When Roman soldiers founded Florence around 60 B.C., its original name was Florentia, meaning “may she flourish.” It may have taken some 1,500 years, but flourish she did — becoming home and inspiration to Dante, Michelangelo and a lot of other really, really talented people. That's a source of pride for a city that clings to its history. Wander around, and you get the sense that Florentines never got the memo that Italy's capital moved south 140 years ago. That may explain its enduring appeal to legions of tourists and art-history majors. But the city's reputation as a tourist trap in Renaissance clothing may be undeserved. Florence still has the ability to surprise, with modern art, specialty shops and trendy bars. And with a half-dozen breathtaking gardens overlooking it all, not only is the city flourishing, it's in full bloom.
Friday
3 p.m.
1) EAT YOUR DESSERT
Start on the right note. Head to Badiani (Viale dei Mille, 20r; 39-055-578-682), the best gelateria in a town full of gelaterias. What makes Badiani so popular is its Buontalenti — named for the Medici Renaissance architect Bernardo Buontalenti. According to local lore, the original recipe for Buontalenti gelato was mysteriously found among some old manuscripts by the owner of Badiani and has never been successfully copied. If the weather is nice, order a “piccolo” cup (you won't have room for more) for 2 euros (about $2.75 at $1.37 to the euro) and eat it outside with Florentines who have come to start the weekend early.
4 p.m.
2) NO TIME LIKE THE RECENT PAST
There are a gazillion museums in Florence, but only a handful postdate the Renaissance. Start your circuit with the modern sculptures at Museo Marino Marini (Piazza San Pancrazio; 39-055-219-432; www.museomarinomarini.it), a spacious and airy museum that features the work of only one Italian artist, known for his stylized equestrian statues. The museum is a Florentine anomaly: not only is the art from the 20th century, but there's also a good chance you'll have the whole place to yourself. Take full advantage. Open stairways, balconies and landings let you examine Marini's work from every angle.
6 p.m.
3) THE OTHER PIETÀ
No one packs a house like Michelangelo. To see the artist's Pietà in Rome, you could wrestle the crowd and try to glimpse the top of Mary's head. Or you could visit the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Piazza del Duomo, 9; 39-055-230-2885; www.operaduomo.firenze.it; 6 euros) and walk right up to the Pietà that Michelangelo carved just before his death. He never finished it (the woman on the left was completed by another artist). The museum, oddly empty and under the shadow of the duomo, also houses Donatello's masterpiece, Mary Magdalene, and the original baptistry door panels by Ghiberti.
9 p.m.
4) VERY HAPPY HOUR
Florentine wine bars know how to lure customers: free food. And we're not talking beer nuts. The aperitivi, as the bar food is known, may include cheese ravioli, seafood risotto, crisp artichoke salad, grilled vegetables and tomato bruschetta. For the price of a glass of vino rosso (about 5 to 8 euros), you can eat like a duke at the cavelike cantina of Fuori Porta (Via del Monte alle Croci, 10r; 39-055-234-2483; www.fuoriporta.it) or under the stars on the roof of Rifrullo (Via San Niccolò, 55r; 39-055-234-2621). For more action, you might head to La Dolce Vita (Piazza del Carmine; 39-055-284-595; www.dolcevitaflorence.com) and order a spritz (Aperol and prosecco) or a negroni (Campari, vermouth and gin). It's the favorite spot of locals who are serious about their eating, drinking and merrymaking.
Saturday
9 a.m.
5) THE SWEET SPOT
A short walk outside the center, just past the reach of the tourist swarms, is the city's best pasticceria, Dolci & Dolcezze (Piazza Cesare Beccaria, 8r; 39-055-234-5458). This tiny bakery has cases full of preciously wrapped chocolates, sweet berry tarts and everything in between. Order a frothy cappuccino and a freshly baked cornetto (croissant) at the bar while Florentine women scurry through, picking up torta di cioccolato for the evening. If you want eggs for breakfast, try London.
10 a.m.
6) FINDING RELIGION
The Museo de San Marco (Piazza San Marco, 1; 39-055-238-8608; 4 euros) makes a compelling case for living as a monk. It's a former Dominican convent from the 15th century and, today, the stone hallways are as quiet as, well, a monastery. Inside, you can see the frescoes of ”The Last Judgment” and “The Annunciation” by Fra Angelico, but the highlights are the rooms — each with a small window and a fresco painting by him from the 1400s. The frescoes depict biblical scenes meant to encourage religious contemplation by the monk who lived in the cell.
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