. It is a 5-minute walk to Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio, a little bit longer of a walk to get to the Duomo. Rooms are basic but very spacious and there is a rooftop terrace with seating.

MID-RANGE: B&B A Florence View. Located right in front of the Florence Cathedral, this small bed and breakfast has single, double, and triple rooms. Prior guests rave about the location on Piazza del Duomo, the staff, and the value for the money.

BUDGET: Emerald Palace Family Hostel. This hostel is located next to Basilica di San Lorenzo and a short walk from the Florence Cathedral. There are a wide variety of room types, from dormitory rooms to double and triple rooms and even a one-bedroom apartment. Some rooms have a beautiful view of the San Lorenzo cathedral.

Santa Maria Novella

Handy Location Near the Train Station

Santa Maria Novella is a rather large neighborhood that encompasses the area around the train station and extends to the Arno River. This area sits just to the west of the historic city center. It’s possible to stay in some fantastic mid-range hotels near the train station and some luxurious hotels near the Arno River, offering options for all budgets.

Top Experiences in Santa Maria Novella: Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, and it is a short walk to Mercato Centrale from the area near the train station and a short walk to Ponte Vecchio for hotels near the Arno River.

Pros: Close to the train station so if you are traveling by train, it is a short walk to your hotel; if you will have a car, you can park next to the train station and it is a short walk to your hotel; great for budget travelers as there are some very highly rated mid-range and budget hotels in this area.

Cons: Longer walk to the city center; very long walk to Piazzale Michelangelo (consider taking a taxi).

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

LUXURY: The Westin Excelsior. This hotel sits on the Arno River. Rooms range from classic double rooms to luxurious suites with a view of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio. Sitting on top of the Westin Excelsior is SE·STO on Arno, one of the nicest rooftop bars in Florence.

The view from SE·STO on Arno, the rooftop bar on top of the Westin Excelsior

UPSCALE: 25Hours Hotel Florence Piazza San Paolino. This is one of the most unique hotels on this list. Rooms are creatively decorated (if you want to see what I mean, check out the Medium Inferno Room). This boutique hotel gets rave reviews and people love it for is location, the interior design, and the staff.

UPSCALE: Florence Feel Apartment. If you like the idea of staying in a spacious, beautifully decorated apartment with a small kitchen and washing machine, this place is for you. It’s a bit far from the city center, but its location makes it handy for those traveling by train and those who will have a rental car, since you don’t have to drive into the city center. It is a 15-minute walk to the city center. These apartments can accommodate up to 5 people, so it is great for families.

MID-RANGE: Eco Urban B&B. This environmentally friendly bed and breakfast is located near the train station. Rooms are beautifully decorated and look more like an upscale hotel than a 3-star hotel. From here, you have a 15-minute walk into the historic city center, but what you are getting is a property that gets rave reviews and rooms that are clean and quiet.

MID-RANGE: La Locandiera B&B. This bed and breakfast gets wonderful reviews, particularly for its location, cleanliness, and staff. Rooms are spacious and colorful and breakfast is served to your room.

BUDGET: Ostello Bello Firenze. This is one of the highest rated budget properties in Florence. This hostel is located near the train station. Take your pick from 10-bed dorm rooms to single rooms with a bathroom. For families traveling on a budget, there is a family room with a private bathroom. Prior guests give this property wonderful reviews, raving about the staff, the location, comfort, and cleanliness.

BUDGET: Hotel Nizza. The location of this budget hotel is excellent, sitting in between the train station and the city center, so it’s a quick walk to both of them. The rooms are basic but the hotel gets excellent reviews, making it another top pick for those who want a fantastic location without spending a lot of money.

Santa Croce & Sant’Ambrogio

Local Neighborhood East of the City Center

These two neighborhoods sit to the east of the historic city center. Like Santa Maria Novella, it is a short walk into the city center. These neighborhoods have more of a local feel and are less touristy than the city center and Santa Maria Novella.

