Top Things to Do in Florence: Your 2-5 Day Itinerary
Our itinerary for all the best things to see, do, and eat in Florence at a relaxed pace.
Florence is a gorgeous city and extremely popular tourist destination with a LOT of things to see. From climbing the duomo to wine tasting in Tuscany, there is no shortage of things to do to fill out your Florence itinerary. In fact, you would probably need to stay for at least two to three weeks to hit it all! In this post, we’ll share everything we learned from our time in Florence to help you build the perfect 2- to 5-day itinerary, packed with all the top things to do in Florence. What to see this trip and what to save for the next one should be driven by your personal preferences, so we’ll give you our honest thoughts on the sites we saw and leave notes on where you could add more or take away. Look out for the bolded items as the can’t-miss priorities!
Just looking for some recommendations of where to eat and drink in the city? Check out our post 10 Amazing Places to Eat and Drink in Florence. We’ve also got an in-depth review on an amazing wine tour here, and everything you need to know about the traditional (and exceptionally delicious) cuisine of Tuscany here.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you visit a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we trust, and all opinions are our own.Â
Activities At A Glance
(Click each Day to jump down for more information)
Five Days (Relaxed)
*Day 1:
- Free walking tour with GuruWalk
- Dinner at Osteria Mescita Antica San Niccolo
- Galleria dell’Academia, guided tour
- Self-guided tour of the buchette del vino
- Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
- Wine tasting tour of Tuscany
- Aperitivo at Rifrullo Firenze
- Hike the duomo of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
- Opera del Duomo Museum
- Dinner at Mercato Centrale
- Pitti Palace
- Boboli Gardens
Two Days (Aggressive)
*Day 1:
- Free walking tour with GuruWalk
- Self-guided tour of the buchette del vino
- Hike the duomo of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
- Opera del Duomo Museum
- Dinner at Mercato Centrale
Day 2:
- Wine tasting tour of Tuscany
- Galleria dell’Academia, guided tour
- Aperitivo at Rifrullo Firenze
- Dinner at Osteria Mescita Antica San Niccolo
Why Visit Florence?
First and foremost, Florence is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Some of history’s most famous and prolific artists, inventors, and thinkers have walked these streets – think Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo. Galleries like the Uffizi and the Academia feature masterpieces that are household names and can’t be seen anywhere else. The duomo of Florence, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is stunningly beautiful and the largest brick dome ever constructed, as well as the third largest church in the world. On top of that, Florence sits in one of the most prolific and globally esteemed wine regions, Tuscany – and in particular the Chianti Classico region – which means excellent wine tasting against a picturesque backdrop of rolling hills and Italian cypress trees. Pair that Chianti with a Florentine steak or any of the region’s other excellent cuisine, and you’re in store for a delicious, beautiful, and culturally enriching experience.
Where To Stay?
San Niccolo 61
4 Guests - 1 Bedroom - 2 Beds - 1 Bath - Pet Friendly
We stayed at this Airbnb in the San Niccolò neighborhood and 12/10 would recommend. This area was still walkable to all of the main sites, but less crowded, noisy, and touristy. There were excellent restaurants just steps outside of our front door that were full of locals, as well as one of the best terrace bars I have ever been to – and I am a stickler about a good aesthetic and vibe. I would definitely recommend a stay here or in San Frediano & Santo Spirito neighborhoods – essentially, anything south of the Arno river – for a more relaxed stay with great food that is still accessible to the key sites. Alternatively, if you’re more of a hostel type, the Santa Croce neighborhood has a thriving nightlife with a grittier, melting-pot feel and is where we saw the most young people and bar hopping.
Day 1 - Let's Get Familiar
- 08:00-12:00 – Sleep off that jet lag so you can hit the ground running.
- 12:30-1:30 – Grab an early lunch (yes, early – typical meal times here are 8/9am, 1:30-3pm, and 8:30-10:30pm). We went to Enoteca Bevovino near the Airbnb for some tasty pasta.
- 2:00-4:00 – Free walking tour via GuruWalk– don’t forget to tip!
- 4:00-6:00 – Wander and familiarize yourself with sites you saw, grab any photos you missed, or work on obtaining tickets for museums that excited you on the tour (The Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria dell’Academia both have scheduled entry times that you should definitely reserve in advance to avoid long lines).
- 6:00-7:30 – Spritz time! Enjoy one of the best things about Italy – free snacks with every drink – to help tide you over till dinner. There are seemingly unlimited options for aperitivo, so pick something convenient to your day.
