Florence is one of Italy’s most visited cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has so much history, and it’s an easy trip from Venice by train! Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and home to some of the most valuable art in the world. I’ll never forget walking into the museums and seeing how massive the Statue of David is, or just how stunning Botticelli’s work looks up close. One of the most powerful Italian families once lived here, the Medici’s, and Florence’s dialect formed the modern Italian language still spoken today. You don’t need more than a few days to explore Florence even if it’s your first time visiting, so keep reading for the perfect Florence travel itinerary!
Florence Travel Itinerary: A Comprehensive Guide for First Timers
How many days do you need in Florence?
Is 2 days enough to see Florence?
2 days is enough to see Florence including all the highlights like the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Accademia Gallery, and the architecture of the city center. One of the best things about Florence is how small and compact the city is, making it extremely walkable. If you use this itinerary pre-book all your museum tickets for easy entry, you’ll even have time to visit a rooftop bar or enjoy a cooking class too!
Is 3 days too much for Florence?
3 days is the perfect amount of time to see Florence. When my family and I visited we were in Florence for two and a half days. We easily saw all the highlights and everything we wanted to without feeling too rushed. Keep reading for our Florence 3 day itinerary.
Florence Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
Basilica of Santa Croce and Pazzi Chapel • Rooftop bar at Hotel Cavour Divina Terrazza • Wander around the Duomo
Day 2
Visit the Duomo early without the crowds • Ponte Vecchio • Galleria degli Uffizi Mattina • Climb Giotto’s Campanile • Sunset at Basilica of San Miniato al Monte
Day 3
Boboli and Bardini Gardens • Palazzo Vecchio • Duomo Baptistery •Mercato Centrale, San Lorenzo Market • Accademia Gallery
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Best Places to Stay in Florence
Best Luxury Hotels in Florence $$$$
The St. Regis • Portrait Firenze • Four Seasons
Best Hotels in Florence with Duomo Views!
Arte’ Boutique Hotel • Plaza Hotel Lucchesi • Palazzo Castri 1874 Hotel & Spa •Hotel Croce di Malta • Hotel degli Orafi
And even a more budget-friendly hotel at Forte16 with views of the Duomo!
Best Mid-range Hotels in Florence $$-$$$
Hotel Bernini Palace • Hotel Oro de’ Medici • Palazzo Montebello • FH55 Hotel Calzaiuoli • Hotel Spadai • Hotel Calimala • Grand Hotel Cavour
Best Budget Hotels in Florence $-$$
Adler Cavalieri Hotel • B&B Hotel Firenze Nuovo Palazzo Di Giustizia • Serristori Palace Residence
And if you’re bringing a car to Florence here’s a beautiful villa still close to Florence’s city center with parking! Or if you’re looking for an entire apartment Pergola35 has multiple options at an incredible price and location in Florence!
If you’re interested in visiting Rome when planning your Florence travel itinerary, here are all the best places to stay in Rome.
Day 1: Visit Santa Croce and see Florence’s Duomo from above
Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce and its Pazzi Chapel
After taking a train from Venice to Florence, we started our Florence travel itinerary at the Basilica of Santa Croce. This basilica is the largest Franciscan church in the world, and may have been established by St. Francis himself! Construction began in 1294, and what’s even more incredible than the insanely high ceilings and beautiful old frescos that have only been recently discovered on the walls, are the famous Italians buried here. You can visit the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and others.
Don’t miss Pazzi Chapel and the cloisters
Don’t miss Pazzi Chapel when visiting Santa Croce. Find the cloisters and you’ll find the chapel. The Pazzi Chapel is famous for its geometrical forms and the intricate completion of its architecture. It’s considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and some say an ulterior motive in building this chapel was to promote Florence’s wealth and power.
Find Florence’s ‘Wine Window’
One of the best things to do in Florence is order wine from a ‘wine window’. If you put ‘wine window’ in Google you’ll find one close to Santa Croce!
Take a vintage photo at ‘Fotoautomatica’
There are a few vintage photo booths in Florence, but if you visit the Basilica of Santa Croce during a Florence 3 day itinerary you’ll be close to the location at Via del Proconsolo, 19r.
Enjoy drinks from Grand Hotel Cavour’s Divina Terrazza’s rooftop bar
One of the best rooftop bars in Florence is the Grand Hotel Cavour’s Divinia Terrazza rooftop bar. You need to book reservations in advance, and when you enter the hotel they will ask for your name associated with the reservation. Since we went later in the afternoon, the bar wasn’t busy and offered incredible views of the Duomo. There is a non-refundable deposit per person that you can use towards your bill.
If you keep reading you’ll learn planning a Florence 3 day itinerary between November to March will be the most budget-friendly. You could stay at Grand Hotel Cavour instead of just enjoying the rooftop for less than €200 euros/night!
Walk around the Duomo as the sun is setting
The best thing to do in Florence is to visit the Duomo or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Florence’s Duomo is famous for the world’s largest masonry dome and its priceless frescos including the ‘Last Judgement’ painted on the dome’s interiors. The Duomo’s frescos were painted by the famous Michelangelo, Donatello, and Giotto. Keep reading for a few other tips for visiting Florence’s Duomo.
