Florence Itinerary: What To See and Top Things to Do
Florence, Italy
The Capital of Tuscany and The Renaissance City
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is florence worth visiting
Top Reasons to Visit Florence
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when is the best time to visit florence
Visiting Florence During Peak Season and the Off-Season
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HOW Many days in florence
2-3 Days in Florence
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what to see and do in florence
Top Florence Sights, Museums, and Landmarks
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where to shop in florence
Shopping Florence’s Leather Markets, Jewelry, Paper Goods and More
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WHERE TO EAT IN Florence
The Best Restaurants, Coffee Shops and Gelato in Florence
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Where to stay in Florence
Our Favorite Hotels and Apartment Rentals in Florence
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How to get to Florence
Taking the Train to Florence from Rome or Venice or Flying Into Florence’s Airport
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florence, Italy
Ah, Florence. Florence, the Renaissance city filled with music and art and architecture. The city covered in burnt orange terracotta roofs, surrounded by rolling Tuscan hillsides.
Florence (Firenze), home to the iconic, engineering feat of the Duomo and protector of the Michelangelo masterpiece: The Statue of David.
Similar to the cities of Venice and Rome, the Tuscan city of Florence has a preserved feel to it, with its ancient architecture, buildings and traditions. I call these types of “preserved cities” city-museums.
These city-museums are cities that live and breathe the history they carry with them. The buildings tell the story, the landscape tells the story, the people tell the story and the food tell the story.
In this Florence Itinerary, we’re sharing everything you need to know to plan a trip to Florence, including what to see in Florence, what to do in Florence, where to stay in Florence, and all the other travel details to bring your trip to Florence to perfection.
Is Florence Worth Visiting
It seems like a silly question, but you might have doubts about whether or not Florence is a city worth adding to your Italy itinerary. Italy has so much to offer, so narrowing down your destinations can be quite challenging.
If you’re planning your first trip to Italy, Florence is absolutely worth visiting. Florence is a major cultural and historical city in Italy, and is a unique city offering its own experience. Similar to Rome and Venice, there are museums, churches and regional food in Florence that are travel musts that you can’t necessarily find in other regions of Italy.
Florence is also a great gateway to the Tuscany and Umbria regions of Italy, if you’re looking for a less city-focused Italian vacation and are longing for that rustic countryside relaxation.
When is the best time to visit florence
After our second visit to Florence, I discovered that Florence is a year-round city. Similar to Paris, any time of year is a good time to visit Florence, as there isn’t seasonality to what the city has to offer.
Visiting Florence in June (Peak Season in Florence)
We first visited Florence as part of a 10-day Italy summer itinerary, which landed us in the city in late June. Summer is peak season in Florence meaning more crowds, more limitations on ticket availability and more challenging to get those popular dinner reservations.
But Summer in Florence also means eating your gelato before it melts, dining outside on the terrace with pasta and wine in hand and long walks waiting for the sun to set in the late hours of the day.
Summer is also a great time to visit Florence if you’re looking to explore more of the surrounding Tuscan region or want to enjoy the relaxation of a pool.
Visiting Florence in Winter (Off-Season in Florence)
Our second visit to Florence was over New Year’s and I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable the city was in Winter. Christmas and New Year’s in Florence still seem to be a popular time to visit and there were way more people in the city than I expected.
However, December and New Year’s in Florence was still much less crowded than when we visited in June. This meant we had no issues booking tickets to the museums or making dinner reservations.
At New Year’s in Florence (other than New Year’s Day itself), nothing was closed, so we had no issues doing all of the activities we did in the summer and still enjoyed the sun-drenched, cold short days of winter.
how many days in florence
How long you’ll need in Florence will depend on your travel goals, as you could spend months soaking up the history and culture that Florence has to offer.
Most often, travelers combine a visit to Florence with another or handful of other Italian cities, such as Rome or Venice. Or, they often use Florence as the gateway to the Tuscan countryside and might spend a few days in the city and then some time in the Tuscan region.
If you only had one day in Florence, you could make the most of it and still see a lot of the things to do. However, Florence really deserves a 2-3 day itinerary in order to soak up what the city has to offer.
