Florence
Florence is small enough to walk across in half an hour and dense enough that people still leave having missed the point. The centre is compact, the queues are the constraint rather than the distances, and almost every mistake visitors make is a booking mistake rather than a planning one.
The three things that need booking ahead are the Uffizi, the Accademia and the climb up Brunelleschi’s dome. All three sell timed entry, all three sell out in high season, and all three have a healthy trade in overpriced resold tickets aimed at people who left it too late.
These guides cover what is worth your time, how many days to give it, where to base yourself, and which tickets to buy in advance and which to skip.
Florence guides
Things to Do in Florence
What is worth your time, in the order that makes sense on foot.
Florence and Arezzo Christmas Markets
Seven sources, four different start dates, and two of them admit they are guessing.
How Many Days in Florence
Why the nights you book are not the days you get, and why a Monday costs you both galleries.
Where to Stay in Florence
The areas compared on noise, crowds and walking, and the ones we would not book.
Florence Tickets
Which site is the official one for each monument, how far ahead to book, and how to spot a reseller.
Uffizi Tickets
Every official fare, and the one nobody mentions: booking ahead costs four euros more than turning up.
Accademia Tickets
We counted the official slots and found 23 days in a row with nothing on sale at all.
Climbing the Duomo
The 463 steps, the 153-step alternative, and the three monuments under restoration right now.
Cooking Classes in Florence
Every class compared by price per hour, and why paying seven times more buys the same rating.
Florence Train Stations
Three of them, and searching for the central one hid four direct trains from Rome and added 1.70 euros.
Rome to Florence by Train
All 97 daily services counted, and why the slow train costs more than the fast one.
Rome Airport to Florence
210 itineraries checked on three dates, and not one of them direct. Plan on changing in Rome.
Bologna to Florence by Train
33 euros the day before, 11.90 two months out, and a regional that never moves from 10.
Milan to Florence by Train
34 direct trains a day, and the 05:50 that costs the same as the 05:10 for an hour more.
Malpensa Airport to Florence
Nobody runs a direct train, and the fastest itinerary hides a leg the fare does not cover.
Florence to Venice by Train
Only 14 of the 36 daily services run direct, and they are all exactly 2h 14.
Food Tours in Florence
What they cost by the hour, and why the neighbourhood matters more than the price.
2 Days in Florence
A plan that changes depending on which two days you have, Mondays included.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Florence?
Three for a first visit. Two works if you are disciplined and have booked your museum entries in advance. One day is enough to see the cathedral complex and walk the centre, but you will be choosing between the Uffizi and the Accademia rather than doing both.
Do I need to book the Uffizi in advance?
Between April and October, yes. Timed entry sells out days ahead in summer and the walk-up queue can run to two hours. Outside those months you can often buy for the same day, and doing so is actually 4 euros cheaper: the Uffizi charges 25 euros on the day against 29 booked ahead, which is the opposite of what almost every guide implies. In high season pay the 4 euros anyway, because what you are buying is a slot rather than a discount.
Is the Duomo dome climb worth it?
If you are comfortable with 463 steps and enclosed spaces, yes: you pass directly under the Vasari frescoes on the way up, which you cannot see that closely any other way. If stairs are a problem, Giotto’s campanile next door gives you a comparable view with a better sight of the dome itself.
What is the best area to stay in Florence?
For a first visit, within the historic centre between the cathedral and Santa Croce: you can walk everywhere and it is quiet at night once the day visitors leave. The Oltrarno, across the river, is cheaper, has better food and is a ten-minute walk from the centre.
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