W E L C O M E TO TH E
G O O D L I F E
I N
F L O R E N C E
P L A N N I N G
Florence is a wonderfully walkable city, and you'll find secrets wherever you go, if you only stop and look.
We always recommend cultural visitsbe balanced with contrast, so do take the itin suggestion to heart and don’t book David and the Uffizi on the same day.
M U S E U M & S I T E B O O K I N G
The Accademia, where David is located, absolutely needs to be booked in advance at any time of year that isn’t the dead of winter.
We always recommend spreading things out with contrast, so do take the itinerary suggestion to heart and don’t book David and the Uffizi on the same day.
A basic first-time itinerary should have a minimum of 3 days to take in the essentials of what Florence has to offer.
S U G G E S T E D I T I N E R A R Y P O I N T S
DAY I
David & Old Town
This day will give you a walk through the historic centre and a visit to see David.
It’s essential to have tickets pre-booked, as they tend to sell out quickly due to the limited capacity that the Accademia Gallery has for visitors.
Have a relaxing lunch, and in the afternoon make your way over to visit Brunelleschi’s spectacular Duomo. We think it's worth having climbed the crazy 463 steps to the top at least once in your life for the view over Florence alone.
Like David, this too will sell out many days in advance. If you fancy, it’s honestly worth climbing the bell tower as well, to get a view of the Duomo from up top. Lots of steps, but if you’re going to climb a tower in Europe, this is high in the running for the best of them.
This evening is ideal for having a lovely rustic dinner and relaxing after quite a bit of walking one way, and very probably quite a few stairs...
DAY II
Uffizi & Oltrarno.
The premier collection of Botticelli paintings in the world, the Uffizi needs little introduction.
There is a strong argument for visiting the Uffizi at its emptiest, first thing in the morning when it opens at 08:15, although the author of this guide has never managed that. This is due to the quality of the wine in Florence, which tends to beget unusual quantities of it.
While you could easily spend a day in the Uffizi, taking one of our guides can help you have a wonderful experience in 2-3 hours.
This has two immediate benefits: Firstly, that you get a lovely, focussed overview of the museum’s most important treasures, and secondly, that you will likely have plenty of mental energy left over for a visit to the nearby Palazzo Vecchio.
Go for a spectacular lunch behind the Uffizi, and then for the afternoon, walk across the river and stroll through the shops and architecture of the Oltrarno district.
DAY III
Palaces & Perfumes
This is a perfect day to visit the Palazzo Pitti Complex, stroll the beautiful gardens, and take in the galleries of the Pitti Palace, including the Medici art collection, the fashion museum (in and of itself a wonderfully architectural experience) and the royal apartments of the Medici family, the Habsburgs, and finally the House of Savoy.
After lunch, visit the world’s oldest pharmacy replete with its gorgeous rooms, gothic, and early renaissance frescoes, Santa Maria Novella.
One of the author's favourite parts is the tornabuoni chapel, with frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio, under whom a young Michaelangelo apprecenticed.
As the pharmacy is above all else, one of the world’s greatest perfume houses, it bears mentioning that for those who find fragrances bothersome, it’s worth giving this a try, as the entire collection is made with high-quality, natural ingredients, and you may find that you have a different experience than you might be used to with inferior products.
M E E T Y O U R G U I D E
All of our guides can offer you a spectacular experience. As each person has a slightly different look at the world, due to their own unique interests and specialties, we'd encourage you to read a few profiles.
