The best of Florence/Firenze in 3 Days
Florence is not your average town and doesn’t claim to be. The Duomo, Bell Tower Climb, The Academia art museum, the Uffizi are just a small portion of the incredible history and culture in Florence. You nearly feel like a million bucks walking down the cobblestone streets and popping in and out of retail stores. All the things you have been told about Florence are real… and then there is even more!
Florence Itinerary Cliff Notes
- Explore The Duomo (And Climb the Bell Tower)
- The Statue of David at the Academia Art Museum
- Visit the Uffizi Museum
- Walk across the Ponte Vecchio Bridge Sunset
- Eat gelato overlooking the city at the Piazelle Michelangelo
- Ride a Hot Air Balloon Ride over Tuscany
- Explore Tuscany Chianti Wine Country on a day tour
Itinerary At-A-Glance
Day 1
Train Ride / Check In
Explore downtown Florence
Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Academia (Statue of David Art Museum)
Piazelle Michelangelo
San Miniato al Monte
Day 2
Tuscany Wine Tour
Bell Tower Climb
The Duomo Climb
Dinner at La Busolla
Day 3
Hot Air Balloon Ride
Palazzo Strozzi
Boboli Garden
Central Market
Uffizi Museum
Dinner at L’Osteria Di Giovanni
Sunset at Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Day 1 (am): The Duomo, Ponte Vecchio
Arrive via train (or airport) and make your way to the hotel to either check in or drop off your stuff. If you took the train and passed through Rome, you got a glimpse of the beautiful Tuscan countryside.
On your way to the hotel, you are going to immediately feel the magnitude and history of Florence. Head straight to the city center and you will find the large (and in charge) Duomo and all of its grandeur. After taking in the beauty of this building and walking the perimeter, find a place to grab lunch (we got a good ol Italian piece of pizza at Mister Pizza). After lunch, walk to the Ponte Vecchio Bridge that crosses the Arno River. To your surprise, you will find vendors selling local jewelry and gifts all across the famous bridge. To get the best views of the bridge, walk down the river to the next bridge where you will find an open air walkway that allows you to take photos and enjoy the views of the famous Ponte Vecchio.
Day 1 (pm): The Academia, Piazelle Michelangelo
Next, head to The Academia (reservation required – so book ahead of time!) We pre-booked a 5pm reservation. You are going to be amazed from the moment you walk in and gain site of the 17ft Statue of David. This statue was built free hand with chisels by students – incredible detail for a simple tool.
When you leave The Academia, walk up to the Piazelle Michelangelo to catch an beautiful view of downtown Florence. If you want to get even higher elevation, walk up to the San Miniato al Monte. Buy some gelato from a local vendor stand, find a place to sit and gaze at the city while enjoying the sunset. From here you will be ready for some dinner, so duck into a place on your way back to your hotel. There are so many great restaurants along your walk in the city!
Day 2 (am): Chianti Classico Wine Tour
On your second day in Florence, pre-book a Chianti Classico Wine Tour in Tuscany through Grape Tours in Florence. We booked the 9:15am tour that included three wineries in Tuscany. Their office was located on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio bridge, which will make it easy for you to get to and from the tour via walking. You will board a 15-passenger bus and head out of town on a 40min drive to the Tuscany country side.
During the drive, you will learn about Chianti wines and why this area produces some of the best wines in the world. On our tour, we visited three wineries: Montecchio, Casa Sola, and Casa Emma. Montecchio was the largest of the three, and the tour company had planned a tasting where we learned how to properly taste wine, how it should look, and what it should smell like. Our instructor Catalina was a som teacher and well educated.
Next, we visited Casa Sola – a smaller winery that was decorated to a tee to match the Tuscan countryside. Ivy climbed the walls of the stucco buildings and flowers were in bloom all around. We did a tasting and tour of the facility here.
Our last stop was at Casa Emma where the tour company had planned lunch for us. We spent about 30-60min at each winery before heading back into town early afternoon. You will not go wrong whichever wine tour / wineries you choose. Don’t get too caught up in the research and which you choose – Just make sure you do one!
