Explore Florence in 1, 2 or 3 days - There’s something for everybody in this itinerary

Florence, the birthplace of Renaissance which is the revival of art and literature in the 14th to 16th century, is a city bathed in history. Home to some of the best artists the world has ever seen, a trip to Florence includes a deep dive into Renaissance art and history, palaces of the rich ruling family of Medici’s, world famous art galleries, barrels of wine, mouth watering local dishes, cheese and everybody’s favorite happy colorful gelatos! 🍧

In this article, you get a free downloadable planned itinerary to help you schedule your days in Florence. Learn more about each of the sites here: Top 10 things to do in Florence! (including food, transport and handy tips) . Let’s go!

🚧 Note: Most sites in Florence are closed on Mondays. Keep this in mind while planning your trip.

If you have 3 days in Florence …

Day 1

 Total Cost : € 38 + Food || Total Time : 9 - 10 hours

1) Start the day with the Renaissance Walk

🕕 9:00 am - 2:00 pm (5 hrs)

The main sights making this walk are – The Duomo, Baptistery, Giotto Bell Tower, Opera museum, Basilica of San Lorenzo, Dante’s House, Badia Fiorentina and the Bargello. Use this free audio guide . It’ll enlighten you with the details as you walk through each of them! Bell tower is the first to open in the complex by 8:30 am.

💳 Cost per person : € 18
⌚ Timings : Open all days 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
🎫 Tickets :
Guided tour with skip the line access to Florence Cathedral, St. John’s Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower, and Opera museum with sample Chianti wine, cheese, and balsamic vinegar for € 50: Tickets

2) Have Lunch at Piazza della Repubblica

🕕 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm (1 hr)

This large Florentine square is famous for its touristy literary cafes. Of them, the most famous one is Giubbe Rosse cafe and is well known to be frequented by artists and writers. The piazza is filled with street performers - amazingly talented musicians, vocalists, painters and magicians during the evenings! Highlight : Golden Merry-go-round

💳 Cost per person : Free
⌚ Timings : 9 am - Midnight

3) Admire the Uffizi Gallery

🕕 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm (2.5 hrs)

A world renowned art gallery spread across 3 floors. It is home to some of the most beautiful & unparalleled art collections in the world from the Renaissance period created by big names like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Caravaggio to name a few. Apart from the classical Italian and Florentine art, it also hosts wonderful art pieces from a number of foreign artists.

💳 Cost per person : € 20
⌚ Timings : Tue - Sun 8:15 am to 6:50 pm. Closed on Mondays.

Tickets :
🎫 Skip the line tickets for € 20 : Tickets
🎫 Skip the Line: Florence Uffizi Gallery Group Tour for € 58 : Tickets

4) Stroll on Florence’s luxury shopping street Via de’ Tornabuoni

🕕 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm (1 hr)

Via de’ Tornabuoni houses high fashion boutiques, belonging to designer brands such as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Enrico Coveri, Roberto Cavalli, Emilio Pucci among others! Luxurious Jewelry boutiques belonging to Damiani, Bulgari and Buccellati can also be spotted here. Gives a perspective of the elite part of the city.

💳 Cost per person : Free

Timings : Open all days 10 am - 8 pm

5) Have dinner and relax

🕕 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm (1.5 hrs)

Some delightful dinner options near Via de’ Tornabuoni are :
✔️ Foody Farm Florence
✔️ Obica Mozzarella Bar - Firenze
✔️ Hard Rock Cafe
✔️ Buca Lapi

Day 2

 Total Cost : € 43 + Food/Drinks || Total Time : 9.5 hours

1) Start the day off at Pitti Palace

🕕 9 am - 11 am (2 hrs)

Originally the residence of Luca Pitti, an ambitious Florentine banker and a rival of the Medici family. An unfortunate economic downfall came upon the Pitti family and eventually the palace was acquired by the Medici’s. It is Florence’s largest museum complex with 140 rooms. Sites to see - Main palace with the royal apartments and Palatine Gallery consisting of Gallery of Modern Art, Treasury of the Grand Dukes and Museum of Costume and Fashion.

💳 Cost per person : € 22
⌚ Timings : Tuesday to Sunday : 8:15 am – 6:50 pm; Closed on Mondays
🎫 Tickets :
Skip the line entrance ticket to Pitti Palace and Palatine Gallery for € 22: Tickets
Pitti Palace and Palatine Gallery guided tour by a professional art-historian guide for € 40 : Tickets

2) Head over to Ponte Vecchio

🕕 11:15 am - 12:00 pm (45 mins)

Postcard superstar of Florence, Ponte Vecchio is a beige-yellow stone bridge and is the oldest bridge to span the Arno river. A pedestrian only bridge, it is lined with shops on either side. It is the only bridge in Florence not to be blown up by the Germans during World War II.

💳 Cost per person : Free
⌚ Timings : Monday to Saturday 9:30 am - 12 pm and 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm; Closed on Sundays and public holidays

3) Grab lunch at Piazza della Signoria

🕕 12:15 pm - 1:45 pm (1.5 hrs)

Main square of Florence - still maintains its reputation as the political focus of the city. A bustling piazza filled with tourists and locals alike. A nice spot to grab lunch with a view of Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Vecchio! Don’t miss to spot a replica of Michelangelo’s David here.

💳 Cost per person : Avg. cost of a filling meal for 1 person: € 15
⌚ Timings : The eateries and shops are open from 8 am till late night.

