By Haley Marie McClain Hill, Mila Papini e Giulia Piceni. Cover image Vanessa nwstv via Unsplash
Valentine’s Day has a strange way of making single people feel as if they’ve forgotten to submit an assignment. Suddenly, everything is couples-only, hearts are everywhere, and there’s an unspoken suggestion that you should either be in love or mildly ashamed of not being. Somewhere between that viral Vogue article claiming that having a boyfriend is embarrassing and my own growing impatience with romantic panic, I realized something quite liberating: I’m independent, I live in Florence, and I’m more than capable of having a very good day on my own. I might even enjoy it more — no compromises, no negotiations, and no pretending to like a restaurant just because someone else suggested it.
So instead of avoiding Valentine’s Day or making ironic plans, I decided to lean into it and celebrate myself properly. Not in a loud, performative way, but through small rituals, wandering, and the kind of pleasures that make you think, yes, I’m actually doing quite well. These aren’t rules, just ideas: take what fits between work, classes, or life, and leave the rest.
Start Your Valentine’s Day by Doing Absolutely Nothing for Anyone Else
The best way to celebrate love is to start with your body and ignore your phone for as long as possible. Whether it’s a Pilates or yoga class, a swim, a gym session, or simply stretching at home while convincing yourself that this absolutely counts as wellness, the goal is to begin the day gently. Florence is full of studios and beautiful spaces dedicated to movement, but even your living room works if the intention is right. This isn’t about becoming a better version of yourself — it’s about acknowledging that the current one deserves care, too.
Don’t Skip Breakfast — Make It a Valentine’s Day Ritual
Skipping breakfast in the name of productivity is overrated and deeply unromantic. Stopping at S. Forno for a croissant that flakes everywhere is an excellent reminder that pleasure doesn’t need an audience. Sitting down, eating slowly, and enjoying something warm and sweet without scrolling is an underrated form of self-respect. If the day continues with classes or work, a coffee or juice from Ditta Artigianale becomes less of a caffeine emergency and more of a companion.
Valentine’s Day in Florence: Fall in Love with Books at Giunti Odeon
Romantic words, zero emotional risk.
If romance is in the air, it might as well come from a book. Giunti Odeon is the perfect place to wander without a plan, letting covers and titles choose you rather than the other way around — poetry, essays, novels that make you feel slightly more interesting just by holding them. Buying a book on Valentine’s Day feels symbolic in the best possible way, like saying, “I trust my inner world enough to invest in it.”
You can even sit inside the cinema space and read a few pages, imagining a very soft meet-cute that never needs to happen because, honestly, this is already nice.
Take Yourself on an Art Date This Valentine’s Day
Art, because feelings need context.
After words, art helps organize emotions you didn’t know you had. Palazzo Strozzi is close enough to feel like a natural continuation of the morning rather than a formal cultural appointment. Walking through an exhibition alone allows you to linger wherever you like and skip what does nothing for you — which is a life skill, really.
Art has a way of making personal dramas feel smaller and personal desires feel more legitimate. Leaving with a catalogue or a postcard isn’t consumerism; it’s documentation — proof that you showed up for yourself.
Table for One: The Solo Lunch You Absolutely Deserve
By lunchtime, you’ve earned something delicious. A traditional Florentine lunch at La Bussola is comforting and grounding — the kind of meal that reminds you where you are and why that matters. Truffle, cheese, flavors that don’t need reinvention. If you’re still in the mood to spoil yourself, Procacci offers the perfect finishing touch: a tramezzino with butter and caviar and a coffee that feels faintly celebratory. Eating alone in public isn’t sad. It’s elite behavior.
Get Lost in Florence: The Walk That Clears Your Mind
The afternoon is for getting lost in the most productive way possible. Walking through the historic center or along the Lungarno with a notebook turns the city into a thinking space. Write without structure, note what made you feel alive, or simply observe other people going about their lives. Solitude has a way of clarifying what actually matters once you stop filling the silence. Florence is particularly good at this — it never lets you feel completely alone.
Aperitivo with Friends: Because Love Comes in Many Forms
Valentine’s Day doesn’t belong exclusively to couples, and it certainly doesn’t belong to suffering. Meeting friends in Santo Spirito for an aperitivo reframes the evening entirely. At Volume: warm focaccia, live music, overlapping voices, laughter without expectation. This is love in its most functional form — shared time without pressure. If something unexpected happens and you meet your next rockstar boyfriend, great. If not, you still go home full and happy. Both are wins.
The Sweet Ending Your Valentine’s Day Deserves
Every good day deserves a proper ending. Stopping at Sbrino for gelato is non-negotiable. If the Black Forest flavor appears, take it as a sign the universe is in a good mood. Back home, a simple skincare routine, a moment of gratitude, and the quiet satisfaction of having spent the day exactly as you wanted.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be avoided, mocked, or survived. It can be enjoyed, reimagined, and gently laughed at. In Florence, choosing yourself feels natural, elegant, and surprisingly fun — and the best part is knowing you didn’t miss out on anything at all.