Day 2 (pm): Bell Tower Climb, The Duomo Climb
When the bus drops you off in Florence, head back to The Duomo to do the Bell Tower Climb (pre-planned / reserved our time). There are 414 steps total to the top of the tower, and you will find an awesome view of the entire city. After all those stairs, you are going to want a refreshment, so duck into a nearby coffee shop and get a coffee and cheese plate until your pre-scheduled appointment to climb The Duomo. Where the Bell Tower Climb was tight quarters, full of people shoulder to shoulder, and a caged in lookout at the top, the Duomo Climb is efficient and very open at the top. This made it a more liberating & awesome experience. (We did think the pictures from the top of the bell tower were best – it was perfect shot of the Duomo.)
We came down, walked back to the room, and got reservations for 8:30pm at La Busolla based on the Milu hotel’s recommendation. We had bruschetta (which is always good in Florence), then shared a Florentine steak. You must get a Florentine Steak while in Florence – it is a staple!
Day 3 (am): Tuscany Hot Air Balloon Ride, Palazzo Strozzi, Boboli Gardens
We highly recommend booking a hot air balloon ride while in Florence. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate while we were in Florence, so we were not able to see this experience through. If it does cooperate, you will catch an early ride out to the hot air balloon take off site, receive training, and be in the air at sunrise for the next hour. Upon landing, you will have a quick picnic breakfast + champagne before being taken back to town. The whole experience will take 3-4hrs.
If your hot air balloon ride gets cancelled like ours, you will have to piece together your morning. We recommend visiting the Palazzo Strozzi, Boboli Garden (€10/pp), and Central Market.
After visiting these locations, find the outdoor restaurant that speaks to you the most and enjoy an outdoor lunch in town.
Day 3 (pm): Uffizi, Sunset at Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Next, walk to the Uffizi Museum ticket office to claim your entry vouchers for a 2pm pre-booked appt. You reserve/pay for these tickets online, then have to physically go to the ticket booth and get your tickets before entry. Both the line to get your vouchers and the line to get into the museum can be long – so be prepared to have some patience. Once walking into the Uffizi, you will be immediately amazed by the detail in every piece of art. You could spend hours here if you want! We hit the high points which included the Birth of Venus and focused most on the Christian based art which is what we were most familiar. After a while, a bit of mental fatigue will set in from learning about so much art and era’s of art.
After the Uffizi, make your way to pre-booked reservations at L’Osteria Di Giovanni’s. We had homemade Pici pasta, tuna, and house wine which is much better than the typical house wine in the US. And don’t forget to order lemon cake for dessert – the best lemon cake we have had! After dinner, head to a bridge adjacent to the Ponte Vecchio bridge for the sunset or night view. This is your last night in Florence, so take in the views of the city and the sounds of this beautiful, Italian city.
Day 4: Check out and travel to Rome or Positano!
Where to stay in Florence...
We stayed at Hotel Milu in Florence and would recommend based on the location, service, and breakfast. Starting with location – the Milu Hotel was a 5min walk to downtown and all the major tourist spots. It was also centrally located making it easy to go in any direction and get there quickly. The service was great & the spread of breakfast food was large & wide with many options. Oh, and they have an amazing complimentary cappuccino machine for guests – we went there A LOT.
Where to eat in Florence...
- La Bussola: Good. We got the Florentine Steak which we highly recommend getting in Florence. Wouldn’t say this is the only / best place to get though.
- L’Osteria Di Giovanni: Highly recommend. Great food, great service. The lemon cake is to die for!
Tips/Need to Knows
- Trains: Trains in Italy can be overwhelming. Most of the train station signs are in Italian (especially the smaller ones) including the details on your boarding ticket. Our recommendation is to book train tickets ahead of time / online if you can commit to a time. That will make one less thing to figure out when you get there. When you can’t book ahead of time or do not want to commit to a time, then find a help desk at the train station if you cannot figure out the kiosks where you purchase your tickets. Don’t try and be a hero – you will miss your train!
- Weather: It rained daily while we were there in May. Pack a lightweight rain jacket and don’t let it stop you from seeing all the sites in Florence!
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