For your first trip to Florence, we recommend planning a few days of walking around the city. We will tell you what to see in Florence on your own in 1 day and how best to plan the route if you have 2-3 days left.
What to see in Florence in 1 day
To explore the city, it is important not to miss the iconic landmarks of the capital of Tuscany. Most tourists come to Florence by train, so start at Santa Maria Novella Train Station. Have breakfast at any of the local cafes and hit the road!
What to see on your own in Florence in one day? The Old Town, of course! There is a church in front of the station Santa Maria Novella. Go inside and admire the frescoes depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin and John the Baptist. It will take 30-40 minutes. The entrance to the temple costs € 7.5 for adults and € 5 for children from 11 to 18 years old.
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From Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, take Via Sant'Antonino towards Academy Gallery... The art museum contains considerable treasures, the main of which is the original statue of David by the famous sculptor Michelangelo. The fact that you got to the gallery will be clear from the long queue. You will have to stand from an hour to three. Don't want to waste time - buy your tickets online in advance for 21 euros. A visit to the Gallerie dell'Accademia will take a couple of hours.
Nearby, on Via Camillo Cavour there is Medici-Riccadri palace... The powerful Medici family appreciated art and supported the talented Renaissance masters. In the Chapel of the Magi, see the marvelous frescoes of Gozzoli. A ticket to the Palazzo Medici Riccardi Museum costs 7 euros. Plan 2 hours for the palace.
To see the Medici ancestral necropolis, go to Basilica of San Lorenzodesigned by Michelangelo Buonarroti himself. From the palace, take Via de 'Gori and turn left at the second roundabout. Tourists usually spend 30-40 minutes exploring the Medici crypt and the works of art that are collected in the temple.
The entrance to the Basilica di San Lorenzo costs 7 euros. If you are interested in the collection of old books, the first Roman encyclopedia and the 8th century Bible, take the Laurenzian Basilica and Library Complex Ticket for 9.5 euros.
Next to the temple there is a wonderful Italian restaurant Il Nutino. It's time for lunch!
It is not far from Piazza di San Lorenzo to the main temple of the city - the cathedral Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore... You saw the high dome of the Duomo from different streets of the Old Town, and now you will come close to the cathedral. In addition to the temple, in Piazza del Duomo there is a bell tower 85 m high and the octagonal baptistery of San Giovanni.
Cathedral La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the symbols of Florence, which all tourists try to see. A visit here will take an hour and a half. The giant dome of the temple is recognized as an outstanding engineering structure of its time. If health permits, be sure to go up to the observation deck on the dome or on the bell tower. There are no elevators, and the stairs have over 400 steps. A single ticket to the Duomo Museum, Baptistery and Observation Decks costs 18 euros.
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With a bird's eye view of the city, go explore Florence further! The picturesque Via dei Calzaiuoli will take you to a real open-air museum - a beautiful Piazza della Signoria... It displays originals and copies of the most famous sculptures of the Renaissance. The architectural decoration of the square is the Palazzo Vecchio. No money is charged for seeing this magnificence.
In the evening, Florence also has something to see: in the city, they turn on spectacular illumination, so architectural monuments look very colorful. After the hustle and bustle of the day, spend an evening in a quiet place. Walk towards Arno. The banks of the river are connected by several bridges. The oldest of them is Ponte Vecchio (Ponte Vecchio) notable for the fact that since its construction in 1345, it has changed little.
Cross over and head southwest towards Pitti Square. It houses a three-story Renaissance Pitti palace (Palazzo Pitti)... There are art collections inside, but leave them until better times. This will be too much for one day in Florence!
End an eventful day in luxury Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli), which served as a prototype for many parks in Europe. Wander the green alleys and relax among flower beds, flower beds, graceful grottoes and sculptures.
What to see in Florence in 2 days
On the morning of the second day, go to the famous the Uffizi Gallery - one of the largest painting museums in Western Europe. To avoid queuing, buy a fast-track ticket to Galleria degli Uffizi for 27 euros and enjoy the works of Raphael, Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci! Tourists usually spend 2-3 hours to inspect the halls of the gallery.
A good lunch spot is nearby at Via dei Castellani 4. Trattoria Roberto serves delicious mushroom spaghetti, cheese ravioli, melon prosciutto and excellent Tuscan wine.
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Dedicate the afternoon to the temples of Florence. The basilica deserves special attention Santa Croce (Santa Croce), which, according to legend, was founded by Francis of Assisi himself. You will see the wonderful frescoes by Giotto, the tombstones of Galileo, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and Rossini. The entrance to the basilica costs 8 euros.
Go to the familiar station square and experience an unusual perfume pharmacy Santa Maria Novella, which is located near the temple of the same name. The old establishment has been selling elixirs and potions since the beginning of the 17th century.
Spend the evening on Central Market (Mercato Centrale). Take a look at the large Eataly store, where products from all regions of Italy are presented. Here you can not only buy your favorite spaghetti, spices and sauces, but also while away the time with a glass of good Tuscan wine. Find out where to eat deliciously and inexpensively in Florence.
What to see in Florence in 3 days
On the third day, you can look into places where ordinary tourists do not have time to get. See the sights of Florence that only locals know about.
In the morning go to area of medieval streets Chiassi. It is located between the Arno promenade, Carlo Goldoni square, Via della Vigna Nuova and Via delle Terme. Walk the cobbled alleys and feel like a medieval city dweller!
If you love beautiful parks, visit Rose Garden and Iris Garden... They are laid out next to Piazza Michelangelo. The entrance is free.
A very interesting place to see in Florence - Galileo Museum on the Arno embankment. It is housed in a gloomy 11th century building. The halls contain a rich collection of medieval scientific instruments owned by the Medici. See wax models of women in labor and Galileo's original telescopes. The entrance to the museum costs 9 euros.
