Famously, when the French writer Stendhal visited Florence in 1817, he was so overcome by the beauty of Florence’s art treasures - especially those at the Basilica di Santa Croce - that he collapsed from dizziness and heart palpitations. “Stendhal syndrome”, as it is now known, is said to affect hundreds of visitors to the city each year.

It is possible that Stendhal had failed to take a basic precaution against giddiness and had foolishly attempted to see Florence on an empty stomach; fortunately for today's visitors, the city is adept at nourishing the body as well as the soul. There are humble stalls in the city's food market, charming little wine bars, simple trattorias serving great Tuscan food, and swanky dining rooms overlooking the River Arno.

There are also some terrific places to stay, from quirky old palazzi to chic hotels that reflect Florence's modern reputation as a fashion capital. And, whether your taste is for old-school, classic Chiantis and Brunellos or for new-wave Super Tuscans, or indeed for other great wines from Italy and the rest of the world, you will find satisfaction at every turn: Florentines may be famous for their love of food, but they adore wine every bit as much.

Where to drink:

Casa del Vino, Via dell'Ariento 16r

The Casa del Vino, hidden behind the touristy market stalls on Via dell'Ariento, is a treasure trove for wine lovers, with bottles from all over Italy and beyond, and a benevolent arrangement whereby you pay a mere 5€ corkage for the loan of a couple of glasses, some help with the cork, and - if you are lucky - somewhere to sit. Do not miss their divine little brioche rolls, slathered in butter and topped with smoky wafers of speck or fat Cantabrian anchovies. A great choice among the palazzi, basilicas and galleries, and a stone's throw from the Mercato Centrale.

Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina, Piazza de' Pitti, 16

Enoteca Pitti's shelves are crammed with what they describe as "small production, high-end" bottles – the owners' contacts among Italy's winemakers are second to none – and there is also an astonishing, 3000-strong list of Chiantis. At lunch and dinner, try the menu degustazione: a three-course, four-wine tour through some of Italy's best dishes and wines.

Vini e Delizie, Via dei Banchi, 45r, +39055215686

Close to Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Vini e Delizie ("wine and delights") is a perfect pitstop for the oenophile, with eight wines available by the glass from the inhouse Enomatic system. Opened by Floria Murgia 50 years ago, his little enoteca is a great spot to perch by an old barrel and snack on crostini, salumi and cheese, washed down with a glass of something sensational.

Cantinetta Antinori, Piazza degli Antinori, 3

26 generations of winemaking have to count for something: at Cantinetta Antinori, on the ground floor of the famous family's imposing, 15th century palazzo smack-bang in the centre of Florence, the weight of history is in every glass. As well as Antinori's greatest hits from the cellar – Tignanello, Solaia, Guado al Tasso – the kitchen offers elegant versions of Tuscan classics: pappa al pomodoro, perhaps, or pappardelle al ragù.

Where to eat:

Alla Vecchia Bettola, Viale Vasco Pratolini, 3/5/7

Alla Vecchia Bettola is a gregarious, cheek-by-jowl sort of joint just south of the Arno, its carta del giorno scrawled on butchers' paper, and there is no better place to sample perhaps Florence's most famous dish: bistecca alla fiorentina. Kick off with a few antipasti… but not too many, because the steak is enormous, from mighty Chianina cattle, rubbed with salt and grilled over wood until scorched on the outside and rare within, before being rested and sliced.

Da Nerbone, Piazza del Mercato Centrale

After a glass or two at Casa del Vino, take a stroll around the Mercato Centrale across the street, where the longest lunchtime queue is always for the tripe sandwiches at the venerable market stall of Da Nerbone. Their panini di lampredotto are fat, soft rolls stuffed with stewed, sliced tripe, a piquant red sauce, and a drizzle of salsa verde: for the fainter of stomach, they also serve slow-cooked beef the same way.

Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, Piazza della Signoria, 10

On the ground floor of the old palazzo that also houses the Gucci Garden, a fascinating museum dedicated to the famous fashion house, is Italian über-chef Massimo Bottura's Michelin-starred Florence outpost, a suitably stylish but relaxed restaurant helmed by chef Karime Lopez. Her menu features elegant takes on classic Italian dishes, as well as accents from her native Mexico.

Dalla Lola, Via della Chiesa, 16r

This 30-cover trattoria, just off Piazza Santo Spirito, only opened a few years ago, but its menu goes back much further, reflecting a traditional Tuscan cuisine unknown to tourists and unfamiliar even to locals. Run by four friends, it is perhaps the best place in the city to sample cucina povera, with an emphasis on offal – crisped chicken hearts, tongue with celery – and vegetables: lasagne with leeks and cheese, perhaps. The short, constantly changing wine list is strong on natural and biodynamic vintages. You can book online for dinner, but not for lunch: just arrive early, tell them you want a table, and have an aperitivo at the excellent Caffè del Notte just across the street.

Where to stay:

Hotel Savoy, Piazza della Repubblica, 7

In prime position between the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio, with a host of upmarket boutiques on its doorstep, the Rocco Forte-owned Hotel Savoy is one of Florence's smartest addresses. The striking, playful interiors are a collaboration between Olga Polizzi (Forte's sister and design director) and Laudemia Pucci, daughter of fashion legend Emilio Pucci. Even if you're not staying here, go for an aperitivo on their ground floor, piazza-facing terrace... and maybe a cigar: Castellana, one of Florence’s best tobacconists, is a short walk away, just the other side of the spectacular Duomo di Firenze.

Hotel Lungarno, Borgo S. Jacopo, 14

A stone's throw from the Ponte Vecchio, Hotel Lungarno's easy charm lies in its nautical, laid-back, riverside feel: owned by Salvatore Ferragamo, it also has oodles of style. Art, too: more than 400 canvases, including original masterpieces by Picasso and Cocteau. And a Michelin-starred restaurant on the banks of the Arno, where chef Peter Bunel is at the stove, rustling up imaginative, beautifully plated dishes that perfectly partner the 900-strong wine list.

Palazzo Guadagni, Piazza Santo Spirito, 9

The thoroughly charming Palazzo Guadagni, south of the Arno on Piazza Santo Spirito, is the antithesis of a modern, cookie-cutter hotel: its 15 rooms, on the top floors of the eponymous, Renaissance-era palazzo, are magnificently quirky, some with ceiling frescoes, others with ornate fireplaces, all with handcrafted tiles and antique furniture. The loggia - roof terrace - is one of the finest in Florence.