3 Days in Florence: Complete Itinerary

Three days are enough to cover Florence’s central historic sights, its two major Renaissance collections, Oltrarno and one hilltop view, provided you reserve the timed museums and keep the routes on foot. Start early, use the free cathedral interior around its visiting window, and leave flexible outdoor stops for the afternoon. The plan below also gives a practical replacement when a dome or gallery slot has sold out, plus airport, station, transport and accommodation choices.

The distances are short but the timetable is not loose: the Uffizi, Accademia, Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens all have final-admission limits or seasonal closing times. Treat the times as a working sequence, not as four separate lists of attractions.

Day 1: Cathedral, market and the historic centre

Begin at the cathedral complex before the centre becomes busy. At 08:15 you can see the exterior and take the first Bell Tower slot, while the cathedral’s ordinary interior visit begins at 10:15. After the climb, walk north to Mercato Centrale for lunch, then continue south through the walled historic centre to Piazza della Signoria. The final paid stop is reached well before its last admission; the evening section remains free and flexible.

1. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

   08:15 · 30 minutes

   Start with the marble façade and Piazza del Duomo. The cathedral interior opens later, so use this first interval for the exterior and entrance orientation.

2. Giotto’s Bell Tower, Florence

   08:45 · 1 hour 15 minutes

   Take the early climb before lunch. Allow time for the ascent, the viewing platforms and the descent back into the square.

   8 min582 m

3. il Mercato Centrale Firenze, Florence

   11:45 · 1 hour 30 minutes

   Walk to San Lorenzo for the market stalls or the upper-floor food hall. Arrive between 11:45 and 12:30 for the most useful lunch window.

   12 min849 m

4. Piazza della Signoria, Florence

   14:15 · 1 hour 30 minutes

   Walk south to the open square, view the outdoor sculpture groups and Palazzo Vecchio’s exterior, then extend the route through the historic centre into early evening.

The first timed stop is Giotto’s Bell Tower: it opens at 08:15, before its planned 08:45 start. The Bell Tower, the day’s paid attraction, is reached well before its 18:00 last admission. The walk from the Duomo area to the market takes about 8 minutes, and the market to Piazza della Signoria about 18 minutes. If the dome reservation is unavailable, keep the cathedral and Bell Tower plan, then use the afternoon square and historic-centre walk instead of waiting for a cancellation.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

At the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, ordinary entry to the cathedral is free and does not require a dome reservation. Follow the cathedral entrance signs, pass the security queue, and dress with shoulders and knees covered. The dome, Bell Tower, Baptistery and museum use separate access arrangements, so a dome ticket does not replace the cathedral entrance. Allow 30-40 minutes inside, longer if you pause at the nave and the surviving medieval details.

The tourist visiting window is Monday-Saturday 10:15-16:45; Sunday is closed to tourist visits. Annual closures include 1 January, Easter Sunday and 25 December. If no dome time is available, do not build the morning around a queue: visit the free cathedral, climb the Bell Tower if your pass includes it, and leave the dome for another trip. The exterior remains useful even when interior access is restricted.

Giotto’s Bell Tower

From the cathedral square, Giotto’s Bell Tower is the practical substitute for a sold-out dome reservation and gives you a close view of the cathedral and roofline. The climb is 414 steps, with no lift, narrow stairways and frequent pauses for other visitors. Allow 15-20 minutes up, 20 minutes at the viewing levels and 15-20 minutes down. Choose the €20 per-person Bell Tower pass when you want this single climb; a wider complex pass is useful only if you will also use its other monuments.

The tower has no weekly closing day and is open daily 08:15-18:50, with last admission at 18:00. Annual closures include 1 January, Easter Sunday and 25 December. Reserve the morning slot when possible. Skip the ascent if you have vertigo, a knee problem, a pushchair or limited stamina; the descent is as demanding as the climb, and the free cathedral interior gives you a lower-effort visit before lunch.

