I absolutely agree with this.
In Florence everything is somehow monumental, large-scale, concentrated Italian. It seems as if the city does not notice the large number of tourists and lives its life under the warm and gentle Tuscan sun.
More, Florence- one of the few cities that seem more majestic than in photographs. All the other, at least European, cities and attractions turn out to be tiny in real life, but here it’s the opposite – it’s breathtaking and you feel small.
The day of exploration began with the main and most recognizable place in the city - Piazza del Duomo(literally: “cathedral square”), on which rises a simply huge symbolic cathedral and the main attraction of Florence - Santa Maria Del Fiore. This 600-year-old giant, which can accommodate 30,000 people under its roof (the entire population of Florence at the time of its construction), does not even fit into the lens, so we show it in parts.
Facade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Giotto's bell tower
Giotto's Bell Tower
The big one is seen from a distance, so to consider Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and all Florence, we climb the bell tower made by the great Giotto.
I had to wait a little in the queue to enter, but it was worth it, the price of going up to the observation deck was 15 euros, but it was also worth it. This ticket will allow you, if you wish, except Giotto's bell tower, also visit the cathedral itself, climb its dome and look into the baptistery opposite the cathedral.
Elevator or some kind of lift in Giotto's bell tower no, so you need to climb to a height of 85 meters on foot, along a narrow and steep staircase. There are several viewing platforms in the bell tower, at different levels. Each one, except the last one, has benches on which you can sit (stay in the bell tower is not limited, so if you have time, at least take a book and sit there, read, with such a luxurious view of the Florence).
View from Giotto's bell tower, it seems you can reach the dome with your hand
IN Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore It’s also worth a visit, the dome inside is no less beautiful than the outside. It’s also quiet, cool and dark there. You can take a few minutes to relax from the noise and bustle.
Inside the cathedral
After the cathedral we go along Via dei Calzaiuoly to the main square of the city, taking a break for perhaps the most delicious ice cream in the world - Italian gelato. The best gelateria in the center Florence is considered a Festival and we confirm this fact (we held a tough competition among 6 Florentine gelaterias).
At the end of Via dei Calzaiuoly is the main square of Florence - Señoria Square(Piazza della Signoria). There are a lot of interesting sights here: Loggia della Signoria when it was built for meetings, but became a museum, Palazzo Vecchio- the former residence of the Medici, which also became a museum and, a little further, Uffizi Gallery, which was built by the Medici family as a place of work for the city government, but became, guess what, a museum. (In general, everything in Florence sooner or later becomes a museum or attraction).
There are also a lot of beautiful, muscular statues on the square: Neptune fountain with Neptune in the center, copy of David Michelangelo, monument to Cosimo de' Medici.
Palazzo Vecchio
Let's go to Palazzo Vecchio(Palazzo Vecchio). Now it is a museum, which is divided into three blocks: a tower with an observation deck, a museum and an ancient amphitheater located in the basement.
Ticket prices vary depending on which blocks of the Palazzo you want to visit: 10 euros for the museum only, 14 euros for the museum and tower, 18 euros for the full set.
We go to the museum and the tower, taking also audio guides (+4 euros for two). Audio guides here are in the form of tablets with headphones, and a map and photos of the halls are loaded into them. You click on the tablet on the hall you need and listen to its history and at the same time the history of the Medici family - a powerful and wealthy family that ruled for several centuries Florence.
The Medici's biography is bloodthirsty and intense, "Game of Thrones" is taking a break, but still, such an amount of information is difficult to perceive at once, unless you are a special connoisseur, so we recommend putting on your headphones, turning on majestic music and walking through the halls, imagining yourself as rulers Florence. The halls are very beautiful, especially the Hall of the Five Hundred, especially its ceiling.
Hall of the Five Hundred
The ceilings in each room are simply a song, they are paintings in themselves, masterpieces, at least for them it’s worth going here.
Palazzo Vecchio, ceiling of one of the museum halls
After the museum, climb the tower (and here without an elevator) from where you can see the Piazza della Signoria with its attractions and throughout the city.
View of Piazza della Signoria from the Palazzo Vecchio tower
Uffizi Gallery
After the Palazzo Vecchio we pass through the vaults of the Uffizi Gallery - the main museum of Florence and all of Italy, where the entire collection of art of the Medici family is stored, and this is not least - masterpieces of the main masters of the Renaissance: Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Da Vinci. The queues here are kilometer long, but you can buy a ticket in advance at.
