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Three days is the right length for Florence on a first visit. Spend day one on the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria. Day two goes to the Uffizi and Michelangelo’s David. Day three covers the Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens and the hill across the river. Book the dome slot, the Uffizi and the Accademia before you fly, and treat every price below as the official figure on October 2, 2026.
We have done big-city days across Europe with nieces and nephews along. Florence is the one I would plan most tightly. The center is small enough to walk. The dome climb, though, sits on a reserved slot, and the big museums fill. I would lock those in first and let each day bend around them.
Florence itinerary 3 days
Here is the whole plan in one table. Costs are full adult prices in euros, as the operators list them.
| Day | Plan | Booking needed | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Duomo complex, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, Oltrarno at sunset | Dome time slot | Brunelleschi Pass €30; Palazzo Vecchio museum €18 | All day |
| Day 2 | Uffizi, Galleria dell’Accademia, Sant’Ambrogio market, Santa Croce | Uffizi and Accademia | Uffizi €25 on the day or €29 ahead; Accademia €16 plus €4 booking | Opens 8:15 AM |
| Day 3 | Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, Piazzale Michelangelo, San Miniato | Optional ahead | Pitti plus Boboli €22 on site or €25 ahead | Opens 8:15 AM |
| Swap day | Siena or Pisa by regional train | Ticket validation | Fare on Trenitalia | Full day |
Monday matters. The Uffizi, the Accademia and the Pitti Palace are all closed then, so keep Day 2 and Day 3 off a Monday.
Florence Duomo tickets
Start Day 1 at the Duomo complex with the Brunelleschi Pass. The Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore prices it at €30 for adults. It covers the dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the museum, the Baptistery and the crypt of Santa Reparata, one entry each. The pass stays valid for three calendar days, so nothing has to be crammed into one morning.
The dome is the part that needs a plan. You pick a date and time slot when you buy. The Opera says the reservation cannot be changed once issued. Line up 10 minutes before your slot, because only a five-minute delay is allowed. Expect the climb to take about 45 minutes.
The pass is a named ticket, so enter each climber’s name when you buy. Skipping the dome? The Giotto Pass is €20 and keeps the bell tower. The Ghiberti Pass is €15 for the museum, Baptistery and crypt. Walking into the cathedral itself costs nothing, though the Opera lists it closed on Sundays and religious holidays.
Florence Duomo dress code
The Opera asks everyone to cover shoulders and knees and to avoid low-cut tops, tank tops, short shorts and miniskirts. The Baptistery adds its own rule: no bare legs or shoulders, no sandals and no hats. I would wear long shorts or light trousers and carry a thin overshirt for this day.
Medium and large bags, backpacks and suitcases must go into the luggage storage at Piazza Duomo 38/r first. Bring a small day bag instead. The Opera’s plan-your-visit page lists these hours:
- Cathedral: Monday to Saturday, 10:15 AM to 3:45 PM
- Dome: Monday to Friday, 8:15 AM to 6:45 PM; Saturday, 8:15 AM to 4:30 PM; Sunday, 12:45 to 4:30 PM
- Giotto’s Bell Tower: every day, 8:15 AM to 6:45 PM
- Baptistery: every day, 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM, closing at 1:30 PM on the first Sunday of the month
- Museum: closed on the first Tuesday of each month
Palazzo Vecchio tickets
Walk to Piazza della Signoria, the open square in front of Palazzo Vecchio. The square costs nothing. Inside, the museum’s own page lists the museum at €18 and the Tower and Battlements at €20. Visitors under 18 enter the museum free.
Hours are 9 AM to 7 PM Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Sunday, but only 9 AM to 2 PM on Thursday. The ticket office closes one hour before the museum does. The page also warns that a level 3 heat alert restricts some areas. In that case the tower is reachable only up to the patrol walkway, so a July visit may change your plan.
End the day on Ponte Vecchio, then cross into the Oltrarno, the district south of the Arno. The bridge is lined with shops and gets crowded by evening. Keep walking to the far side for the quieter streets and an aperitivo.
Florence Uffizi tickets
Day 2 belongs to the Uffizi. The Uffizi ticket page lists €25 for a named ticket bought on the day of entry. A named ticket bought before that day is €29. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 AM to 6:30 PM, with the ticket office closing at 5:30 PM. It is closed on Mondays, January 1 and December 25.
Two price quirks help. From January 1, 2026 the page lists €16 for entry from 4 PM onward, and admission is free on the first Sunday of each month. I would still buy ahead and go first thing. Free Sundays draw crowds, and the afternoon rate leaves little time.
Florence Accademia tickets
The Galleria dell’Accademia is where Michelangelo’s David stands. The gallery’s ticket page, on a price list dated from January 2024, shows a full ticket at €16 and a booking fee of €4, so confirm the price when you book. It lists hours of 8:15 AM to 6:50 PM and last admission 30 minutes before closing. It is closed every Monday, on January 1 and on December 25.
The gallery says you can still buy at the box office on the day when online slots sell out. It also warns the wait could be long. Reserve a time slot instead. Free first-Sunday admission allows no reservations at all.
Santa Croce basilica
Spend the afternoon east of the center. Eat at the Sant’Ambrogio market, a neighborhood market where locals shop. The Mercato Centrale near San Lorenzo is the larger food hall. Then walk to Santa Croce, the Gothic basilica that holds the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo.
