Photo by Jonathan Körner on Unsplash
The 7-day plan, rearranged for 5 days: the best-ranked places stay, and each day keeps to one part of town.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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 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.
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.
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, 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 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.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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 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 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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 5 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 1.6 to 189.8 kilometers between its stops, and 345.4 kilometers in all across 5 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: Arek N., CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Gary Campbell-Hall, CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Velvet, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Raimond Spekking, 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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