Bridge Vecchio (Ponte Veccio)
Already at sunset, having passed the arch at the end of the gallery, we find ourselves on the embankment of the Arno River, which divides Florence into two parts. The main decoration of the river is Ponte Veccio, a bridge covered with ancient houses, on which shops of gold traders have been located since the time of the Medici. This bridge is always very crowded, so if you are not interested in gold items sold at exorbitant tourist prices, then it is better to look at Vecchio Bridge from afar, going down from the embankment to the river and sitting down on the neat lawn - as we did, and as almost all Florentine youth do every warm evening.
Sunset, the sound of the river, openwork bridges and huge ancient buildings at the top along the embankment are perhaps the best end to a day of Florentine history and culture.
P\S we said almost nothing about local restaurants, because there are a lot of them here and we will devote the most interesting of them to the most interesting ones.
Hello! Finally, I can return to the story of our trip to Italy, where we went in April 2017. And today I will talk about Florence, where we stayed for 2 nights.
We arrived in Florence in the evening, around 7 o’clock (everything about getting around. And according to the plan, after checking into the hotel, we wanted to have time to see the city center, but we were very tired of the long road, and check-in was not as fast as we expected We only had enough strength to go out to the store for dinner and successfully return back, because at night an incredible number of emigrants gather around the station, leading a not very civilized lifestyle. You don’t feel particularly comfortable, to put it mildly.
Cheap accommodation in the center of Florence
We settled in a separate room in a nice apartment, located 7 minutes from the Santa Maria Novella station. We booked a room on Airbnb, where it is called M&B HOUSE 1 – Santa Maria Novella.
The apartment itself is charming. In it, the owners rent out 4 living rooms with two shared bathrooms (one with a shower, and the other with a tiny but bathtub) and an equipped kitchen, where you will find everything you need, including a bottle of wine if you suddenly run out of your own supplies (They cost a little more than store bought ones).
From the room page on AirBnb 
From the room page on AirBnb
But we checked in with some tension, because we had informed us in advance of the exact time of arrival, but the owners did not show up even after 15 minutes of waiting at the door. After another 10 minutes, our future neighbors opened their doors to us, but the owners were not in the apartment. We began frantically calling them, and after another 10 minutes the owner’s mother, a cheerful older Italian woman who spoke exclusively Italian, came running. And after explaining ourselves on our fingers, we finally managed to check in)
There are two train stations in the center of Florence: Santa Maria Novella and Firenze Campo di Marte. A special train runs between these stations, so you can get from one to another not only on foot, but also by train. And this is important if you came to Firenze Campo di Marte, like we did, and plan to live closer to Santa Maria Novella. And one more nuance: trains from northern cities (Verona, Venice, Bologna, etc.) arrive at Firenze Campo di Marte, but on the coast, to La Spezia and Pisa, and to Rome you will need to travel with Santa Maria Novella. An exception may be through trains across the country. Advice from the blog author
How long does it take to explore Florence?
We were planning to leave Florence, so we had one day left to explore the city, but the whole day. From my experience I recommend allocate at least 1 full day to explore Florence, otherwise you won’t have time at all. Why?
Florence is a large Italian city, where thousands and thousands of tourists come every day. People go there for the ancient museums, containing amazing works of art from all over the world, and the city itself is a real open-air museum, every building in the city contains an incredible history, just like the streets of Florence.
Therefore, I recommend planning your trip in such a way that on 1 day you could visit one large museum and walk around the city, but no more, because in this city there are queues not only at the ticket office in museums, but also at the entrance to the museum itself, to restaurants, churches, and even to places with the best view for photographs. You simply won’t be able to see more, because you will spend most of the day in queues.
If you only have one day to explore Florence, then take a stroll through the city center and one of the city's famous museums. We chose Palazzo Pitti and the beautiful Boboli Gardens. We also visited the small Galileo Galilei Museum, dedicated to all sorts of scientific gizmos.
Sights of Florence
On the map I have marked the attractions and the route that I recommend mapping out for exploring Florence if you are in the city for just 1 day.
The walk will be hard and tiring, so gather your strength, dress in comfortable clothes and shoes and go!