Our first trip to Florence, we visited Florence as part of a larger Italian itinerary, where we visited Rome, Positano in the Amalfi Coast, Venice and Florence. We were in Italy for a total of 10 days, and we spent three of those days in Florence.
Our second trip to Florence we stay four nights and had three and a half days in Florence. Even on this second trip, we still didn’t get to see and do everything we wanted in Florence (albeit this time we had a toddler in tow), but we did get to experience the city at a slower pace.
what to see and do in florence
Florence is incredibly walkable with most sights reachable by foot. According to U.S. News you can walk the length of Florence in just thirty minutes. In that thirty minutes, you’ll come across the following landmarks and things to do in Florence. You can use these landmarks as a guide to plan out your Florence itinerary.
Climb the Florence Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)
Hands-down, the Florence Duomo is the top thing to see in Florence. If you’ve seen photos of Florence, you’ve seen the Duomo. The Cathedral of Santa Marie del Fiore, or the Duomo, sits in the city-center and is the most recognizable structure in Florence, thanks to its intricate facade and red-tiled domes.
If you want some of the best views of the city (see proof below), then you need to climb all the way to the top of the Florence Duomo (or the Bell Tower). It’s a solid 463 steps to the top, but there are breaks in between the steps, so you’ll have time to catch your breath. Not to mention you’ll get to walk inside the dome structure, an architectural feat in and of itself.
You can book tickets in advance online like this highly rated Brunelleschi's Dome Climb Entry Ticket & Duomo from GetYourGuide.
If you’re interested in learning more about the history of the Duomo before your visit to Florence, order a copy of Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture, a short book recounting the history of building of the Duomo (and other historical facts about Florence at the time).
Watch the Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo’s square)
Piazzale Michelangelo, also known as Michelangelo’s Square, is a square overlooking the city of Florence, with amazing views of the city and the Duomo standing proud above them all.
Like climbing to the top of the Duomo, watching the sunset from the Piazzale Michelangelo is going to give you movie-level panoramas of Florence. Again, you will have to climb a decent amount of stairs to get to the top, and I’d recommend heading there early as the area can get pretty crowded. You’ll want to secure a spot on the wall for your breathtaking completely free views.
Once you’ve secured your spot, all that’s required is to sit back, relax and take in the remarkable views of this stunning city.
Walk across the Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Odds are as you’re spending the day wandering around Florence, you’ll stumble upon the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. It sits across the Arno River and its history is quite impressive, from its original construction in 966 to its role in World War II. The bridge has been lined with shops since the 13th century, and you can still stroll through similar shops today.
The area around (and on) Ponte Vecchio Bridge tends to get pretty crowded, so do this one early in the morning to avoid the crowds. It doesn’t take very long to either view from afar or take a stroll across and is an easy check off the Florence sight-seeing list.
Stroll through the Boboli Gardens and/or the Bardini Gardens
To build excitement before your trip to Florence, I highly recommend watching the series Medici. It’s centered around the Medici family and the role they play in politics and art (including the construction of the Duomo) in Renaissance Florence.
The Boboli Gardens, located near the Santo Spirito neighborhood and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, was designed by the Medici family and are a Florence sight-seeing must. The gardens themselves are the traditional designed landscapes found throughout Europe, inclusive of grand staircases and fountains and spectacular views.
You can purchase a one-off ticket to visit the Boboli Gardens, but if you plan on visiting other popular sights in Florence, we recommend booking this Florence: Uffizi, Pitti Palace & Boboli Combined 5-Day Pass.
(Boboli Gardens photographed below)
If you love gardens and have more time in the city, you can also pay a visit to the Bardini Gardens. Although we personally haven’t had a chance to visit, the Bardini Gardens are a smaller gardens, also overlooking the city with breathtaking views (that many prefer over the Boboli Gardens).
See the Statue of David at the Accademia Gallery
Open from Tuesday-Sunday (closed on Mondays), the Accademia Gallery is located in the center of the city. As you can imagine from a place with such a famous piece of art, thousands of visitors flock to the gallery each year, so it is highly recommended to book tickets in advance.
