WEEKEND IN FLORENCE
No trip to Italy is complete without a stop in Florence. It is a city filled with incredible museums, art galleries, viewpoints, gardens, and plenty more. Florence is the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region and the birthplace of the Renaissance — so it’s seeping in masterpieces of art and architecture.
Unsurprisingly, Florence is a must-see for most travelers and it’s consistently one of the most popular cities for study abroad students. The city is also a little more affordable than Rome or Venice and it serves as a great spot for exploring the Tuscan countryside.
This Florence 2 day itinerary will cover all of that as it also talks through many many helpful tips about the city. Although 2 days will just give you a glimpse of what this city has to offer, you will still be able to see and do so many different types of activities during your time there. We are hoping that this guide can get you going in the right direction when figuring out what to do on your trip to Florence.
Florence offers a variety of tourist attractions, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot be disappointed. Many people are upset about the number of tourists vs locals, as the place remains busy all year long.
WHEN TO VISIT FLORENCE
Florence seems to always be busy so you won’t be able to completely escape the tourist hoards. Most people agree that spring (May to March) and fall (September to mid-November) are the nicest times to visit Florence since the temperatures mild (the mid-60s to 70s), and the tourist herds are thinned a bit.
Summers bring hot temperatures (85-degree average) and a huge amount of visitors.
Winters are the least crowded but the weather is obviously the least ideal.
HOW LONG TO VISIT FLORENCE: 2 – 3 DAYS
Florence deserves at least two to three days but you can always add a few more days if you wish. Also, you may consider adding a few days if you plan on spending some time in the other hill towns scattered across the Tuscan countryside.
GETTING IN AND AROUND FLORENCE
If you are flying to Florence and beginning your trip to Italy in this city, you will make a quick 30-minute ride from the airport to the city center.
Alternatively, if you are coming in from another city within Italy (we were already in Milan for a business trip and opted to take the morning train to Florence which costed us about Euro 40 one way – you can always get a cheaper option should you wish to take the non-peak hour train). You will be arriving at the main Florence train station, which is right in the heart of the city. Once you arrive at the train station, it could be as easy as walking to your hotel if close by or a quick taxi ride away.
Beyond getting into a taxi with all your luggage to and from your hotel, try to avoid taxis if you can when traveling within the city. They are relatively expensive and much of the city and its attractions are within walking distance from one another.
As mentioned, just walking the city and taking in your surroundings will be an incredible experience to have. There is no need to spend the money on a taxi when walking will offer you more time to enjoy the city.
If walking or taxis don’t work for you, Florence also offers some local busses that go around the city. There are some short routes that can you around the city center and the costs are around 2 Euros for a ride.
DUOMO/BAPTISTRY/BELL TOWER
Commonly known as, “The Duomo”, Cattedrale de Santa Maria del Fiore is impossible to miss.
It is the skyline of Florence. The Basilica and its dome are viewable from nearly every part of the city. Simply admiring the exterior beauty is an experience — We are not even going to attempt trying to explain its beauty so you’ll have to see if yourself. This massive building has beautiful architecture inside and out. One of the highlights of the Duomo is actually walking up the 400+ steps, passing artwork throughout the building, and trekking up small passageways to reach the top. Once there, an amazing viewpoint awaits. You will get 360-degree views of the city as you snap some pictures before heading back down. As mentioned if you want to climb the dome it is mandatory to prebook a reservation time (even if you have the Firenze card).
Another option here is to head up the bell tower nearby instead (or in addition if you would like). This will also require a 400+ stair climb to reach the top of the city. Tickets for the Duomo include access to the bell tower as well in the above link. Right next door to the Duomo you will also find the Gates of Paradise – a huge set of golden doors that you can just view from the outside.
As you can see there is plenty to see and do around the area so set aside a few hours in order to enjoy all that the Duomo has to offer.
The interior of the church is comparatively modest when compared to the exterior. It’s free to view but expect a long line.
Do you want to climb to the top of the Duomo? Take this Florence Dome Climb Tour through Get Your Guide, that offers you priority entrance.
BOBOLI GARDENS / PITTI PALACE
Palazzo Pitti, Pitti Palace, is Florence’s largest palazzo, once owned by the Medici family. You can visit 8 different galleries in the palace. Be prepared, it is massive and can wear you out quickly. Part of the Pitti Palace complex, the Boboli Gardens is the largest green space in Florence.
You won’t run out of Instagram-worthy photos here with sprawling landscaped gardens, cypress-flanked trails, terraces, and tunnels formed by the trees, fountains, and statues.
While technically the Boboli Gardens can be a bit of a workout (it’s on a massive hill right behind the Pitti Palace), it’s also the perfect place to bring a book and some snacks to unwind. Our suggestion is to order a Gusta Pizza to-go (located two blocks away) and bring it to the Gardens for a picnic!