- 8:30-10:00 – Dinner. We recommend something classic for the first night, like bistecca alla Fiorentina.  Osteria Antica Mescita San Niccolò near our stay was absolutely incredible. You can learn more about the traditional dishes of Florence here and see all of our restaurant and bar recommendations here.Â
Today's Top Site
Our favorite way to start off any new city is with a walking tour. It’s the best way to get familiar with the area, learn some fascinating tidbits about the city’s history, and pique your interest on which sites or museums you would like to spend more time in. We reserved our tour through GuruWalk, which is an app that offers free – yes, free – walking tours in over 800 cities in 100 countries (and counting!). Â
We had a great experience with the app and with our guide, Camila, where we learned all about the Medici family and the history of Florence during the Renaissance, including some really insightful bits of art and religious interpretation. For example, did you know that Michelangelo’s David was originally meant to sit atop a wall of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and serve as a political statement to Rome? Or that Eleanora di Toledo, wife of Cosimo I, requested that he build a secret corridor that extends from Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, across the top of Ponte Vecchio, so that the family could move freely between their residences apart from the people?Â
We took “The BEST tour in FLORENCE: Renaissance and Medici tales,” but there are over 3,400 free tours in Florence! Check out some of their most popular ones below:
Day 2 - All About Michelangelo
David, Michelangelo (1504)
08:30 – Start your day with a classic Italian breakfast – espresso i cornetto (croissant). It might not be your big American cup of coffee, but it’s delicious, cheap (should be 1.50 EUR or less) and available on every corner.
- 09:30-12:00 – Galleria dell’Academia. Expect to spend 1-2 hours inside, but add at least 1-2 hours of waiting time if you don’t have an advanced ticket reservation.
- 12:30-2:00 – Find a spot for a nice, relaxed lunch after the chaos of crowds and lines. Work your way away from tourist attractions and aim for a place that does NOT have menus in English with pictures of all the food or a waiter outside whose primary job is to lure you in.
- 3:00-5:00 – Take yourself on an unofficial wine tour of Florence by seeking out its famous buchette del vino, or “wine windows.” From 1532 until the early 1900s, wealthy families used to sell bottles of wine from their private vineyards to the public directly through these tiny windows. The buchette fell out of use for about a hundred years, and only recently began to be reused during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, there are about 20 operating buchette of the approximately 150 within the old city walls. Try starting with Babae, one of the first to resume selling wine through these windows of history.
- 6:00-7:30 – Hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a fantastic view of the city during sunset. Grab a spritz from a cart vendor and rough it on the steps or grab a table with a view at La Loggia del Piazzale Michelangelo. We highly recommend their aperitivo spread, and especially the coccoli.
- 8:30-10:00 – Take yourself on a culinary adventure at Nugolo. A funky, inventive, and upscale restaurant committed to putting a new spin on classic dishes. The delightful bistro atmosphere is a pleasant surprise in the rougher Santa Croce neighborhood, and the dishes were truly unique.
- 10:30-? – If you’ve still got some energy, bar hop in Santa Croce. A regentrifying neighborhood full of youth, immigrant communities, and minorities, this neighborhood is teeming with life and energy. The bar scene is more vibrant than most in Florence and predominantly locals.
Today's Top Site
When it comes to the Galleria dell’Academia, even more so than The Uffizi Gallery due to the Academia’s small size, it is really important to plan ahead. This museum houses the David, which is Florence’s most visited attraction, along with a collection of plaster busts, musical instruments, and other art. The cheapest tickets are those purchased in person or from the official museum site (4 EUR surcharge) for 16 EUR and have a 15-minute scheduled entry window. This allows you to skip the (VERY long) general admittance line and instead line up in a separate advanced reservation line displaying your scheduled entry time. Â
Day 3 - Drink Your Way Through Tuscany
-  09:00-2:00 – Adventure into the vineyards of Tuscany on a small group wine tasting tour (learn more here!). Be prepared to learn a lot about not only wine, but olive oil, local cheeses, and balsamic as well!
- 3:00-5:00 – Nap off that happy little wine buzz before you enjoy the rest of your evening.
- 6:30-8:00 – Enjoy a long aperitivo at the absolute VIBES of Rifrullo Firenze‘s back terrace. While the front terrace and inside are open all day, the back terrace doesn’t open until 6:30 and fills up very quickly. Reservations recommended, but you can also line up right before it opens for a good shot at entry. Spacious, full of greenery, hanging lamps, and exposed brick, and an open concept bar with drinks and snacks both sure to delight and satisfy, it’s a must visit. We highly recommend the gyoza toscani.
- 8:30-10:00 – Head next door to Zeb for an intimate, coursed meal from a small menu changed daily. Fresh made pastas, delectable secondi, and an incredible tiramisu. If you haven’t tried it yet, finish off your meal with a digestivo of grappa, a spirit-forward grape-based brandy native to Italy.
Today's Top Site
Day 4 - The Duomo of Florence
- 08:30-1:00 – Take the morning off in preparation for your upcoming hike up the duomo. Alternatively, slot in the Uffizi Gallery or Museo Galileo for some additional art and culture.
- 1:30-2:30 – Skip the lines and the over-hype of All’Antico Vinaio and grab a schiacciata ripiena at La Nicchietta in Calimaruzza. This classic Florentine sandwich is flattened, salted focaccia bread stuffed with a variety of meats, cheeses, and vegetables and is a delicious and very popular street food. Can’t beat the price at 5 EUR a pop, either!
- 3:00-4:00 – Take a stroll through Piazza della Signoria to see some of the only original statues in Florence not located inside a museum.
