Florence Italy
Florence is a small city carrying an enormous amount of history, and for a conference traveller that cuts both ways. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site and walkable end to end in about half an hour, so you are never far from the venue or from dinner. It is also one of the most visited cities in Europe, which means crowds, queues for the major sights and hotel rates that behave accordingly.
Conference business happens at the Fortezza da Basso, a Medici-era fortress on the northern edge of the centre whose ramparts now enclose a modern exhibition complex. It is about ten minutes on foot from Santa Maria Novella station, which puts most of the city’s hotels within walking distance of the halls.
- The Uffizi - one of the great collections of Renaissance painting. Book a timed ticket well ahead; the queue without one is brutal.
- The Duomo complex - Brunelleschi’s dome is the engineering story as much as the art one, and the climb is 463 steps with no lift. Separate timed ticket.
- The Accademia - the David, and little else that most people stay for. Book ahead.
- Oltrarno - across the river, where the artisan workshops and the less touristed restaurants are. Walk over the Ponte Vecchio and keep going.
- Piazzale Michelangelo - the view everyone photographs, a twenty-minute uphill walk from the centre and best near sunset.
- Mercato Centrale - the covered market near the station, five minutes from the Fortezza, good for lunch between sessions.
Florence Peretola (FLR) is 5 km northwest and connected to the centre by the T2 tram in about 20 minutes, but it is small and served mostly by short-haul flights. Pisa (PSA) is the practical alternative, 85 km west, with far more routes and a direct train to Santa Maria Novella in about an hour. Bologna (BLQ) is a third option, roughly 40 minutes by train from Bologna Centrale. For anywhere in Italy, the high speed train usually beats flying: Rome is 1h35 and Milan about 2 hours from Santa Maria Novella.
Walk. The centre is compact and much of it is closed to traffic, so walking is faster than anything else and the Fortezza da Basso is about ten minutes from Santa Maria Novella station. The T1 and T2 tram lines are useful for the airport and the outer districts rather than for getting around the middle. Taxis exist but cannot enter much of the centre, and driving is a genuinely bad idea: the historic core is a restricted traffic zone with camera enforcement and fines arrive months later.
April to early June and September to October are the best months: warm but not punishing, and long daylight. Late September, when IROS runs, is close to ideal. July and August are hot, humid and crowded, and August sees many restaurants close for the Italian holidays. Winter is cool, quiet and much cheaper, with some sights on shorter hours.
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1 upcoming conference in Florence
Florence is unusually easy for a conference city because the Fortezza da Basso sits just north of Santa Maria Novella station, and that is where the hotels are. All five we list are within 800 m of the halls. Hotel La Fortezza is the closest at 400 m, on Viale Giovanni Milton; the Albani and the Rapallo are both a little over 500 m and sit between the venue and the station; YellowSquare is the hostel option at 615 m with a pool and a coworking space, which suits students and longer stays. The Grand Hotel Baglioni on Piazza dell’Unita Italiana is the grand choice at 793 m, right by the station. Staying near the station means a short walk to the venue and a slightly less charming street scene than the Duomo end; the historic centre is prettier and about fifteen minutes further on foot. Rates are high from April to October and spike during the furniture and fashion fairs, so book early.
Our picks in Florence
A curated selection of hotels chosen for location, value, and fit for conference travellers.
Hotel Albani Firenze
Via Fiume 12, 50123 Firenze
Four-star hotel on Via Fiume, roughly 500 m from the Fortezza da Basso and under ten minutes’ walk from Santa Maria Novella...
Grand Hotel Baglioni
Piazza dell'Unita Italiana 6, 50123 Firenze
Grand hotel in a former princely residence on Piazza dell’Unita Italiana, 300 m from Santa Maria Novella station and 793 m from...
Hotel La Fortezza
Viale Giovanni Milton 95, 50129 Firenze
Small hotel in a nineteenth century villa with a garden, about 400 m from the Fortezza da Basso and the closest bed...
Hotel Rapallo
Via Santa Caterina d'Alessandria 7, 50129 Firenze
Family-run three-star on a quiet street about 530 m from the Fortezza da Basso, run by the same family since 1954 and...
YellowSquare Florence
Viale Francesco Redi 19, 50144 Firenze
Social hostel 615 m from the Fortezza da Basso with a seasonal pool, a coworking space and nightly activities. The obvious pick...
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