Best luxury experiences in Florence, Italy
Florence has been a capital of luxury since the 13th century, when Florentine merchants imported precious materials such as silk, gold and silver, and transformed them into luxury goods: clothes, jewelry and much more. And even today, after over 8 centuries, Florence is the right place to enjoy luxury experiences surrounded by Italian history, art, and flavors.
After all, Florence is the birthplace of fashion designers like Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo and Emilio Pucci.
Here are the best luxury experiences you can have in Florence, to make your trip to Italy unique and unforgettable.
Private tours of museums in Florence
Museums in Florence can be very crowded, especially in high season, from April to October, and especially the two most famous ones, the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery. Unfortunately there is no way to visit national museums exclusively, without other people, because they are public museums. But you can definitely have a better visiting experience with a private tour, rather than with a group tour.
With a private tour guide you can customize your visit, deciding how much time to spend in the museum, which artworks to see, and which artists or historical eras to focus on. You can ask your guide all the questions you want, and ask for tips and recommendations.
I am a licensed tour guide in Florence, with over 10 years of experience. Learn more about me and my private tours in Florence.
Stay in a spa hotel
Pamper yourself with a special and unforgettable accommodation: a historic hotel with an opulent spa to relax in. The hotels I recommend not only have a top-level spa. They are also housed in ancient buildings, with a history to tell, and of course with all modern amenities.
The best hotel with a spa in Florence is definitely the Four Seasons Florence, it’s simply exceptional, and their standard is excellence. Housed in Palazzo Scala della Gherardesca, the hotel also has a one Michelin star restaurant, and the exclusive access to the historic private gardens, the wonderful Giardino della Gherardesca.
Another great luxury hotel with spa is the Golden Tower Hotel & Spa. I love the frescoed hall at the ground floor of the ancient Strozzi Tower! And the rooms are gorgous, with stone walls and ancient decorated ceilings.The spa is located in the cellar of the tower, with vaulted ceilings. There’s a sauna, turkish bath, emotional showers, whirlpool and beauty treatments.
Have a dinner in a Michelin starred restaurant
There are currently eleven Michelin starred restaurants in Florence (you can find the complete list here). They’re all great, but three of them are truly special.
The first is the historic Enoteca Pinchiorri, the only one with 3 Michelin stars, a true institution since 1974. It is very famous for its cuisine which blends Florentine flavors and French techniques, but also for its wine cellar, one of the most important in the world.
The second is the Santa Elisabetta restaurant of the Brunelleschi Hotel, which boasts 2 Michelin stars and offers contemporary Italian cuisine. The Brunelleschi hotel is one of my favorites in Florence, because it is housed in the oldest tower in the city, there is even a small archaeological museum inside. And it’s a wonderful hotel!
The third is Osteria Gucci: the perfect mix of timeless elegance by Gucci, and the contemporary cuisine of chef Massimo Bottura. You can come here even just to have a coffee, it’s right in Piazza della Signoria, next to the Gucci store and museum.
Hot air balloon flight in Florence and Tuscany
I personally had this experience a few years ago, and it’s one of the best luxury experiences I have ever done in Florence and Tuscany! A hot air balloon flight over Florence, or the rolling hills of Chianti, is really something unforgettable, and I would love to do it again.
The same company is offering two different options: a flight over the hills of Tuscany, or an early morning flight over Florence, at the sunrise.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate an anniversary or for a marriage proposal. You can choose a private flight or share it with a small group. The company will also take care of transport, picking you up at your hotel in Florence.
You can find more info about the experience (and my review) here: hot air balloon flight in Tuscany.
Truffle hunting experience in Tuscany
Florence is the capital of Tuscany, and Tuscany is one of the worlds capitals of truffles. A truffle hunt is an exciting experience that I always recommend to everyone. You will spend a day in the countryside, walking in the woods with an expert truffle hunter and his dog, searching for truffles. And then you will taste the precious harvest in a tasty truffle-based lunch.
In my opinion, this full day truffle hunting experience I am recommending is the best around. It takes place in San Miniato, the village famous for truffles, and is a family-owned and family-run business. You’ll meet Paolo and Francesca, their family and their dogs, and they will welcome you into their home to offer you a home-made truffle meal.
- Learn more about the truffle hunting experience in my blogpost.