There are a lot of museums in Florence, every house is a palazzo, a palace where famous people, characters from the pages of history lived. Here are just a few of these attractions - Palazzo Vecchio (in Piazza della Signoria, in front of Palazzo Vecchio, you can admire copies of the world's most famous sculptures, including Michelangelo's David), Loggia Lanzi Gallery, Palazzo Strozzi, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Bargello Palace, Palazzo Pitti, Uffizi Gallery and many, many others. But there are also cathedrals that amaze with their beauty - the churches of Santa Maria Novella and San Lorenzo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
First of all Necessarily take a look at the Duomo, the main cathedral of Florence - the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It’s very difficult to fit it into one frame) And even more difficult to get inside!
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Santa Maria del Fiore- a Gothic cathedral of incredible beauty, standing in the very center of Florence, has been a symbol of the city for seven centuries.
In addition to the cathedral itself, you can also go up to the observation platforms of the bell tower and the dome of the cathedral and look at the city from above, go to the baptistery. True, you will have to pay for them. At the box office you will be offered complex and individual tickets.
One of the most gorgeous views of the cathedral. Wikipedia So, for two attractions you will have to pay 15 euros (2017), for the entire complex you will have to pay about 30 euros. The ticket is valid for a day after the first pass, so you don’t have to try to finish visiting each of the attractions as quickly as possible.
Cathedral opening hours:
- Monday - Wednesday: from 10:30 to 17:00;
- Thursday: from 10:30 to 15:30;
- Saturday: from 10:30 to 16:45;
- Sunday: from 13:30 to 18:00.
Opening hours of the observation deck:
- daily: from 10:30 to 19:00;
- Saturday: from 10:30 to 16:40.
Cost of visiting the cathedral: free, but you need to stand in a giant line of people wanting to visit the cathedral. It's incredibly long)
The exact address: Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Then stroll to the Arno River and visit the Galileo Museum. You will like it if you like all sorts of “scientific things” or travel with children.
Museum of Galileo Galilei in Florence
This museum contains a huge collection of scientific instruments, and the museum itself is located in an old 11th century palace, the Castellani Palace, standing on the banks of the Arno River 3 minutes from the famous Ponte Vecchio.
From the museum's official Facebook page I highly recommend including it in your trip plan, especially if you are traveling with children: at the end of the exhibition there are exhibits where you can test all the basic laws of physics. And there are practically no queues at the entrance to this museum.
Entrance fee in 2018– 9 euros (discount and family tickets available)
Working hours: from 9:30 to 18:00
Exact address: Firenze, Piazza dei Giudici 1
Official website of the museum— www.museogalileo.it
Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens
This palace is the largest palazzo in Florence and for many years served as a haven for the strongest families of the city - the Grand Dukes of Tuscany (Medici and Habsburgs of Lorraine), and then the Italian kings. The Palazzo houses one of the finest collections of art in Florence.
Palazzo Pitti, view from the Boboli Gardens
View of Florence from the top of the Boboli Gardens
Several masterpieces from the museum itself - Palazzo Pitti
Cost of visiting Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens amounts to 20 euros for every adult.
You need to buy separate tickets for Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens, but you have to stand in the same line at the box office.
Palazzo Pitti is considered one of the most visited museums in the city, so entry restrictions have been introduced there. It turns out that you will have to stand in two lines to enter this museum: first at the ticket office, and then at the entrance. The doors to the Boboli Gardens are located directly opposite the main entrance to the Palazzo; you can go there without visiting the museum. Advice from the blog author
Diagram of the Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti from www.museumsinflorence.com. Helps you plan your trip.
The observation deck in the gardens is located at the highest point of the park. To do this, you need to climb up from the palazzo building, to the farthest corner.
Top 5 things every tourist needs to do in Florence
I have also compiled a small list - the top 5 things that need to be done in Florence, so that you can say that you would visit this city! It will help you stay on track and give you a starting point, a first landmark for your walk around Florence. And along the way you will meet many other wonderful sights and get a taste and color of the city.
1. Walk through the city center and admire its shrine - the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
2. Take a walk in the Boboli Gardens and enjoy incredible views of Florence
3. Visit at least one museum in the city
4. See Michelangelo's famous David
5. Walk across the Arno River on the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge
Somewhere along the route, I suggest you have lunch at a wonderful restaurant - Fishing Lab Alle Murate. They serve the freshest seafood at very affordable prices.
