Florence In A Day

Jackie · 01-12-2025 9:48 AM

If you only had a day to spend in Florence what would you do? Although I think you could spend a lifetime in Florence and not see all that there is to see I often meet people who only have a day to spend. So here is what I would do if I only had a day.

I would get there early and walk over to the Ponte Vecchio. The stores will be closed on the bridge but there will not be any crowds offering you a great opportunity to take pictures. The Arno River with all the bridges early in the morning is beautiful.

Then I would head over to the Accademia to visit Michelangelo's statue of David. I have seen the statue many times and it is still awe inspiring. Then I would head over to the Mercato Nuovo. Yes, it is touristy but this large market where you can buy all types of leather goods and a mishmash of other things is still fun. I would then have lunch at I Fratellini. You have to eat standing up, but the food is delicious and the price is right.

After lunch I would head over to Santa Croce stopping to sit for a while in Piazza Signoria both to look at the architecture and statues but also to people watch! Santa Croce is one of my favorite churches in Italy and it is definitely worth a visit.

Santa Croce would be followed by a gelato. Florence is rumored to have the best gelato in the world and I have to say that though I am still conducting my taste testing so far I agree.

By now, hopefully the crowds will have thinned around the Duomo and Baptistry so I would head over to see this magnificent church.

For dinner I would go to Ristorante Buca Mario - one of my favorites. After dinner I would head back to Piazza Signoria and listen to the musicians that play in the courtyard of the Uffizi. It would be the perfect end to the perfect day.

SeaDog · 04-05-2026 7:38 PM

Granted you cannot do everything there is to do in Florence in a day but I have to ask - "How can you go to Florence and not go to the Uffizi?" The Uffizi is one of the most remarkable museums in the world. The Uffizi has been around since 1580 or so, that alone is enough to recommend it. The Uffizi is organized by rooms and you are guided from one room to the next. Paintings date from the 1200's. You can order tickets online or have your hotel reserve tickets for you. You will need to get your tickets in advance to avoid long lines and the good chance that after standing in line you will not be able to get in. As soon as you know what day you want to go to the Uffizi book your reservations. There are always singers performing in the courtyard in front of the Uffizi so save some time to sit and listen to them. The accoustics are great and you may be seeing an up and coming opera star.

Sueinphoenix · 04-06-2026 11:06 AM

Make sure you leave enough time to walk across the Ponte Vecchio. I have spoken to so many people who never make it across to the other side of the Arno.

Gary2009 · 04-22-2009 3:15 PM

I would skip the mercato nuovo though my wife may disagree. Instead I would head across the Ponte Vecchio and go to the Pitti Palace and Baboli Gardens. The gardens are a great place to relax.

Rascal · 04-29-2009 5:23 PM

I agree with going to the gardens. After days of touring around Florence which is beautiful and looking at all that art it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle and just walk around the gardens. We happened to be there in the fall and the weather was beautiful. You get a great view of the city including the Duomo.

CindyinAtl · 09-06-2026 8:27 AM

Ah, yes! When we were there the museum workers were on strike. Since I haven't seen the Ufizzi, I can't say whether it is a must or not. But all the things Jackie described are wonderful! I especially enjoyed sitting with a glass of wine or a gelato and listening to the impromptu artists near the Ufizzi. I wonderful way to spend the end of a busy day. I was fortunate to be in Florence for more than one day and watched the artists at the end of each day.

amonialogin · 08-09-2025 2:41 AM

Pisa: Long before Florence hit its peak, Pisa experienced a golden age of maritime supremacy in the Med. The legacy of those glorious 1200s have bequeathed us the Campo dei Miracoli: a fine Gothic cathedral, a Baptistery embellished by the finest sculptors in Europe, and most famously the free-standing campanile, aka the Torre Pendente or Leaning Tower. Don't limit your visit to just this tourist set-piece, however, magnificent though it is. La cucina Pisana is on fine form at Cavalieri (on Via San Frediano) and cantina-like Porton Rosso, close to the produce market on Viacolo del Tidi is another fantastic place to slip away from the crowds for a relaxed spot of lunch.

Regular direct trains link Santa Maria Novella with Pisa; alight at Pisa San Rossore (not Centrale) if you're heading direct to the Campo dei Miracoli. Pisa's official tourist information is at pisaunicaterra.it.

Siena: Where muscular Florence has the Renaissance, feminine Siena showcases the ultimate in Italian Gothic. At the height of its power it was the equal of any city-state in central Italy - and the legacy of those early 1300s formed the city you see today. The Palazzo Pubblico, started in 1297, houses enormous frescoes by Simone Martini and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Duccio di Buoninsegna's Maestà, paraded from his workshop to the cathedral when it was completed in 1311, now resides in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo - the top floor of which provides access to the Facciatone and one of the city's great views. (You'll find another from the top of the 102m Torre del Mangia, that rises above Siena's scallop-shaped main square, the Campo.)

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Last edited by amonialogin (08-09-2025 2:41 AM)

#1 01-12-2025 9:48 AM

Florence In A Day

#2 04-05-2026 7:38 PM

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#5 04-29-2009 5:23 PM

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Florence In A Day