On a first visit to Florence, San Giovanni is the most convenient base. The central areas are all close together: walking from San Marco in the north to Oltrarno across the Arno in the south takes under 30 minutes.
- San Giovanni: right by the Duomo, Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio and the Via de' Tornabuoni shopping street. Expensive, fairly noisy and hard to book in peak season.
- Santa Maria Novella: near the train station, with hotels from budget to luxury. Good for day trips to Tuscany. Very crowded with tourists.
- Oltrarno: quiet and family-friendly, near the Boboli Gardens. Few budget hotels, and a 15–20 minute walk to the centre.
- Santa Croce: plenty of affordable bars and restaurants, good for nightlife. Noisy at weekends.
- San Marco and San Lorenzo: San Marco is quiet and home to the Accademia with Michelangelo's David. San Lorenzo is near the main station, Mercato Centrale and the leather market, with hotels for every budget that fill up fast.