Florence Travel Guide

Florence's historic centre is walkable, but doing two major museums every day is not a good plan. Three full days let you build the Duomo–Accademia, Uffizi–Piazza della Signoria and Oltrarno–Pitti axes. A fourth day gives breathing room for Santa Croce/Sant'Ambrogio, smaller museums or a nearby escape such as Fiesole.

Putting the Uffizi and the Accademia back to back on the same morning turns into racing to make entry times rather than seeing the art. The rule of one major collection per day, alongside an open-air neighbourhood walk, works better. Because of the physical effort, the Duomo dome climb should also count as a major reservation in its own right.

Don't mistake Florence for all of Tuscany. Siena, Lucca, Pisa, Chianti and the Val d'Orcia are separate routes with different transport logic. If you only have two nights in the city, know that a countryside tour means sacrificing the Uffizi or the Oltrarno; turning the Tuscany leg into separate accommodation is often more balanced.

Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) is about 5 km from the centre. The T2 tram connects the airport with the Santa Maria Novella area and the San Marco direction. According to Feel Florence's current information, the journey to the centre takes about 20 minutes; check the tram notices on the day you travel for maintenance and line changes.

Validate a paper ticket bought from the machine at the airport stop once you board. At the on-board contactless reader, each passenger must use their own card; don't assume two people can pay one after the other with the same card. Don't mix a physical card and a phone wallet during the journey.

Pisa Airport (PSA) is not in Florence. Add the total time of a train via Pisa Centrale or a direct road transfer to the flight price. On a late arrival, the last train/bus and the walk from SMN to your hotel can wipe out the advantage of a cheap ticket.

Firenze Santa Maria Novella station is on the edge of the centre; you can walk to the Duomo. However, if your high-speed train goes to Firenze Campo di Marte or another station, don't expect the same convenience. Check the full name of the station on your ticket and the validation rule for regional connections.

The official source for the Uffizi is uffizi.it and the sales channel it directs you to, tickets.uffizi.it. Don't mistake sponsored intermediary results for official tickets. Allow two and a half to three hours to really see the Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Caravaggio rooms; rushing only to the masterpiece rooms breaks the museum's Renaissance narrative.

Security and collection queues may be added to your ticket time. Read the large-bag rules, choose an audio guide in advance and don't book a slot just before the museum closes. Special routes such as the Vasari Corridor may have separate, named and timed conditions; don't assume they are automatically included in the standard Uffizi ticket.

After the museum, Piazza della Signoria, the Loggia dei Lanzi and the Palazzo Vecchio are in the same area. Access to the Palazzo Vecchio's tower/special areas may require a separate ticket and depend on the weather. After the Uffizi, a walk along the Arno and over the Ponte Vecchio rests the mind better than another big collection.

The Ponte Vecchio is at its most congested in the middle of the day. Cross the bridge in the morning and see the view from the Ponte Santa Trinita in the afternoon. Don't stop in the middle of the pedestrian flow to look at the jewellers' windows.

The main nave of Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral is free and normally requires no reservation; however, Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistery, Santa Reparata and the Opera del Duomo Museum are accessed according to the pass products. The official ticket site is tickets.duomo.firenze.it.

When choosing the Brunelleschi Pass, you enter a name and an exact time for the dome; the dome reservation may not be changeable. The dome climb involves narrow, steep, two-way stairs and about 463 steps; there is no lift. If you have claustrophobia, heart/breathing problems or limited mobility, don't push yourself for the view. Giotto's Tower is also separate and has a lot of steps.

Duomo passes may be valid for three calendar days, but access to each monument and the timed-reservation logic are not the same. Don't leave first activation to the last day; read the start date, name and slot on your ticket. Clothing that covers shoulders/knees and the security rules apply in places of worship.

The Opera del Duomo Museum, with its original sculptures and the story of the cathedral's construction, is not just a rainy-day backup. Seeing the museum before the dome climb makes Brunelleschi's engineering and the history of the facade easier to understand.

Michelangelo's David is the main draw at the Galleria dell'Accademia; however, the Prisoners, the Giambologna model, early paintings and the musical instrument collection provide the context for the visit. As of 2026, the official website states that B-Ticket is the authorised online channel and that booking is strongly recommended in busy periods.

Rather than buying a named/timed ticket and leaving after 15 minutes, set aside about 75–90 minutes. The museum's current access rules state that it does not offer a left-luggage service for large suitcases; don't go straight there with your luggage after leaving the station. On free-entry days the reservation arrangements may be different.

