Florence

Is 2 days enough for Florence?

Honestly? Yes, but only if you move with purpose. Florence is small. The historic center fits inside a loop you can walk in 40 minutes. Two days let you hit the Duomo, Uffizi, Accademia, and still have time for a plate of pasta and a glass of Chianti. You will not see every chapel or museum, but you will see the city. That is enough.

Day 1: The Big Two and the Bridge

Morning: Duomo and Baptistery Start at 8:30 AM. The Duomo (Piazza del Duomo) opens at 10:15 AM, but the queue forms early. Skip the line by buying the Brunelleschi Pass online (EUR 30, includes the dome climb, baptistery, bell tower, museum, and crypt). Book your dome climb slot for 9:00 AM. The climb is 463 steps, narrow, and closed to claustrophobes. The view from the top is worth every ache. After the dome, visit the Baptistery (5 minutes) and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (1 hour). The museum has the original panels of the Gates of Paradise. Do not skip it.

Afternoon: Uffizi and Signoria Walk 5 minutes to the Uffizi Gallery (Piazzale degli Uffizi). Your pre-booked ticket (EUR 25, plus EUR 4 booking fee) admits you at 1:00 PM. Spend 2.5 hours here. The Birth of Venus and the Annunciation are two rooms apart. Do not try to see everything. Focus on the Botticelli, da Vinci, and Caravaggio rooms. The gallery is crowded in July. Take a water bottle. After the Uffizi, step out into Piazza della Signoria. The open-air sculpture gallery (free) has a replica of Michelangelo’s David and the original Fountain of Neptune. The Palazzo Vecchio (EUR 12.50) is worth a 30-minute look if you like political history. Otherwise, skip it.

Evening: Ponte Vecchio and dinner Cross the Ponte Vecchio at sunset (7:30 PM). The goldsmith shops are on the bridge, but the views are from the middle. Do not buy anything here unless you have a thousand euros to spare. Walk to Via de’ Bardi for a dinner reservation at La Sosta degli Apostoli (EUR 40 for a full meal, including wine). Book a table at 7:30 PM. The pici cacio e pepe is the right call. After dinner, walk to Piazzale Michelangelo for the night view of the Duomo. It is a 15-minute uphill walk. The crowds are dense, but the panorama is free.

Day 2: David, the Oltrarno, and the Real Florence

Morning: Accademia and San Lorenzo Go to the Accademia Gallery (Via Ricasoli, 58-60) at 8:15 AM. Your ticket (EUR 16 plus EUR 4 booking fee) is for 8:30 AM. The museum is small. The main hall is a giant corridor that ends with Michelangelo’s David. Stand in front of it for 5 minutes. The hands. The veins. It is the greatest marble sculpture I have ever seen. The rest of the museum is quick: musical instruments and some plaster casts. By 9:30 AM you are out. Walk 5 minutes to the Basilica of San Lorenzo (Piazza San Lorenzo). The Medici Chapels (EUR 9) are the highlight. Michelangelo designed the New Sacristy. The rest of the church is free.

Afternoon: Oltrarno and Boboli Gardens Cross the river at Santa Trinita Bridge (fewer tourists). Walk to the Boboli Gardens (Piazza Pitti, EUR 10). It is an outdoor museum of statues, fountains, and hedges. The gardens are large. Walk the central axis uphill to the Porcelain Museum for a view of Florence that beats Piazzale Michelangelo because it is quieter. Spend 1 hour. Then descend into the Oltrarno district. This is the artisan neighborhood. Walk Via Santo Spirito and Via dei Serragli. Stop at the Santo Spirito Basilica (free, EUR 2 for the church museum). Brunelleschi designed the interior. It is calm and light-filled. Lunch at Gusta Pizza (Via Maggio, 46r). A margherita costs EUR 6. Eat standing at the counter.

Evening: Sunset at the Forte and a last supper At 5:00 PM, walk 10 minutes to the Forte di Belvedere (free entry, EUR 3 for some exhibitions). It is a hilltop fortress with stone walls and a moat. The view of the Duomo from the southeast is the best in the city. Locals drink wine here at sunset. Bring a bottle if you want. Dinner at Trattoria4Leoni (Via dei Vellutini, 1r). Order the gnocchi di pan di zenzero con gorgonzola. Reserve at 8:00 PM. A full meal with wine costs EUR 35. End the night with a digestivo at the Piazza Santo Spirito benches. The night market sets up in summer. Music, cheap wine by the glass, and old men playing checkers.

Where to stay for this itinerary

• Santa Croce (central, near the Uffizi): EUR 150-200 per night for a double in a mid-range hotel like Hotel Rapallo. Reason: walking distance to everything in Day 1.
• Oltrarno (quiet, local): EUR 100-150 per night for a B&B like Soggiorno Pitti. Reason: calm at night, close to Day 2’s route.
• San Lorenzo (budget, near the Duomo): EUR 70-100 per night for a hostel like Plus Florence. Reason: cheapest beds, 5 minutes from the Accademia.

Practical tips

• Transport pass: Florence’s historic center is walkable. Do not buy a bus pass unless you stay outside the ring. The tram from the airport (Santa Maria Novella, EUR 1.50) works. Taxis cost EUR 25 from the airport to the center.
• Book tickets ahead: Uffizi and Accademia sell out for July 2026 weeks in advance. Book on the official B-Ticket website. The Firenze Card (EUR 85) is not worth it for two days. You will not visit enough museums.
• Mistakes to avoid: Do not eat at a restaurant with pictures on the menu near the Duomo. It is overpriced and bad. Do not climb the bell tower instead of the dome. The dome view is better. Do not skip the reserved ticket for the dome climb. You will queue 90 minutes without it.
• Current closures for 2026: The Vasari Corridor is closed for renovations until late 2026. Do not look for it. The Bargello museum will reopen in September 2026 after restoration. It is closed in July. Skip it.