Florence in April: 68°F Afternoons, the Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio and the Boboli Gardens

Yes, April suits Florence for a trip built around museums, churches and gardens, with mild afternoons near 68°F (20°C) for the walks between them.

The catch is the lines. Queues form every day at the Uffizi and the Accademia, and Palazzo Vecchio sometimes closes part of its route for events, so a few bookings made ahead will shape the days.

At a glance

• Afternoon high: 68°F (20°C)
• Night low: 47°F (8°C)
• Rainy days: 9 in the month
• Rainfall: 3 inches (67 mm)
• Daylight on April 15: 13 hours 23 minutes
• Free admission: first Sunday of the month, no reservations possible

What is the weather like in Florence in April?

*Long-term monthly averages.*

April is mild and comfortable for walking. Afternoons reach 68°F (20°C), and nights drop to 47°F (8°C). You can cross the city in a light jacket by day and want a warmer layer for the evening.

Rain falls on nine days in the month, 3 inches (67 mm) in total. That’s enough to carry a compact umbrella or a rain shell every day. Plan indoor sights such as the Uffizi or the Accademia for the wet hours, and keep the Boboli Gardens or the city parks for the dry ones. Days run 13 hours 23 minutes long in mid-April, so there’s room to wait out a shower and still see the gardens.

March is cooler, with afternoons at 61°F (16°C), nights at 41°F (5°C) and seven rainy days. May is warmer, with afternoons at 76°F (24°C), nights at 53°F (12°C) and about eight rainy days. April sits between the two: you give up some of May’s warmth and get a bit more rain, but the days are already long.

What to do in Florence in April

The Uffizi Gallery in April

The Uffizi collections run from 14th-century paintings to the Renaissance, with works by Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. There’s also an ancient collection of statues and busts from the Medici family, Roman copies of lost Greek sculptures.

A long queue forms every day, and it starts before the ticket offices open. Book ahead, especially if you’re traveling alone. Audioguides cost €6 and come in eight languages, including English. The radio whisper service at the entrance costs €1.50. The cafeteria on the second floor has a terrace with a panoramic view, a good place to rest before the exit.

Michelangelo’s neighborhood: the Accademia Gallery

The Accademia Gallery sits in the heart of Florence, close to Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Duomo. That makes it easy to pair with a morning in the cathedral area.

The Accademia is 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) from the Uffizi by bus, and the walk between them is 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers). With cool April mornings, walking is pleasant. A long queue stands at the doors constantly, so a reservation is the sensible way to spend less of the day outside.

Palazzo Vecchio and its tower

Palazzo Vecchio, on Piazza della Signoria, houses Donatello’s Judith, Bronzino’s paintings in the Chapel of Eleonora and Michelangelo’s Genius of Victory. The tower gives a spectacular view of Florence from the top and at intermediate points on the way up. Choose a clear spell between showers for the climb.

The ‘Tracce di Firenze’ section on the ground floor can be visited free of charge. The palace is often the venue of events and meetings that close the museum route partly or totally, so check before you go if the visit is the main plan for your day.

The Boboli Gardens in the lengthening days

The Boboli Gardens hold grottos, the best known of them by Bernardo Buontalenti, and fountains such as the Fountain of Neptune and the Fountain of the Ocean. There’s also an 18th-century pavilion called the Kaffeehaus and the Lemon House, built by Zanobi del Rosso between 1777 and 1778.

The gardens are mostly outdoors, so save them for a dry afternoon. With 13 hours of daylight in mid-April, a late-afternoon visit after a museum morning works well. Wear shoes that handle paths.

Parco di Villa Vogel for a slower hour

Parco di Villa Vogel, at Via A. Canova 72, has a water basin with cascades and jets, a play area, a skating rink and picnic tables. It suits a lunch outdoors on a dry day.

Families will also find playgrounds, trekking trails and little lakes near Ponte all’Indiano. The Argingrosso green area is equipped for cycling, horse riding and golfing. These are places to go when the museum queues have tired the children.

Is Florence busy in April?

Florence is a city of daily lines. The queue at the Uffizi and the Accademia starts forming early in the morning, before the ticket offices open, and it can grow very long in high season. The Mercato Nuovo, known as the Porcellino market, is popular with tourists thanks to its very central position. The Mercato Centrale is popular with residents and visitors alike.

For April, book the Uffizi, since booking is suggested during very busy times and for single visitors. The first Sunday of the month brings free admission, but no reservations are possible. On free days there’s no priority access except for disabled visitors and their caretaker, pregnant women and European Union school groups within the daily quota. In cases of high attendance, staff may temporarily close some rooms or itineraries. On the last Sunday of the month, the Pulci market spreads outdoors under the loggia around the Sant’Ambrogio market building.

What to pack for Florence in April

April asks for layers: mild afternoons, cool nights, and rain on nine days. Most of what you carry should work for a day that moves between museums, gardens and streets.

• A warm layer for evenings, since nights fall to 47°F (8°C).
• A compact umbrella or rain shell for the nine rainy days. Umbrellas must be left in the free deposit at the museums that ask for it.
• A small daypack. Visitors with a backpack are asked to carry it by hand along the visit route, and small backpacks and large bags go in the free deposit.
• Walking shoes: the walk from the Uffizi to the Accademia is 1 to 1.6 miles (1.5 to 2.5 km), and the Boboli Gardens and the tower climb add more.
• Something for a picnic at Parco di Villa Vogel, where there are tables.

What to know before visiting Florence in April

Free admission on the first Sunday of April comes with no reservations and no priority access for most visitors. Students must deposit their backpacks at the museums that apply the rule.

Is April a good time to visit Florence?

Yes, April is a good time for Florence if you want museums, churches and gardens in mild weather. Afternoons of 68°F (20°C) and 13 hours of daylight leave room for a full day of walking.

Compared with March, April is warmer by 7°F (4°C) in the afternoon and has a little more rain. Compared with May, it’s cooler by 8°F (4°C) and wetter. Moving to May brings warmer days and fewer rainy ones. Moving to March brings cooler days and a shorter day.

If you want free admission, plan around the first Sunday of April, knowing there are no reservations. If you want the Boboli Gardens and the tower, choose the dry spells and carry a rain layer for the rest. With children, Parco di Villa Vogel and the playgrounds near Ponte all’Indiano give them a break between sights.

If you want to avoid waiting, book the Uffizi and the Accademia and arrive early, since queues start before the offices open.

Sources

• feelflorence.it (https://www.feelflorence.it/en/experiences-itineraries/isolotto-legnaia-district), checked 2026-10-30
• ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
• cultura.comune.fi.it (https://cultura.comune.fi.it/istruzione/pagina/musei-civici-fiorentini/museo-di-palazzo-vecchio), checked 2026-10-30
• uffizi.it (https://www.uffizi.it/en/the-uffizi), checked 2026-10-30
• accademia.museum (https://accademia.museum/the-gallery/how-to-arrive), checked 2026-10-30
• uffizi.it (https://www.uffizi.it/en/pitti-palace), checked 2026-10-30
• comune.firenze.it (https://www.comune.firenze.it/imprese-e-commercio/mercati?language_content_entity=en), checked 2026-10-30
• visittuscany.com (https://www.visittuscany.com/fr/idees/galerie-des-offices-et-galleria-accademia-billets-et-reservations/), checked 2026-10-30