I found out about this place in advance, having found a review about it somewhere on Instagram. As expected, the place turned out to be wonderful, but very popular. We had to wait 10-15 minutes until a place at the bar became available. While waiting, we were offered an aperitif - a glass of champagne.
Florence is famous for its numerous museums and art galleries, it is impossible to see all of them in 1 day. There are always very long queues in front of the most important gallery in Florence, the Uffizi, so if you visit the city for one day, you can hardly expect to get there in time. It is better to do this if you have at least 2-3 days left.
If you only have one day to see Florence, then just walk around the city and choose 2-3 attractions to visit that interest you most. We especially present a rich program so that you can choose the museums, palaces or cathedrals that are most attractive to you.
Of course, the Cathedral Square, Piazza della Signoria, the Basilica of San Lorenzo and the Ponte Vecchio are a must-see.
Ticket prices and visiting hours for museums and attractions are presented for 2019: check the information on the official websites.
Piazza Signoria and nearby
Most likely, you will arrive in Florence by train. From the station, take Via Sant’Antonino, which will take you to Via Guelfa. If you turn right, you will come to the famous squares of Florence and the Uffizi Gallery.
Take a walk along Piazza della Signoria - this is an ancient square that has existed since the ancient Roman era. In those days, there was a theater here, and later tower houses were built by the ruling Ghibellines Uberti.
On the site of the destroyed towers, the Palazzo Vecchio was erected in the 13th century, looking like an impregnable fortress. Originally built to house the priors of Florence, today it houses the town hall and art museum.
The palace is open to the public:
- from October to March from 9.00 to 19.00 on all days except Tuesday (only until 14.00);
- from April to September from 9.00 to 23.00 daily, and on Tuesdays - until 14.00.
A full ticket to the Vecchio Palace with a visit to the museum, archaeological area and tower costs 18 Euros.
If you want to see only the museum and climb the tower, then the ticket will cost only 14 Euros (the same cost for visiting the museum + archaeological zone). Separately, you can see the archaeological zone for 4 Euros, and climb the tower for 10 Euros.
Pavilion Loggia Lanzi
The Loggia dei Lanzi Pavilion is also located in Piazza della Signoria and is an open gallery with a colonnade.
It was built for the Florentine nobility: ceremonies and important events were held there. Currently, the pavilion houses ancient Roman sculptures - they are located near the walls of the building.
If you walk to the embankment from Piazza della Signoria, you will come to the famous Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi), located on the square of the same name. This is one of the oldest galleries in the world - it was open to ordinary residents already in the 16th century. It is here that the masterpieces of Michelangelo, Raphael, Buonarotti, Leonardo da Vinci and other famous artists are kept.
The most significant works in the Gallery are “Spring”, “Slander”, “Madonna and Child with an Angel”, “Birth of Venus” by Botticelli, “Adoration of the Magi” and “Annunciation” by Leonardo da Vinci, “Venus of Urbino” by Titian, “Baptism” Christ" Verrocchio.
Photo: francesco cepolina / Shutterstock.com
Opening hours and ticket prices
The gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50.
To avoid standing in line for half a day, it is better to book tickets in advance on the official website - however, you will have to pay an additional 4 Euros.
Cathedral Square and nearby
After Piazza Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery, hurry to the Cathedral Square, where the beautiful Duomo, Baptistery and bell tower are located, from the height of which an unforgettable view of the entire city opens!
Florence Cathedral
The most important landmark of Florence is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore). The name is translated only as “flower of St. Mary.” The cathedral looks very impressive, and its reddish dome is visible from afar. Construction of the Duomo began in the 13th century and continued until the 19th century.
Of particular architectural significance is the dome created by Filippo Brunelleschi. To visit the dome observation deck, you need to climb 463 steps.
The main religious treasure of the cathedral is the urn in which the relics of St. Zenobius of Florence are kept. Also interesting is the original clock running in the opposite direction.
Photo: Renata Sedmakova / Shutterstock.com
Florence is a city of art, the cradle of the Renaissance. The city is very conveniently located almost in the center of the route between the north of Italy and its capital. It is not difficult to get to Florence from any major city, be it Venice, Milan or Rome. Therefore, many travelers to Italy try to include Florence in their itinerary, preferring to spend only 1 day here.
