Visiting Florence in 2 days

Top Sights to see in Florence in just 2 days

Florence, besides being the capital of Tuscany, is also its most famous and beautiful city. Every year it is visited by millions of people that patiently stand in line in front of the main museums and stroll through its streets to see the main attractions. The city of Florence offers lots of things to see and to do and time is always too short.

So if you only have two or three days in Florence, here are the top sights and a general itinerary of what we recommend you see and do while in this beautiful, one-of-a-kind Renaissance city.

DAY 1

Piazza del Duomo: We recommend you start your visit in Piazza del Duomo, upon which the beautiful Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, presides with the famous cupola or dome by Brunelleschi, the Baptistery with the bronze Gates of Paradise and Giotto's bell tower from which you can admire a stunning view of the city. If you have time, visit all of them - but if time is limited, definitely just go into the cathedral to see the inside of the dome and see the rest of the monuments from the outside.

Piazza della Signoria: Continue by taking via dei Calzaiuoli to reach the magnificent Piazza della Signoria, center of Florence's political power for centuries. Here is the grand Palazzo Vecchio, headquarters of the city government as well as museum, the Loggia della Signoria where wonderful statues such as the Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini are on display, and Neptune's Fountain by Ammannati and the equestrian statue of Cosimo I by Giambologna on the piazza itself. On your way along Via Calzaiuoli, admire the square architectural structure of the church of Orsanmichele and the many statues that adorn its sides by great artists such as Donatello, Ghiberti and Verrocchio.

The Uffizi: Right next to Palazzo Vecchio is the Uffizi Gallery, one of Italy's top museums and one of the most important in the world with its large collection of Renaissance masterpieces such as the Spring and the Birth of Venus by Botticelli, just to name a few. If you want to go into the Uffizi Gallery, we highly recommend you buy Uffizi tickets online ahead of time as there is most often a long line outside. Plan to spend at least 2 hours inside the museum.

Ponte Vecchio: Connected to the Uffizi Gallery by the famous Vasari Corridor, which links Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, is Florence's most celebrated landmark, the Ponte Vecchio or literally, the "old bridge". The bridge has connected the river banks at this point since the 12th century!

Oltrarno: Crossing the bridge while admiring the spectacular goldsmith shops, you reach the Oltrarno area where the Pitti Palace stands magnificently and which today is the home to several splendid museums such as the Palatine Gallery and the Modern Art Gallery, with the impressive Boboli Gardens as its backyard. While the museums take time to visit, if your time is limited and the day is shining, we recommend you visit the gardens.

Santo Spirito: If after the Boboli gardens you're not too tired, head to the nearby Piazza Santo Spirito with its Church of Santo Spirito built by Brunelleschi standing tall over the square with its simple and yellow facade that hides several artistic treasures inside. There are several restaurants and cafes around the square and in the streets nearby that offer excellent Tuscan dishes and wines for you to enjoy the end of your long first day in Florence!

DAY 2

Santa Maria Novella: Starting back on the Arno's northern riverbank, start your second day in Piazza Santa Maria Novella where you can admire the recently renovated square with its beautiful Santa Maria Novella Church. The church's facade in white and green marble was designed Leon Battista Alberti while the stunning Tornabuoni Chapel inside has frescoes by Ghirlandaio - a must see!

San Lorenzo: In Piazza San Lorenzo, you can either do a quick visit into the San Lorenzo Church, the church with its unfinished facade where the Medici family worshipped, or into the quite majestic Medici Chapels, where you'll find the beautiful marble statues by Michelangelo in the New Sacristy.

Santa Croce: Pass the Duomo and head to Piazza Santa Croce where you should visit the impressive Santa Croce Church where many great Florentines and Tuscans have their final resting place, including Michelangelo and Galileo.

If time permits...

Another museum: If you have time, or you would like to substitute other main sights in Florence, we recommend visiting Florence's Academia Gallery where the original marble statue of Michelangelo's David stands tall. You'll have seen a copy of it in front of Palazzo Vecchio by now.

A view of all of Florence: If you want to enjoy a marvelous view over the city at sunset, we recommend heading to Piazzale Michelangelo, a square overlooking the city from the first hill in the Oltrarno. You'll enjoy viewing and identifying all of the places you've visited all over Florence in just 2 days!!

Florence is much more than this but when your time is limited, it is often useful to find recommendations such as the above of how to organize your time - we hope this will be useful in planning your upcoming vacation in Florence! For additional suggestions, you can always post your questions on our Forum!