Florence in 7 Days: tips, what to see, and much more
If you are fortunate enough to have a whole week to visit the city of art par excellence, here is the itinerary you can follow to visit Florence in 7 days.
Posta del Firenze, Italy | ©Olivier Darny
In 7 days we can fully explore the city with all there is to see and do in Florence, as well as having plenty of time to do some of the most interesting excursions around Florence.
In the itinerary I share with you below we dedicate the first few days to getting to know the city's monuments, museums and historical sites in depth, and set aside a couple of days to explore the surroundings of the capital of Tuscany with gastronomic excursions and visits to some extraordinarily beautiful villages.
Day 1: We begin our journey by getting to know the heart of Florence
Piazza Duomo, Cathedral and Baptistery San Giovanni
Although there is much to see and do in Florence, the best place to start this trip is in the very heart of the city. This is in Piazza Duomo where you will find the famous cathedral with its spectacular dome by Brunelleschi, Giotto's bell tower and the Baptistery of San Giovanni. The whole complex is one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance and is well worth visiting in its entirety, including the climb to the dome.
We can dedicate the whole morning of the first day to visit it in detail and even part of the afternoon, after a stop for lunch if we see it calmly or if we have not been foresighted and we have not bought tickets in advance to the Duomo of Florence. In this case you may have to queue for some time. However, the Duomo complex is a visit you will never forget and if you hire a guided tour, the experience will be even more enriching.
Via dei Neri and dell'Ariento and Central Market
After an impressive but exhausting visit to the Duomo complex, it is time to recharge your batteries and relax with a good meal and a pleasant stroll through the centre of Florence. The best way to do this is to visit the central market, not far from the Duomo, and enjoy the best local produce from its stalls, tasting it in the restaurants in and around the market itself.
Afterwards, we can spend the afternoon strolling along the streets of Carreri dei Neri and Carrer dell'Ariento, two of the most frequented streets in the centre, where we can find shops, gelaterias and an endless number of places that are perfect for getting to know Florentine tradition. A great way to end your first day in Florence.
Day 2: Historical and artistic centre of Florence.
Galleria dell'Accademia
Next to the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia Gallery in Florence is the most visited museum in the city and also one of the most visited in the world. The main culprit is the artist Michelangelo and his famous David, which rests in this museum. The 5-metre-high sculpture attracts millions of visitors, but it is not the only work of art on display in the Galleria dell'Accademia. The Galleria dell'Accademia has a magnificent collection of Renaissance art with paintings and sculptures by various artists besides Michelangelo.
Church of Santa Maria Novella and Novecento museum
After visiting the Accademia we head to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella just a few minutes walk from the Accademia museum. This church was declared a World Heritage Site for its architectural and artistic value. Its façade is a masterpiece of the Renaissance and inside there are several works of art by important authors such as Brunelleschi or Masaccio.
In the same square where the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella is located is the Novecento museum. It is a museum of modern and contemporary art that offers a very interesting contrast with the Renaissance art of Florence. It is always a recommended visit.
Basilica of Santa Croce and Piazza Santa Croce
To conclude the second day a very interesting option is to visit the Basilica of Santa Croce. Crossing the city centre from Santa Maria Novella with a pleasant walk of about 15 minutes, we will arrive at Piazza Santa Croce.
In this beautiful square is the Basilica of the Holy Cross, inside which lie the remains of great figures of history such as Dante Alighieri, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and Galileo Galilei. The beauty of the place is on a par with the illustrious figures who rest in this church, which is also the perfect finishing touch to crown our second day in Florence.
Day 3: A day to immerse yourself in the Italian Renaissance
Porcellino Fountain
Our third day in Florence will begin by putting into practice one of the most popular traditions among tourists. In the new market near the Ponte Vecchio you will find the fountain of the Porcellino or boar, as it is the copper animal that decorates the fountain. Tradition dictates that if you place a coin in the mouth of the bronze animal and it falls into the grilles through which the water falls, you will be lucky and you will be able to return to Florence. Something you will undoubtedly be looking forward to after visiting the city.
Palazzo Vecchio and Ponte Vecchio
Near the Porcellino and crossing the Arno River is one of the most famous bridges in the world and symbol of Florence: the Ponte Vecchio. This medieval bridge is one of the few remaining inhabited bridges in the world and one of the busiest places in the city.
The ponte Vecchio leads to via Santa Maria which, in turn, takes us to Piazza della Signoria where our next destination, Palazzo Vecchio, is located. It is currently the seat of the Florence Town Hall, although you can visit its museum and the rooms of the nobles who lived there, such as the Medici.
