3 Days in Florence: A Day-by-Day Itinerary

Three days in Florence are enough for the Duomo complex, the Uffizi and the Accademia, with Palazzo Vecchio and the Boboli Gardens fitted around them. A base within walking distance of Santa Maria Novella station keeps the transfers short. The catch is the queues: the lines at the Uffizi and the Accademia start forming before the ticket offices open, and the Dome climb needs a time slot chosen in advance.

At a glance

• Recommended length: 3 days
• Main transport: on foot
• Airport to the station area: T2 tram, about 20 minutes, then 10 minutes on foot
• Duomo to Santa Maria Novella station: 10 minutes on foot
• Uffizi hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., closed Mondays
• Duomo monuments pass: valid 3 calendar days

Is 3 days enough in Florence?

Three days cover the big names: the Cathedral, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery, then the Uffizi, then Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia. Palazzo Vecchio and the Boboli Gardens fit in as well. Florence has over seventy museums and about a dozen monumental churches, so some will stay off the list. Visitors who want a fourth day can spend it on a day trip to Siena (the Duomo complex, Santa Maria della Scala) or Lucca (the walls, the Torre Guinigi).

With one more day, add the Bargello and Villa Bardini with its garden, or one of those day trips into Tuscany. With one day less, drop the Boboli Gardens and the Palazzo Vecchio tower. The Duomo pass is valid for 3 calendar days, so the three-day plan uses it fully.

Three days leave room to go inside the buildings, not just to pass by Ponte Vecchio or Piazza della Signoria.

When to plan 3 days in Florence

The Uffizi advises booking at extremely busy times, and staff may close some rooms when attendance is high. November is the wettest stretch, with 10 rainy days, and the Palazzo Vecchio tower is closed when it rains. Keep that climb for a dry morning.

Where to stay in Florence for 3 days

Florence has hotels, bed and breakfasts, holiday homes and tourist rentals, and short rentals are equated to three-star hotels. A base near Santa Maria Novella station puts the Duomo 10 minutes away on foot. Tram lines T1 and T2 stop in the station area, and the airport link ends there too. The tourist office Infopoint at via Cavour 1R can help with questions about the area. Book the Dome time slot before anything else, since it cannot be changed or cancelled once issued.

Getting around Florence in 3 days

Walking is the best way to get around Florence, and the historic centre is largely pedestrian-friendly. The city is easy to cross from north to south and east to west. Buses 12 and 13 go up to Piazzale Michelangelo. A bus ticket costs 1.70 euros and is valid for 90 minutes from validation. Bike-sharing runs through the RideMovi app. The whole historic centre is a limited traffic zone (ZTL) enforced by cameras, and driving in without authorization brings a fine. That is a good reason to skip a rental car for these three days.

From the airport, the T2 tram reaches the station area in about 20 minutes. A taxi takes 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic, and the fare is 28 euros on weekdays, 30 euros on holidays and 32 euros at night.

3 Days in Florence, day by day

Day 1: Duomo complex and Palazzo Vecchio

Start in Piazza del Duomo, which holds the Cathedral, the Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery, the Crypt of Santa Reparata and the Opera del Duomo Museum. The Cathedral is free and closed on Sundays. The Dome climb is 463 steps with no elevator, and the Bell Tower is 414. Plan about 45 minutes for each. The Baptistery takes 30 to 45 minutes and the museum about 90. The afternoon belongs to Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio, whose tower is 418 steps up.

Bring an identity document for the Dome, and leave medium and large bags at the free storage at Piazza Duomo 38/r, which is mandatory before the climbs. The Dome entrance is at the Porta della Mandorla on the north side. The Brunelleschi Pass covers all these monuments over 3 calendar days, but the Dome needs its date and time slot. The Opera del Duomo Museum is closed on the first Tuesday of the month. A Palazzo Vecchio ticket costs 17.50 euros, and the tower and battlements ticket 12.50 euros. Reserve ahead, because reservation is mandatory.

Day 2: Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio and the Boboli Gardens

The Uffizi holds works by Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. After it, cross Ponte Vecchio to Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens behind it, with their grottos and the Fountain of Neptune.

• Uffizi: open from 8:15 a.m., ticket office closes 5:30 p.m., visitors exit at 6:30 p.m.
• Boboli Gardens: last admission one hour before closing

The Uffizi is closed Mondays. A single ticket costs 25 euros on the day and 29 euros if bought earlier, and tickets carry the visitor’s name. From 4 p.m. the Uffizi ticket costs 16 euros. The Pitti and Boboli combined ticket costs 22 euros on the day, and the Boboli and Bardini Gardens ticket costs 15 euros. The Vasari Corridor takes about 45 minutes and runs one way from the Uffizi to Pitti Palace. Its slot must fall at least 2 hours after the Uffizi slot. The Boboli grounds are sloping clay and gravel, so wear sturdy shoes.

The Uffizi cafeteria on the second floor has a terrace with a panoramic view. For a last view over the city, buses 12 and 13 climb to Piazzale Michelangelo, a viewpoint south of the historic center.

Day 3: Accademia, Bargello and the markets

The Accademia houses Michelangelo’s David, and the visit takes 1 to 2 hours. The Bargello is on the same cumulative ticket. Then walk to the Mercato Centrale, whose first floor has restaurants and delicatessen shops. The Mercato Nuovo, known as the Porcellino market, is very central.

The Accademia ticket costs 20 euros, plus a 4 euro booking surcharge per person. A 26 euro ticket valid for 48 hours covers the Accademia and the Bargello. The queue at the Accademia is constant, so book a slot. Audio guides cost 6 euros at the bookshop.

For lunch, the Mercato Centrale is popular with residents and visitors, so go early.