The basilica sells tickets on its own website. Check the price and hours there before you go.
Florence Boboli Gardens
Day 3 starts at the Pitti Palace, open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 AM to 6:30 PM and closed Mondays, January 1 and December 25. The Uffizi Galleries list the palace at €16 on the day or €19 ahead. Pitti plus Boboli together is €22 on site or €25 ahead. Boboli alone is €10 on site or €13 ahead.
The gardens run on seasonal hours. They are open 8:15 AM to 4:30 PM in January, February, November and December, and 8:15 AM to 7:10 PM in June, July and August. Last entry is one hour before closing. The gardens are closed on the first and last Monday of each month and on December 25.
Boboli is a hill, with gravel paths and long stretches of sun. In summer I would go in at opening and take water.
Piazzale Michelangelo
Cross back over the river in late afternoon and climb to Piazzale Michelangelo for a wide view over the city. San Miniato al Monte sits a short walk above it. Check the church’s own page for its hours.
Day trip to Siena
Want to leave the city? Swap Day 3 for Siena or Pisa. Both are regional-train trips from Santa Maria Novella station. Trenitalia says single paper tickets must be validated at the station machines before departure. After validation you must finish the journey within four hours. Digital regional tickets activate automatically at the scheduled departure time.
Is the Firenze Card worth it?
Not on this plan. The Firenze Card costs €85 for 72 hours from your first entrance and covers more than 60 museums, once each. Its page says the Uffizi Galleries can be booked online at no additional cost. Palazzo Vecchio and the Pitti Palace are on the museum list.
Now add up the single tickets. The Uffizi is €25, the Accademia €20 with its booking fee, Palazzo Vecchio €18, and Pitti plus Boboli €22. That is €85, exactly the card’s price. It also assumes the Accademia and Boboli are both on the card, so confirm that first. The Duomo sells its own pass either way. The card breaks even at best, and pays only if you add more of its museums.
How to get from Florence airport to the city center?
Take the T2 tram. Autolinee Toscane lists it running between Peretola Aeroporto and San Marco-Università. It passes through central Florence and the Santa Maria Novella station area. The operator is GEST, so check gestramvia.it for the fare and timetable.
What is the best time to visit Florence?
Pick spring or early fall and avoid midsummer if you can. The Tuscany climate service LaMMA lists mean highs of 32.2°C in July and 32.5°C in August for 1991 to 2020. January averages 11.2°C. October and November are the wettest months, at 103.7 mm and 117.8 mm.
Crowds follow the weather, so the cool months are quieter and the hot ones are not. I would not plan the dome climb or the Boboli Gardens for a July afternoon.
Florence travel tips
A few plain facts save money and arguments. Many sit-down restaurants add a coperto, a per-person cover charge printed on the menu. It is normal, so read the menu for it before you order. Lunch tends to run later and dinner starts later than most Americans expect.
Florence tourist tax
Feel Florence, the city tourism site, says the tax is charged per person and per night, up to 7 consecutive nights. Children under 12 are among those exempt. The amount depends on accommodation type and classification. Ask your hotel for the exact figure.
Florence ZTL
The ZTL, the limited traffic zone, is the reason I would not rent a car for the city days. The Comune di Firenze lists hours of 7:30 AM to 8 PM Monday to Friday and 7:30 AM to 4 PM on Saturday for sectors A, B and O. It also lists a summer evening zone from 11 PM Thursday to 3 AM Friday, April to October.
Do Americans need a visa for Italy?
No, not for a short tourist stay. The State Department says a valid US passport allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period. That passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure. The EU announced that its Entry/Exit System would become fully operational as of April 10, 2026. It records travelers’ facial image, fingerprints and passport data. The State Department’s Europe page lists ETIAS as planned for late 2026.
Florence packing list
The cobblestones are harder on feet than they look, and the museum floors are stone too. Pack broken-in shoes with a cushioned sole and keep the rest light. Our carry-on only packing list and packing cubes guide cover the system. The carry-on backpack guide helps if you carry a pack. Remember the Duomo makes you check anything bigger than a small day bag.
Florence FAQ
Is Florence worth visiting?
Yes. The historic center puts the Duomo, the Uffizi, the David and the river views within walking distance. That is why a three-day plan works.
How many days do you need in Florence?
Three days covers the Duomo complex, the Uffizi, the Accademia and the Pitti Palace with Boboli at a steady pace. Add a fourth day only for Siena or Pisa.
Do you need to book Uffizi tickets in advance?
Booking ahead is the safer choice. The Uffizi lists €29 for a named ticket bought before the day and €25 on the day. The gallery is closed on Mondays.
Is Florence walkable?
Yes. Every sight in this plan sits in or just across the river from the historic center. The Boboli Gardens and Piazzale Michelangelo are uphill walks, so plan for them.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
Published October 14, 2026.
Photo credits: (1) featured, Florence rooftops and the Duomo dome seen… — Acquarius851, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (2) Palazzo Vecchio facade and the Loggia dei… — Freepenguin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (3) Michelangelo's marble David statue standing… — Clara Polo Sabat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (4) Sculpted fountain in a green pond in the… — Hermetiker, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.