Is 1 day in Florence enough?

Here’s my detailed 1 day itinerary for visiting the spectacular city of Florence Italy.

One day in Florence, no matter how well organized, is definitely not enough time to properly enjoy the treasures of Florence. You can only scratch the surface. But sometimes one day is all you have when road tripping in Tuscany.

This Florence itinerary gives you a step by step guide to help you make the most of 24 hours in Florence. In one day, it takes you to Florence’s absolute must visit sites, landmarks, and attractions. You can add or eliminate sites based on your pace of travel.

Florence is an overwhelmingly beautiful city, dubbed the “Cradle of the Renaissance.” With the best Medieval and Renaissance art in Europe, Florence is a veritable art lovers paradise.

Florence is also a city that’s alive, sensual, and romantic. You can be seduced by Botticelli and awed by Michelangelo, in a time tunnel experience.

Not surprisingly, Florence’s entire historic center is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Florence is effectively an open air museum with stunning art and architecture at every turn.

Piazzale Michelangelo, with a copy of Michelangelo’s David statue

How To Spend 1 Day in Florence

Here’s my recommended itinerary for spending one day in Florence:

1. 8:00 am: Oltrarno Viewpoints

Start your one day in Florence sipping espresso at Cafe degli Artigiani, a coffee lover’s dream cafe. You can grab pastries at Dolcissima Firenze.

Then, get ready for some amazing views over the city from the Oltrarno. The best viewpoints in Florence are at Piazzale Michelangelo and the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte.

When people visiting Florence want a panoramic view, they usually head to Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence’s famous lookout square. To be sure, Piazzale Michelangelo is nice, with a replica of Michelangelo’s David sculpture. But it’s also filled with bus loads of tourists and vendors hawking trinkets.

READ: Guide To the Michelangelo Trail in Florence

view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo

For a far superior experience, don’t stop walking. Head 5-10 minutes further uphill to the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte. It’s worth the arduous climb, I promise.

San Miniato is an oasis of calm away from the hurly burly of Florence with amazing Gothic art and unsurpassed views. The perspective over the city is absolutely extraordinary. This is where you have the best view of the Duomo.

Don’t forget to head inside. The ancient Romanesque church is a unique and harmonious blend of medieval architectural styles, pre-dating Florence’s Renaissance treasures.

San Miniato is a hidden gem in Florence, perfect for history buffs, and one of the best free things to do in the city.

Florence’s crowning glory, the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte

view of Florence from San Miniato al Monte

READ: Guide to Visiting San Miniato

Right behind the basilica is the Porte Sante Cemetery, which also boasts great views. Built in the 19th century, the cemetery was designed by Niccolo Matas, who was also the architect for the facade of the Santa Croce.

The graveyard is an open air museum, stuffed with beautiful funeral art, mausoleums, and memorials of illustrious Florentine Catholics.

The private temples and tombs are in varying architectural styles, from Renaissance to Art Deco. Many of them are inspired by Florence’s churches.

Some are decorated with symbols, allegorical figures, and sentimental portraits. The most famous effigy (shown above) depicts the Mazzone siblings dancing together, fully united in the after life.

the Porte Sante Cemetery behind San Miniato

view of the Pitti Palace from the Boboli Gardens

2. 9:00 am: Pitti Palace

After taking in the panoramic views, head to the Pitti Palace. The Pitti Palace is one of Florence’s must see sites, a truly wonderful experience.

To visit the Pitti Palace is to immerse yourself in beauty and history. The palace is an incredibly unique combination of splendor, in situ art collections, and beautiful gardens.

The magnificent Palazzo Pitti was the regal home of the Medici family. The palace is the largest palace in Florence and one of Florence’s most stunning architecture gems. Built in 1457, it was built for Florentine banker Luca Pitti, a Medici rival.

READ: Guide To the Medici Palaces in Florence

Mannerist ceiling frescos by Pietro da Cortona

The Palazzo Pitti houses four different museums. By far the most important is the Palatine Gallery. With only one day, head straight to the Palatine and skip the other three museums. The Galleria Palatine occupies the left wing of the first floor.

The gallery houses an impressive collection of over 500 in situ paintings, chock a block on top of each other amid lavish stucco and silk furnishings. In the five Planet Rooms, there are beautiful ceiling frescos by Pietro da Cortona.

The collection includes works by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Caravaggio, and other European and Italian painters. Be sure to check out Botticelli’s and Lippi’s Madonna and Child in the Prometheus Room.

Two versions of Andrea del Sarto’s massive Assumption of the Virgin are in the Iliad Room. And one of my favorite artists, Artemisia Gentileschi, has another version of Judith and Holofernes in the Saturn Room.

