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

Get ready for three days of Renaissance magic. Florence fits Michelangelo’s David, Brunelleschi’s dome, the Uffizi and the Medici gardens into a historic centre you can cross on foot, which makes it one of Europe’s most rewarding city breaks. This plan suits first-timers who want the big names without sprinting.

The pace is steady but relaxed. You get one or two headline sights each morning, a slower afternoon, and evenings for wandering, eating and watching the light change over the Arno. Almost everything is walkable, so pack comfortable shoes and leave room for long lunches.

At a glance

Day	Area	Highlights
1	San Marco, Duomo, San Lorenzo	David at the Accademia, the Cathedral, Brunelleschi’s dome climb, Baptistery and Opera del Duomo Museum
2	Piazza della Signoria, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio	The Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, sunset stroll across Ponte Vecchio
3	Oltrarno	Optional Bell Tower climb, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, Santo Spirito, Piazzale Michelangelo

Which days to choose: the Uffizi, the Accademia and Pitti Palace all close on Mondays. The Cathedral is closed to visitors on Sundays, and Palazzo Vecchio closes at 2 pm on Thursdays. A Tuesday to Thursday or a Friday to Sunday trip fits this plan well (see the Thursday swap on Day 2).

Day 1: David and the Duomo

Morning

This is the day you meet Florence’s two superstars. Start at the Galleria dell’Accademia (Via Ricasoli 58/60) when it opens at 8:15. Michelangelo’s David stands here, and seeing him before the crowds build is pure joy. The gallery is open 8:15 am to 6:50 pm (last admission 6:20 pm). It is closed every Monday, on 1 January and on 25 December. A standard ticket costs EUR 16.

Pre-book: the gallery strongly recommends a reservation because the wait without one can be long. B-Ticket is the only official channel authorised by the Ministry of Culture. Booking by phone costs an extra EUR 4. Allow 60 to 90 minutes.

From the Accademia, it’s a flat walk of roughly 10 minutes down Via Ricasoli to Piazza del Duomo. Try to arrive around 10:15, when the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore opens. Entry to the Cathedral is free and needs no ticket (Monday to Saturday, 10:15 am to 3:45 pm). Inside, a short flight of stairs in the right aisle leads down to Santa Reparata, the remains of the older church beneath the Duomo. All three Duomo passes include it.

Afternoon

After lunch, it’s time for the big one: Brunelleschi’s Dome. The climb is 463 steps with no lift. Your reward is a close look at the painted inside of the dome and a sweeping view over the terracotta rooftops.

Pre-book: the only way to climb the dome is with the Brunelleschi Pass (EUR 30). When you buy it on the official Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore webshop, you must pick a timed slot for the dome. The pass covers the Dome, Bell Tower, Baptistery, Opera del Duomo Museum and Santa Reparata, and is valid for 3 calendar days. Your dome slot must fall on the first day, and you can’t change the booking. Dome slots run:

• Monday to Friday: 8:15 am to 6:45 pm (last slot)
• Saturday: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm
• Sundays and public holidays: 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm

Before you climb, leave medium and large bags and backpacks at the free luggage storage at Piazza Duomo 38/r (open daily 7:30 am to 8:15 pm).

Then cross the square to the Baptistery (daily 8:30 am to 7:30 pm). Finish in the Opera del Duomo Museum (daily 8:30 am to 7 pm, closed the first Tuesday of the month), home to many of the original sculptures from the cathedral complex. Save the Bell Tower for Day 3. With the Brunelleschi Pass you can climb it any time while the pass is valid, with no timed slot.

Evening

Wander a few minutes north-west into San Lorenzo, with its market streets and the Medici church of San Lorenzo, for a relaxed first Florentine dinner. Then stroll back past the Duomo, lit up at night.

Day 2: The Uffizi and Piazza della Signoria

Morning

Save your energy for a masterpiece marathon. Walk about 10 minutes south from the Duomo along Via dei Calzaiuoli to Piazza della Signoria, Florence’s grand open-air stage. Right beside it is the Uffizi Gallery, home to works by Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael and Caravaggio.

The Uffizi is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 am to 6:30 pm. It is closed on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December, and the ticket office closes at 5:30 pm.

Prices (2026):

• Standard ticket: EUR 25 bought on the day, EUR 29 bought in advance.
• “Afternoon” ticket (entry from 4 pm): EUR 16 on the day, EUR 20 in advance.

Pre-book: buy a timed ticket on the official Uffizi Galleries website, especially if you want the 8:15 entry. Give yourself at least 2.5 to 3 hours. Some rooms may be closed for restoration, and the museum lists these on its notices page.

Money-saving tip: if you’re also visiting Pitti Palace and Boboli on Day 3, look at the 5 Days Ticket (all museums) for EUR 40. It covers the Uffizi, Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. Bought separately in advance, the Uffizi (EUR 29) plus Pitti and Boboli (EUR 25) would cost EUR 54.