Mercato Centrale

Continue from the Duomo area to Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo, an easy walk of roughly 650 metres. The ground floor is the working food market: stalls sell produce, meat, cheese and prepared food, and it is most useful before 15:00. The upper floor is a separate food hall with seated counters and a broader lunch choice. Aim to arrive between 11:45 and 12:30 and allow 60-90 minutes, so you eat before the market-stall section winds down.

There is no entrance ticket. The market stalls open Monday-Saturday 09:00-15:00 and close every Sunday and public holiday, including 1 January and 25 December. The upper-floor food hall is open daily 12:00-23:00, so it remains the useful fallback for a later lunch or early dinner. After eating, take the 18-minute walk towards Piazza della Signoria rather than returning to the cathedral square.

Piazza della Signoria

The walk from Mercato Centrale to Piazza della Signoria takes about 18 minutes through the central streets. Give the square 30-45 minutes for the outdoor sculpture groups, the Loggia dei Lanzi and Palazzo Vecchio’s exterior; no timed entry is needed for this part. It is an always-open public space with no admission ticket and no visitor closing hour, so it can absorb a delayed lunch or a tired group.

For the evening, extend the walk towards the Arno and the walled historic centre, stopping in nearby lanes or returning to the square after dinner. This alternative keeps the day outdoors and avoids another timed attraction. If you still have energy, use the route between Piazza della Signoria and the river as a 45-60-minute final circuit; if not, the square itself is enough.

Day 2: Renaissance art and the river

After finishing Day 1 in the historic centre, begin Day 2 at the Uffizi before the main museum crowds. The route then crosses the Arno on foot, pauses for lunch in Oltrarno, and enters Palazzo Pitti in the afternoon before ending at Santo Spirito. Book the Uffizi and Pitti within their admission windows; Ponte Vecchio and the final church-and-square sequence stay flexible.

1. Uffizi Galleries, Florence

   08:15 · 2 hours 15 minutes

   Arrive for the first timed museum visit and follow a focused route through the main Renaissance rooms rather than trying to cover every gallery.

   2 min167 m

2. Ponte Vecchio, Florence

   10:45 · 30 minutes

   Walk south to the river, cross the bridge and pause for views from the parapet or the neighbouring Ponte Santa Trinita.

   5 min328 m

3. Palazzo Pitti, Florence

   13:00 · 2 hours 30 minutes

   Have lunch on the Oltrarno side, then choose the full palace route or one collection and enter before the 17:30 final admission.

   3 min215 m

4. Basilica di Santo Spirito, Florence

   16:30 · 45 minutes

   Walk through Oltrarno to a short church and square visit before dinner. Keep the stop short if a service is being prepared.

~710 m on foot · ~10 min of travel

The Uffizi entry at 08:15 is well before its 17:30 last entry, and the route reaches Palazzo Pitti at 13:00, also comfortably before its 17:30 last entry. Allow about 6 minutes from the Uffizi courtyard to Ponte Vecchio, 10 minutes to cross and reach the Pitti side, and 8 minutes from the palace to Santo Spirito. If the Uffizi is sold out, replace it with the bridge, a riverside walk and an early Pitti entry, then keep Santo Spirito for the evening.

Uffizi Gallery

Arrive at the Uffizi for an 08:15-09:00 timed entry and allow about 2 hours for a focused route through the principal Renaissance rooms. Concentrate on Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and the main corridor rather than attempting every gallery. The exit leads towards the river and makes the next walk direct. The standard ticket is €25 per person, and timed booking is the sensible choice for this first stop.

The Uffizi is open Tuesday-Sunday 08:15-18:30, with last entry at 17:30. It is closed on Mondays; annual closures include 1 January and 25 December. When the preferred entry is sold out, do not spend the morning circling the entrance. Use the open-air route to Ponte Vecchio, have lunch on the Oltrarno side and enter Palazzo Pitti before its final admission instead.

Ponte Vecchio

Leave the Uffizi courtyard and walk roughly 500 metres to Ponte Vecchio, a transfer of about 6 minutes. Crossing the bridge is free and takes 3-5 minutes without stops; allow 20-30 minutes for shopfronts, the river views and photographs. The bridge is a public passage with no visitor closing day or closing hour, not a museum requiring a ticket. The most open view is often from Ponte Santa Trinita, one bridge to the west.