Top Experiences in Santa Croce & Sant’Ambrogio: The Basilica of Santa Croce, Sant’Ambrogio Market

Pros: Less touristy, less expensive than the city center, best place to stay in Florence for nightlife, if you have a rental car, Parcheggio Sant’Ambrogio is a convenient place to park without having to drive into the city center.

Cons: You will do a little more walking than if you stay in the historic city center, can be loud at night.

Santa Croce Basilica

UPSCALE: Santa Croce 14 B&B. This place looks incredible! It is located right on Piazza di Santa Croce. Rooms are large and some have a stunning view of the piazza and the basilica. This property gets near perfect reviews on Booking.com.

UPSCALE: Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments. This boutique property offers 12 apartments, ranging from double rooms, small suites, and one and two-bedroom apartments. The rooms are beautifully decorated and this is a great choice for families. It’s also a good option if you will have a rental car, since it is a 6-minute walk to Parcheggio Sant’Ambrogio Firenze, a parking garage on the outskirts of Florence.

MID-RANGE: B&B Isola d’Arno. This bed and breakfast has an awesome location, just a short walk from the Basilica di Santa Croce, the Arno River, and the Uffizi Gallery. It gets excellent reviews.

MID-RANGE: La Divina Dimora. This small property offers several apartments that are spacious, come with a small kitchen and washing machine, and can accommodate up to four people. It’s a great pick for families who will be in Florence for several days and want to do some laundry.

BUDGET: Hotel Santa Croce. This budget hotel has a great location in Santa Croce, but not far from the city center. Rooms are basic but prior guests love the location and the value for the money.

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Santo Spirito & Oltrarno

Local Neighborhoods South of the Arno River

Santo Spirito and Oltrarno are two neighborhoods that sit side-by-side on the south side of the Arno River. This area is worth considering if you want to stay in a less touristy area of Florence, want more value for your money, and have plans to visit the gardens and watch the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Top Experiences in Santo Spirito & Oltrarno: Boboli Gardens, Pitti Palace, Ponte Vecchio, Bardini Gardens, Piazzale Michelangelo, the Rose Garden

Pros: These neighborhoods have some of the best restaurants and wine bars in Florence; shorter walk to your hotel in the evening if you plan to watch the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo; has more of a local feel; cheaper than the city center

Cons: Farther walk to some sites in Florence, such as the Florence Cathedral and Gallery Accademia

The Arno River, Santo Spirito, and Oltrarno (photo taken from SE·STO on Arno, the rooftop bar of the Westin Excelsior, listed above in the Santa Maria Novella neighborhood).

The view from Piazzale Michelangelo

LUXURY: Hotel Lungarno – Lungarno Collection. This hotel has a fabulous location right on the Arno River near Ponte Vecchio. There is a rooftop terrace and a riverside terrace with spectacular views of Florence. Some hotel rooms also offer this same view.

The view of Ponte Vecchio from Hotel Lungarno

UPSCALE: Geppi’s Apartments. This property has one bedroom and two bedroom apartments that can accommodate 4 and 8 people, respectively. The apartments come with a kitchen and washing machine. Prior guests rave about the interior design and outstanding hospitality.

UPSCALE: Piazza Pitti Palace – Residenza d’Epoca. Located in a historic palace, rooms are luxuriously decorated and very spacious. It is just steps away from Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens and a short walk to Ponte Vecchio.

MID-RANGE: FuordArno Bed & Breakfast. This property is located on the Arno River, near the Bardini Gardens and a short walk to Piazzale Michelangelo. From some rooms, you get a glimpse of the dome of the Duomo. It gets exceptional reviews on Booking.com.

MID-RANGE: Apartment La Casina. This property offers one one-bedroom apartment that comes with a kitchen and washing machine. It gets exceptional reviews and is located very close to Piazzale Michelangelo.

MID-RANGE: Guicciardini 24. Rooms are modernly decorated and spacious. This hotel is located very close to Ponte Vecchio and Boboli Gardens.

