Florence is the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region and the perfect place to enjoy quality time away from the hustle and bustle.
The city holds many treasures for art and history lovers. On a trip to Florence, you’ll experience the best of medieval as well as modern times, with views that take your breath away.
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The Best 3 Day Florence Itinerary
Enjoy your stay with this 3-day Itinerary of Florence. If you only have 2 days in Florence, we recommend picking out some of your favourites.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Trip
We use the below booking platforms to plan our trips. We hope you find them useful too!
Where to Stay in Florence
Luxury – If luxury is your style, then there is only one place you will want to choose in Florence for a seriously unforgettable stay right in the centre of the city. The Golden Tower Hotel & Spa is the epitome of style in Florence, with white walls and bed linen and dark-wood furniture, close proximity to Palazzo Strozzi, and free to use spa facilities.
Book your stay at the Golden Towe Hotel & Spa right here.
Mid-range – For a mid-range price, Hotel Basilea is a great city centre hotel offering a modern style and air conditioning. You can easily explore Florence on foot from the Basilea. The famous Duomo is also only 5 minutes’ walk away.
Book your stay at Hotel Basilea right here.
Budget – If you are looking for a cheap and cheerful stay in Florence, then Il Verrocciho is for you. Located close to Florence cathedral in the heart of the city, this B&B is a great price for the location and room type. Enjoy a private room and private bathroom for a great budget price.
Day 1
Piazza del Duomo
A visit to Piazza del Duomo is a great way to kick off your visit. Piazza del Duomo, or ‘Cathedral Square’, is an amazing area surrounded by stunning architecture.
This location is famously known as the spiritual centre as it houses the city’s Cathedral, the Campanile di Giotto and the Battistero di San Giovanni, some of Florence’s most famous landmarks. So when you visit this square, make sure you leave ample time!
The Cathedral or ‘Duomo’
The Cathedral, or ‘Duomo’, is dedicated to Santa Maria Del Fiore. The stunning marble facade is sure to stop you in your tracks as you admire its rich beauty.
The cathedral complex is made up of the Brunelleschi Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, and The Baptistry of St. John. Each structure has its own unique features and beauty but the one that catches the eye of everyone is the magnificent dome that overlooks the city’s skyline.
Visitors have admired the dome, once the biggest in the world, for centuries. This title now belongs to a different building but there is one accolade this structure retains; the biggest brick dome ever built.
The dome’s structure incorporates many styles. Initially, it was built as a basilica with Roman and Byzantine design features. Classical Antiquity elements were added later, a change that inspired Renaissance architects and made a huge impact on the art culture of Florence.
The Accademia Gallery
The Accademia Gallery is probably the most visited gallery in Florence. Although this is a small museum, it is always busy.
One of the major attractions is a $16 million dollar violin, found amongst the classic collection of various instruments in the Hall Of Musical Instruments.
The Accademia Gallery is also home to Michelangelo’s famous sculpture of David. The life-like structure is incredible and draws in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Day 2
The Uffizi Gallery
This magnificent gallery is one of the world’s oldest and finest museums and is home to some of the best artworks in the world. The collection here has been perfectly kept since the time of Leonardo.
‘Coronation of the Virgin’ by Fra Angelico, ‘Madonna with the Long Neck’ by Parmigianino, ‘Portrait of Pope Leo X with Two Cardinals’ by Raphael, ‘Head of Christ’ by Unknown Tuscan Master, ‘Medusa’ by Caravaggio, ‘Doni Tondo’ by Michelangelo, and ‘Venus of Urbino’ by Titian are just some of the amazing pieces here.
These wonderful artworks showcase the renaissance effect on Florence and how it gradually evolved.
Mercato Centrale
When you visit the Mercato Centrale, you will get the local as well as the vintage market experience in Florence. You might start out visiting for the food but are sure to stay for the vibes of this huge indoor market, right in the city centre.
On the first floor, there are lots of vendors selling authentic produce, fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables and even flowers. On the second floor you’ll find the food court. There are stalls catering to everything you could want to eat, including Italian food, sushi, grilled food, salads, and more.
This marketplace is a particularly good choice if you are traveling in a group since it has a huge variety of food for every taste.
San Lorenzo Market
Located outside the Mercato Centrale is the San Lorenzo Market. Known for its abundance of souvenirs for sale, the market has various shops and vendors, swarming the streets and entertaining shoppers from all over the world.
It’s a great place to relax and soak up the atmosphere as you enjoy a leisurely stroll around the stalls.
Day 3
Ponte Vecchio
Arguably Florence’s most recognised landmark, Ponte Vecchio is a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge that spans over the Arno River.
The beautiful construction was the only bridge in Florence not to be destroyed in WWII and today, tourists flock here to get that perfect Italian holiday snap.
There is more here than just a fascinating structure, there are also lots of shops built along the bridge. You can pick up many things including jewellery, art, and souvenirs.
Boboli Gardens
Located behind the Pitti Palace, these carefully engineered gardens are a favourite for many visitors.
The plan for the gardens was drawn up by Niccolò Tribolo and completed by other artists after his death in 1550. They were commissioned by Eleonora de Toledo, wife of Cosimo I. She had asked him to create a setting that would be appropriate for the vast pageants and Medici court entertainments of the time.
Today, the gardens are open to the public with statues hailing from various historical periods. Among the many amazing pieces in the gardens, there is a magnificent horseshoe-shaped amphitheater with an Egyptian obelisk.
