Florence

Is 3 days enough for Florence?

Yes. You can see the Duomo, David, Uffizi, and Ponte Vecchio without running. But you must book ahead. Florence is small. Most sights are 10-20 minutes apart on foot. The secret is timing: early mornings and late afternoons are quiet. Avoid July afternoons (35°C is normal). This plan respects your feet and your wallet.

Day 1: The Core Renaissance

Morning: Duomo Complex (09.00, 12.45)

Book your Brunelleschi's Dome climb two weeks ahead (€20, includes Giotto's Bell Tower, Baptistery, and museum). Start at 08.30. The climb has 463 steps. No elevator. Your legs will burn. The view of red rooftops and hills is worth it. Sunday note: the Duomo opens for Mass only until 13.30. No tourist entry. Reserve your spot at 08.15 for a quiet experience. After the climb, visit the Baptistery (10 min) and the Opera del Duomo museum (45 min). The original Gates of Paradise are here. Skip the Bell Tower. Same view as the Dome, more stairs.

Lunch: Mercato Centrale (13.00, 14.00)

Walk 5 minutes north. Ground floor: real butchers, pasta, and tripe sandwiches (€5-8). Upstairs: food hall with pizza, sushi, wine. Grab a lampredotto panino from Nerbone (ground floor, queue moves fast). Eat standing. It's Florence's street food.

Afternoon: Galleria dell'Accademia (14.30, 16.00)

Book your ticket a month before. €16.50 + €4 booking fee. You cannot walk in. The line wraps around the block even in July. David is at the end of the long hall. He is 5.17 meters tall. The real Michelangelo. Don't rush past the unfinished Slaves. They show his process. Spend 60 minutes inside, max. Then walk 10 minutes to San Lorenzo Market (outdoor leather stalls). Haggling is okay. A leather belt should cost €15-25, not €50.

Evening: Oltrarno Aperitivo (18.00, 21.00)

Cross the Ponte Vecchio at sunset. Gold jewelry shops glint. Take photos but don't buy here. Head to Piazza Santo Spirito. Grab an aperitivo at Volume (€8 for a drink and buffet). Garden tables. Quiet square. For dinner, eat at Trattoria 4 Leoni (book one day ahead). Pasta with pear and pecorino (€13). Wild boar stew (€15). Walk home along the Arno. The streetlights make golden ripples.

Day 2: Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, and Gardens

Morning: Uffizi Gallery (08.15, 11.30)

Your ticket must say 08.15 entry. Book 2 months ahead in summer. €25 + €4 fee. The queue at 09.00 is 90 minutes long. Inside, go straight to Room 2 (Giotto), then Room 10 (Botticelli: Birth of Venus, Primavera). Do not stop in every room. You will fatigue. Focus on the top floor. Leonardo, Raphael, Caravaggio. The terrace at the end offers a view of the Duomo. Exit through the gift shop. Total walking inside: 2 km.

Late Morning: Ponte Vecchio & Corridoio Vasariano (11.45, 12.30)

Walk from the Uffizi to the bridge (2 minutes). The Corridoio Vasariano (an elevated passage) reopens in 2026 after 3 years of restoration. Tickets are limited: €40, book via Uffizi site. It connects Palazzo Vecchio to Pitti Palace. You walk above the shops, past original windows. Skip it if money is tight. The bridge itself is free. The view from the center is best.

Lunch: All'Antico Vinaio (12.45, 13.30)

Queue will be 20 minutes. It's worth it. The schiacciata (stuffed flatbread) costs €8-10. Try the “La Dante”: prosciutto, stracchino, truffle cream, arugula. Eat in the street. Locals do too. Then buy a cone of gelato at Gelateria dei Neri (Via dei Neri, 2 minutes away). Pistacchio and fig are perfect.

Afternoon: Boboli Gardens & Pitti Palace (14.00, 17.00)

Cross the bridge again. The Pitti Palace complex is massive. Buy the combined ticket (€22, covers Palace, Boboli Gardens, Bardini Garden, Costume Museum). Spend 60 minutes in the Palatine Gallery (Raphael's Madonnas). Then 90 minutes in Boboli Gardens. It's uphill. Wear flat shoes. The Buontalenti Grotto (fake stalactites) is weird and fun. Shade is limited. Bring water. The Bardini Garden (included) has a wisteria pergola and a great view of the city.

