Where to stay in Florence on a first visit? The Centro Storico, in the lanes between the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and the Arno.
If you'd rather trade a few minutes of walking for calmer evenings, cross the river to the Oltrarno. Updated October 2026.
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We haven't stayed in these hotels, and this guide doesn't pretend otherwise. It's researched: the areas come from comparing seven top-ranking guides and Google's own area summary, and every hotel was checked on Booking.com on 31 October 2026 for its score, review count and street address. The standard: 8.5 or higher from at least 300 reviews, inside the area it's filed under.
In Florence, that standard removes a lot of famous names, which is the point.
Short on time? Where to stay in Florence
- First time, walking everywhere: the Centro Storico. Expect crowds and higher room rates.
- Trains and the airport tram: Santa Maria Novella, but a few streets from the station, not on it.
- Food, markets and a lower bill: San Lorenzo.
- Evenings out: Santa Croce.
- A local feel, still walkable: the Oltrarno, across the river.
- Quiet and close to the David: San Marco.
Our three picks if you only read one section:
Best overall: Hotel Calimala – Via Lamberti 5, in the centre near Piazza della Signoria. 9.4 on Booking.com from 1,473 reviews.
Heritage pick: Palazzo della Stufa – a residenza d'epoca on Piazza di San Lorenzo. 9.7 from 578 reviews.
Budget-minded: Emerald Palace – Via dell'Ariento 2, in the San Lorenzo market streets. 8.8 from 4,867 reviews.
Florence's best areas to stay at a glance
| Area | Best for | Vibe | Price level | Top pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centro Storico | First-timers, walking everywhere | Historic, busy | Highest | Hotel Calimala |
| Santa Maria Novella | Trains, airport tram, day trips | Practical, transient | Mid to high | Tivoli Palazzo Gaddi |
| San Lorenzo | Food, the market, a lower bill | Busy market streets | Lower to mid | Hotel Spadai |
| Santa Croce | Evenings out | Lively, younger | Mid to high | Santa Croce 14 B&B |
| Oltrarno | A local feel, couples | Quiet, workshops, wine bars | Mid to high | Palazzo Ridolfi |
| San Marco | Quiet, the David, lower prices | Calm, plain | Lower | Arte' Boutique Hotel |
Price level is relative to other Florence areas, based on how the guides we read compare them. We haven't pulled nightly rates, because they swing too much by season and by the weekend. Check your dates.
How to choose where to stay in Florence
Florence is compact. Most of what you've come for, the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria, sits in one walkable core, so the question isn't really "which area is closest".
It's "which trade-off do I want to live with".
In Florence, pay for the centre and you get walking distance, crowds and the highest rates. Step out to San Lorenzo, Santa Croce or San Marco and you save a little and lose very little.
Cross the Arno and the streets change character: quieter in the evenings, more workshops than souvenir shops, and a longer walk back after dinner.
Three things matter more than the area name. The street (side streets beat squares), the building (many Florentine hotels occupy old palazzi, so check for air conditioning and a lift on the listing) and the station (Santa Maria Novella is the hub for trains and the airport tram, so a short walk to it is worth something if you're moving on).
If you haven't picked your sights yet, our Florence travel guide and the things to do in Florence list sit alongside this page, and the Florence itinerary shows how many nights each plan needs.
1. Centro Storico: Best for first-timers
Best for: first visits, short stays, walking everywhere. Skip it if: you're sensitive to noise or paying by the euro.
This is the area the guides agree on: all seven we read give it a section, and it's the default answer for a first visit. You're between the Duomo and the river, with Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio all close.
You can leave the hotel, see the main sights and be back for a break without a single bus.
The cost is plain. It's the busiest part of Florence and the most expensive, and the squares stay lively late. In Florence, book a side street rather than a piazza and ask for a room off the street.
Several guides make the same point, and it's the single best fix.
Pros: every major sight on foot; the widest choice of hotels; easy to reach from the station.
Cons: crowds all day; the highest room rates; late-evening noise on the main squares.
Getting there from Florence airport: the T2 tram to Santa Maria Novella, then a walk or short taxi ride. More in the logistics section below.