Helpful advice: If you only have 1 day in Florence, download the audio city tour for iPhone [link] that BlogoItaliano released in 2019. This is a ready-made audio guide around the city, containing short informative audio stories about the 56 main attractions of Florence.
All excursion points are compiled within a single route and are plotted on a convenient map that works even without the Internet. At the same time, the built-in GPS will allow you to easily determine your location and find the way to the nearest audio tour objects.
When you download the application, you will immediately have access to a free trial version with 5 excursion points. Access to the full version will cost only a few Euros and is many times cheaper than even the most budget guided tours. You can download a trial version of the audio guide on this page.
So what can you see in Florence in 1 day? Despite the fact that the city is very compact and all the central attractions are located within walking distance from each other, it is unlikely that you will be able to get around them all in 1 day.
Art is everywhere here, but visiting Florence and not visiting at least one art museum is a real crime. It is not for nothing that the art collection of this city is considered one of the best in Europe. But even a quick acquaintance with one of the museums will steal at least 2 hours of precious time.
Today Blogoitaliano will tell you which attractions on the map of Florence are worthy of special attention, but where to spend the most time, you will decide for yourself, based on your own preferences.
Morning in Florence
Most travelers arrive in the “city of arts” by rail to the central railway. This is where we will begin our walk. If you have not yet read our articles on how to get to Florence from the main cities of Italy, we highly recommend doing so:
You can encounter art as soon as you cross the threshold of the station building. Just opposite is the one with the same name. Church of Santa Maria Novella, which is considered the oldest in the city.
Its construction took place in the XIV-XV centuries. The Middle Ages can be traced both in the external appearance of the temple and inside. Numerous works of art are stored here, among which the most interesting is the cycle of frescoes from the biography of the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist.
In the Accademia Gallery you can find an authentic sculpture of Michelangelo's David
From the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella it makes sense to head to Academy Gallery to take a look at the genuine one. Fortunately, getting there is not difficult: follow Via Sant’Antonino until the intersection with Via Guelfa, where you should turn right and continue until the intersection with Via Ricasoli. On the left side you will undoubtedly see a long line, which will tell you that the target has been found.
To bypass the queue and save several hours of precious time, it makes sense to purchase tickets to the Gallery online. BlogoItaliano wrote in detail about the Gallery and its collection.
The Uffizi Gallery is the most visited museum in Italy
An alternative to the Accademia Gallery for those who are wondering what to see in Florence in 1 day can be Uffizi Gallery– one of the largest painting museums in Western Europe. Authentic works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and many other outstanding geniuses from the times of the 13th to the beginning of the 20th centuries have been preserved here.
A day in Florence
If you look at the map of the sights of Florence, not far from the Accademia Gallery we will find Medici Palace. It is located on Via Camillo Cavour. In general, the Medici family owned different palaces at different times, including the famous one in Piazza della Signoria and on the southern bank of the Arno River.
The Medici family valued art very highly. In their palaces they managed to collect a rich collection of paintings. For example, in the Medici Palace, the Chapel of the Magi, painted in 1461 with frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, has been preserved unchanged, and in the Palazzo Vecchio there is a luxurious collection of frescoes by Vasari and his students.
In the Chapel of the Magi of the Medici Palace, frescoes from the 15th century have been preserved.
You can pay tribute to the memory of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany very close by. The Medici family chose the family necropolis Chapel at the Basilica of San Lorenzo, to the design of which the great Michelangelo himself had a hand.
By the way, in addition to the basilica itself, the San Lorenzo complex also includes Laurentian Library, where you can see a huge collection of historical literature, including the 8th century Bible. and the first Roman encyclopedia.
Santa Maria del Fiore is the main treasure on the map of Florence attractions
From Piazza di San Lorenzo it’s “a stone’s throw” to Piazza del Duomo, so named due to the location located on it. The Duomo is the most significant landmark on the map of Florence. Bruneleschi's 42-meter dome has long been the main symbol in numerous photographs and postcards.
