Florence, Italy
Plan a trip to Florence
The densest concentration of Renaissance art anywhere, in a center you can cross in twenty minutes. Two museums need advance tickets and the rest is walking.
- Couples
- Art
- Food trips
- First-timers
Free to run, and you keep editing after. Add who's coming or a pace like “slow mornings” to shape the result.
Florence at a glance
Most trips run 2 to 4 days. This page covers the 4 stops worth anchoring a plan around, 3 neighborhoods to base yourself in, and what the timing looks like across the year — then you can turn any of it into a mapped Florence itinerary you can edit and share.
- How long
- 2–4 days
- When to go
- April to May and September to October. Summer is hot and the queues are at their longest. November through February is cold, quiet, and the best time to see the art properly.
- Getting around
- Walk. The historic center is largely car-free and about one mile across. Trains from Santa Maria Novella reach Rome in ninety minutes and Venice in two hours.
What to build the plan around
- 1
Uffizi Gallery
Book a timed entry. Two hours is enough if you head straight for the Botticelli rooms.
- 2
Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome
Dome climb requires a separate reserved slot and 463 steps. The Baptistery and Campanile are on the same pass.
- 3
Accademia
David, and not much else you'll remember. Book ahead and give it an hour.
- 4
Piazzale Michelangelo
The city view worth the uphill walk, best in the hour before sunset.
Where to stay in Florence
- Centro Storico
- Inside the walls, walk to every sight, busiest by day.
- Oltrarno
- South of the river, artisan workshops, better food value, quieter evenings.
- San Niccolò
- Below Piazzale Michelangelo, residential, ten minutes from the Ponte Vecchio.
Florence planning questions
- How many days do you need in Florence?
- 2 to 4 days. Two days covers the Uffizi, the Duomo, and the Oltrarno. Four makes room for Siena or a Chianti day.
- What is the best time to visit Florence?
- April to May and September to October. Summer is hot and the queues are at their longest. November through February is cold, quiet, and the best time to see the art properly.
- Where should I stay in Florence?
- Three areas cover most trips — Centro Storico (inside the walls, walk to every sight, busiest by day); Oltrarno (south of the river, artisan workshops, better food value, quieter evenings); San Niccolò (below piazzale michelangelo, residential, ten minutes from the ponte vecchio). Pick based on whether you'd rather walk to dinner or pay less per night.
- How do you get around Florence?
- Walk. The historic center is largely car-free and about one mile across. Trains from Santa Maria Novella reach Rome in ninety minutes and Venice in two hours.
- What should I see first in Florence?
- Start with Uffizi Gallery, Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome, Accademia. Uffizi Gallery is the one to schedule first: book a timed entry. Two hours is enough if you head straight for the Botticelli rooms.
- Can I build a Florence itinerary automatically?
- Yes. Describe the trip — length, pace, who's coming — and Arriv builds a Florence itinerary with real, mapped venues you can reorder or replace. It's free to run, and you only sign in to save it or share it with your group.