Here’s my guide to the Pitti Palace. Click here to pre-book a ticket to the Pitti Palace. Click here to book a guided tour of the magnificent museum.

Anthony Canova’s Venus Italica in the Palatine Gallery

3. 10:30 am: Boboli Gardens

After gazing at these master works, take a quick stroll in the backyard playground of the Pitti Palace, the lovely Boboli Gardens. The gardens are the largest green space in Florence, sprawling over 11 acres.

The gardens are effectively an open air museum, with hundreds of nooks to explore. They opened to the public in 1776.

The gardens are laid out in the Italian style, with beautifully worn Renaissance statues and fountains. The Rococo Kaffeehaus is on the eastern edge of the gardens, and its terrace is the perfect viewing point.

Neptune Fountain in the Boboli Gardens

The famous Fountain dell’Oceano and the Bathing Venus were sculpted by the underrated artist Giambologna, whose statues grace the Bargello Museum and the Piazza della Signoria.

The Grotto Grande, also known as the Buontalenti Grotto, is a fascinating place. In 16th century Tuscany, it was the fashion to build decorative grottos reconstructing natural caves. The grotto once had a fresco by Michelangelo (now in the Accademia) and has copies of his four slaves.

Click here to pre-book a skip the line ticket to the Boboli Gardens.

the ancient Ponte Vecchio

4. 11:00 am: Ponte Vecchio

Then take a stroll across Florence’s storybook bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. It looks like cobbled together houses suspended over the Arno River.

The bridge has three arches topped with a jumble of charming shops. In an urban setting, space was at a premium, so the bridge became a sort of mall.

Originally, the Ponte Vecchio housed unglamorous butcher shops. But the Medici didn’t like escorting their aristocratic guests and diplomats over the bridge with the wafting stench. So they swamped the butchers for goldsmiths. Now, you can buy expensive jewelry on the Ponte Vecchio.

5. 12:00 am: Lunch

Break for lunch and a wander, enjoying the joys of a traffic free Florence. Try Casa del Vino, where you can get sandwiches, crostini, or charcuterie plates with a delicious glass of wine.

All’Antico Vinaio is also a must-try, just minutes away from Piazza della Signoria. Sandwiches are made with a local bread called schiacciata.

You could also opt for a lunchtime food tour of Florence or a truffles-gelato-wine tour.

Florence’s Duomo and Brunelleschi’s iconic dome

6. 1:00 pm: Duomo Complex

Head to historic Florence and take in the complex of Florence Cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, nicknamed the Duomo. The Duomo complex includes the Duomo, the Baptistry, the Giotto Bell Tower, and the Duomo museum. They’re all eminently worth seeing.

You have to be organized to visit the Duomo and climb the dome. It’s an exceedingly popular activity. 

You may want to book a guided tour of the Duomo itself. You can also book a guided tour of the Duomo that includes access to the dome and secret terraces that you wouldn’t see on a regular visit.

It’s absolutely essential to pre-book a ticket to climb Brunelleschi’s dome.

You can also book a combination guided tour for the Baptistery, Duomo Museum and a dome climb. This 3 hour combination guided tour covers the four attractions I’ve just mentioned, plus Giotto’s bell tower.

You should start with the stunning Duomo Museum, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, to get the historical backdrop for all these structures. The museum is housed in the Piazza del Duomo at the back of Giotto’s Bell Tower, behind the Duomo apse.

The museum space is a fabulous treasure box of sculpture. Its rooftop terrace also offers a mesmerizing view of Brunelleschi’s dome.

The first thing you see is the museum’s well lit showstopper — the Hall of Paradise. The hall contains a magnificent reconstruction of a Duomo facade.

It designed by the first Duomo architect Arnolfo di Cambio. In 1587, the facade was torn down to make room for a Renaissance facade (that was never completed).

Hall of Paradise inside the Duomo Museum

The museum also has an unparalleled collection of Medieval and early Renaissance Florentine pieces that once decorated the Duomo complex structures. You will find pieces by artists such as Ghiberti, Donatello, Michelangelo, Arnolfo di Cambio, and Nanni di Banco.

READ: Guide to Florence’s Duomo Museum

Then, head to Florence Cathedral — the most prominent, and popular, landmark in Florence. It was built over 172 years, beginning in 1296. The Commune of Florence hired architect Arnolfo di Cambio, a man responsible for building much of 13th and 14th century Florence.

Florence Cathedral is Gothic in style, but not in the light and elegant way you think of Paris’ Notre Dame. It’s made of brown sandstone and beautifully faced with pink, green, and white marble.

panoramic view of Florence from cupola of Duomo

Filippo Brunelleschi’s magnificent terra cotta colored dome, built from 1420-36, is the highlight. The burnt orange Duomo cupola is the very symbol of Florence. It’s decorated with frescos by Giorgio Vasari, a Florentine artist and the world’s first art historian.