Best hotels in the Centro Storico
Best for first-timers: Hotel Calimala – Via Lamberti 5, in central Florence near Piazza della Signoria. 9.4 on Booking.com from 1,473 reviews. Choose it if you want the middle of things without a palace price.
Check availability and prices for Hotel Calimala
Value pick: Hotel Davanzati – Via Porta Rossa 5, a short walk from Florence's Ponte Vecchio. 9.2 from 2,137 reviews. Choose it if you want a central address and a high score from a lot of guests.
Check availability and prices for Hotel Davanzati
By the river: Hotel degli Orafi – Lungarno Archibusieri 4, beside the Uffizi on the Florence riverfront. 9.1 from 2,113 reviews. Choose it if you want to be next to the Arno and the Uffizi. Ask about the room's view before you book; we can't tell you which rooms face the water.
Check availability and prices for Hotel degli Orafi
Upscale: Helvetia & Bristol Firenze – Via dei Pescioni 2, in Florence's lanes just west of Piazza della Repubblica. 9.3 from 664 reviews. Choose it if the trip is a celebration and the centre is non-negotiable.
Check availability and prices for Helvetia & Bristol
We found no budget hotel in the centre that meets our bar. If money is tight, San Lorenzo, below, is the next best base.
2. Santa Maria Novella: Best for trains and day trips
Best for: arriving by train, early departures, day trips to Pisa and Lucca. Skip it if: you want atmosphere after dark.
Santa Maria Novella is the area around the main station, and its square, with the church of the same name, is the pleasant end of it. It's where the airport tram meets the main trains, including the services from Rome and Venice and the regional trains to Pisa, so a base here removes friction on Florence travel days.
The downside is the streets immediately around the station. Several guides, and Google's own area summary, describe them as busy and a bit rough after dark, and one tells readers not to stay north or west of the station at all.
The fix is to book on the centre side: the church square or the streets toward Via del Giglio.
Pros: the shortest walk from the tram and the trains; easy day trips; the centre is close.
Cons: the blocks around the station are noisy and transient; fewer good restaurants on the doorstep.
Getting there from Florence airport: T2 tram to the station stop, about 17 to 20 minutes.
Best hotels in Santa Maria Novella
Upscale: Hotel L'Orologio – Piazza Santa Maria Novella 24, on the church square, the calm end of Florence's station district. 9.3 from 603 reviews. Choose it if you want the square, not the station forecourt.
Check availability and prices for Hotel L'Orologio
Best for the trains: Tivoli Palazzo Gaddi Firenze – Via del Giglio 9, on the Florence street between the station and San Lorenzo. 9.2 from 1,082 reviews. Choose it if you want a short walk from the trains and the Duomo.
Check availability and prices for Tivoli Palazzo Gaddi
Most-reviewed: 25hours Hotel Florence Piazza San Paolino – Piazza di San Paolino 1, on the western side of the Florence centre. 8.9 from 4,215 reviews, the largest sample of any hotel here. Choose it if you want a proven crowd-pleaser. It sits toward the western edge of the area, so check the street on a map before booking.
3. San Lorenzo: Best for food and a lower bill
Best for: the market, budget-conscious travellers, rail access. Skip it if: you want elegant streets at night.
San Lorenzo sits between the station and the Duomo, around the basilica and the Mercato Centrale food hall. It's central, it's loud with market stalls by day, and it's where the guides send people who want to be close to everything and pay less than in the Centro Storico.
There are caveats. The market streets are crowded and busy with touts. Google's AI safety summary and several guides flag the narrow streets north of the basilica and the station-side edge as places to watch your bag and avoid late.
You don't need to be alarmed, but pick a hotel on the Duomo or basilica side.
Pros: food and the market on the doorstep; a short walk to the Duomo; a lower bill than the Centro Storico.
Cons: crowded by day; touts around the market; the station edge is the roughest.
Getting there from Florence airport: T2 tram to the station, then a short walk.
Best hotels in San Lorenzo
Mid-range: Hotel Spadai – Via dei Martelli 10, on the Florence Duomo side. 9.5 from 1,509 reviews, a very high score for a large sample. Choose it if you want the best of both: the Duomo a few steps away and the market a short walk the other way.
