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All Italy Florence

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Florence

31 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Florence, Italy

Updated June 18, 2024

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Unusual Attractions in Florence

Galileo's Middle Finger

Florence, Italy

Galileo's Middle Finger

The middle finger of modernity.
Michaelangelo's sketch in the Medici chapel in the Basilica di San Lorenzo

Florence, Italy

Michelangelo's Hidden Drawings

The doodles of a genius line the walls of a secret room under the Medici Chapel, where they were hidden for nearly 500 years.
Apothecary jars in main room

Florence, Italy

Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy

The oldest operating pharmacy in the world features 800-year-old recipes.
Buontalenti Grotto. (61736507/Flickr)

Florence, Italy

Buontalenti Grotta

A large grotto built in the 16th century amidst Florence's famous Boboli gardens.
La Specola.

Florence, Italy

La Specola Anatomical Collection

The largest and most famous wax anatomical collection anywhere in the world.

Florence, Italy

Babae Wine Window

Drink wine handed out through a window as part of an age-old tradition.

Florence, Italy

Medici Hall of Maps (Sala delle Carte Geografiche)

Over 50 exquisite hand-painted Renaissance maps decorate a Medici storage room.
L’importuno di Michelangelo

Florence, Italy

L’importuno di Michelangelo

The famous sculptor left his mark on this Italian wall in an internationally protected example of street art.
See All 31 Things To Do in Florence

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Florence

Florence, Italy

Babae Wine Window

Drink wine handed out through a window as part of an age-old tradition.
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Explore Florence, Italy

Art 6
Museums 6
Statues 4
Architecture 4
Sculptures 4
Architectural Oddities 4
Sacred Spaces 4

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Stories About Florence

A 500-Year-Old Record of the Aztec Empire Comes to Life

The Digital Florentine Codex’s three languages and thousands of hand-painted illustrations provide a window into culture, war, and daily life.
by Roxanne Hoorn
November 8, 2023

Podcast: Galileo’s Middle Finger

Investigating a renowned scientist's iconic digit.
by The Podcast Team
January 31, 2023
Hiker Emily Ford borrowed her friend's dog, a retired sled dog named Diggins, on her grueling hike on Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail.

6 Groundbreaking Women You Didn’t Learn About in History Class

Meet the painter, the pilot, the author, and other "firsts" who paved the way.
by Sarah Durn
March 15, 2022
These woodcuts are from the Decameron, a collection of novellas in which young people fleeing plague-ridden Florence tell stories that often provide accounts of life during the pandemic.

In 14th-Century Florence, Some Residents Socially Distanced While Others Hit the Bars

A contemporary debate would feel familiar to Europeans alive when the Bubonic plague arrived.
by Rachel Ashcroft
August 19, 2020
Babae’s wine window was the first of Florence's put into use—even before the pandemic.

The Coronavirus Is Bringing Back Florence's Wine Windows

This isn't the first time they've come in handy during a pandemic.
by Matthew Taub
August 11, 2020
Demogorgon was never a deity in Greek or Roman mythology. In fact, “Demogorgon” wasn’t even a real word. The character's popularity dates back to the 1300s, when he began appearing in Latin literature.

The Many Lives of Demogorgon, From Scribal Error to 'Stranger Things'

How vague and various descriptions made a medieval mistake into a lasting horror.
by Daniel A. Gross
October 25, 2019
Nelli’s Christ and Saint John, restored.

A Nun's 450-Year-Old 'Last Supper' Makes Its Museum Debut in Florence

Plautilla Nelli was likely the first woman in history to paint the iconic biblical scene.
by Karen Chernick
October 17, 2019
Babae's wine window is open an hour each day.

One of Florence's 'Wine Windows' Is Open Once More

It's a reminder of when Florentine families sold wine from their palace cellars.
by Lisa Harvey
August 14, 2019

Lists Featuring Florence

Bolivia's Witch Market
Dubrovnik Maskeron
The Statue of St. Anthony's Pig
The Guardhouse Monkey

15 Unlikely Places to Re-Up Your Luck

Luck be a... llama fetus?

15

Including Bolivia's Witch Market, Dubrovnik Maskeron, and Statue of St. Anthony's Pig

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