Sunset aperitivo in a rooftop bar
There is no better ending to a day in Florence than an aperitivo at sunset with a breathtaking view. Some of the city’s most elegant hotels have a rooftop bar, where you can enjoy a cocktail and some haute cuisine snacks, while enjoying the sunset over the red-tiled roofs of Florence.
- I have written a whole blog post about that, so for more detailed info read: Florence best rooftop bars.
But I can already tell you that my absolute favorites are:
- The B-Roof of the Grand Hotel Baglioni. One of the oldest luxury hotels in town has an excellent rooftop bar and restaurant, with a stunning view.
- The one of the Grand Hotel Minerva, in piazza Santa Maria Novella. There is also a rooftop pool.
Exclusive tours of the Duomo of Florence
The Duomo is one of the most visited attractions in Florence. So it’s almost impossible to have private and exclusive experience that allow you to fully enjoy the beauty of the place, without nuisances such as queues and crows.
But by paying a little more than regular tours, it’s still possible to visit the cathedral in a special way, and to have access to areas that are not usually open to the public.
I especially recommend two experiences:
- This tour of the Duomo terraces: you can go up to the roof of the cathedral, walk on the terraces and enjoy the view of the city from above. The tour also includes the climb to Brunelleschi’s dome.
- Awakening of the Duomo tour. This is an exclusive early morning tour, starting at 6.30 am, when the Duomo is still closed. You’ll follow the official key-bearer preparing the cathedral and the Baptistery for the opening. Breakfast in a historic cafe is included. To book this tour you must go to the tour of the Duomo terraces page, choose your date, and select the “awakening of the Duomo” option.
Exclusive painting classes
Being the cradle of Renaissance art, Florence is the perfect place to learn to paint or sculpt. Even today, after more than 5 centuries, the city is full of artists, who still use traditional techniques to create timeless masterpieces.Here are a couple of interesting options, both are courses taught by highly experienced artists, who will provide all the necessary materials.
- Private fresco painting lab: A private class with 3 different options to match your skill level: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The beginner class lasts 4 hours, and you’ll be able to create your fresco artwork from scratch, and then bring it home.
- Painting or sculpting class. A 3 hour class with a small group (max 8 people) where you’ll learn how to paint with oil paintings, or sculpting with clay. Then, when your artwork is dried, is ready to be taken away or shipped back home.
Jewelry making class in Florence
Florence has been famous since the Middle Ages for the production of gold and silver objects: jewels above all, but not only. Try to think of the precious sacred furnishings that fill Italian churches!
If you want to learn the secrets of a goldsmith and silversmith, you can take a jewelry making class and create a jewel with your own hands to take home.
This silver jewelry making class is held by a local craftsman with over 40 years of experience. He will help you create your own personalized jewelry to wear immediately, it will be ready that same evening. If you want you can also add gems, or organize shipping to your home.
Luxury experiences: perfume making class in Florence
Learn the ancient and precious art of making perfumes in the workshop of a master perfumer. You will be able to choose the fragrances of flowers, fruits and spices to mix, to create a unique perfume tailored on you. And then you can take it home, to remember your trip to Florence every time you smell it.
The exclusive perfume making masterclass in Florence that I recommend is held in an ancient Renaissance palace, in an apothecary specializing in perfumes since 1700, antica Spezieria Erboristeria San Simone. It’s such a beautiful place with great products, so you can also go there to visit (and to do some shopping!) on your own.
Rent and drive a Ferrari in the Tuscan countryside
If you love fancy Italian cars, this is your chance to drive a Ferrari around the rolling hills of Tuscany! And also seeing some of the most beautiful landscapes around Florence. With this Ferrari tour from Florence you’ll drive through the Chianti region, to the villages of Volterra and Bolgheri, for the whole day. You’ll find your Ferrari waiting for you in front of your hotel, at the airport or wherever you want.
A staff car will follow you, with a tour director giving you directions and taking care of you. The whole experience lasts 8 hours, lunch and a wine tasting experience are included.
Renting a Ferrari is not cheap, but surely will be unforgettable.
Private transfer from/to the airport
To make your trip as comfortable as possible, I recommend renting a private car with a driver to get from the airport to your hotel, and vice versa. You will get there relaxed, without the hassle of public transport, and without having to carry your own luggage.
You can also rent a private car to go from Florence to some other nearby places in Italy, like Pisa or Siena.
That’s all, I hope this article will be useful for you to find the best luxury experiences in Florence. If you have other tips to add to mine, leave me a comment and share your experience with other travellers.