Check availability and prices for Hotel Spadai
Splurge: Palazzo della Stufa – a residenza d'epoca (a heritage-building category) on Piazza di San Lorenzo 5. 9.7 from 578 reviews. Choose it if you want a historic building on the basilica's own square.
Check availability and prices for Palazzo della Stufa
Budget: Emerald Palace – Via dell'Ariento 2, in the Florence market streets. 8.8 from 4,867 reviews. Choose it if you want a central base at a lower price and don't mind a busy street outside.
4. Santa Croce: Best for evenings out
Best for: dinners, bars, a mix of locals and visitors. Skip it if: you're a light sleeper.
East of the Duomo, around the basilica of Santa Croce, the streets get a little younger and louder in the evening. It's the area guides pick for nightlife and eating in Florence, and a few also recommend it for families who want a walkable base.
The Via dei Benci area is the one most often named for late noise, especially at weekends.
It's an easy walk to the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, and it avoids the station crowds entirely. The Florence trade-off is simple: you pay for the atmosphere, and the loudest streets are the ones with the best bars.
Pros: restaurants and bars on foot; a short walk to the centre; no station crowds.
Cons: late noise on the busiest streets; hotels here can be pricey for what you get.
Getting there from Florence airport: T2 tram to the station, then a taxi or a longer walk through the centre.
Best hotels in Santa Croce
Top-rated B&B: Santa Croce 14 B&B – on Piazza di Santa Croce itself. 9.8 from 559 reviews, the highest score in our list. Choose it if you want Florence's Santa Croce square and accept that you're on it.
Check availability and prices for Santa Croce 14 B&B
Apartments: Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments – Via Pietrapiana 34. 9.4 from 1,243 reviews. Choose it if you want more space in Florence than a hotel room gives you.
Check availability and prices for Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments
Small B&B: B&B Isola d'Arno – Via Borgo Santa Croce 4. 9.6 from 487 reviews. Its Booking address says third floor, so check whether there's a lift before you book. Choose it if you want a small, well-reviewed Florence base.
5. Oltrarno: Best for a local feel
Best for: couples, repeat visitors, anyone who likes quieter evenings. Skip it if: you want to be in the middle of the sights.
"Oltrarno" means the other side of the Arno, and the neighbourhoods here, Santo Spirito, San Frediano and the streets around the Pitti Palace, are where the guides send people who want a quieter Florence without the tour groups. There are workshops, wine bars and family restaurants, and the main sights are still across one of the bridges.
The trade-offs are real. One guide puts the walk to the Duomo at 15 to 25 minutes, depending on your street, and another calls Piazza Santo Spirito chaos late at night.
The hotels are also fewer, and we found no budget option that meets our standard.
Pros: calmer evenings; local restaurants and wine bars; Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens close by.
Cons: a longer walk to the Duomo and the Accademia; fewer hotels; Piazza Santo Spirito can be loud.
Getting there from Florence airport: T2 tram to the station, then a taxi or a walk across the river.
Best hotels in the Oltrarno
Historic street: Palazzo Ridolfi – Via Maggio 13, a residenza d'epoca. 9.3 from 1,208 reviews. Choose it if you want the Florence Oltrarno on a historic street, a short walk from the Ponte Santa Trinita.
Check availability and prices for Palazzo Ridolfi
Boutique: Soprarno Suites – Via Maggio 35. 9.3 from 316 reviews. Choose it if you want a smaller Florence place on the same street.
Check availability and prices for Soprarno Suites
By the palace: Piazza Pitti Palace – a residenza d'epoca at Piazza Pitti 13. 9.4 from 360 reviews. Choose it if you want to wake up beside the Pitti Palace.
6. San Marco: Best for quiet and the David
Best for: quieter evenings, the Accademia, lower prices. Skip it if: you want nightlife or a postcard view.
North of the Duomo, around Piazza San Marco and the streets leading to the Accademia, this is one of the calmer central areas and the guides tend to recommend it to Florence visitors on a tighter budget. It's a plain, practical neighbourhood rather than a pretty one, and one guide says so directly.
