A day in Florence – enjoy a day of culture, history and art
Florence in Italy is a popular destination for tourists and it has enough culture, history and art to keep you busy for weeks. Many couples even spend their honeymoon in Florence. While it’s nice to plan a long stay and enjoy staying in one of the beautiful Florence apartments while you explore to your heart’s content, you may not have more than a day to spend in the city if your schedule is tight. To help you make the most of your day in this stunning city, here is a helpful itinerary you can use as a guideline throughout the day.
If possible, make sure you get started early in the morning so you can fit everything into your day. During the morning hours, you’ll want to spend a bit of time at Uffizi’s Gallery, which is an incredible gallery with four centuries of art and history. Just a few of the most influential artists featured in the gallery include Botticelli, Giotto, Michelangelo, Raffaello and Leonardo da Vinci.
Loggia Uffizi
Before lunch, take some time to enjoy the Piazza Signoria, which is full of exciting things to see. You’ll see the incredible Palazzo Vecchio along with the incredible sculptures all around this historic city hall. While you’re here, enjoy a stop at the beautiful café Rivoire, where you can enjoy some pastries and coffee while you pause and watch all the people go by.
In the afternoon, don’t forget to head to Santa Maria del Fiorence Cathedral. This cathedral is one of the biggest churches in the world and was designed by none other than Arnolfo di Cambio. This lovely cathedral, along with the Baptistery and Bell Tower have been symbols of the city for centuries. Check out Giotto’s Bell Tower as well, where you can see a great view of the entire city. Opposite of the Cathedral you’ll find St. John’s Baptistery as well, which features incredible beauty that you just can’t miss.
Another popular place to visit during the afternoon is Ponte Vecchio, which is one of the treasures of this city. Because of the bridge’s incredible beauty, it was saved by the Nazis. It was built back in 1345 and originally included various butcher’s shops. Later, artisan jewelers would take over these shops.
Ponte Vecchio
Last, make sure you drop by Pitti Palace as well. The grand dukes of Tuscany resided here at one point. During the time that Florence was Italy’s capital city, the Kings of the country also resided in Pitti Palace. While visiting the palace you’ll enjoy seeing the Galleria Palatina’s sculptures and paintings, as well as the gorgeous royal apartments. Don’t forget to check out the Porcelain Museum, the Galleria of Modern Art, Boboli’s Garden and the Costume’s Gallery while you’re at the palace.
No doubt, you’ll enjoy your exciting day in the city of Florence, one of the most beautiful cities of Italy. Of course, you can never see it all in one day. After a little taste of the city, you’ll want to come back again and rent one of the apartments in Florence so you can stay awhile and enjoy seeing even more of what this magnificent city has to offer.
If you are flying to Florence, check out my Florence Airport Guide.