4) Next up : Palazzo Vecchio

🕕 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm (2.5 hrs)

The political heart of medieval and Renaissance Florence, it has been the seat of power for centuries. Was initially built to serve as a place where the ruler and his men could gather and work from. Eventually the Medici’s shifted their residence here from palazzo Riccardi Medici before eventually moving to Pitti palace. Sites to see : 3 courtyards, Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundred), imperial apartments taking the visitors through the royal living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, ballrooms and several private chapels.

💳 Cost per person : € 21
⌚ Timings : Open all days: 9 am - 7 pm during summers (April to September). 9 am - 11 pm rest of the months. On Thursdays the palace is open only till 2 pm.
🎫 Tickets :

Skip the line tickets to the complete palace + tower + archaeological site for € 21 : Tickets

Guided morning tour with all inclusive tickets to the complete palace + tower + archaeological site for € 60 : Tickets

5) Explore Florence’s thriving nightlife

🕕 8:00 pm - 10:30 pm (2.5 hrs)

Florence’s night life is all about making new friends over a couple glasses of wine. The city is a tourist hub and the locals are extremely friendly and chatty! Some of the best places to go are :
💃 Red Garter - Well known karaoke bar with live guitar set-up.
Fri – Mon : 12 pm – 3:30 pm & 6 pm - 2 am
Tue - Thu : 12 pm – 3:30 pm & 6 pm - 11 pm
💃 Full Up Concept Club - The go-to place if you are in the mood to dance your heart out in a wild dance floor filled with other crazy dancers! Best known for their groovy music selection! Thursday – Saturday: 12 pm – 4 am
💃 Space Club - Yet another crowd favorite, this humongous multi-level disco is filled with a surplus of stylish crowd! Get your dancing shoes along - there is a lot of dancing to do here! Open all days: 10 pm – 4 am
💃 Mayday - If you want to stay away from the hustle bustle, dancing and singing and just want to relax and enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine while chatting with locals, then this is the place for you! Its vintage feel with radios, telegraphs, receivers & transmitters bring out Florence’s old world charm! Mon - Sat: 8 pm - 2 am. Closed on Sundays.

Standard Prices :

✔️ A glass of wine : € 3
✔️ Coffee (Espresso or Cappuccino) : € 1 - € 1.5
✔️ Gelato : € 2 - € 3
✔️ Pint of beer : € 3 - € 5
✔️ Filling meal for one in a non-touristy area : € 5 - € 8
✔️ Filling meal for one in a touristy area : € 12 - € 15

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Day 3

 Total Cost : € 60 + Food || Total Time : 4 hours

1) Start the day off at the Accademia Gallery

🕕 10 am - 12:30 pm (2.5 hrs)

A rich collection of sculptures, paintings and artifacts from the middle ages spread across two floors and numerous halls. Don’t miss : the original statue of Michelangelo’s David, Florence Gothic rooms, a panel of an elegant wedding parade taking place in downtown Florence and the hall of the prisoners.

💳 Cost per person : € 20
⌚ Timings : Tue - Sun 8:15 am - 6:50 pm, Closed on Mondays
🎫 Tickets : Skip the line entrance ticket to Accademia Gallery for € 20 : Tickets

2) Indulge in a Wine, Cheese and Oil tasting tour

🕕 1 pm - 2:30 pm (1 - 1.5 hrs)

Florence is the capital of Tuscany, a landscape of beautiful rolling hills filled with vineyards. Some of the best wines of the world are grown here - a trip to Italy is incomplete without tasting the original Chianti wine. A tour typically includes a visit to the vineyard, fruit plucking, a walk through the wine making process and finally “make your own wine” sessions with sample drinks + authentic Italian cheese and olive oil samples.

💳 Cost per person : € 40
⌚ Timings : Tour dependent
🎫 Tickets :

Florence Cheese, Wine and Olive oil Tasting for € 40 : Tickets

Tuscany Cheese and Wine-Tasting in Florence for € 40 (Olive oil tasting + snacks included) : Tickets

If you have 2 days in Florence…

Day 1

 Total Cost : € 60 + Food || Total Time : 8 - 10 hours   

📌 Start the day with the Renaissance walk
📌 Quick lunch at Piazza della Repubblica
📌 Head over to Pitti palace
📌 Check out Accademia Gallery or Uffizi Gallery
📌 Stroll around the luxury shopping street of Via de’ Tornabuoni

Day 2

 Total Cost : € 61 || Total Time : 6.5 hours   

📌 Start the day at Palazzo Vecchio
📌 Check out Ponte Vecchio
📌 Light lunch in Piazza della Signoria
📌 Indulge in a Wine and Cheese tour

If you have just 1 day in Florence…

Try to have an early start and complete the Renaissance walk first (skip the Opera Museum). Head over to Piazza della Signoria and grab lunch. Visit Palazzo Vecchio and Ponte Vecchio. Choose one out of Uffizi gallery/Accademia gallery/Pitti Palace.

Map

📌 Use the below interactive map for directions:

✔ Clicking the top right button opens the map in a new tab showing the different sections. Click on view map legend if browsing on phone
✔ Save the map in your Google Maps for easy access later: Click the ⭐star button beside the name of the map. You can access the map later from Google Maps > Saved > Maps

The Tuscany Round Trip

Map

📌 Use the below interactive map for directions:

✔ Clicking the top right button opens the map in a new tab showing the different sections. Click on view map legend if browsing on phone
✔ Save the map in your Google Maps for easy access later: Click the ⭐star button beside the name of the map. You can access the map later from Google Maps > Saved > Maps

Gute Reise! :)