Florence Itinerary & Travel Guide
Florence is the world's greatest open-air art museum — Michelangelo's David, Botticelli's Birth of Venus, and Brunelleschi's Dome are all here. The city is compact, walkable, and surrounded by Chianti wine country.
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Florence itineraries by trip length
About Florence
Florence is the world's greatest open-air art museum — a compact, walkable city where Michelangelo's David, Botticelli's Birth of Venus, and Brunelleschi's magnificent dome are all within a 20-minute walk of each other. The city gave the world the Renaissance, and every street reinforces that legacy: medieval towers, marble-faced churches, and courtyards with fountains that have barely changed since the Medici held court here. The detail that surprises first-time visitors is how small and intimate the historic centre is — you can cross it on foot in 30 minutes, which makes Florence one of the most enjoyable European cities to explore without a transit card.
Top attractions in Florence
- Uffizi Gallery
- Michelangelo's David (Accademia)
- Florence Cathedral (Duomo) & Dome
- Ponte Vecchio
- Boboli Gardens
- Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint
- Palazzo Vecchio
- Chianti wine region (day trip)
Florence travel tips
- Book tickets for the Uffizi, the Accademia (Michelangelo's David), and the Duomo dome climb online in advance — same-day queues are extremely long in high season and the dome climb has limited time slots.
- Visit the Uffizi on a weekday morning when it opens at 9am — the Botticelli Room is manageable before midday, overwhelming by 2pm.
- The Florentine bistecca alla Fiorentina (T-bone steak from Chianina cattle) is a local speciality that justifies splurging on dinner at least once — look for restaurants in Oltrarno or Santo Spirito for better value than those nearest the Duomo.
- Piazzale Michelangelo is the classic viewpoint for the Florence skyline with the Duomo dome — visit for sunrise (free, uncrowded) or an hour before sunset with a bottle of local wine from the nearby kiosk.
Florence FAQ
How many days do you need in Florence?
Most travelers plan 3 to 5 days in Florence. Three days in Florence is enough to see the major art collections, climb the Duomo, and walk the sun-warmed medieval streets at a pace that lets the city's extraordinary density of beauty actually sink in.
When is the best time to visit Florence?
The best time to visit Florence is April–June and September–October.
What are the must-see places in Florence?
Top sights in Florence include Uffizi Gallery, Michelangelo's David (Accademia), Florence Cathedral (Duomo) & Dome, Ponte Vecchio, Boboli Gardens. Our 3, 4 and 5-day itineraries group them by day so you are not crossing the city back and forth.
What currency and language are used in Florence?
Florence uses the Euro (€), and the main language is Italian.
Can I get a personalized Florence itinerary?
Yes. Planawai is an AI trip planner: tell it your dates, budget, travel style and who you are traveling with, and it builds a day-by-day Florence plan with real places, a map for each day and a cost estimate. It is free to start on the web, iPhone and Android.