What it actually costs
When to go
38°C+, unbearable queues at Uffizi and Duomo, cruise ship day-trippers overwhelm the centre.
Uffizi at opening (8:15am) with pre-booked tickets. By 10am the queue wraps the building.
What locals know
Tripe sandwich (lampredotto) from street carts is THE local street food — ₤4-5 and absolutely delicious. Tourists avoid it; locals queue for it.
Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset is famous but crowded. San Miniato al Monte (church 5 mins higher) has the same view with nobody there.
Oltrarno (south of the river) is where artisans work — leather workshops, silversmith studios, and restaurants locals actually use.
Mercato Centrale top floor is excellent — 12 food counters, local wine, no tourist markup.
Honest warnings
Uffizi, Accademia (David), Duomo dome climb ALL require advance booking. You cannot show up.
Leather shops near San Lorenzo market sell fake leather at "real" prices. Buy only from Oltrarno workshops with visible craftspeople.
Restaurants within 200m of the Duomo are uniformly bad and expensive.
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