FOMO-Inducing Florence: The 15 Most Instagrammable Things To Do

We all know the fomo you get scrolling through friends' travel pics on Instagram - and how great it is when you're the one posting an amazing holiday #humblebrag.

And now it’s official as new research from booking.com has proven social media gives us great #TravelGoals: more than half of 18-34 year olds are inspired to travel by social media and nearly half use it to help them decide where to go. A third actually admitted they travel just to be able to post awesome snaps on social!

Seeing as we were jetting off for a girls' weekend in Florence, it would only be right to try to share our tips on how to make your followers sick with envy. Or maybe even inspire them to book their next trip!

See the Duomo

The main church in Florence, Il Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore or “the Duomo”, took around 140 years to build and you can see why. The intricate patterns across the building look stunning from every angle.

Not forgetting the inside...

While it’s most spectacular from the outside, inside the Duomo you can see painted frescoes, designed by Georgio Vasari and painted by his student Frederico Zuccari. Pretty incredible!

And climb to the top

As well as exploring the cathedral, you’ll want to get a snap of the view from the top by climbing Brunelleschi's Dome. Make sure book plan ahead as time slots get snapped up quickly.

Grab a pizza

Florence is full of delicious pizza places. So much so, we were bombarded with recommendations of “the best place” to go. So it’s a pretty safe bet you’ll be able to find a delicious pizza - or, like us, you could try to make your own on an Italian cooking course.

Make your own pasta... From scratch!

We spent the day learning how to cook authentic Italian dishes, taking pics (of course) and scoffing our faces. This two-hour slow cooked ragu was delicious.

Find a great view  

Florence on a sunny day is beautiful. There are plenty of brilliant backdrops for your pics, whether it be the view over the Arno River or the Tuscan hills in the background. And if you manage to find plates that are ALSO WINE HOLDERS in the foreground, so much the better. 

Ponte Vecchio

 

OK so the jewellers on the Ponte Vecchio may be a little touristy but it’s still worth seeing the only bridge across the Arno that wasn’t destroyed in the Second World War. There are shops that have been there since the 13th century!

Keep your eyes peeled for street art

Amidst the picturesque city streets, there’s also interesting street art that makes for a great, quirky Snapchat pic to send back home.

Stop and look around you

With so many beautiful surroundings, keeping an eye on the street signs as you wander the city is going to be the last thing on your mind. But, if you pay attention, you might notice several of the street signs look a little different. That’s because French artist Clet Abraham has had a bit of fun with them! Keep your eyes peeled and see how many altered traffic signs you can find.

Chow down on La Bistecca alla Fiorentina

There are so many foodie options in Florence but you really can’t leave the city without trying the famous Steak Florentine. This is a T-bone steak specifically from a Chianina cow, served rare and melt in melt-in-the-mouth tender - deelish. Buon appetito!

Drink Chianti

OK, so not everything is about Instagram. The Chianti region in Italy - where this famous red wine is produced - lies between Florence and Siena. So, whether or not it looks great in your pictures, you need to try a glass (or bottle) of Chianti while you’re right on the doorstep of where it is made.

See Michelangelo’s David

Art-lovers flock to Florence to see Michelangelo’s famous sculpture of David. If you want to visit the original, you’ll need to head to Galleria dell’Accademia. A replica occupies the spot of the original sculpture outside the Palazzo Vecchio and another version, made of bronze, looks over the city from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi is packed with famous artworks - from Botticelli’s Birth of Venus to Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch - and you could spend all day in there if you felt like it. It’s best to buy your tickets in advance to avoid the long queues.

Boboli Gardens

The beautiful Boboli Gardens are not only a great way to enjoy the Tuscan fresh air on a beautiful sunny day but the park also looks amazing in pictures.

Enjoy!

We’re pretty sure after all that your friends back home will be well jell. But, as well as showing off to the guys back home, don’t forget to relax and enjoy this beautiful city!

MTV Travelled With... MyFlorenceHoliday Gold Bridge courtesy of Booking.com. Booking.com offers a diverse range of self-catering apartments, hotels, chalets, houseboats and B&Bs that can be easily booked online.

By Melissa Hobson