- 4:30-5:30 – Hike up Brunelleschi’s dome at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore for absolutely incredible, 360-degree views of the city. Â
- 5:30-7:00 – Follow-up your hike with a visit to the nearby Opera del Duomo Museum, which includes the original gold doors of the baptistery (the “gates of paradise”), a life-size model of the original medieval period facade of the Cathedral, and a lot more information on the construction of the duomo itself.
- 7:30-9:00 – Head to the Mercato Centrale for late aperitivo/early dinner. The second floor of this market is full of high-quality food vendors with a central bar that will serve to your table. Browse the stands to see all kinds of local specialties like lampredotto, tripa alla fiorentina, ragu di cinghiale, loads of pizzas and pastas and dishes with local truffle, and of course a cannoli for dessert. There’s also a wine shop where you can grab a bottle to enjoy at home. Read more about our visit here.
Today's Top Site
Hiking the dome was probably our favorite activity that we did in Florence. Though it will require you to climb 463 stairs to reach the top, the views are incredible and it really feels special to hike within the dome and feel a part of history. You’ll also get close-up views of the frescoes painted inside the dome. Once you reach the top, you get about 15-20 minutes to walk the circumference of the dome and take pictures.Â
Pro-tip: the Cathedral closes at 4:30, so if you don’t care to spend too much time inside, by timing your hike for 4:30 you can get a peak inside the church on your way in when it is almost empty – a rare feat any other time of day, and without the wait.Â
Entry tickets for the duomo are purchased as part of the “Brunelleschi Pass,” which also grants you entrance to the Opera del Duomo Museum, the belltower (which you can also hike), the baptistery, and Santa Reparata. The pass costs 30 EUR when purchased directly from the Cathedral and is valid for three days, giving you plenty of time to see everything. It’s important to note however, that the duomo hike requires a timed entry slot, and there is a chance this will not be available if you haven’t scheduled far enough in advance. If that’s the case, or if you’re worried about this, you can instead buy your Brunelleschi Pass for a small mark-up from a tour guide company, like this one we purchased here, which will then guarantee you an entry time as part of a small-group tour.Â
Day 5 - A Stroll Through the Gardens
- 08:30-09:00 – Grab breakfast at Vivaldi. They also have a spacious room in the back with free wifi if you need somewhere to kill time with your suitcases before departure.
- 09:30-12:30 – Check out Palazzo Pitti, the largest museum complex in Florence.  Tickets are 22 EUR for both Palazzo Pitti and the Giardino di Boboli, or 16 EUR for just the palace.
- 12:30-2:30 – Grab a sandwich from the cafe and head into the Boboli Gardens, attached to the palace. Head to the grassy area between the Madama Grotto and the Fountain of Ganymede and enjoy a pleasant picnic with a view.
- 3:00-5:00 – If you’re craving more gardens, or just hoping to see a flower (there are surprisingly few at Boboli!), head over to nearby Giardino Bardini. It features a stunning lavender wisteria pergola that blooms in April and May. The best part? Entrance is included with your ticket to Boboli.
- 5:30 – If you haven’t yet, make sure to stop for some gelato, invented here in Florence! For the best scoop, avoid shops where the gelato is piled sky-high (this just means it’s fluffed up with air), there are too many flavors available (can’t handmake 30 flavors every day, after all), and any flavors look artificial (hint – pistachio should be a muddy brown-green).
- 6:00-7:30 – Time for your – despair! – last aperitivo of Florence. Enjoy the free snacks while you can.
- 8:30-10:00 – For your last dinner, make sure to visit another traditional osteria or trattoria to round out any signature dishes you haven’t tasted yet (Wondering what these are? Check out our post all about it here.) Nearby Trattoria da Ginone is a favorite among locals.
For the best scoop, avoid shops where the gelato is piled sky-high (this just means it’s fluffed up with air), there are too many flavors available (can’t handmake 30 flavors every day, after all), and any flavors look artificial (hint – pistachio should be a muddy brown-green).Today's Top Site
The Palazzo Pitti was the third home of the Medici family after Eleanora di Toledo decided she needed “a bit more space.” The palace was purchased by the Medici in 1549 and served as their primary residence for about 200 years. It later also served as a power base for Napoleon in the late 18th century and briefly as the principal royal palace of the kingdom of Naples in the mid 19th century. Now, it houses several museums and exhibits, including the Palatine Gallery and the Royal Apartments. We spent about 3 hours here, and in our opinion, you can skip the Costume Gallery and the Treasury of the Grand Dukes.Â
The connected Boboli Gardens were also Eleanora’s idea – you can tell she was a lady with grand tastes – and were the Medici’s private gardens during their residence. At a massive 111 acres, the Gardens are impressive in both size and influence. In fact, they Boboli Gardens are credited with the origination of the Italian garden design, later popularized across Europe.Â
Pro-tip for this and other museums: all museums in Florence are free on the first Sunday of the month, so if your schedule allows, it’s a great way to save a few bucks! Â
We hope these tips help you have an amazing trip to Florence. Let us know what you liked most in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out our list of top bars and restaurants here, learn about our favorite Tuscan wine tour here, and get excited about all of the amazing food of Tuscany here.
Want a few more ideas of what to do in Florence? Check out these top tours:
Related Posts
