Photo by Jonathan Körner on Unsplash
A week with Florence as the base: three days on foot with the cathedral, the great museums and the river, then Siena, the Chianti villages, San Gimignano and Volterra, and Pisa with Lucca. One big sight a day, and a long lunch most days.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
A first day in the old center. The big stops sit close together, so it is mostly walking, with time to sit in a square and look up.
The great red dome over the city, with a patterned marble front. Walk around it and step inside, then look up at the painted ceiling of the dome.
Go when Early morning, before the queues form.
Local tip Look at the dome from the outside first, then from the street behind the cathedral, where the whole shape rises above the roofs.
The eight-sided building opposite the cathedral, famous for its gilded bronze doors. Look closely at the carved panels.
Go when Morning, right after the cathedral.
Local tip The famous bronze doors face the cathedral. Stand a little back from them to see the panels as a set.
Schiacciata is a flat, salty Tuscan bread, split and filled with cured meats, cheese or vegetables. A quick, filling lunch from a small shop.
Local tip Eat it standing, or take it to a sunny step and watch the street.
The open square of the old city, lined with statues. A good place to sit down and watch the afternoon go by.
Go when Late afternoon, when the stone glows.
Local tip Look for the copy of the David at the entrance of the palace, and the row of statues under the open arches on the side.
The fortress-like town hall with a tall tower on the square. Step into its courtyard and look up at the painted ceilings.
Go when Afternoon, once you have eaten.
Local tip Walk into the courtyard even if you do not go further. It is free to look at and it is beautiful.
The old stone bridge over the Arno, lined with small shops. Walk across and stop in the middle to look up and down the river.
Go when Around sunset (about 7:26 PM), when the river turns gold.
Local tip Cross it once, then walk along the river to a bridge nearby for the best view back at it.
Ribollita is the thick Tuscan bread and vegetable soup that Florence is known for, hearty and warming. Start there and then see what the evening suggests.
Local tip Order it as a first course and share the rest of the menu.
A day of paintings and gardens. One great museum in the morning, a palace across the river in the afternoon and a view at the end.
One of the great art museums of the world, with a long run of Italian painting from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Choose a few rooms and take your time.
Go when First thing in the morning, with a booked time.
Local tip Choose the rooms of the early Renaissance first. You will be tired before you see all of it, so stop early and take a break at the terrace.
Small toasts with a spread of chicken liver, a classic Tuscan starter. Look for them on a menu of small plates near the museum.
Local tip Order a mixed plate of toasts and share it.
A quiet church and a lively square on the far side of the river, the heart of the neighborhood that locals call the Oltrarno.
Go when Midday, then sit in the square.
Local tip The neighborhood around the square is a good place for a simple lunch and for walking, away from the crowds.
A huge palace from the Renaissance across the river, with several museums inside. Visit one gallery and leave the rest.
Go when Early afternoon, then go on to the garden.
Local tip Choose one of the museums inside and go through it slowly, then walk out into the garden at the back.
The palace gardens, a green hill of paths, fountains and statues. A restful walk in the middle of the day.
Go when Afternoon, when the shade is deepest.
Local tip Walk up to the top of the hill for a view over the city and the dome.
A wide terrace on the hill above the river with the best view over the city. Go for sunset.
Go when About an hour before sunset (about 7:26 PM), then stay as the lights come on.
Local tip Walk up the stairs beside the river rather than taking a car. It is a short climb with views the whole way.
The famous Florentine steak is a thick cut of beef, grilled over a fire and served rare, usually to share. A meal for two or more.
Local tip It is cooked rare, so say so before you order if you prefer it differently, and share a plate of beans on the side.
A day of big names within an easy walk of one another: a famous statue, a covered market and three churches.
The home of Michelangelo's David, and a smaller museum than most, so it is easy to enjoy in a morning. Book a time ahead.
Go when Morning, with a time booked ahead.
Local tip The David stands at the end of a long hall, so walk the whole hall before you stop in front of him.
A big covered market with food stalls upstairs and a hall of fresh produce below, close to the Accademia. An easy lunch.
Go when Just before noon, outside the lunch rush.
Local tip Walk the stalls once before you choose, and share small plates from a few places instead of sitting down at one.
Wide ribbon pasta with a slow-cooked wild boar sauce, a classic Tuscan dish. Look for it on the menu of a small trattoria.
Local tip Order a small glass of the local red wine to go with it.
The family church of the Medici, a short walk from the market, with a quiet cloister beside it.
Go when Afternoon, after the market.
Local tip The quiet cloister next to the church is free to walk through and is a good place to sit for a minute.
A church with a striking patterned front, near the main train station. Walk across the square in front of it.
Go when Afternoon, then walk back to the center.
Local tip Stand in the square in front of the church to take in the patterned front.
A great church on a wide square, where several famous Italians are buried. The square is a good place to end the day.
Go when Late afternoon, when the square fills with locals.
Local tip Look for the tombs of famous Italians along the walls inside, and the long square outside.
A rival city to Florence, an hour or so away. Easy by bus, train or car, and built around a shell-shaped square.
A black and white striped cathedral, one of the most richly decorated in Italy. Look at the patterned stone floor inside.
Go when Morning, as soon as you arrive in town.
Local tip Look down as well as up. The pictured stone floor is one of the finest in Italy.