Originally, the garden lacked a natural water supply and relied on an elaborate system of water distribution. Cosimo’s son, Ferdinando I, took it a step further and enlarged the special conduit that was previously built to tap the river water. Eventually, the garden waters came to be known as the Acqua Ferdinanda.
Pitti Palace
Exceptional in size and grandeur, Pitti Palace is one of the largest palazzos in Florence.
Constructed in the mid 1400s by rich banker Luca Pitti, the family enjoyed many happy years here. Unfortunately, debt took over and they had to sell it. The mansion ended up being purchased by their ancient rivals, the Medicis.
Today, the palace is divided in to five museums where you learn about the rich and interesting history of Florence, as well as Italy.
Piazzale Michelangelo
This is the most famous viewpoint in the city – Piazzale Michelangelo. This Piazzale opened in 1875 as part of Florence’s urban renewal. There are replicas of some of Michelangelo’s works in the square, including his most famous – ‘David’.
This terrace offers a spectacular view of the city’s skyline. Its the perfect way to wrap up your trip.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
To add an extra bit of wow to your trip, why not add one of the seven wonders of the world to your itinerary – The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Around 42 miles from Florence, you can drive or take a train and be there in around an hour.
How to Prepare for Your Visit to Florence
Before you set off on your trip to Florence, there are a number of things you will need to organise to ensure a smooth and successful trip. These include what to pack for Italy and what is the best travel insurance for your trip. Both of these will be discussed in the following section.
Where to Stay in Florence
Luxury – If luxury is your style, then there is only one place you will want to choose in Florence for a seriously unforgettable stay right in the centre of the city. The Golden Tower Hotel & Spa is the epitome of style in Florence, with white walls and bed linen and dark-wood furniture, close proximity to Palazzo Strozzi, and free to use spa facilities.
Book your stay at the Golden Towe Hotel & Spa right here.
Mid-range – For a mid-range price, Hotel Basilea is a great city centre hotel offering a modern style and air conditioning. You can easily explore Florence on foot from the Basilea. The famous Duomo is also only 5 minutes’ walk away.
Book your stay at Hotel Basilea right here.
Budget – If you are looking for a cheap and cheerful stay in Florence, then Il Verrocciho is for you. Located close to Florence cathedral in the heart of the city, this B&B is a great price for the location and room type. Enjoy a private room and private bathroom for a great budget price.
Book your stay at the Il Verrocchio right here.
What is the Best Travel Insurance for Italy
I know travel insurance is the least enjoyable thing to purchase and look at when you’re planning a trip, however, you wouldn’t want to be without it in the event that something happened. Accidents can happen anywhere and the extortionate medical bills will ruin your trip if you are not covered.
To ensure you have a stress-free trip with no worries about potential medical bills, make sure you cover yourself when you travel. We can recommend using SafetyWing, a backpacker-friendly and cheap insurance company that provides good coverage and support. It is also nomad-friendly, unlike most other insurance companies, meaning you do not need to worry about being out of your home country for too long.
Get a quote for your travel insurance right here and get covered!
What Should You Pack for your trip to Florence?
What you need to pack for Florence will rely highly on when you make your trip to Italy. During the Spring and Autumn months, temperatures and weather patterns vary wildly between beautiful sunny skies and rainy days. During the Summer, you are pretty much guaranteed nice weather with temperatures ranging from 20-35 oC. The hottest months are July and August, so these will be the most popular for a Summer holiday.
During the Winter months in Florence, the weather can go as low as freezing, so make sure you wrap up warm if you are coming between October and April. If you need more inspiration on what to pack for your trip, check out our full packing guides for all-weather conditions over here.
When it comes to toiletries, we recommend that you don’t forget to pack sunscreen. The sun in Italy is very strong, especially during the summer months. Apply a lot of cream regularly to prevent a nasty burn from ruining your trip. We use this specific sunscreen to protect us as it is not as oily and irritating as other sunscreens.
Given the beautiful sights and scenery that you will see in Italy, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.
Photography Equipment
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7v Mirrorless Camera and Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Microphone – Sony Mic ECM-B1M
Main Lens – Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
Zoom Lens – Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
Camera Tripod – ZOMEI Z669C Camera Tripod
Gorilla Pod – JOBY JB01507-BWW GorillaPod
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 11 and Insta 360 One RS
Drone Camera – DJI Mavic Pro 3
Camera Bag – Wandrd PRVKE 41L and The Nest by Tropicfeel
Phone Tripod – Manfrotto MKPIXICLAMP-BK, Mini Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Sturdy Phone Tripod & Selfie Stick – ATUMTEK 61″ Selfie Stick Tripod, Sturdy Phone Tripod Stand with Wireless Remote
Hard Drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, 5TB, 2.5″, Portable External Hard Drive
SSD – SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable NVMe SSD
Travel Adapter –Worldwide Travel Adapter Universal Travel Plug with 4 USB Ports+Universal AC Socke
So there you have it, all of the best things to do in and around Florence. If you have visited Florence recently, let us know what you thought of the sights listed above, or if you have any suggestions let us know in the comments below.
As always, sharing is caring so make sure to share this photo guide with your family and friends and inspire them to head off on their own Florence adventure. If you are planning the trip for yourself, make sure you have a look at the rest of our Scotland content for more inspiration to our beautiful home country.
When you set off on your own adventure, be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram and we will share them with the rest of our community. In the meantime, why not follow us over there to see what we are currently up to and keep up with us on our Instagram Stories.
Now Read:
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- One Day in Positano Itinerary – The Perfect Itinerary for One Day in Positano
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