Afternoon

Head back into Piazza della Signoria for Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s town hall since the Middle Ages, with the huge Salone dei Cinquecento. The museum is open 9 am to 7 pm every day except Thursday, when it closes at 2 pm. Ticket sales stop one hour before closing.

Prices: the museum costs EUR 18 (full price), and visitors aged 0 to 17 go free. The Torre di Arnolfo (the tower) needs a separate EUR 20 ticket. It is open 9 am to 5 pm (2 pm on Thursdays) and closes when it rains. Book on the official city museums ticketing site, bigliettimusei.comune.fi.it.

Thursday swap: if Day 2 is a Thursday, visit Palazzo Vecchio first at 9 am. Then use the cheaper Afternoon ticket for the Uffizi from 4 pm.

Evening

From the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio is just a few minutes’ walk along the river. This medieval bridge is lined with goldsmiths’ shops. Cross at sunset for the golden glow on the Arno, then head east to the Santa Croce neighbourhood for dinner in its squares and side streets.

Day 3: Oltrarno, Pitti and the best view in town

Morning

Optional early climb: your Brunelleschi Pass is still valid on Day 3, so you can start at Giotto’s Bell Tower. It opens daily at 8:15 am (last slot 6:45 pm). It’s 414 steps, again with no lift. The tower is under major restoration, so the view from the top terrace may be partly blocked.

Then walk south over Ponte Vecchio to Pitti Palace, about 15 to 20 minutes from the Duomo. The former Medici home holds the Palatine Gallery and royal apartments. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 am to 6:30 pm, and closed on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December. Some rooms are temporarily closed, including the Room of the Iliad and the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, so check the notices before you go.

Behind the palace, the Boboli Gardens climb the hillside with fountains, grottoes and statues. Boboli opens daily at 8:15 am. Closing time depends on the season:

• November to February: 4:30 pm
• March and October on standard time: 5:30 pm
• April, May and September, plus March and October on daylight saving time: 6:30 pm
• June, July and August: 7:10 pm

Last entry is one hour before closing. The gardens are closed on the first and last Monday of each month and on 25 December.

Prices:

• Pitti Palace: EUR 16 on the day, EUR 19 in advance.
• Boboli: EUR 10 on the day, EUR 13 in advance.
• Pitti plus Boboli: EUR 22 on the day, EUR 25 in advance.

Visiting the royal apartments needs a reservation.

Afternoon

Time to slow down and soak it all in. Enjoy the Oltrarno, the “other side of the Arno”. Wander towards Piazza di Santo Spirito and San Frediano. Their artisan workshops and neighbourhood trattorias are perfect for a lazy lunch and an unhurried coffee.

Evening

End with the classic Florence farewell at Piazzale Michelangelo, a free public terrace with a wide view over the city’s domes and towers. From the Oltrarno, allow roughly 25 to 30 minutes on foot, mostly uphill along the old city walls. Get there before sunset and watch the city turn pink and gold. If you still have energy, the Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte sits just above. Check its opening times before you climb.

Getting there and getting around

Entry and visas: Italy is part of the Schengen Area. Entry rules depend on your passport and can change, so check the Italian government’s official visa portal, Visto per l’Italia (https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it), well before you book.

From Florence Airport (Peretola): tram line T2 “Vespucci” is the easiest and cheapest option. The “Peretola Aeroporto” stop is about a 2-minute walk from arrivals. The tram operator, GEST, says the ride to the city centre takes about 20 minutes. T2 passes the Santa Maria Novella station area and ends at Piazza San Marco, a few minutes from the Accademia. The full line is 8.8 km long with 20 stops.

• Fare: EUR 2.00 for a 90-minute city ticket.
• Hours: trams run every day from 5 am to 00:30, and until 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights. The last tram from the airport to the centre leaves at 23:58 Sunday to Thursday and at 01:15 on Friday and Saturday.
• Luggage: one bag up to 10 kg and 55 x 40 x 20 cm travels free. Larger bags (up to 80 x 45 x 25 cm and 20 kg, two at most per person) need an extra ticket each. Anything bigger isn’t allowed, and the trams have no luggage racks.

Taxis and other airports: we couldn’t confirm current taxi fares or the connections from Pisa or Bologna airports on official sources, so check the airport and rail operators’ own websites before you travel.

Getting around the city: the historic centre is compact, and walking is the best way to see it. For longer trips, the same EUR 2.00 ticket works on Autolinee Toscane buses and the tram, and it is valid for 90 minutes in Florence. A 10-trip ticket costs EUR 18.20, and a ticket bought by SMS costs EUR 2.40. The easiest way to pay is to tap a contactless card, phone or smartwatch on the reader on board. You can also use the at-bus app or the ticket machines at tram stops.

Where to stay

• Duomo and Piazza della Signoria: the heart of everything. Ideal for a first visit if you want to walk to every sight in this plan, though it’s the busiest area.
• Santa Maria Novella: handy if you arrive by train or take the T2 airport tram, and the centre is an easy walk away. Great for short stays with luggage.
• San Marco: a calmer area with a student feel, right by the Accademia and the T2 terminus at Piazza San Marco. Good for early risers who want to see David first thing.
• Oltrarno (Santo Spirito and San Frediano): artisan workshops, local squares and a neighbourhood feel across the river. Best for couples and repeat visitors who like quieter evenings away from the crowds.