For panoramic views, climb up Brunelleschi’s dome. You can admire the Vasari frescos up close and have stunning views over Florence. Alternatively, you can take in views from Giotto’s Bell Tower. Or, you may have your fill of views from your morning hike.

Here’s my guide tothe Duomo and climbing the Dome. Click here to buy a skip-the-line ticket to climb the dome. Alternatively, you can take in views from Giotto’s Bell Tower. Click here to book a guided tour of the Duomo and the dome.

Giorgio Vasari frescos in the cupola of Brunelleschi’s dome

the Last Judgment mosaic in the Florence baptistery

Next, stroll to the Baptistery, in front of the main facade of the Duomo. Dating from 1059, it’s over a thousand years old.

The Baptistery sports three magnificent sets of bronze doors. On the eastern side are the famous golden “Gates of Paradise” designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti and nicknamed by Michelangelo. (The originals are now fully restored and housed in the Duomo Museum.)

The Baptistry is lined with ancient Roman columns of gray granite, likely repurposed from the ancient Roman Forum down the street.

The highlight is a stunning golden Byzantine style ceiling mosaic telling the story of the Last Judgement. You can plop down on the pews and admire it.

the Uffizi Gallery on the banks of the Arno River

7. 3:00 pm: Uffizi Gallery

After you’re done admiring the Duomo complex, head to the Uffizi Gallery, Florence’s #1 site with the world’s best collection of Italian medieval and Renaissance art.

You’ll need to make a reservation in advance. The lines are epically long.

READ: DIY Prep & Ticket Tips for the Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi is Italy’s premiere gallery, preserving this precious legacy. The museum has the world’s best and most abundant collection of Italian medieval and Renaissance art. The museum is a crowd pleaser, the third most visited site in Italy. It deserves its accolades.

The Uffizi houses seminal works from the 13th to 18th centuries, with a concentration on Renaissance art. Here’s where you’ll find one of the world’s most iconic paintings, Sandro Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.

If your time is limited, you should focus your efforts. The must see halls include the Hall 2 (Giotto), Hall 8 (Lippi), Halls 10-14 (Botticelli), Hall 15 (Leonardo), Hall 41 (Raphael and Michelangelo), Hall 83 (Titian), and Hall 90 (Caravaggio).

Here are my tips for visiting the Uffizi. Click here to pre-book a timed entry ticket.

Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venice

The Uffizi is also a popular place to take a guided tour, because of its history and the sheer number of masterpieces. You have several options:

• a 1.5 hour small group guided tour
• a 2 hour small group guided tour
• a 2 hour private tour
• a 2 hour early entry guided tour (8:30 am)
• a combined tour of the Uffizi + Brunelleschi’s dome
• a 5 hour tour of both the Uffizi and the Accademia

READ: Guide To the Botticelli Trail in Florence

Michelangelo’s David in the Galleria dell’Accademia

8. 5:00 pm: Michelangelo’s David

After the Uffizi, the Galleria Accademia is Florence’s most visited museum. People flock in to see what is probably the world’s most famous sculpture, Michelangelo’s commanding statue of David.

The 17 foot sculpture is considered the embodiment of male beauty, a Calvin Klein-like model of physical perfection. David was commissioned for Florence Cathedral. The city intended to place the statue high above in a niche. But they decided that David was too beautiful for that location.

But there’s more to the Academia than just David. Michelangelo’s Prisoners grace the Hall of the Prisoners.

Michelangelo’s Prisoners. Image: Galleria Accademia

They are four unfinished male nudes that were originally intended for the Tomb of Pope Julius II. You can see Michelangelo’s approach to carving; the figures appear to be emerging from the marble. Another must see sculpture is Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women.

Here’s my guide to how to see Michelangelo’s David. You should definitely pre-book a skip the line ticket for this popular Florence attractions.

The Accademia is also a popular place to book a guided tour. There are several options. You can book:

• a skip the line ticket + small group guided tour
• a 3 hour walking tour of Florence that includes the Accademia
• a 5 hour guided tour that includes both the Accademia and the Uffizi

If you want to visit the Accademia without crowds, you can also book a guided evening visit.

9. 6:30 pm: Dinner

For dinner, I can recommend Osteria delle Belle Donne, Trattoria Camillo, or Trattoria da Tito (not far from the Accademia).

You can also take a guided food tour or a street food tour for the total Florence food experience. Or have dinner at a winery outside Florence.

the Palazzo Vecchio and the Tower of Arnolfo

10. 9:00 pm: Palazzo Vecchio

The Palazzo Vecchio is one of the few sites in Florence open at night. From April to September, it’s open until 11:00 pm. And that’s the best time to visit to avoid crowds.