If you're visiting the Accademia to see the David, you can walk there. The trade-off is fewer places to eat and drink late and a weaker "evening out" than Santa Croce or the Oltrarno.
Pros: quieter; a short walk to the Accademia and the Duomo; some of the best-scoring hotels in our list.
Cons: fewer hotels and restaurants; little nightlife; not the prettiest streets.
Getting there from Florence airport: the T2 tram also runs to San Marco; one tram guide puts the ride at about 32 minutes.
Best hotels in San Marco
Boutique: Arte' Boutique Hotel – Via Camillo Cavour 14. 9.3 from 1,440 reviews. Choose it if you want a well-reviewed Florence hotel on the main road north of the Duomo.
Check availability and prices for Arte' Boutique Hotel
Budget: San Giuliano Inn – Via Cavour 33. 9.5 from 394 reviews. Choose it if you want a high score and a lower price than central Florence.
Check availability and prices for San Giuliano Inn
Garden hotel: Hotel Orto de' Medici – Via San Gallo 30. 9.2 from 1,425 reviews. Choose it if you want a quiet Florence street within walking distance of the centre.
Also consider: San Niccolò and Santissima Annunziata
Two smaller areas are worth a look if the main six don't fit.
San Niccolò and the hills
San Niccolò is the riverside stretch of the Oltrarno east of the centre, running up toward Piazzale Michelangelo. Guides recommend it for couples and for quiet, and warn that there's little going on at night and a hill between you and the centre. Pick: FuordArno Bed & Breakfast, Lungarno Torrigiani 3, on the river. 9.7 from 628 reviews.
If you want a hillside villa with gardens instead, Villa Cora, the best known, has 219 Booking reviews, so it didn't make our list.
Santissima Annunziata
The quiet square at the end of Via dei Servi, a short walk from the Duomo, is the choice for families and anyone who wants calm and a central address. Fewer hotels, fewer crowds. Pick: Residence Hilda, Via dei Servi 40. 9.4 from 570 reviews.
Where not to stay in Florence
Google's overview calls Florence generally safe at night, but a few choices still work against you.
Directly around the station, especially north and west of it. The blocks right beside Santa Maria Novella are the busiest and the most transient in Florence, and the guides who say "avoid" say it about this stretch. Book a few streets toward the centre instead.
The far edges of San Lorenzo at night. The narrow streets north of the basilica and the station-side edge are the ones guides tell you to avoid late. The market side is fine.
The outer districts (Novoli, Campo di Marte, Le Cure) unless you have a reason. They're cheaper, but you're adding a tram or bus ride each way. One guide would skip them "even if same price". They make sense if you're arriving by car and parking, and not much else.
Inside the ZTL if you're driving. Many central Florence hotels sit in the limited-traffic zone, and driving in without registering your plate gets you a fine. More on that below.
On the loudest squares if you need to sleep. Piazza Santo Spirito and the Via dei Benci area get loud late. Ask for a courtyard room or a higher floor, or book a different street.
Getting to your hotel from the airport and the station
From Florence airport, the T2 tram runs to the Florence city centre in about 20 minutes, with a tram roughly every five minutes. The official city tourism site gives the fare as €1.70 for a 90-minute ticket; a tram guide says it rose to €2.00 on 1 August 2026, so budget about €2. A taxi has a fixed fare of €28 from the airport to the historic centre, excluding luggage and night or holiday surcharges, according to the same official page.
If you'd rather not queue, you can pre-book an airport transfer with Welcome Pickups.
More on the airport in our Florence airport guide.
If you're arriving by train, Santa Maria Novella is the main station, and the Rome to Florence trains arrive there.