Here’s a RARE access tour you need to book with a guide. I wish I had known about this tour before visiting Florence! This tour gives you access to parts of the Duomo terrace you otherwise can’t visit.
Is the Duomo free to enter?
It is free to enter the Duomo, but in other areas of the Duomo including the Campanile (Bell tower), Baptistery, or even the museum you will need tickets. We planned our Florence travel itinerary around seeing the Duomo. We slotted multiple times to visit throughout the weekend because sometimes the line to enter can be insanely long. The last thing you want to do when you have a limited amount of time is standing in line, and that’s why we planned it that way.
Here’s a tour that offers access to the entire Duomo including fast-track entry.
Make sure to dress appropriately when visiting the Duomo
When visiting the Duomo it’s essential to cover your knees and shoulders. It is a place of worship and ensure your behavior is respectful when visiting.
Try Florence’s gelato at Badiani
You can’t plan a Florence travel itinerary without including this gelato spot! This shop opened in 1932 and has been making gelato fresh daily with just about the same ingredients. This place is popular with the locals, and I recommend trying its signature flavor Buontalenti, a mix of egg cream and chocolate.
Day 2: Visit the Duomo early without the crowds before enjoying Florence’s museums, watch the sunset from the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte
Visit the Duomo early before the crowds
Even though we didn’t plan to go inside the Duomo this morning, we wanted to explore it without the crowds. It’s incredible how empty the Duomo is at 7 in the morning and how different the experience is visiting versus an hour later! Don’s miss a relaxing, early morning at the Duomo on your Florence travel itinerary!
Head to Ponte Vecchio before visiting the Uffizi Gallery
You’ll also want to be up early this morning to be some of the first visitors to Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery. Ponte Vecchio is very close to the Uffizi Gallery, and admire the bridge without the crowds before getting in line for the museum. We pre-booked tickets for 8:15 and arrived plenty early to ensure we were in the correct line. There will be multiple lines for ticket and non-ticket holders, ensure you stand in the correct one!
Don’t miss Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and The Primavera
Some of the most famous pieces of art in the Uffizi Gallery are Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’ and ‘The Primavera’. These are some of my favorite pieces of art I’ve ever seen in person, and they’re massive! Like visiting Paris’s Louvre or other large museums, have a game plan for visiting the museum before you visit. If you enter when the museum is opening you may even be able to enjoy yourself without any crowds!
How much time should I spend at the Uffizi Gallery?
If you’re wondering how much time to spend at the Uffizi Gallery we spent around three hours here. We also took advantage of their lovely cafe, took a break, and enjoyed lunch. I wish the weather would have been nicer, as there’s a large, outdoor terrace with incredible views of the Duomo!
Climb Giotto’s Campanile
If you don’t want to rest your legs at the Uffizi Gallery cafe, you can easily find another cafe or restaurant to take a break before climbing the Giotto’s Campanile or the Duomo’s Bell Tower. Climbing the Duomo’s Bell Tower is one of the best things to do in Florence and I enjoyed the views of the Duomo from here the most! Wear your sneakers, and remember it gets quite narrow towards the top!
I recommend pre-booking tickets to climb the Duomo’s Bell Tower, it is not free like entry into the Duomo is.
Watch the sunset from the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte
Even though everyone heads to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset, avoid the crowds at the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte instead! We arrived an hour before sunset and easily found a spot to wait. You can always add this activity to any night of your Florence 3 day itinerary, and plan for a rain date too.
Enjoy dinner at Ristorante Paoli
Ristorante Paoli is one of the best restaurants in Florence and is the oldest restaurant in Florence! The space is incredible, with al frescos adorning the curved, vaulted ceilings. While it has good reviews on Google, we still waited over a half hour for our pre-booked reservation. Once seated the food was decent and the service was ok. We might have just had a one-off experience because I have heard so many great reviews about this restaurant!
Day 3: Visit Boboli and Bardini Gardens, and have lunch at Mercato Centrale before visiting the Accademia Gallery
Visit the Oltrarno side of Florence
Cross the river to visit Boboli and Bardini Gardens. I’ve had the garden and their wisteria terrace on my Pinterest board for years and was excited to finally visit! The beautiful wisteria terrace blooms towards the end of April to mid-May depending on the season. I recommend pre-booking tickets for this garden, as they do sell out. Tickets for the Bardini Gardens also include entrance to the Boboli Gardens. If you want to visit the wisteria terrace without the crowds, I recommend booking your tickets for when the gardens open.
Head straight to the Wisteria Terrace when you arrive to enjoy it without the crowds. In my honest opinion, the wisteria terrace with views of Florence was beautiful but the other gardens were underwhelming. There is a cafe on site offering outdoor seating, but the service was almost non-existent and it was impossible to place an order.
Have lunch at Mercato Centrale
Have lunch at the popular San Lorenzo Market. This market includes Mercato Centrale, a food market, and San Lorenzo Market. The San Lorenzo Market sells leather, clothing, and souvenirs.
