Perfect Florence itineraries

How long should you spend in Florence? Whether you have one day or three, here's what to see and do in Florence, Italy

I've spent months upon months in Florence doing nothing but research the tourism side of the city, and still have not seen it all. Still, you can probably cram in the greatest hits in two or three packed days.

Then again, I'm not on your vacation schedule, and for all I know you have but a single precious day to spend on the wonders of the Cradle of the Renaissance.

With that in mind, here are several perfect itineraries that'll help you pack as much sightseeing as possible into however much time you have to spend in Florence.

I'll only bother providing schedules for one, two, and three days in Florence —I figure, if you have more time that that, you'll really start branching out into lesser-known sights and experiences that appeal to you personally, and who am I to tell you what to do? To that end, I've also compiled a quick list of the top sights in Florence.

An alternative day in Florence

Keep in mind: these itineraries are designed for the first-time visitor who wants to be sure he or she gets to all the highlights—all the must-sees. But what if you want to avoid the crowds that pack those highlights, or you've already done the Uffizi, The David, and the Duomo and are looking for less famous—but still rewarding—sights?

As luck would have it, I have whipped up Reid's List of Florence sights and experiences devoted entirely to this purpose. These are sights from the B-list (sometimes the C-list) that I happen to love and that are definitely worthy of your time—in some cases, perhaps more worthy than some of the more famous sights.

Tips & links

Consider daily tours

Prefer to leave some of the planning and information-providing to a professional? Consider signing up for a guided tour—doesn't have to be a standard bus tour; our partners at Viator.com offer loads of neighborhood and thematic walking tours, private guides, and other fun ways to explore the capital as well. » more

Make your vacation your own

These are merely blueprints; you really should spend your time on whatever catches your own interest. Some people would rather get a root canal than visit one more museum filled with Renaissance paintings, but for others a day amongst the Old Masters would rank as the highlight of their trip. Same goes for shopping: heaven for some, hell on earth for others. For some less-famous sights to visit, check out Reid's List: Florence.

Watch out for Sundays and Mondays

Keep in mind that you may have to adjust these itineraries in case one of the days you're in town happens to fall on a Monday (when most museums are closed) or a Sunday (when many things are closed, and those that remain open tend to operate on shorter hours).

How long does Florence take?

Planning your day: Florence would well be worth a week, but you can still fit a lot into just a day or three.

To help you get the most out of your limited time in the Cradle of the Renaissance, here are some perfect itineraries, whether you have one, two, or three days to spend in Florence.

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