Is Florence a good place to live in 2026?

Centro Storico and Oltrarno place Renaissance Florence outside your door. They also bring visitor traffic, late noise, limited car access, older buildings, and fierce competition for suitable long-term homes.

Campo di Marte provides residential streets, sports facilities, and a secondary railway station. Gavinana and Galluzzo suit people seeking calmer routines south of the centre, though exact bus or future tram access matters. Novoli and Rifredi connect to universities, Careggi hospital, the airport corridor, and tram services, with a more modern daily environment.

Scandicci and Sesto Fiorentino are separate comuni, not just Florence neighbourhoods. They may offer more space and strong tram or rail links, but registration, local services, and commute details follow the actual municipality.

Walking works well in the centre and nearby districts. Tram lines connect important residential, airport, hospital, station, and suburban corridors. Buses cover routes outside the tram network.

The central zona a traffico limitato restricts unauthorised vehicle access. A central home with a car can create parking and permit problems, while an outer home beyond a strong tram or rail corridor may make a car useful. Test the real journey during work and school hours.

High-speed rail makes Bologna, Rome, and Milan accessible. Florence Airport serves shorter routes, while Pisa Airport can expand options with a longer ground transfer.

Older Florentine homes can be beautiful but dark, noisy, damp, inefficient, or difficult to cool. Ask about heating, air conditioning, window quality, lift access, condominium costs, and whether the lease permits residence registration.

Summer heat is a serious comfort factor in the Arno basin. The Arno also creates flood exposure that varies by location and floor level. Check Tuscany's official risk maps before choosing a ground-floor, basement, or riverside property.

Italian is needed for normal administration, healthcare, landlords, and building issues. International schools, universities, and cultural institutions provide English-speaking networks, but they do not remove that need.