Booking tips: tourist tax, the ZTL, lifts and noise
Tourist tax. Florence charges a tax per person per night, and it's charged on top of your room rate and usually paid at the hotel. These are the rates the city has applied since February 2025, per the Comune di Firenze; its information page showed no newer rates when we checked: hotels pay by star rating, from €3.50 for one star to €8.00 for five. B&Bs and short-term lets are €6.00, hostels €4.00 and a residenza d'epoca €7.00. The tax applies for a maximum of seven consecutive nights, and children under 12 are exempt. A new tourist-tax regulation is published for 1 November 2026. It covers filing and exemptions, and we found no new rate table in it, so check your hotel's invoice.
| Accommodation | Tax per person per night |
|---|---|
| Hotels, 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 stars | €3.50 / €4.50 / €6.00 / €7.00 / €8.00 |
| B&Bs, rooms for rent, short-term lets | €6.00 |
| Hostels | €4.00 |
| Residenze d'epoca | €7.00 |
The ZTL. The limited-traffic zone covers the historic centre. According to the city's tourism site, it runs Monday to Friday 7:30 to 20:00 and Saturday 7:30 to 16:00, and is off on Sundays and holidays. From the first Thursday of April to the first Sunday of October, it also runs late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, from 23:00 to 03:00. An older city page gives different hours, so confirm them before you drive. If your hotel is inside the zone, give them your plate on arrival so they can notify the police, and drop luggage within three hours. Our advice: don't hire a car for Florence itself.
Air conditioning and lifts. Many central Florence hotels are in old palazzi, so don't assume either. Filter for both on the listing, and be sure for summer.
Noise. Ask for a courtyard room or a higher floor, and read recent reviews for the word "noise" before you book.
When to book. Peak months fill early, so book ahead. Our best time to visit Florence page has the seasons.
Hotel or apartment in Florence?
A hotel, for most visitors to Florence. You get a front desk to take your bags, handle the ZTL registration and fix a noisy room, which matters in a city of old buildings and steep stairs. Choose an apartment if you're staying a week or more, travelling with children or a group, or want a kitchen. The tourist tax is not much lower: short-term lets pay €6.00 a night, the same as a B&B.
Check for a lift before you commit to an upper floor.
Where to stay in Florence by traveller type
- First-timers: the Centro Storico, with Hotel Calimala.
- Couples: the Oltrarno, with Palazzo Ridolfi.
- Food lovers: San Lorenzo, with Hotel Spadai.
- Nightlife: Santa Croce, with Pietrapiana Boutique Apartments.
- Travelling by train: Santa Maria Novella, with Tivoli Palazzo Gaddi.
- Budget: San Marco, with San Giuliano Inn.
- Quiet: Santissima Annunziata, with Residence Hilda.
Plan the rest of your Florence trip
Browse more picks in best hotels in Florence, see the day trips from Florence, and if you're also visiting other cities, read where to stay in Rome and Venice. Heading to Tuscany next?
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best area to stay in Florence for first-timers?
The Centro Storico, between the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and the Arno. Every major sight is on foot. The trade-offs are crowds and the highest room rates, so book a side street rather than a square.
Is it better to stay near the station or in the centre?
Near the station is easier on travel days, because the airport tram and main trains meet at Santa Maria Novella. Book on the centre side, toward the church square or Via del Giglio, rather than right beside the tracks.
Which area of Florence is best for nightlife?
Santa Croce, east of the Duomo, is the area guides most often name for evenings out. Expect late noise on the busiest streets, such as Via dei Benci.
Where should I not stay in Florence?
Avoid the blocks directly around Santa Maria Novella station, especially north and west of it, and the far edges of San Lorenzo late at night. The outer districts are cheaper but add a tram or bus ride each way.
Is Florence safe to stay in at night?
Google's overview calls Florence generally safe at night. Take normal care with bags in crowded areas around the station and the San Lorenzo market streets.
How do I get from Florence airport to the centre?
The T2 tram takes about 20 minutes to the centre. The city's tourism site gives €1.70 for a 90-minute ticket, though a tram guide says it rose to €2.00 on 1 August 2026. A taxi has a fixed fare of €28 to the historic centre.
Should I stay in a hotel or an apartment in Florence?
A hotel suits most visitors, because the front desk handles luggage, ZTL registration and noisy rooms. Choose an apartment for a week or more, a family or group, or if you want a kitchen. Short-term lets pay the same €6.00 nightly tourist tax as a B&B.
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