Evening: Piazza della Signoria & Dinner (18.00, 21.00)

Walk back to Piazza della Signoria. The Palazzo Vecchio tower (€16, 223 steps) closes at 19.00. Catch sunset from the top if you arrive by 18.00. Otherwise, sit at the fountain. For dinner, book at Osteria delle Tre Panche (Via dello Sprone). Homemade pappardelle with wild boar ragu (€14). Quiet street. No tourists.

Day 3: Santa Croce, San Miniato, and a Hilltop View

Morning: Santa Croce Basilica (09.00, 10.30)

Entrance €8. No ticket needed in advance. Queue is 20 minutes max. This church is the burial place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Foscolo. The frescoes by Giotto in the Bardi Chapel are stunning. The Pazzi Chapel (through the cloister) is a Brunelleschi gem. The leather school inside is a trap. Skip it. The real leather shops are on Via dei Calzaiuoli.

Late Morning: Bargello Museum (11.00, 12.30)

10 minute walk from Santa Croce. €11. Small queue. This is the best sculpture museum in Italy. Donatello's David (the bronze one, not marble). Michelangelo's Bacchus. Giambologna's Mercury. The courtyard is a quiet spot. You will have the place to yourself compared to the Uffizi.

Lunch: Trattoria da Francesco (12.45, 13.45)

Via Sant'Antonino, 5 minutes from Bargello. Reserve via phone (no online booking). Florentine steak (bistecca alla fiorentina) for two: €60-80. Or try the ribollita (bread and vegetable soup, €8). Fiorentina is not cheap. Skip it if your budget is tight. The pasta with cacio e pepe is fine.

Afternoon: San Miniato al Monte & Piazzale Michelangelo (14.30, 17.00)

Walk up the hill from Piazza Poggi. It's a steep 20 minute climb. Or take bus 12 from the city center (€1.50, buy at any tabacchi). Piazzale Michelangelo is packed at sunset. Go at 14.30. Few people. Take the photo. Then climb the 88 steps to San Miniato church (free). The facade is geometric green and white marble. Inside, the crypt is 11th century. The monks sing Gregorian chant at 16.30. Stay for it. The view from the terrace is better than Piazzale. No crowds.

Evening: Last Supper & final gelato (17.30, 21.00)

Walk down to Piazza del Duomo and into the Baptistery museum (free after 18.00? It closes at 18.30. Check online). For dinner, eat at Il Santo Bevitore (Via di Santo Spirito). Book ahead. The €45 tasting menu is worth it. Or go simple: a €7 kebab at Marrakech on Via Nazionale. No shame. Get your final gelato at Carapina (Via Lambertesca). Their spinach and pear sorbet is weirdly good. Walk to the Arno. Sit on the steps under Ponte Santa Trinita. Listen to the water.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Santa Maria Novella (near the train station), €120-180/night for a double room. Easy access from airport plus 10 minute walk to Duomo. Quiet at night. Best for early departures.

Oltrarno (south of the river), €100-160/night. Real Florence. Fewer tourists. Near Boboli and Santo Spirito. Perfect for evenings. Book a room in a 16th century palazzo.

Duomo area (expensive but central), €200-300/night. Convenient for sights but noisy until 23.00. Worth it only if you have money to burn. Skip if you need sleep.

Practical tips

Skip the City Pass. The Firenze Card (€85 for 72 hours) covers 72 museums. You will visit maybe 6. The math is against you. Buy individual tickets. Pre-book only the Uffizi, Accademia, and Dome climb.

Bus from the airport. Vola in Bus from Florence airport (FLR) costs €6 one way. Runs every 30 minutes. Takes 25 minutes. Taxi costs €25. The tram (T2) from the airport to the city center is €1.50, but runs only to the Santa Maria Novella station. It is slower (30 min) but cheaper.

Wear comfortable shoes. Florence is cobblestones. Your feet will complain. Do not wear heels. Do not wear new leather soles. Locals wear sneakers.

Water fountains are free. Look for the green iron fountains (fontanelle) all over the city. The water is cold and safe. Refill your bottle every 500 meters.

Queues are real. Even in July, the line for the Duomo climb without a ticket is 2 hours. Pay the €4 booking fee. Save your afternoon.

Scams at Piazza del Duomo. People offering free bracelets or roses. Don't take them. They will demand €10. Say “no grazie” and walk.

Museums close early on Monday. The Uffizi, Accademia, and Bargello are closed on Mondays. Replan if your 3 days include Monday.

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