If the bridge is too crowded, cross by Ponte Santa Trinita instead and follow the south-bank riverside towards the Pitti side. That route adds a few minutes but gives you more room and a better side view of the shops and medieval structure. Continue to lunch near Piazza della Passera or Santo Spirito, then walk the final 650 metres to Palazzo Pitti.

Palazzo Pitti

After lunch on the Oltrarno side, walk from Ponte Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti in about 8 minutes, roughly 650 metres. Aim to enter between 13:00 and 14:00, leaving enough time for the afternoon without depending on the final admission. The complete palace route takes 2-3 hours and suits you if the apartments, Palatine Gallery and additional collections are the main purpose of the day. If you want a lighter visit, choose one collection and allow 75-90 minutes. The standard ticket is €16 per person; select the wider complex option only when you intend to use its included areas.

Palazzo Pitti is open Tuesday-Sunday 08:15-18:30, with last entry at 17:30, and is closed every Monday. Annual closures include 1 January and 25 December. Enter by 16:30 if you want the full route, because security, cloakroom queues and the distance between collections reduce the usable time near closing. A single-collection visit leaves about 8 minutes for the walk to Santo Spirito and time for dinner in Oltrarno. After a full palace visit, treat the church as a brief exterior-and-square stop rather than adding another long interior visit.

Basilica of Santo Spirito

From Palazzo Pitti, walk about 650 metres to the Basilica of Santo Spirito in 8-10 minutes. Allow 20-30 minutes for the interior, including the nave, the simple Renaissance proportions and a quiet pause, then continue into Piazza Santo Spirito for a short evening sequence. The regular tourist visiting windows are Monday-Saturday 09:30-12:30 and 16:00-18:00. The late afternoon window fits this itinerary, but arrive with enough margin for the walk and a possible entrance queue. Keep clothing and behaviour appropriate for an active place of worship.

There is no fixed weekly closing day, but regular tourist visiting windows are Monday-Saturday; Sunday access is governed by religious services, prayer and preparations, which take priority over tourist entry. The church may restrict entry or ask visitors to wait. Annual closures include 1 January, Easter Sunday and 25 December. When the interior is unavailable, use the square and surrounding Oltrarno streets instead. For dinner, stay around Piazza Santo Spirito or walk through Via Maggio towards the Arno, keeping the evening flexible rather than adding another timed attraction. If Palazzo Pitti took the full 2-3 hours, 10 minutes outside the church and a meal nearby are enough.

Day 3: Collections, gardens and a city view

After Day 2 ends in Oltrarno, begin the final day with the Accademia’s timed collection, then walk back through San Lorenzo for a late-morning church visit and lunch. Cross to Boboli Gardens early enough to stay ahead of the seasonal closing time. Finish with Piazzale Michelangelo only if the weather and energy hold; the viewpoint is flexible, free and reachable by bus or taxi when the uphill walk is not practical.

1. Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze, Florence

   08:15 · 1 hour 30 minutes

   Arrive before the busiest period and follow the short route to Michelangelo’s David, the prisoners and the main painting rooms.

   7 min532 m

2. Basilica di San Lorenzo, Florence

   10:15 · 1 hour

   Walk to San Lorenzo for the church and, if chosen, the separately ticketed complex areas before lunch.

   27 min1.7 km

3. Boboli Gardens, Florence

   13:00 · 2 hours 30 minutes

   After lunch, cross to the gardens and take the main uphill loop while there is time before the seasonal closing and last admission.

   22 min1.3 km

4. Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence

   16:15 · 1 hour

   Take the uphill route for a late-afternoon view, or use public transport or a taxi. Stay for the changing light if the weather is clear.

~3.6 km on foot · ~56 min of travel

The garden is scheduled for 13:00, leaving a substantial margin before its seasonal closing time and last admission. From the Accademia to San Lorenzo takes about 10 minutes, San Lorenzo to the Boboli entrance about 20 minutes after lunch, and Boboli to Piazzale Michelangelo about 35-45 minutes uphill. If the morning Accademia slot is unavailable, swap San Lorenzo and the garden into the morning, then visit the gallery later only if entry remains possible.