Depending on your preference, you can book a time slot ticket to the Accademia Gallery, or a guided tour ticket of the Accademia Gallery.
The Accademia Gallery is quite compact, so depending on your speed you could spend an hour or two in the museum. It is quite crowded any time of year, without much space, so don’t expect to be enjoying the works of art in peace and quiet.
Visit the Uffizi Gallery
One of Italy’s greatest art collections, home to Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo works, the Uffizi Gallery is a must visit in Florence. The Uffizi Gallery is also a popular Florence itinerary item, so you will need to book a time slot or guided tour ticket in advance.
You could easily spend a couple of hours enjoying the art in this stunning setting of the Uffizi Gallery, so give yourself enough time to soak up the art and history within. There is a rooftop cafe for a break if needed and many windows of the Uffizi Gallery offer amazing views of Florence.
Tickets for Uffizi Gallery (from GetYourGuide):
Take a Tuscan Vespa Tour & Wine Tasting
If you’re planning to visit Florence without visiting the Tuscan countryside, you can easily take tours from the city center in order to enjoy a day of rolling Tuscan hills.
We personally booked our Vespa/Wine tour through TripAdvisor, with Fun in Tuscany. The morning of the tour, we checked in at the base-camp office in Florence and the trip started with a bus ride out of the city to the winery gravel lot where our “vespa training began.” The tour hosts spend around 30-minutes teaching the ins and outs of riding a Vespa so you’re safe for the trip ahead.
Once trained, everyone helmets up and heads out into the beautiful Tuscan countryside. During the tour, there were plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos with the rolling, green Tuscany scenery.
We meandered our way to the town of San Gimignano where we had roughly an hour to explore the city and to taste the World’s Best Gelato at Gelateria Dondoli.
After, we headed back to the vineyard and kicked off our Italian wine tasting. It was such a fun experience trying all of the different wines and being fed family recipes while doing so.
Where to Shop in Florence
If you love shopping, Florence is a great city to explore. Dotted throughout Florence you’ll find leather markets and leather stores, paper products like stationary and wrapping paper, perfumeries, and local boutiques and bookstores.
Barter at the Leather Markets
If you want to bring a souvenir home that’s a little more exciting than your go-to magnet, head to the Florence leather markets. The markets can be a bit overwhelming during your first walk through, so I’d recommend walking through once to try to get an idea of what you want, then coming back through with all of your bartering skills and courage.
The leather markets mostly sell purses, bags and belts, however you can find leather stores selling shoes and designer leather bags throughout the city center.
Two of the more famous leather markets are located at Mercato del Porcellino and outside of Mercato Centrale.
Discover the Beauty of Italian Florentine Paper
If you are a lover of paper products, greeting cards or stationary, you’ll fall in love with Florence’s paper products. Scattered throughout the city are stores selling Florentine paper which is inspired by the Renaissance and has a timeless feel.
A few of our favorite shops to discover Florentine paper are Il Papiro (locations throughout Florence), Signum, and Il Parione.
Indulge in Italian Perfume
If you love a good fragrance and the art of perfume making, be sure to discover some of Florence’s historical perfume shops, selling timeless fragrances in stunning bottles. Two worth checking out during your time in Florence are Aquaflor and Officina Profumo - Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella.
If you’re interested in making your own perfume, you can delve into the perfume world with one of Aquaflor’s perfume workshops.
where to eat in florence
Figuring out where to eat in a country that drastically influenced how we eat in America can be a bit paralyzing. You’re in pasta region, the options are endless, and you want to make every meal count. Odds are, anywhere you end up is going to have good food and good wine. That’s just the Italian way.
Florence has no shortage of food and part of your Florence itinerary will simply be eating your way through the city. Below is a running list of both places we’ve tried in Florence and places we’ve saved for a later trip.
Best Florence Restaurants for Lunch and Dinner (that we’ve tried)
Trattoria 13 Gobbi: For a romantic dinner or night out with friends. Would recommend making a reservation.
