This three-day plan is organised by geography so you spend your time looking at art, not backtracking. Day 1 covers the Centro Storico and the Duomo complex, Day 2 the great museums and Michelangelo's David, and Day 3 the Oltrarno, the markets, and a sunset on the hill. Book the Uffizi, Accademia, and dome climb in advance and start each morning early. Save any stop to drop it straight into your own itinerary.
3 Days in Florence: The Perfect Itinerary
Day 1
Centro Storico: the Duomo & Piazza della Signoria
Must visit
08:30Museum4.9
Duomo & Brunelleschi's Dome
Start at Florence's cathedral and Brunelleschi's dome, the largest masonry dome ever built. The cathedral interior is free; the 463-step climb between the inner and outer shells delivers an unforgettable city panorama.
Centro Storico
Tip: Reserve the dome-climb time slot online in advance. The first slot at 8:15am has the thinnest crowds.
Must visit
10:30Temple5.0
Baptistery of St. John
Step into one of Florence's oldest buildings to see its dazzling golden Last Judgment mosaic ceiling, then admire Ghiberti's bronze 'Gates of Paradise' doors from the piazza outside.
Centro Storico
Tip: The doors facing the cathedral are gilded replicas; the restored originals are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo nearby.
Must visit
12:30Restaurant4.6
All'Antico Vinaio
Join the legendary queue for an overflowing schiacciata sandwich stuffed with Tuscan cured meats and truffle cream. Florence's most famous casual lunch, eaten standing or on the move.
Centro Storico
Tip: Lines move faster than they look; there are several branches on the same street if one is shorter.
Must visit
14:00Scenic Spot5.0
Piazza della Signoria Open-Air Gallery
Florence's political heart doubles as a free open-air sculpture gallery. The Loggia dei Lanzi shelters Cellini's bronze Perseus and Giambologna's Rape of the Sabines, with a replica David standing guard outside Palazzo Vecchio.
Centro Storico
Tip: It is always open and free; come back after dark when the palazzo is dramatically lit and the piazza empties.
16:00Museum5.0
Palazzo Vecchio
Florence's fortress-like medieval town hall, seat of civic power since 1299. Inside, the vast Salone dei Cinquecento is painted floor to ceiling by Vasari; climb the 94-metre tower for rooftop views.
Centro Storico
Tip: The tower climb is separate from the museum and offers one of the best close-up views of the dome.
Must visit
19:30Restaurant4.5
Trattoria Mario
End the day at a no-frills communal-table trattoria serving Florentine classics since 1953. Honest, generous, and a window into how the city actually eats.
San Lorenzo
Tip: Lunch only at Mario; for dinner book ahead at Trattoria Sostanza or graze the Mercato Centrale food hall instead.
Day 2
The Great Museums: David & the Uffizi
Must visit
08:15Museum4.7
Galleria dell'Accademia
Open the day with Michelangelo's David, a five-metre marble masterpiece that has to be seen in person to comprehend. The hall of his unfinished Prisoners straining from raw stone is almost as moving.
San Marco
Tip: Book the first slot; the Accademia is small and queues build quickly. Allow about an hour.
10:30Museum5.0
Medici Chapels
Walk to the mausoleum of the Medici dynasty, where Michelangelo's allegorical figures of Dawn, Dusk, Day, and Night recline over the tombs, beneath a baroque explosion of coloured marble.
San Lorenzo
Tip: A short stroll from San Lorenzo market; check the rotating monthly closure days before you go.
13:00Restaurant4.3
Mercato Centrale Food Hall
Lunch under the soaring 19th-century iron-and-glass roof of the central market's upstairs food hall. Artisan stalls serve fresh pasta, Chianina beef, lampredotto, and gelato.
San Lorenzo
Tip: The ground-floor market and the surrounding leather stalls are worth a wander before or after.
Must visit
15:00Museum4.8
Uffizi Gallery
Spend the afternoon in one of the world's greatest art museums. Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, Leonardo, Raphael, and Caravaggio fill the Vasari-designed galleries above the Arno.
Centro Storico
Tip: Reserve a timed entry; rooms 10-14 (Botticelli) and the Caravaggio room are the highlights, so pace yourself.
18:30Photography
Ponte Vecchio at Golden Hour
Walk out onto Florence's medieval bridge of goldsmiths as the light turns amber. For the classic photo, step over to Ponte Santa Trinita for the head-on view of the shops overhanging the river.
Ponte Santa Trinita or Lungarno embankment
Tip: Golden hour and blue hour both work; the embankment below the Uffizi catches warm backlight at sunset.
20:00Bar4.5
Mad Souls & Spirits
Cross into the Oltrarno for an inventive cocktail from one of Florence's best bars, with a seasonal menu of house infusions and unusual Italian botanicals.
Centro Storico
Tip: It is small and gets busy; arrive early or expect to stand.
Day 3
Oltrarno, the Boboli Gardens & sunset on the hill
09:00Museum4.5
Palazzo Pitti
Begin across the river at the Medici's vast Renaissance palace, whose Palatine Gallery hangs Raphael and Titian in opulent state rooms that rival Versailles.
Oltrarno
Tip: A combined ticket with the Boboli Gardens is the best value if you plan to visit both.
11:00Park4.4
Boboli Gardens
Climb the terraced 16th-century Medici gardens rising behind the palace, with grottoes, fountains, and cypress-lined paths opening onto views over Florence's terracotta roofscape.
Oltrarno
Tip: The Kaffeehaus terrace has one of the best framed views in the city, espresso in hand.
13:30Street
Oltrarno Backstreets
Lunch and wander the bohemian left bank, where artisan workshops still spill onto narrow streets and Piazza Santo Spirito anchors the most authentic neighbourhood life in the city.
Oltrarno district (Borgo San Frediano, Via Maggio, Santo Spirito)
Tip: Borgo San Frediano has the densest cluster of traditional craft workshops; peek into open doorways.
16:00Museum4.6
Basilica di Santa Croce
Recross the river to the Gothic basilica that holds the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli, alongside Giotto's frescoes in the Bardi and Peruzzi chapels.
Santa Croce
Tip: The Scuola del Cuoio leather school inside the complex offers tours and hands-on classes.
18:30Sunset Spot
Piazzale Michelangelo Sunset Panorama
Climb to the hillside terrace on the south bank for the definitive Florence panorama, the whole Renaissance skyline glowing as the sun drops behind the city.
Piazzale Michelangelo, south bank hillside
Tip: Arrive 45 minutes early for a spot on the steps, and continue 10 minutes uphill to San Miniato al Monte for an even better, quieter view.
FAQ
- Is 3 days enough for Florence?
- Yes. Three full days comfortably cover the Duomo and dome, the Uffizi and the Accademia, the Oltrarno and Boboli, and a sunset on the hill. Add a fourth day for a day trip to Siena, Pisa and Lucca, or the Chianti.
- What should I book in advance for this itinerary?
- Reserve timed-entry tickets for the Uffizi, the Galleria dell'Accademia (David), and the Brunelleschi dome climb. These sell out in high season and have the longest walk-up queues. The other stops accept walk-ins.
- Can I do this itinerary on foot?
- Almost entirely. Every day is walkable, with the longest stretch being the uphill climb to Piazzale Michelangelo on Day 3, which is part of the experience. A taxi or bus 12/13 can shortcut that climb if needed.
Make it your trip
Save these places and build your own Florence itinerary in TripBox.