The Duomo was built over 6 centuries, starting from the end of the 13th century. Its architecture became a kind of boundary between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It took more than half a century to build the openwork 85-meter bell towers(Campanile), which became a striking example of Florentine Gothic. Now the cathedral's campanile, together with the Bruneleschi dome, serve as excellent viewing platforms.
Baptistery of St. John the Baptist was erected in the 5th century.
In addition to the cathedral, in Piazza del Duomo you can also see Baptistery of San Giovanni. The Baptistery is the oldest building on the square. It was built back in the 5th century, and acquired the external cladding, which can still be seen now, in the 11th-12th centuries. The vault of the baptistery dome is decorated with exquisite mosaics from the 13th century.
Having taken a bird's eye view of Florence, you can move on. From Cathedral Square, the street Via dei Calzaiuoli will lead to another famous square of the city -.
Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria amazes with its monumentality
The architectural dominant of the square is Palazzo Vecchio, which we mentioned a little above. Initially, the government of the Florentine Republic (signoria) met here, and therefore the area near the palazzo began to be called the Piazza della Signoria.
Piazza della Signoria is called an open-air museum: here you can admire a collection of sculptures from the Renaissance. Unfortunately, most of the sculptures have now been replaced with copies. The originals are kept in the nearby Accademia Gallery and Uffizi Gallery.
The Basilica of Santa Croce became the necropolis of many prominent natives of Florence
From Piazza della Signoria, past the Uffizi Gallery, you can reach the embankment of the Arno River, or you can take a short walk along Via dei Gondi and Borgo dei Greci to Basilica of Santa Croce.
The basilica is considered the largest Franciscan church in the world and serves as a necropolis for prominent figures of Florence. Galileo, Rossini, Machiavelli and even the great Michelangelo himself found their final rest here.
After paying homage to the ashes of the great Florentines, return to Piazza della Signoria, from where it is easiest to go down to the banks of the Arno River. The river divides Florence into northern and southern parts.
Evening in Florence
Having spent a fair amount of time in the bustling center of Florence in 1 day, it is better to spend the evening in peace and quiet, namely, on the southern bank of the Arno River.
There are 10 bridges connecting the banks of the river. The most famous is, built back in the 14th century. near Piazza della Signoria. Since then, his appearance has not changed much. At all times, the bridge served as a center of brisk trade. At first it was occupied by butchers, but now it houses expensive jewelry stores.
The Ponte Vecchio has always been a center of bustling trade
In contrast to the enlightened center, the southern bank of the Arno was long occupied by poor neighborhoods.
In the 15th century major banker Luca Pitti bought a large plot of land on the right bank and began construction of a new palazzo, which a century later Pitti’s descendants sold to Duchess Eleonora of Toledo, the wife of the Tuscan Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici.
Under the Medici, the palace was noticeably expanded, and elegant gardens were laid out around it, which served as the prototype for many European parks.
A leisurely walk through Boboli Park will allow you to take a break from the bustle of the city and admire Florence from the height of the hill of the same name.
Boboli Gardens - a cozy place to relax after a busy day in Florence
Well, the best way to watch the sunset is to go to Piazzale Michelangelo, which offers no less breathtaking views than from Boboli Hill. You can get to the square by walking about a kilometer along the southern bank of the Arno River.
From Piazzale Michelangelo the entire city is visible at a glance
Florence route BlogoItaliano
Of course, covering Florence in 1 day is almost impossible. It is believed that in terms of concentration of attractions per capita, the capital of Tuscany still holds first place in the world. There is so much here that you need to see. There are more than 70 museums in the city alone.
You need to allocate 4 or 5 days for it, or even better – a week. But few travelers can afford a week to visit Florence alone. It is customary to take a city by “storm”, allocating a day for it, maximum 2.
That is why in 2017 BlogoItaliano tried to create the ideal solution - a ready-made .
Just a few hours of viewing selected and structured information in PDF book format - and you will become a real expert on Florence - what and how to see in order to get the most from the city.