The Bargello is the natural complement to the Accademia for Donatello and Renaissance sculpture. The Medici Chapels for dynastic politics, the San Marco Museum for Fra Angelico and its monastic atmosphere, and Santa Maria Novella for the relationship between church and art are strong but quieter options. In 2026 some institutions offer new combined tickets; check validity and coverage on the official website.

Don't assume every church is a 'free quick stop'. Complexes such as Santa Croce have ticket/access arrangements for their museum, chapels and restoration areas. Respect restrictions on sightseeing during religious services.

South of the Arno is not a single neighbourhood. Santo Spirito means crafts, a market and an evening piazza; San Frediano has more local restaurants/bars; and San Niccolò is close to Piazzale Michelangelo and the hill walk. Crossing the Ponte Vecchio and only seeing the Pitti Palace before heading back means missing the Oltrarno.

The collections inside the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens need several hours. Doing the full Pitti on the same day as the Uffizi causes museum fatigue. The gardens are sloping and sunny, and water points can be far apart; don't schedule them for midday in midsummer. Check which areas a ticket combination covers through the official Uffizi system.

Piazzale Michelangelo gets crowded at sunset. If you are walking up, there are ramps/steps from San Niccolò; taking the bus up and walking down is easier. Respect the hours of worship at San Miniato al Monte, a little further up; the cemetery and church are not just a viewing platform.

In the Oltrarno, an 'artisan shop' label doesn't mean every product is handmade and local. Ask about evidence of production in the workshop, the materials and the origin; don't pay a premium for mass-produced leather goods just because of a Florence label.

Duomo–Signoria is the most central option for a first trip, but crowded, expensive and noisy at night. Santa Maria Novella is practical for early trains and the tram; street quality around the station varies from block to block. Santa Croce is close to restaurants/nightlife and can be loud around the piazza.

Oltrarno/Santo Spirito offers a more neighbourly balance in the evenings; you cross a bridge to the Duomo side every day, but the distance is short. San Niccolò brings views and calm, with the downside of the hill. Sant'Ambrogio is strong for the market and local food, and a little further from the main station.

In historic buildings without lifts, the 'second floor' can mean more stairs than expected. Ask about air conditioning, luggage storage, reception hours and the taxi drop-off point within the ZTL. If you are renting a car, don't choose a central hotel just because it says there is parking; confirm in writing how the garage registers your plate for the ZTL.

A municipal tourist tax may be added to the booking total depending on the property's category and the number of nights. Find out from the property whether cash is required and which age/night exemptions apply; don't rely on old fixed amounts.

Bistecca alla fiorentina is a thick, bone-in cut of meat for sharing, usually served rare. Menus may list a price per kilo; ask the approximate weight of the cut and whether there is any flexibility on cooking before ordering. If you're on your own, go for other Tuscan main dishes rather than expecting a small portion.

Ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, panzanella and bean dishes belong to the cucina povera tradition; lampredotto is a street sandwich made from the fourth stomach. At a tripperia stall you choose salsa verde and chilli sauce, and you can ask for the bread to be dipped in the broth, 'bagnato'. If you don't eat offal, don't order something just because it's local without asking what's in it.

A social-media queue at a schiacciata shop is no guarantee of quality. Around Sant'Ambrogio and the Mercato Centrale, compare cheese, charcuterie and ready meals by price/seating arrangements. The hours of the Mercato Centrale's upstairs food hall and the traditional market downstairs may not be the same.

Cantucci with vin santo make a sweet finish; for gelato, covered metal tubs, seasonal flavours and a short ingredient list are better signs than bright colours piled up like mountains. Read the coperto/servizio line on the menu, and don't confuse the price of sitting on a piazza terrace with a coffee standing up.

Florence's historic centre is a camera-controlled ZTL. The official Feel Florence map shows the entrances and zones; hours can change with the season/special arrangements. With a rental car, before following the signs, confirm that your hotel or an authorised garage will report your plate to the system. Navigation may take you past an enforcement camera as the 'shortest route'.

A car is unnecessary in the city. If you are renting one for Chianti or the Val d'Orcia, picking it up from the airport/an outer office on the day you leave the centre reduces the parking and ZTL risk. If your licence was issued outside Italy, check the international driving permit requirement in official Italian information.

Siena and Lucca can be done independently by train/bus; Chianti villages and vineyards may be poorly served by public transport. Don't drive on a day you'll be wine tasting. When choosing a tour, look not just at the 'three towns' count but at the actual time at each stop.

Validate a paper regional train ticket before boarding; digital ticket instructions vary according to the current Trenitalia system. When going to Pisa, Pisa Centrale and Pisa San Rossore are different distances from the Duomo area; don't mix up your return station.