At some point, we emerged onto the terrace near the Porcelain Museum and found ourselves staring at the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. Absolutely breathtaking. You don’t even realize how far above the city you get and, all of a sudden, you find a completely different side of Florence. One of my favorite experiences ever. I still love to imagine what it must have been like to live there and have those gardens be your backyard. (I’m quite intrigued by the idea of the Vasari Corridor that runs from the Uffizi but I’ve yet to explore it.)
PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO
Florence’s skyline is so unique: for years, buildings were not allowed to be built higher than the base of the cupola on the Duomo, and the result is a somewhat uniform skyline, with the incredible cathedral and cupola erupting out of it.
One of the best places to admire this view? From the Piazzale Michelangelo. The breathtaking view from here is where millions of visitors every year flock to see the sunset. You can see everything from the Duomo to vineyard castles on the hills of Tuscany.
This is, by far, the most famous view overlooking the city and has been reproduced on countless postcards and photographs. You will also find a bronze replica of David that is thought to be safeguarding the city. The Piazza Michelangelo allows you to experience the vibrant colors of the sunset that inspired numerous artists from the Renaissance and beyond.
How to get there: Ride Bus #11 or #12. By foot, cross the Ponte Alle Grazie Bridge or Ponte Vecchio Bridge and walk to Piazza Poggi. From there, follow the uphill trail to Piazzale Michelangelo.
It’s a bit of a hike to get up there (about a 20-minute climb from Santa Croce, quite a bit of it uphill), but it’s worth it to go a bit out of the way. Time your visit for sunset and grab a glass of wine while there for an especially memorable evening! We arrived super early and ended up having an early dinner at this beautiful restaurant: La Loggia, which sits on top of the hill.
When you reach the top of Piazzale Michelangelo, you will understand why it’s one of the top places to visit in Florence.
Not too tired when you reach the top and want to admire Florence skyline from an even higher angle? San Miniato al Monte is located only another 5 minutes or so of climbing up the hill and boasts another incredible view of Florence–and one that is a bit less crowded than the more popular vantage point at Piazzale Michelangelo.
San Miniato is a church, monastery, and cemetery that has an equally beautiful view of the city but with none of the crowds. If you happen to be there by 5 pm you will get a chance to hear the monks singing Gregorian chants. A bit of local life on your 24 hours in Florence.
THE PONTE VECCHIO
The Ponte Vecchio was Florence’s first bridge to cross the Arno River and is the only surviving bridge from Florence’s medieval days. Lined with shops selling gold and silver jewelry, you’ll have a great view of the city along the Arno River. This bridge is a true landmark of the city of Florence.
At night, it can be quite romantic to take in a local musician busking at the center of the bridge, while gazing upon the city lighting up the river.
UFFIZI GALLERY
The Galleria Degli Uffizi holds the world’s most important collection of Renaissance art. It is essential to buy reservation tickets before going to avoid the long line. Trust us on this one, the line can be hours, as they only allow so many people in the museum at one time.
Your reservation is not a ticket, just a pass to get in the much shorter line to enter. In the museum, you will see works from Michelangelo, Giotto, Botticelli, da Vinci, and Raphael. The size of the Uffizi is absolutely daunting and we did not have any perspective for Renaissance art.
Florence’s Galleria dell’ Academia, holds Michelangelo’s David, easily the most famous sculpture in the world. One of our favorite parts of this museum is the collection of musical instruments,
LA BASILICA DI SANTA CROCE
Protected by an imposing statue of Dante, it sits with its beautiful facade in front of a modest piazza.
The Santa Croce was built for the common citizens of Florence, just a 15-minute walk from the much more grand Duomo.
This is our favorite church in Florence. It houses tombs of the likes of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile, Rossini, and the empty tomb of Dante.
For this reason, the Santa Croce is also known as the Temple of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell’ Itale Glorie).
Florence keeps the empty tomb of Dante in hopes that one day it shall be filled with his decayed remains. They are currently housed in the city of Ravenna, his final resting place, after being exiled from Florence. Dante’s empty tomb in Santa Croce
WANDER TOWARDS PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA
Just a short walk away from the Fontana del Porcellino sits the Piazza Della Signoria–this is one of the prettiest piazzas in Florence. It is just off of the River Arno and next to the Uffizi Gallery.
This piazza is home to the Fountain of Neptune, the Palazzo Vecchio, and a small open-air museum that shows off some absolutely incredible statues.
We loved taking a seat and people-watching in this piazza–we spent a memorable night, eating some gelato on the steps that lead to the statues while listening to a talented busker and enjoying the hustle and the bustle of the city around us. It was absolutely magical!
If you want to add another epic view of Florence to your Florence itinerary, consider heading to the top of the Palazzo Vecchio while you’re here–it’s home to one of our personal favorite views of Florence!
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