A City Break in Florence: How to See it All in Three Days

Welcome to Florence, or as the locals call it, Firenze. Florence is a city where every corner is enriched in history. Walking the streets of this ancient city is like walking back in time. I spent four months living in this marvelous place and am counting the days to when I get to return. However, the next time I visit will most likely be for just a weekend with friends who have never visited before. So here is my speed-run guide of how to see all the sites of Florence in 3 days.

Day 1

morning arrival

1. There are multiple ways to get to Florence. It has an airport, so you can choose to fly in. However, most cities do not have a direct flight here. Nearby airports are located in Rome, Milan, Pisa, and Bologna. All of those would require taking the train from the station and getting off at Firenze SMN (Santa Maria Novella). A taxi station is located right outside the exit of the train station, which can easily take you to your accommodation. However, Florence is a walking city, and if you're feeling up for it, I would consider walking to your accommodation. The cobblestones do make dragging a suitcase a bit of a hassle, but if it's just you and backpack for the weekend, then I say give walking a shot.

If you arrived in the morning, you're going to want something to eat once you have settled. If you have access to a kitchen, grocery stores like Conad and Pam Local can be found throughout the city. Groceries are high quality for low prices, and most items can be bought in small quantities. (If you buy fruit or vegetables, don't forget to weigh them before bringing them to the checkout!) There are great places to eat on every street of the city and almost every restaurant will have pizza or pasta. I recommend picking somewhere close to your accommodation for an easy bite.

afternoon Sight-Seeing

2. Duomo

A must-see for everyone visiting Florence is the Duomo. Duomo actually references the Cathedral, not the dome (the dome is called the cupola). The Duomo, or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is located in the center of Florence. Head to the back of the cathedral to the ticket office (this can also be done in advance online). You can purchase tickets for €15 to see the buildings associated with the Duomo: the bell tower, the baptistery, the crypts, and the cupola. Entrance to the Duomo is free, and the entrance is located at the front of the church. Lines will often form, and only a certain amount of people are allowed in at a certain time. Once inside, you will get to see the famous interior of the dome, which was painted by Michelangelo.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

After seeing the interior, use your ticket to visit the crypts below the cathedral. Afterwards, you can decide in which order you wish to do the other buildings. The bell tower and the cupola are both a climb, with the bell tower being 414 steps and the cupola being 551. (Note: If you get claustrophobic, do not climb the cupola. The corridors are extremely narrow. If you don't like heights, don't do the cupola or the bell tower.) Tickets are good for 48 hours, so I recommend climbing one now and the other later. For the purposes of this guide, I recommend going first to the baptistery and then climbing the bell tower. The cupola requires signing up for a time in advance (which you can do when you buy your ticket), so pick an available time slot for either day 2 or 3 and plan accordingly.

People taking pictures on top of the cupola.

Note: for the rest of the afternoon after the Duomo, you will have to choose which buildings you would like to see the interior of. It is not possible to see all of these in one day.

4. After visiting the Duomo, head west down Via de' Cerretani and then onto Via dei Banchi. You will walk onto a green space in Florence known as Piazza di Santa Maria Novella. You will see the beautiful Basilica di Santa Maria Novella at the north side of the piazza, and entry to the church is optional for €7,50.

5. Once finished, head back down Via dei Banchi for approximately 100 meters before turning left onto Via del Giglio. Follow this street until you reach the Basicila di San Lorenzo. You will be viewing the church from the back, but if you continue walking along its side, you will reach the front. The church's facade was never finished, so at first it may appear less important and grand. The interior of the church, however, makes up for it. You have the option to buy tickets as well to see the Medici Chapel (where prominent members of the Medici family were buried), the library, and more.

6. Next, continue past the church down Via de' Gori, which leads into Via de' Pucci. As you walk, you'll pass Palazzo Medici on your left. Palazza Medici was the building that inspired Renaissance architecture and was built for Cosimo the Elder. If the gates are open, it is possible to view the courtyard designed by Michelozzo for free. Visiting the rest of the building will require purchasing a ticket.

7. Continuing down Via de' Pucci will eventually lead you to an intersection where to your right is a view of the back of the Duomo. Take a left  on Via dei Servi until you reach Piazza della Santissima Annuziata. To the right is the Foundling Hospital, designed by Brunelleschi. It was built to be an orphanage, and the building is now used by UNICEF. It is possible to purchase tickets for €4.

8. After, head back down Via dei Servi until reaching the Duomo, then head south down Via del Proconsolo until you reach a small piazza called Piazza di San Firenze. Take a left down Via del' Anguillara until you reach Piazza di Santa Croce. At the far end is the church where Michelangelo is buried. Many consider this the second most important church in the city (the Duomo being the first). The ticket office is to the left of the church.

Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria

9. To end the site seeing, head back towards how you entered the piazza, but instead take Borgo dei Greci. The street ends in Piazza della Signoria, and the massive building standing there is known as Palazzo Vecchio, the "old palace." Palazzo Vecchio has seen numerous renovations throughout its existence, which can be seen by touring the interior. It is possible to climb the bell tower here, which gives you a perfect view of the Duomo.

View from Palazzo Vecchio's bell tower

As with lunch yesterday, there are excellent restaurants for dinner in every direction. Dishes Florence is known for include Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine steak), ribollita (a Tuscan soup), Trippa alla Fiorentina (Florentine tripe), and more. Don't forget to try the table wine or to order yourself a glass of local wine like Chianti. Dinner is typically eaten around 20:00 (8:00 PM) in Italy.

Day 2

Morning site-seeing

1. The first stop for Day 2 is the Uffizi Gallery, located right next to where yesterday ended (Piazza Signoria). The Uffizi Gallery houses the largest art collection in the city, and features famous pieces like Botticelli's The Birth of Venus and Raphael's Madonna of the Goldfinch. Tickets are €8 and the gallery opens at 8:15 AM. Depending on how long you desire to tour the gallery will determine what time you should get there in the morning. (Note: I spent two hours there and did not see everything.)

2. After finishing at the Uffizi, head towards the river and follow it to the right along Lungarno degli Archibusieri. You'll see a bridge over the river on your left, but when you finally get to it, it will look like just another street. Head left onto this bridge which is known as the Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge"), often referred to as the "Gold Bridge." This is because every shop on the bridge sells gold and jewelry and has been for hundreds of years. Feel free to window shop and take pictures once you reach the center of the bridge.

Viewing the Ponte Vecchio

AFternoon Sight-seeing

3. Follow the bridge to the other side of the River Arno and continue straight. Eventually, you will see the Palazzo Pitti to your left, which you will visit later on today. Take a right onto  Sdrucciolo de' Pitti and follow the street to the next intersection. On the corner you will see Gusta Pizza, one of the most famous places to get pizza in Florence. I recommend getting lunch here. Guy Fierri from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives visited the place and you can see a picture of him on the wall inside.

Reasons to love Gusta Pizza

4. After eating, head left on Via dei Michelozzi to Piazza Santo Spirito. You will see the Basilica di Santo Spirito, which you can enter and tour should you choose.

5. Continue back the way you came to Palazzo Pitti. The ticket office is to the right of the entrance. There, you can buy tickets for both Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli gardens. I recommend buying both. Both the palace and the garden themselves are massive and will easily take up most of your afternoon.

6. For sunset (which may be later or earlier depending on when you go to Italy), the best view is from Piazzale Michelangelo. Head back to the River and follow it to the right towards the next bridge, Ponte alle Grazie. Once at the bridge, take a right onto Piazza dei Mozzi and then take a left onto Via di S. Niccolo. Eventually you'll veer right and then follow the signs up to Piazzale Michelangelo. This is a bit of a hike, so if walking up the hill doesn't interest you, you can also take a taxi up or hop on a bus. Once at Piazzale Michelangelo, you'll get breathtaking views of the city. You can grab dinner either before, after, or during the sunset (depending on the time of year) at La Loggia, should you wish. You will also see people picnicking on the steps or sharing a bottle of wine, which is an option for you as well.

Firenze at sunset

Day 3

Morning

1. A trip to Florence is not complete with seeing David in person. You may have noticed the two "fake" Davids already: one in Piazza Signora, the other at Piazzale Michelangelo. The real David sculpted by Michelangelo is found in the Galleria dell'Accademia, located north of the Duomo. This gallery is not that large, with the statue being the main focal point. Tickets are €8.

2. Once finished, take a left out of the gallery and then a right onto Via degli Alfani, which turns into Via Guelfa. Walk four blocks and then turn left onto Via Panicale, which will lead you to the Mercato Centrale ("Central Market")/Mercato di San Lorenzo. Within you will food from around the world made fresh everyday. On the upper levels, you can even watch Italian cooking classes take place. This is a great place to grab lunch. Surrounding the market are the leather streets. The sellers are known for being very persistent with their selling tactics, so the experience might not be for everyone. However, these streets are an easy place to purchase cheaper leather goods in the city.

David by Michelangelo

Afternoon

3. Depending on when you leave Florence will determine how much free time you have today. I recommend visiting any of the sites from Day 1 that you missed/did not get to enter. If you still have not climbed the cupola, today is perfect for that. Your options are limitless for things to do in Florence.

View from the cupola at night

Thank you for reading! Florence is one of my absolute favorite places in the world, and I hope you get to experience this amazing city, too. Booking a place to stay with Homestay.com would allow you to experience an even more authentic version of Florence by seeing it through a local's eyes.

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