Budget

These are the main fixed costs for this plan, taken from the official sites (adult prices, October 2026).

Item	Typical cost
Galleria dell’Accademia	EUR 16 (plus a booking fee if reserved; EUR 4 by phone)
Brunelleschi Pass (Dome, Bell Tower, Baptistery, Museum, Santa Reparata)	EUR 30
Giotto Pass (no dome) / Ghiberti Pass (no climbs)	EUR 20 / EUR 15
Uffizi	EUR 25 on the day, EUR 29 in advance
Uffizi Afternoon ticket (entry from 4 pm)	EUR 16 on the day, EUR 20 in advance
Palazzo Vecchio museum	EUR 18
Torre di Arnolfo (Palazzo Vecchio tower)	EUR 20
Pitti Palace plus Boboli Gardens	EUR 22 on the day, EUR 25 in advance
5 Days Ticket (Uffizi, Pitti, Boboli)	EUR 40
Bus or tram ticket (90 minutes)	EUR 2.00
10-trip bus and tram ticket	EUR 18.20

Advance tickets for the Accademia, Brunelleschi Pass, Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio and Pitti plus Boboli, plus two tram rides, come to roughly EUR 125 for three days. That’s about EUR 40 to 45 a day.

Not included: flights, accommodation, the city tourist tax your accommodation charges per night, food and drink, guided tours and shopping. These costs vary a lot, so check current rates when you book.

Heads-up

A few things worth knowing so nothing spoils your fun:

• Dress codes are enforced at the Duomo. You won’t be let into the Cathedral or Baptistery in flip-flops, with bare shoulders or with legs uncovered above the knee. Hats aren’t allowed in the Cathedral. On Day 1, wear knee-length clothes or carry a light scarf.
• The climbs aren’t for everyone. The Opera del Duomo advises against the 463-step dome climb for people with heart problems, vertigo or claustrophobia, and for pregnant women. It gives similar advice for the 414-step Bell Tower. Neither has a lift.
• Planned closures this autumn: the Bell Tower closes for maintenance from 9 to 13 November 2026, and the Dome from 16 to 20 November 2026. The mosaics on the Baptistery ceiling are under restoration and can’t be seen.
• Strike on 30 October 2026: a national general strike has been called across all public and private sectors. The Uffizi Galleries say only the Uffizi (1:30 pm to 6:30 pm) and the Boboli Gardens are guaranteed to open that day. Other services may be disrupted.
• Buy tickets from official channels. The Accademia says B-Ticket is its only authorised seller. For the Uffizi, Pitti and the Duomo, book on their own official websites listed in our sources.
• Bags and big luggage: at the Duomo complex, ticket holders must drop their bags at the official luggage storage first. Oversized luggage isn’t allowed on the tram.

Practical tips

• Closing days at a glance: Mondays (Uffizi, Accademia, Pitti), first and last Monday of the month (Boboli), Sundays (Cathedral interior), first Tuesday of the month (Opera del Duomo Museum) and Thursday afternoons (Palazzo Vecchio).
• Start early: most big museums open at 8:15 am, and early slots are the calmest.
• Pay by card on transport: contactless cards and phones work on the tram and bus readers, so you don’t need cash for the ride from the airport.
• SIM and eSIM: buying an eSIM before you fly is the easiest way to be online as soon as you land. Check roaming terms with your home provider before you leave.
• Need help on the ground? The city’s official tourism site, Feel Florence, lists tourist info points, useful phone numbers and 24-hour pharmacies.

FAQ

Is 3 days enough for Florence?

Yes, for the highlights at a comfortable pace. Add a fourth day for a Tuscan day trip.

Do I need to book David and the Uffizi in advance?

It’s strongly recommended. The Accademia warns that waits without a reservation can be long, and an early timed slot at the Uffizi saves precious morning time.

Is the Florence Duomo free?

The Cathedral itself is free to enter, Monday to Saturday from 10:15 am to 3:45 pm. To climb the dome or the Bell Tower, or to visit the Baptistery and museum, you need one of the official passes (EUR 15 to EUR 30).

Which pass should I choose at the Duomo?

Pick the Brunelleschi Pass (EUR 30) if you want to climb the dome. The Giotto Pass (EUR 20) includes the Bell Tower but not the dome. The Ghiberti Pass (EUR 15) covers only the Baptistery, museum and Santa Reparata.

How do I get from Florence Airport to the centre?

Take tram T2. A EUR 2.00 ticket is valid for 90 minutes, and you can just tap your contactless card on board. GEST says the ride to the centre takes about 20 minutes.

What should I wear to visit churches?

Cover your shoulders and knees and skip the flip-flops. The Duomo and Baptistery turn away visitors who don’t follow the dress code.