3 days in Florence: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

Florence is the city of the Renaissance, small enough to cross on foot and packed with more great art than most capitals. Day one is the Uffizi and the civic heart around Piazza della Signoria, ending at Santa Croce, day two links the Duomo and the great churches on the way to Michelangelo's David, and day three crosses the river for the Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens and the churches of the Oltrarno.

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Day 1

The Uffizi, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and Santa Croce

5 stops

09:00
Uffizi Gallery
About 2 h 45 min
The Uffizi holds the world's finest collection of Italian Renaissance painting, from Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera to works by Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael. Book a timed entry and give the Botticelli rooms your fullest attention, as this visit covers the highlights rather than everything.
Walk, 2 min
11:50
Piazza della Signoria
About 20 min
Piazza della Signoria has been the political heart of Florence for centuries, with a copy of Michelangelo's David at the door of Palazzo Vecchio and the open-air sculpture gallery of the Loggia dei Lanzi. Find Cellini's bronze Perseus in the Loggia, then walk a block north to Orsanmichele.
Walk, 2 min
12:15
Orsanmichele
About 30 min
This tall, square church began as a grain market, and the city's guilds filled the niches on its outer walls with statues by Donatello, Ghiberti and Verrocchio, now shown as copies outside with originals kept inside. Walk all the way round, and look in at Orcagna's marble tabernacle if the church is open.
Walk, 3 min
12:50
Palazzo Vecchio
About 1 h 40 min
Florence's town hall is a fortress-like palace with a slender tower, and inside, the vast Hall of the Five Hundred is lined with huge battle scenes. If the Arnolfo Tower is open, climb it for a view over the Duomo and the rooftops.
Walk, 8 min
14:40
Basilica of Santa Croce
About 50 min
Santa Croce is Florence's great Franciscan church and the resting place of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli, with frescoes by Giotto in the chapels near the altar. See Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel in the cloister to close the day.

Day 2

The Duomo, the great churches and Michelangelo's David

5 stops

09:00
Florence Cathedral
About 55 min
Florence Cathedral, the Duomo, is clad in green, white and pink marble and crowned by Brunelleschi's dome, the largest brick dome ever built. Climbing the dome needs a booked time slot, so reserve ahead if you want the view from the top.
Walk, 1 min
10:00
Florence Baptistery
About 50 min
The octagonal Baptistery of San Giovanni is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, with a golden mosaic ceiling inside and bronze doors outside. Ghiberti's east doors, which Michelangelo called the Gates of Paradise, face the cathedral; the panels on the building are copies, with the originals in the cathedral museum.
Walk, 7 min
11:00
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
About 50 min
Santa Maria Novella is the great Dominican church near the station, with a marble facade by Alberti and Masaccio's Holy Trinity, a milestone in the use of perspective. Look for Ghirlandaio's frescoes in the chapel behind the altar, then the cloisters and the Spanish Chapel.
Walk, 6 min
12:00
Basilica of San Lorenzo
About 50 min
San Lorenzo was the Medici family's parish church and holds their tombs, inside a calm Renaissance interior by Brunelleschi. The Medici Chapels behind it, with Michelangelo's sculptures in the New Sacristy, have their own entrance, and the market streets outside are good for a break.
Walk, 7 min
13:00
Galleria dell'Accademia
About 1 h 35 min
The Galleria dell'Accademia is home to Michelangelo's David, and seeing the statue at full height under its domed skylight is why most visitors come. Queues here are long, so book a timed entry, and look too for his unfinished Prisoners lining the hall that leads to David.

Day 3

The Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens and the Oltrarno

5 stops

09:00
Palazzo Pitti
About 1 h 40 min
The vast Pitti Palace on the south bank became the Medici family's main residence and now holds several museums, including the Palatine Gallery with paintings by Raphael and Titian. The morning slot suits one or two of its galleries before you step out into the gardens behind.
Walk, 1 min
10:45
Boboli Gardens
About 1 h 35 min
The Boboli Gardens climb the hill behind the Pitti Palace with terraces, fountains, grottoes and statues laid out for the Medici. The upper terraces give a wide view over the city, so take your time before the walk down to the river.
Walk, 6 min
12:30
Ponte Vecchio
About 25 min
The Ponte Vecchio is the only Florentine bridge spared in the Second World War, lined with jewellers' shops that hang out over the Arno. Look up at the Vasari Corridor running along the top, then turn back into the Oltrarno for the afternoon.
Walk, 7 min
13:05
Santo Spirito
About 45 min
Santo Spirito, behind a plain unfinished facade, is Brunelleschi's last church, with a calm interior of grey stone columns and side chapels running all the way round. Michelangelo's early wooden crucifix hangs in the sacristy, and the square outside is a good place for lunch.
Walk, 6 min
14:00
Santa Maria del Carmine
About 45 min
The church is famous for the Brancacci Chapel, where Masaccio's frescoes, including the Expulsion from Paradise, changed how painters showed the human figure. The chapel has its own entrance and limits numbers inside, so check ahead, and end the trip in the quiet streets of San Frediano.

Good to know

Book timed entry ahead for the Uffizi, the Accademia and the climb up the Duomo's dome, the busiest sights in the city.
The whole plan is on foot; the historic centre is compact and many of its streets are closed to traffic.
Churches expect covered shoulders and knees, so carry a light layer.
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons; Florence gets very hot in July and August.
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3 days in Florence: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

Uffizi Gallery

Piazza della Signoria

Orsanmichele

Palazzo Vecchio

Basilica of Santa Croce

Florence Cathedral

Florence Baptistery

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Basilica of San Lorenzo

Galleria dell'Accademia

Palazzo Pitti

Boboli Gardens

Ponte Vecchio

Santo Spirito

Santa Maria del Carmine

Good to know

Make this plan yours