The Palazzo Vecchio was the seat of government and one of the three palace-residences of the Medici dynasty. It sits in the Piazza della Signoria, which is essentially a free open air sculpture gallery.

READ: Guide To the Statues of the Piazza della Signoria

It’s definitely worth going inside the Palazzo Vecchio, though so many tourists don’t. If you’re not too exhausted from your busy day, I’d definitely visit the palace.

Hall of the Five Hundred in the Palazzo Vecchio, with Giorgio Vasari frescos

Michelozzo-designed courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio

The Palazzo Vecchio is a doughty medieval fortress on the outside and a resplendant Renaissance palace on the inside. It’s one of Florence’s most historic and important buildings. In some ways, Palazzo Vecchio explains the entire history of Florence.

The Tower of Arnolfo can be climbed, and provides fantastic views over Florence and the Duomo. And the lines aren’t nearly as long as for Brunelleschi’s dome or Giotto’s bell tower.

Inside, you can admire the stunning Michelozzo-designed courtyard, explore the grand Hall of the Five Hundred, admire Michelangelo and Donatello sculptures, and gaze admiringly at beautiful frescos at every turn.

Hall of Lilies in the Palazzo Vecchio, with Donatello’s Judith and Holofernes

It’s rumored that the Vasari frescos in the Hall of Five Hundred may hide a “lost” Leonardo da Vinci painting of the Battle of Anghiari.

READ: All the Paintings of Leonardo da Vinci

On the second floor are the sumptuously decorated private rooms of the Medici, with recently restored frescos in the beautiful Apartment of the Elements. You’ll also find Donatello’s groundbreaking Judith and Holofernes sculpture in the Hall of Lilies.

Here’s my complete guide to the Palazzo Vecchio. Click here to pre-book a ticket to Palazzo Vecchio. Click here to book a 1.5 hour guided tour with fast track ticket.

Another popular 2 hour guided tour includes the palace and a climb of the Tower of Arnolfo. You can also book a private guided tour.

copy of Michelangelo’s David at the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio

Must Know Tips for Visiting Florence in One Day

I’ve written an article with my must know tips for visiting Florence, so won’t repeat myself too much here.

1. How To Get Around Florence

Florence isn’t a big city. You can traverse the entire city in 30 minutes. So plan to spend your one day in Florence walking for the most part. It’s pedestrianized, so there’s no traffic.

But there are lots of other fun ways to get around Florence. You can:

• rent a vespa
• take a daytime Segway tour
• take a nighttime Segway tour
• take a electric bike tour
• take a nighttime walking tour with an art historian
• take a 2.5 hour guided tour walking in the footsteps of the Medici

2. What Days To Visit Florence

Get the latest opening hours from the tourist information office. Check your guidebook (or go online) to see which sights are open on which days.

In general, Sundays and Mondays are not ideal days for sightseeing in Florence. Many places are either closed or have shorter hours. Sights may also have shorter hours off-season.

3. Cards and Tickets

If you’re going in high season, it’s essential to book tickets for the must see attractions and museums in advance. But it’s really better to visit in shoulder season in the spring or fall to avoid hordes of tourists.

If you’re only in Florence one day, don’t buy the Firenze Card, which is Florence’s 72 hour museum pass. Just pre-book individual skip the line tickets on each museum’s website.

4. Where To Stay In Florence

There are plenty of amazing hotels in Florence. You’re really spoiled or choice. 

If you want something central, book at the Hotel Brunelleschi or Portrait Firenze. Portrait Firenze is one of the most sought after hotels in Italy and is just steps away from the Ponte Vecchio. Of course the Four Seasons is always beautiful and in a quiet location. 

The Palazzo Vecchietti is housed in a beautiful 16th century townhouse. The St. Regis is a beauty too, right near Santa Maria Novella. Il Salviatino has a patrician feel and offers Duomo views. 

In the Oltrarno, I really like Villa Cora with its stunning views and Renaissance style suites.

If you have more than one day in Florence, check out my three day itinerary for Florence and my one day itinerary for the Oltrarno neighborhood.

I hope you enjoyed my one day blitz itinerary for Florence. You may enjoy these other Florence and Italy travel guides:

• Hidden Gems in Florence
• Best Museums in Florence
• Best Churches in Florence
• Best Day Trips From Florence
• Free Things To Do In Florence
• Who Were the Medici?
• 10 Day Itinerary for Tuscany
• 10 Day Itinerary for Italy
• 30 Most Beautiful Towns in Italy
• Tips for Visiting Italy

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