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.
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 neighbourhoods compared, and which to avoid at which price.
Uffizi Gallery Tickets
Timed entry, skip-the-line, and when a guided tour is worth the difference.
Duomo Tickets
The dome climb, the baptistery and the museum: which pass covers what.
Day Trips from Florence
Cinque Terre, Pisa, Siena and Chianti, by train, car or tour.
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 high season you can often buy for the same day, but the booking fee is small enough that there is little reason to risk it.
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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