Our Recommendations by Travel Style

Best Hotels with a View of Florence

At the Rocco Forte Savoy Hotel, some rooms have a view of the Duomo. For a little less money in the same area, B&B Terrazza sul Duomo also has rooms with a view of the Duomo.

Granduomo Charming Accommodation, B&B A Florence View, and Hotel Duomo Firenze are located on Piazza del Duomo, so some rooms have views of the cathedral.

Portrait Firenze – Lungarno Collection and the Lungarno Hotel – Lungarno Collection both have rooms with views of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio.

The Westin Excelsior has rooms with a view of the Arno River and from the rooftop bar and terrace you get panoramic views of Florence.

Relais Piazza Signoria has rooms with a view of Palazzo Vecchio.

Some rooms at Santa Croce 14 B&B have a view of the Santa Croce Basilica.

Hotels for Mid-Range Travelers

B&B A Florence View – city center
Relais Piazza Signoria – city center
Eco Urban B&B – Santa Maria Novella
FuordArno Bed & Breakfast – Oltrarno
B&B Isola d’Arno – Santa Croce

Hotels for Budget Travelers

Emerald Palace – city center
Ostello Bello Firenze – Santa Maria Novella
Hotel Santa Croce – Santa Croce

Hotels for Families

Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments – Santa Croce
Geppi’s Apartments – Santo Spirito
Florence Feel Apartment – Santa Maria Novella
Granduomo Charming Accommodation – city center (next to the Duomo)
Relais Piazza Signoria – city center

Top Rated Boutique & Luxury Hotels

Rocco Forte Savoy Hotel – Piazza della Repubblica
Portrait Firenze – Lungarno Collection – Arno River, city center
Santa Croce 14 B&B – Piazza di Santa Croce
25hours Hotel Florence Piazza San Paolino – Santa Maria Novella
Hotel Lungarno – Lungarno Collection – Santo Spirito

How Much Does It Cost to Stay in Florence?

During peak season, based on a double occupancy room with two people, a 2-star hotel will range from $50 to $150 USD per night, a 3-star hotel will range from $150 to $300 per night, a 4-star hotel will range from $300 to $500 per night, and a 5-star hotel will start at $500 per night.

These are just rough estimates. If you are making your reservations late (within three months of your visit), prices can be higher than this, as hotel occupancy begins to fill up.

Rooms such as suites, deluxe rooms, and apartments can cost significantly more than the prices listed above, depending on the property, location, and time of year.

How Far in Advance Should You Make Your Reservation?

If you plan to visit Florence during the peak season, which is June through mid-September, we recommend making your reservations at least three months in advance, although 6 months is even better.

If you wait too long, you will have limited choices and may end up spending more to get a decent hotel.

Driving in Florence

If you will have a car, driving in Florence is extremely challenging.

The city center of Florence is a ZTL area (limited traffic zone). You can only drive in the city center if you have a permit or if you are staying at a hotel that is located within the ZTL.

The historic city center of Florence is a maze of one-way narrow roads. Along each road the direction may change several times. According to the doorman at our hotel, the direction of the roads can change day by day.

We stayed in the historic city center and driving to our hotel was a nightmare. We have tons of experience driving throughout northern and southern Italy, not to mention many countries around the world, and Florence is the most challenging city we have ever driven in.

If you will have a rental car, think twice about staying in the city center, if you don’t want to deal with this added stress. You could either stay in a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city center, which is easier to drive to, or park your car in a parking lot outside of town and walk or take a taxi to your hotel.

Convenient paid lots include the lot next to the train station, at Central Parking Firenze (on the north side of Florence), and Parcheggio Sant’Ambrogio (on the east side of town). Learn more about driving in Florence here.

Hotels that we recommend if you will have a car are Florence Feel Apartment (in Santa Maria Novella) and Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments (in Santa Croce).

If you have any questions about where to stay in Florence, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Italy

We have TONS more information about Italy in our Italy Travel Guide, including Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre, Basilicata, Sicily, and Puglia.