Uffizi Gallery
You can't travel to Florence and not visit the Uffizi Gallery. This museum is a must-see, as its collection is one of the most important in the world. The Uffizi Gallery houses paintings made between the 13th and 18th centuries by such important figures as Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian. A place of worship for all art lovers. The information to get your tickets to visit the Uffizi Gallery is available in this link.
Day 4: Day to visit the monuments and sites of southern Florence
Abbey of San Miniato and piazzale Michelangelo
On the fourth day of this Florence itinerary it is time to cross the Arno River and visit the southern part of Florence. The first stop in this area is piazza Michelangelo. The charm of this square lies in the spectacular panoramic views of the city. It is not in vain that it is one of the most repeated photographs of Florence.
Crowning the same hill on which the viewpoint is located is the abbey of San Miniato. The name of this church is due to the first saint and martyr of Florence, San Miniato, who according to legend, after being beheaded, took his head and returned to the cave where he lived as a hermit. This Romanesque church was built in the same place, with the hallmark and personality of Tuscany.
Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens
The Pitti Palace complex can be reached by crossing the Ponte Vecchio and following the Via de Guicciardini. This palace belonged to a banker named Luca Pitti who sold the building to the Medici. Its interior serves as a museum with an extensive art collection that can be enjoyed while walking through the rooms of the palace.
But the highlight of the palace is the Boboli Gardens. This large green space in Renaissance style was recognised as a World Heritage Site by Unesco thanks to its spectacular fountains and well-tended vegetation. There are so many sculptures and fountains of great artistic value that it is difficult to list them all. As an added bonus, the gardens also offer a good panoramic view of the city.
Day 5: Excursion to Tuscany and wine tasting
As I have already told you, in 7 days in Florence we will have time for very interesting excursions in the surroundings of Florence and on the fifth day of our trip we can treat ourselves to a gastronomic tribute in the Italian Tuscany.
Excursion to Chianti with wine tasting and typical Tuscan products
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and, as such, some of the most important regions in terms of gastronomic culture are located nearby. For this reason, on the fifth day of this itinerary I suggest you leave the city in search of a good winery where you can taste the best wines and products of Tuscany.
The options are varied but, to be on the safe side, the best thing to do is to visit Chianti. Very close to the city, this region is world famous for its wines and wineries. With an organised excursion we can visit some of its vineyards where we will be offered wines and typical products to live an experience that your palate will hardly forget.
Day 6: Tuscan villages and landmarks
Tuscany is much more than wineries and wines. It is also dreamy villages steeped in history that make a perfect destination for our sixth day in Florence.
Starting with San Gimignano, perhaps the most beautiful village of all. Located less than 60 kilometres from Florence, this town is known as the town of a thousand towers for its numerous bell towers and spires concentrated in a small town. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its charm and architecture, making it one of the most recommended excursions from Florence.
The town is very pleasant to see and can be easily covered in a couple of hours, leaving more time in the same day to visit other places such as Pisa or Siena.
San Gimignano and Monteriggioni Castle
Less than half an hour's drive from San Gimignano is another village with the unique charm of Tuscany. The small town of Monteriggioni, famous for its peculiar castle.
On top of a hill surrounded on all four sides by vineyards and behind its walls, the small village of Monteriggioni is made up of a few medieval houses with a lot of charm and personality. It is a perfect destination for combining history and gastronomy and therefore one of the best places to visit in Tuscany.
Day 7: A last day to say goodbye to Florence
After 6 days in which we have already seen all the most important things to see in and around Florence, it's time to enjoy a more relaxed last day. We cannot say goodbye to Florence without visiting the neighbourhood of San Lorenzo.
In this neighbourhood, one of the favourites of the Florentines, the art and history characteristic of Florence coexist with a modern atmosphere and streets full of shops, markets and typical Italian trattorias.
As you stroll through the neighbourhood, you can stop to visit the Basilica of San Lorenzo, which houses the Medici Chapel, where several members of this historic family are buried. Artists such as Michelangelo and Brunelleschi himself worked on the church.
Bargello Museum and Casa Buonarroti
In the same neighbourhood of San Lorenzo there are two important museums of the city and they are a good place to say goodbye to the city of art. The first of these is the Bargello Museum. Housed in a medieval building, its exhibition mixes works from medieval Florence with others from its golden age, the Renaissance. Donatello's David and Michelangelo's Bacchus are its two most important works of art.
The Buonarrotti house is the last point to visit in our 7-day itinerary in Florence. Although Michelangelo was not born in Florence, the artist spent much of his life in the city and therefore shares the title of Florence's favourite artist with Brunelleschi. The Casa Buonarrotti was the home of Michelangelo himself and contains many works from the artist's youth and some of his unfinished works.
Since Florence is a city dominated by art, what better way to say goodbye to it surrounded by art than by taking a private tour in which you will be able to see Michelangelo's works and the places where he developed his career, accompanied by an expert guide.