Florence ranks first in the world in terms of number of attractions per capita
Here's what you'll find inside:
- Complete 1-day walking itinerary covering 25 of Florence's top attractions
- A detailed map of the route in Google Maps, as well as markers for the maps.me application so that you can transfer the map to your phone and use without internet
- PDF version of the route that you can simply print and take with you on your trip
- Recommendations for an application with free and high-quality audio tours, which will allow you to do without a guide
- Little-known places and “tricks” that most tourists pass by
- 6 observation decks of the city so you can take great photos
- Opening hours for the main attractions of the route so you don’t miss anything and get everything done
- What to eat in Florence from food and where to do it [tips from local guides]
- How to get on free and budget excursions in Florence
- And much more…
In addition to Florence, BlogoItaliano has detailed routes for other most interesting cities in Italy. View their detailed descriptions and place an order for any of them.
Well, to have even more time in Italy, subscribe to ours. In it you will find many useful tips that will help you better prepare for your trip.
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Photos by: ctj71081, Petar Milošević, Roberto Taddeo, Sailko, Markus Bernet, Stefan Bauer, Benson Kua
Is it possible to see all the significant sights of Florence in 1 day? This ancient city itself is considered the “pearl” of Italy. Even a simple walk through its streets will give you an unforgettable atmosphere and new emotions. But it is best to plan in advance to visit the most famous places in Florence.
Santa Maria del Fiore
- Location: city center, Cathedral Square.
- Opening hours for tourists: Monday-Friday – from 10:00 to 17:00; on Saturdays – from 10:00 to 16:45. For Sunday – from 13:30 to 16:45.
- Cost of visiting: free. An exception is visiting the baptistery - 3 euros.
- How to get there: bus route C2.
- Original title: La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore.
This is the largest cathedral in the city, including 3 naves, a semicircular apse and two side transepts in its architectural ensemble. The total area is more than 13 thousand m². The craftsmen managed to harmoniously combine a certain severity of the Middle Ages and the grace of the Renaissance.
You can get acquainted with the history of the creation of this architectural monument of Italy directly during your visit. To do this, you can purchase information booklets or join one of the many excursion groups.
Interesting Facts
The approximate start date of construction is 1296. Even then, the city’s population was more than 90 thousand people. The construction of the cathedral is the clearest example of long-term construction. The architectural complex acquired its final form only in 1903, when bronze gates were installed. The building contains the oldest clock in Europe, installed in 1443. Its hand moves from right to left.
The average inspection time is from 3 to 5 hours. Therefore, you need to plan your day carefully.
Uffizi Gallery
The founder of the gallery was the famous Medici dynasty. They decided to collect the most important works of art for them in one place. Therefore, initially the architects and builders were tasked with creating a truly grandiose complex.
The gallery's collection includes works by famous Italian artists and sculptors of the Renaissance - Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian. But the “pearl” of the collection is considered to be the famous Venus de Medici – a unique sculpture. During the tour, it is recommended to pay attention to the frescoes that decorate the walls of the building.
Interesting Facts
The year of construction began is 1560. But entry to view the collection became possible only at the beginning of the 18th century.
In front of the main entrance stands a bust of Peter Leopold, the founder of museums in the world.
There is always a long queue at the museum. Therefore, resellers offer to buy a ticket for 20 euros without queuing.
The complex includes a library, a large bookstore and a cozy coffee shop.
Baptistery of San Giovanni
- Location: Piazza del Duomo
- Opening hours for tourists: Monday-Saturday – from 08:30 to 19:00; Sunday – until 14:00.
- Cost of visiting: entrance ticket – 8 euros for adults, for students and children under 12 years old – 4 euros.
- How to get there: bus routes No. 6, 14, 17 and 37.
- Original title: Battistero di San Giovanni.
This building was built in honor of the patron saint of the city of Florence - St. John. According to unverified data at this place in the 1st century. BC. there was a temple of one of the gods of Olympus - perhaps Mars. In the 9th century, the first transformations of the building began.
The status of a baptistery was given in the 11th century. After that, a characteristic lantern appeared on its roof. When visiting, you should pay special attention to the Eastern Gate - they are painted with 10 unique paintings, each measuring 5*2 meters. The interior decoration impresses with beautiful frescoes.
Interesting Facts
In Pisa there is a baptistery with the same name. They are often confused. The building contains a wooden statue of Magdalena (15th century).
To save money, it is recommended to purchase a comprehensive ticket for 10 euros. It will give you the opportunity to visit the following historical attractions located on the cathedral square - the Cathedral (you can climb its dome), Giotto's Bell Tower, the Crypt of Santa Reparata, the Duomo Museum.
