Is Florence Safe?

Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and feels like an open-air museum — the Duomo, Uffizi, Accademia (home of Michelangelo's David) and the Ponte Vecchio are all within a 20-minute walk of each other. The compact historic core means you can see an extraordinary amount on foot, but it also means crowds concentrate in a few narrow streets, especially from late spring through summer. It is a very safe city; the main hazards are pickpockets in the dense tourist zones and the occasional overpriced tourist-trap restaurant near the major sights. Cross the Arno to the Oltrarno district for artisan workshops, quieter trattorias and a more local feel. The Boboli Gardens and Piazzale Michelangelo offer green space and the classic panoramic view over the terracotta rooftops. Go in the shoulder seasons — April to early June, or September to October — for comfortable temperatures and slightly thinner crowds. July and August bring intense heat and peak tourist density, while winter is quiet, cheaper and atmospheric if you don't mind the chill. Almost everything worth seeing is best booked ahead: same-day tickets for the Uffizi or Accademia often mean hours of queuing.