The shell-shaped square at the heart of the city, where the famous horse race is run. Sit on the sloping ground and watch.
Go when Midday, with a long lunch beside it.
Local tip Sit on the slope of the square like the locals and watch the whole city go by.
Pici are thick, hand-rolled strands of pasta, the pasta of Siena. They are often served with garlic and tomato or a rich meat sauce.
Local tip Look for a small restaurant on a side street off the square, not on it.
The tall brick tower beside the square, with a long climb up to a view over the red roofs. Go only if you do not mind the stairs.
Go when Afternoon, when the light is warm.
Local tip It is a long climb by narrow stairs, so only go up if you are comfortable with that, and take the view from the square if you are not.
Panforte is a dense, chewy cake of nuts, fruit and spices that Siena has made for centuries. Buy a small slice in a shop and eat it on the square.
A day by car through the wine hills south of Florence. Three small villages, one long lunch and no need to hurry.
A friendly market village with an arcaded square, the usual first stop on the road south from Florence.
Go when Morning, when the square is quiet.
Local tip Walk the arcades around the square and look into the small food shops. It is a good place to buy a picnic.
A plate of cured meats and cheese, a simple pasta, and a glass of the local red wine, served at a table with a view of the vineyards.
Local tip Plan a designated driver, or a driver for the day, and book a table ahead.
A small walled village on a ridge, with narrow lanes and views across the vineyards.
Go when Early afternoon, after a long lunch.
Local tip Walk around the edge of the village for the views across the vineyards, then through the quiet lanes.
A quiet hill town with a long covered walkway along its old walls and a view of the valley.
Go when Late afternoon, around sunset (about 7:26 PM).
Local tip Walk the covered passage under the old walls, then look out over the valley.
The villages are surrounded by small family wineries that welcome visitors. A tasting of two or three wines, with bread and olive oil, is the classic way to end the day.
Local tip Book ahead, and plan a designated driver for the road back.
A longer day by car: a town of medieval towers, a hill town of stone, and a walled village to end on.
A hill town known for its medieval stone towers. Walk in through the gate and up the main street, and look up often.
Go when Morning, before the tour buses arrive.
Local tip Walk the main street, then climb to the highest square for the view across the towers.
Vernaccia is the crisp white wine of San Gimignano, made in the hills around the town. Pair it with a plate of cured meats and a simple pasta.
Local tip Choose one glass if you are driving on to Volterra.
An old hill town of Etruscan and Roman history, with stone streets and wide views over the hills.
Go when Afternoon, when the stone turns warm.
Local tip Walk the old streets to the edge of the town and look out over the hills to the sea on a clear day.
A tiny village inside a perfect ring of medieval walls and towers. Walk around the walls and have a quiet evening.
Go when Evening, when the day-trippers have gone.
Local tip Walk the ring of walls, which takes only a few minutes, then have an unhurried dinner.
A few small restaurants sit inside the old walls. A bowl of pasta and a plate of local cheese is enough after a long day of driving.
Local tip Book ahead in the busy season, because the village is tiny.
A last day by train, west of Florence: a famous leaning tower, then a walled town you can walk around on top of its walls.
The tower is smaller than people expect and leans more than they expect. Take your photograph, then walk the green lawn around it.
Go when Morning, before the heat and crowds.
Local tip Look at the whole lawn before you take pictures. The cathedral and the baptistery are just as fine as the tower.
A grand cathedral of white marble on the same lawn as the tower. Step in and look at the long nave.
Go when Morning, beside the tower.
Local tip Step inside and look up at the painted ceiling over the nave.
Cecina is a thin chickpea flatbread baked in a wood oven, a favorite of the coast. Eat it hot from a small bakery near the old center.
Local tip Add plenty of black pepper, the way the locals do.
A wide, tree-lined walkway on top of the old town walls. Walk or rent a bicycle and go all the way around.
Go when Afternoon, when the trees give shade.
Local tip Rent a bicycle and ride the full circle, or just walk a stretch and come down at a gate.
A tall brick tower with oak trees growing at the top, in the middle of Lucca. Climb it for a view over the roofs if you have the energy.
Go when Late afternoon, around sunset (about 7:26 PM).
Local tip It is a climb by many steps, so go only if you are comfortable with that, and enjoy the old streets below if you are not.
Tordelli are stuffed pasta, a specialty of Lucca, usually with a meat sauce. A traditional dish for a last evening.
Local tip Ask for it at a small restaurant in the old center and finish with a slice of the local sweet bread.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, March to June and September to November are the most comfortable months for walking around Florence. This plan is built for late September, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 7 days in Florence, planned for late September. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 0.3 to 70.9 kilometers between its stops, and 138.2 kilometers in all across 7 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
5 days in the Tuscan countrysideAbout 60 km awayAn easy add-on
3 days of pasta and porticoes in BolognaAbout 90 km away
3 days at the Carnival of VeniceAbout 220 km awayOther guides with a page about Florence. Each one opens in a new tab.
WikivoyageFlorence, the free travel guideLonely PlanetFlorence travel guideRick StevesFlorence travel guideCondé Nast TravelerFlorence travel guideTime OutThings to do in FlorenceThe GuardianFlorence travel featuresPhoto: Gary Campbell-Hall, CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Arek N., CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Velvet, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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