Accademia Gallery

Arrive at Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze for an 08:15-09:00 timed entry and allow 75-90 minutes for a focused visit. Go first to Michelangelo’s David, then follow the Prisoners and the main painting rooms; add the musical-instrument collection only if you have time. The standard ticket is €16 per person, and a timed booking prevents the morning from being lost in the queue. From the exit on Via Ricasoli, walk roughly 800 metres to San Lorenzo in about 10 minutes, passing through the market streets towards the basilica.

The gallery opens Tuesday-Sunday 08:15-18:50, with last entry at 18:20, and closes every Monday. Annual closures include 1 January and 25 December. If the morning slot is unavailable, reverse the order: visit San Lorenzo and the market area first, have lunch, then try an available Accademia entry later while the gallery is still admitting visitors. Keep Boboli in the early afternoon, not after the gallery, because its seasonal closing time is less flexible. If no same-day entry appears, skip the gallery rather than sacrificing the garden’s planned daylight and closing margin.

Basilica of San Lorenzo

Walk from the Accademia to Basilica di San Lorenzo through the San Lorenzo market streets. Allow 30-40 minutes for the church itself. The church visit and the wider paid complex are different choices: the €9 per-person church-complex access covers the ticketed areas, while a short church visit is enough if you are keeping energy for the gardens. Set aside 20 minutes for lunch shopping or a sit-down meal before crossing towards Boboli.

The tourist visiting window is Monday-Saturday 10:00-17:00; Sunday is closed to tourist visits. Annual closures include 1 January, Easter Sunday and 25 December. The late morning is the safer position in this itinerary because it leaves the afternoon for Boboli. If you choose only the church, use the saved time for lunch rather than adding another indoor complex.

Boboli Gardens

After lunch, walk south towards the Boboli Gardens entrance in about 20 minutes. The full loop takes 2-3 hours and includes steep paths, uneven surfaces and sustained uphill sections, so wear shoes with grip and carry water. The standard ticket is €10 per person. Begin with the lower paths and amphitheatre, then climb towards the higher viewpoints only while your legs and the weather allow.

The gardens open daily from 08:15, but the closing time and last admission change by season. They close on the first and last Monday of each month, with annual closures including 1 January and 25 December. For a shorter route, stay around the amphitheatre and lower terraces for 60-90 minutes, then go directly to Piazzale Michelangelo by bus or taxi instead of completing every uphill path.

Piazzale Michelangelo

The walk from Boboli to Piazzale Michelangelo takes 35-45 minutes and climbs steadily, with steps and uneven stretches. A bus or taxi is the practical alternative after the gardens, especially with luggage or limited mobility. Aim for late afternoon rather than a fixed sunset time: the terrace is free and has no visitor closing hour, so you can shorten the stay if clouds arrive and still keep the day within the centre.

The viewpoint works best in clear weather, when the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and the river valley are visible. In rain, replace the hill with a shorter walk around the central streets or an indoor museum already on the plan; do not force the exposed terrace. The final stop remains flexible, so a tired group can take transport up, stay 20 minutes and return without changing the earlier visits.

Getting there and getting around

Florence is compact once you reach the centre. From Peretola Airport, the tram is the predictable daytime choice; a taxi is easier with heavy luggage or a late arrival. Santa Maria Novella station is already within walking distance of the Duomo and most hotels in the central districts. Buy a ticket before boarding where required, and validate a paper ticket as soon as you enter the bus or tram.

Mode	Route and time	Fare	Operating window
Tram T2	Peretola Airport-Santa Maria Novella, ~20 min	€1.70	~05:00-00:30
Taxi	Airport-central Florence, 20-30 min	€28 fixed daytime fare	24 hours
Urban bus	Station or central districts, 10-30 min	€1.70, 90 min	Daytime and evening services
Walk	Santa Maria Novella-Duomo, ~850 m	Free	Any time

T2 is the best balance of price and reliability for a normal arrival: the stop is at the airport, and Santa Maria Novella puts you close to the centre. A taxi is worth choosing for several large cases, a step-free hotel route or an arrival after the tram window. The station-to-Duomo walk takes about 10-12 minutes, but cobbles, kerbs and crowded pavements make wheeled luggage slower than the distance suggests.