See David at the Accademia Gallery
Seeing Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia Gallery is one of the best things to do in Florence but also one of the most popular. It was very easy to pre-book tickets to visit, but you must arrive within the time on your ticket or you could be denied entrance. After arriving at the line to enter the gallery, we were told to validate our tickets at a small window down the street. Make sure to allow enough time to do this in case there’s a line here too!
Visit the Duomo’s Baptistery and Gates of Paradise
Towards the end of your Florence travel itinerary visit the Baptistery and Gates of Paradise. The Baptistery is the oldest religious site in Florence dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries. It’s been confirmed the foundations were built upon Roman constructions dating to the 3rd century! The oldest doors are from 1330 and depict Florene’s patron saint St. John’s life.
The Gates of Paradise are the originals from the 15th century. These doors have illustrations of the Old Testament and weigh three tons!
We decided to visit the Baptistery on our last day in Florence and leave it until the end in case we didn’t have time for it since this Florence 3 day itinerary is pretty jam-packed. You will need to buy tickets if you want to visit.
What month is best for Florence?
The best months to visit Florence are March to April or October. These are the best months that offer decent weather for sightseeing and have fewer crowds. If you want to visit Florence without the crowds and at an affordable price visit between November and February. The summer months are the most expensive and busiest times to visit Florence. Keep in mind when planning a Florence travel itinerary this is one of Italy’s most popular cities to visit and it can become crowded as early as May and June.
Is Florence worth visiting?
Florence is worth visiting to see the incredible Duomo and some of the most important Renaissance artwork in the world. Florence also reminded me of Naples but on a smaller scale, and it seems people either love or hate Naples. I think the reason Florence gets such high praise is its easy access to Tuscany, Cinque Terre, and Pisa. If you’re planning a Florence 3 day itinerary you may need to add an extra day or two if you want to visit Tuscany or these other Florence day trip destinations.
Is it safe to travel to Florence?
Florence is a safe city to visit, but petty theft such as pickpocketing is extremely common, especially in large tourist areas. Never carry large amounts of cash or your passport on you. My husband and I always carry a photocopy of our passport and a driver’s license as those are easily replaceable in case you are pickpocketed.
I was pickpocketed in Rome despite carrying a front-facing purse, one that’s hard to unzip, and always being alert. The only sure way to avoid being pickpocketed is to have a lock on your bag. Read how I got pickpocketed in Rome so it doesn’t happen to you!
Is Florence an expensive place to visit?
Since Florence is one of Italy’s most visited cities, it is considered to be an expensive city to visit. The best ways to save money when planning a Florence travel itinerary is by visiting off-season, booking accommodations early, and enjoying finds from a local grocery store versus eating out.
We reserved an apartment with a rooftop balcony overlooking the Duomo. This view was far better than most restaurants, so we had to pick up some pasta and wine for dinner one night and enjoy our meal here! Here’s another apartment with balcony views of the Duomo!
Best Things to Do in Florence
Florence in a day walking tour
Here’s the perfect Florence in a day walking tour that includes the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, and Accademia Gallery.
Best Rooftop Bars in Florence Italy
After extensive research and trying to find the best rooftop bar in Florence, we decided to visit Grand Hotel Cavour’s Divina Terrazza’s rooftop bar. This rooftop bar offered 360-degree views of the Duomo and wasn’t busy! They require a non-refundable deposit per person that you can use towards your bill. Here’s a great article with photos showcasing all of Florence’s rooftop bars.
Best Cooking Classes in Florence
If you’re looking for some of the best cooking classes in Florence here are a few suggestions. Here’s a pasta class that offers unlimited wine, and a pizza and gelato class also with unlimited wine. If you love tiramisu just as much as I do this pasta class includes how to make tiramisu too. If you’re looking for a more romantic and upscale cooking class this one instructs you on how to cook a four-course meal!
Day trips near Florence Italy
Can you do a day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence?
It is easy to take a day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence with a guided tour. This tour even visits all five of Cinque Terre’s villages and offers an optional hike. It is rated 5/5 and has almost 4,000 reviews!
Can you do a day trip to Pisa from Florence?
It is easy to take a day trip to Pisa from Florence with a guided tour. This tour visits San Gimignano, Pisa, and Siena, and includes lunch at a typical Tuscan winery!
Florence Travel Itinerary 4 Days
If I had to plan my Florence trip over again I would have loved to visit the Tuscan countryside or enjoy a day trip to Cinque Terre or Pisa. You easily add a day or two to this Florence 3 day itinerary! You can also plan to spend some time in Venice, or fly to Rome too!
Here are a few other posts you may enjoy:
3 Days in Rome Italy: The ONLY itinerary you need!
Where to Stay in Rome for 3 Days: Make the most of your stay!
3 Days in Venice Italy: The ONLY itinerary you need
Paris in Three Days Itinerary: The ONLY one you’ll need!
Barcelona Itinerary: The only Comprehensive Guide you’ll need!
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