Florence is not a crazy party city, although it does still have some fun in it. The party hostels here don’t get as crazy as in other European cities, but one of them has a rooftop terrace with a swimming pool and a bar, so it does get lively in summer with tons of travellers. The other hostels are very social and have a great atmosphere that invites to meet other travellers and explore Florence’s nightlife. Keep reading for tips to impress your travel mates!
Santa Croce is the iconic nightlife hotspot to stay in Florence. It is a very lively area full of students, tourists and local people. It feels like the amount of bars, clubs, restaurants, pizzerias and pubs, where you can enjoy divine wines and local cuisine or dance all night long is endless. Generally, this is a great area to experience Italian nightlife.
When we think about Florence, we think about the Renaissance, timeless art, long and interesting history and a city covered by old and beautiful buildings and monuments. But Florence is also a very famous student city, even more, an art student city. This makes the nightlife colourful, vibrant and cheap. From cheap aperitivos eaten with Toscan wine to huge nightclubs hosting international DJs, not forgetting exquisite cocktails on cool hipster bars.
Florence is quite a small city, so the party areas are quite close to each other. Italians are also famous for really enjoying the outdoors, so bars and terraces are all around the city centre, and the streets are always filled with people just strolling.
The most famous party area, for both tourists and locals alike, is around Piazza Santa Croce. Restaurants, pubs and clubs fill the Via de' Benci on both sides, starting very close to the Ponte alle Grazie and continuing along the Via Giuseppe Verdi until arriving to the Piazza Santa Croce.
On the other side of the river, around the Piazza Santo Spirito, we can find a less touristy option. This is the area you want to be for the aperitivo. From around 19:30, the area and its many bars and terraces get filled with locals that use aperitivo to eat cheap and pre-drink before hitting the clubs.
Not far from there we can find the Piazza Michelangelo. Situated on top of a hill, the square offers an amazing view of Florence, making it a very popular spot for summer nights, where both local and tourists climb the long and steep stairs loaded with wine or beers to admire the city and enjoy street performers providing nice atmosphere music. Concerts are also staged here regularly.
A great way to start your party night in Florence is to go for aperitivo. Mostly in buffet style, you pay a drink (between 5 to 10 eur) and you can eat as much as you want. A cheap and delicious option for diner before going to dance the night off. Here are is our recommendation for the best aperitivo in Florence:
Clubs in Florence are special, and some of them serve as a one-for-everything kind of establishment. They offer aperitivo before 11 pm, when they turn into a full club where you can dance until 4 am. We recommend you here the best clubs in Florence to have fun.
Most clubs in Florence will let you in as long as you are over 18 years old, are not too drunk and dress relatively well. There is no strict dress code in the clubs, but some might not let you in with jeans, sneakers and a plain T-shirt. With jeans, a button down shirt and black runners you might get in in almost every club. In any case, check with the staff in your hostel and ask for the specific place you’d like to go to.
Check out other party destinations with party hostels:
