Florence on a Budget: Money-Saving Tips + Free Things to Do

This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you purchase something through this site, I may receive a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting me here at Travel Lush!

When I first visited Florence, I thought the city would be incredibly overpriced. And while there are loads of tourist traps where it’s easy to overpay, I quickly found that it’s entirely possible to do Florence on a budget if you implement a few of these money-saving tips and tricks. Thankfully, there are a lot of cheap and even free things to do in Florence, too, making it easy to museum hop, wine and dine, and do all the sightseeing while sticking to a budget!

Florence on a Budget: Money-Saving Tips

Don’t sit and drink coffee… stand instead

You’ll notice that a lot of Italians don’t sit and drink coffee. They stand. That’s because if you opt to stand at the counter at many restaurants and cafes in Florence, you won’t be charged a service fee. An espresso should only put you back €1, but that’s really only the case if you stand and sip. If you sit down – especially in touristy restaurants – an espresso can cost €3-5.

Wine and dine at a nightly aperitivo

When it comes to cheap things to do in Florence, you’ll want to partake in the aperitivo culture. Aperitivo is basically Italian happy hour – and it’s awesome. From around 7-9pm every night, restaurants around Florence will offer aperitivo. Basically, you get a free drink (beer, wine, or Aperol Spritz) and all-you-can-eat appetizers.

For example, for €9 Euro, I got an Aperol spritz and had my fill of a selection of about a dozen delicious appetizers. FYI, the drink alone would have cost €7, so that’s quite the deal. This goes on all over the city. It’s one of the most delicious ways to eat your way through Florence on a budget, and it’s also a great way to sample different local dishes.

Eat on the street instead of at restaurants

Because Florence is super touristy, restaurant prices are a bit higher than usual, especially around the major tourist sites. But if you’re on a budget, one option is to take advantage of all of the amazing street food. Why not grab a panino or a pizza (to go) and sit and eat it outside in a square or on the river?

A panino (remember it’s panino for one and panini for two) should only put you back around  €4-6 and cheap pizzas go for around €7-10. Because the weather was so nice out when I was there, I noticed a lot of people doing this – and I followed suit!

Why pay more to eat in a restaurant when you can so easily put together a great little picnic and enjoy your surroundings?

Drink the tap water

The tap water in Florence is perfectly safe to drink, which means there’s no need to buy plastic bottles of water. Like many cities in Italy, Florence also boasts a sophisticated public drinking fountain system. If you’re feeling parched while walking around the city, simply fill up your water bottle for free at one of the many public drinking fountains. Some even dispense sparkling water!

Buy wine at the store, not in restaurants

Wine in Italy is so cheap and so good. And while a cheap glass of great wine will only put you back €5 at a restaurant, it can add up. So if you’re on a tight budget, just head to the supermarket, pick up a great bottle of wine for €5, and have a boozy picnic wherever you’d like!

Take the airport shuttle to/from downtown Florence

The first thing I learned flying in and out of Florence was to skip the taxi stand and instead head straight to the airport shuttle. The VolaInBus stops right outside of the airport (just walk outside, turn right and you’ll see the bus stop at the end of the short road).

The shuttle costs €6 and runs every 30 minutes. It takes you to the train station, in the heart of the city, in about 20-30 minutes (depending on traffic). Because Florence’s city center is super small, chances are your hotel will be within walking distance.

Florence on a Budget: Free Things to Do in Florence

Hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset

My Italian friend gave me the best travel tip: to hike to Piazzale Michelangelo and watch the sunset. And I did just that on a few occasions.

I bought a bottle of wine and set out on the picturesque (and steep!) hike to Piazzale Michelangelo. I recommend getting there well before the sun sets because it can get really crowded, especially when the weather is nice. Claim a seat on the steps overlooking the Arno River, bring a bottle of wine (and cups) and enjoy the view. When it comes to free things to do in Florence, this view cannot be beat!

Go inside the Florence Cathedral (Duomo)

The Florence Cathedral (Duomo) is one of the most iconic landmarks in town – but it’s also one of the best free things to do in Florence. If you’re willing to brave the long lines, you can actually admire the inside of the 15^th-century church from the inside for free from Monday to Saturday from 10:15 am to 3:45 pm.

Do note that you will need to purchase tickets to access certain parts of the Florence Cathedral, like the museum, dome and bell tower. But if you’re on a strict budget, rest assured you can still visit this bucket list attraction.

Walk or picnic along the Arno River

It might seem obvious, but the riverside is seriously delightful. It’s a great place to meander along and snap photos, but it’s also a popular spot to hang out when the weather is nice. We spotted quite a few people hanging out on the river’s banks, sunning and watching the sunset. Those people seemed to have the right idea.

Why not pick up some wine and cheese at the store and have yourself a picture-perfect picnic along the Arno?

Take advantage of ‘Sunday at the Museum’

On the first Sunday of each month, many of Florence’s best museums are totally free to visit, including the Uffizi, Accademia Gallery, Pitti Palace and Bargello Museum, to name just a few. You will want to check the hours for each museum you want to visit because opening hours vary from place to place.

Have you been to Florence? Do you have any suggestions for cheap things to do in Florence?