Osteria Santo Spirito: So good we ate here twice. Outdoor seating and delicious affordable Italian classics.
Gusta Pizza: For your pizza fix.
Trattoria Sostanza: A cozy dinner spot, famous for the brown butter chicken.
Vini e Vecchi Sapori: For authentic Tuscan dining in the heart of Florence.
Regina Bistecca: Lunch or dinner, for a true Tuscan gastronomic experience.
Gustaosteria: Photographed below, a straightforward osteria in the Santo Spirito neighborhood.
Pino’s Sandwiches: For a quick bite at lunch. A lot of indoor and outdoor seating available.
Best Florence Coffee Shops and Bakeries
Florence isn’t necessarily known for its bean-foward coffee shops, however, the city does offer some great opportunities for coffee as well as Italian baked goods. Here are a few coffee shops in Florence that we’ve tried, as well as bakeries.
Ditta Artigianale: A coffee / brunch spot with locations scattered throughout Florence.
La Menagere: A beautiful restaurant, with Anthropologie like vibes, where we like to pop in for a cup of coffee.
Todo Modo: A hip bookstore/coffee shop combo. A good place to spend some time if visiting in the winter.
S. Forno Panificio: A local bakery to purchase your bread from if you’re staying in Florence for a while or to just enjoy a cup of basic coffee in the beautiful atmosphere.
Best Gelato in Florence
Summer or Winter, rain or shine, grabbing gelato on the daily is a must in Florence. There are delicious gelato shops across Florence meaning when that gelato craving strikes, you can easily grab a cone or cup of your favorite flavor.
Edoardo Il Gelato Biologico: Thousands of near perfect reviews and a red wine sorbet. What more could you want.
Vivoli Affogato: Famous for its beautiful affogato beverage (espresso and gelato), Vivoli Affogato also offers regular gelato. There will be a line (even in the winter), so be prepared to wait for your sweet treat.
Bella Italia Ice Cream: Nothing fancy, just a hole in the wall gelato shop where I tried a fig gelato and a dream-worthy strawberry gelato.
Gelateria della Passera: Local ingredients and unique flavors, although I went with the classic vanilla.
Gelateria La Sorbettiera: Probably my second favorite from the gelato testings, with a couple of locations throughout Florence.
WHERE TO STAY in florence
Florence has heaps of accommodations for your travel needs, from historic hotels to ancient Airbnb rentals. If you’re wondering where to stay in Florence, we have curated lists of both the best hotels in Florence and the best Airbnb and apartment rentals in Florence.
The first time we stayed in Florence, we booked an Airbnb in the Santo Spirito neighborhood that unfortunately is no longer available for booking. On our most recent, New Year’s travels to Florence, we stayed in a central apartment just steps from Piazza della Signoria and the Duomo.
The apartment sleeps four, and is also baby friendly. We had one couple, one toddler and one other person and we were comfortable in the stunning central space.
A few other top options for places to stay are:
Numeroventi: design-forward apartments in Florence
Bob W Florence Santa Croce: For an affordable stay near Santa Croce
Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Collection: For a luxury stay, just outside of Florence
How to Get to Florence
Accessing Florence is simple, whether you wish to arrive by plane, train or car. The easiest and most efficient way to access Florence is by train, connecting from other popular parts of Italy.
Taking the train to Florence
Rome to Florence by Train: If you’ve started your travels in Rome, you can easily hop on a 1h30 train to Florence.
Venice to Florence by Train: If you’ve started your Italian itinerary in Venice, you can take a tour hour train from Venice to Florence.
Flying to Florence: Amerigo Vespucci Airport
Florence has a small international airport, Amerigo Vespucci Airport, that sits a 20-minute public transit ride from the center of Florence. According to Flightsfrom.com, you can fly to Florence from 45 destinations with 22 different airlines.
STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE
Need help planning the rest of your trip through Italy?
If Florence is part of a larger Italian travel itinerary, check out our travel guides to Rome, Venice and the Amalfi Coast. And if you still need a hotel or accomodations in Florence, see our favorite Airbnbs in the ciyt in this Florence Airbnb roundup.
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