For local buses and trams, stamp a paper ticket in the yellow machine immediately after boarding. A ticket bought through the operator’s app must be activated before the journey; a digital ticket that is still inactive is not valid. Keep the ticket until you leave the vehicle. Contactless payment is not a substitute for validating a paper ticket, and inspectors can check during the 90-minute validity period.

Drivers should avoid the historic-centre ZTL (restricted traffic zone), enforced by camera-controlled entrances. The walled centre is largely pedestrianised, and entering without the correct authorisation can produce a fine. Choose accommodation with confirmed parking outside the restricted area, or ask a hotel in advance whether it can register a necessary arrival. Do not drive through the centre to reach a luggage drop-off unless that access has been arranged.

Where to stay and how to shorten the plan

Three days suit a first visit because they separate the major museums from the outdoor and Oltrarno routes without requiring a day trip. Choose your base by the route you will walk and by how you will handle luggage, not only by the distance to the Duomo.

Area	Walking access	Evening and arrival trade-off
Santa Maria Novella	5-15 min to station and Duomo	Best for trains and airport tram; station-side streets can be noisy
Duomo area	At the centre of the main sights	Shortest sightseeing walks; pedestrian streets make taxi and luggage access harder
Santa Croce	10-15 min to Piazza della Signoria	Restaurants and evening life; farther from the station and some streets are lively
Oltrarno	5-15 min to Pitti, Santo Spirito and river	Good evening base and quieter lanes; crossing the river adds time to northern sights

Santa Maria Novella is the easiest choice when you arrive by train or tram and want a short final walk with a suitcase. The Duomo area saves time on the first morning but has the heaviest pedestrian traffic and more evening noise around the busiest streets. Santa Croce gives you a dining-focused base within walking reach of the historic centre. Oltrarno works best if you value evening atmosphere and want Pitti nearby, but the Uffizi, Accademia and San Lorenzo are across the river.

For a two-day Florence weekend itinerary, keep the timed collections and remove the most optional climb first. This is the shortest workable order:

1. Day 1: Uffizi early, Ponte Vecchio, lunch in Oltrarno, Palazzo Pitti and Santo Spirito. Keep the bridge and square sequence flexible around the museum entry.
2. Day 2: Accademia early, San Lorenzo, lunch, Boboli Gardens and Piazza della Signoria or another central outdoor finish.
3. Cut Giotto’s Bell Tower first when time or energy is limited. The cathedral remains free, while the climb adds steps and a separate admission without replacing the main museum visits.

If you prefer a slower pace, leave out either Boboli or the second palace collection rather than shortening every museum to a rushed walk-through. Three days cover the central historic sights, Uffizi and Accademia, one substantial Oltrarno visit and a viewpoint; a fourth day is useful only when you want longer museum visits, shopping or excursions beyond Florence.

FAQ: practical itinerary answers

These three answers cover the decisions that affect the route most: whether three days are sufficient, which timed entries matter and when walking should give way to transport.

Are three days enough for Florence?

Yes. Three days cover Florence’s central historic sights, the Uffizi, Accademia, one Oltrarno palace, Boboli and one viewpoint when you use timed entries and walk between clusters. For a slower pace, leave out Boboli or one museum collection; trying to add a day trip means removing part of the central route.

What should you book before arriving?

Book the Uffizi and Accademia first, then Palazzo Pitti and the Bell Tower if you want fixed morning times. Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Santo Spirito and the cathedral’s ordinary entry stay flexible. If a preferred slot sells out, move the outdoor stop earlier and place the available museum entry later.

Can you walk between the main sights?

Yes, the historic-centre clusters are walkable, with most transfers taking 6-20 minutes. The garden-to-Piazzale Michelangelo finish is uphill and tiring. Use a bus or taxi with luggage, limited mobility or bad weather; cobbles and steps also make short central distances slower with a pushchair.