How to Spend 3 Days in Florence, Italy

Florence, Italy, is one of the most magnificent, inspiring, art-filled cities you will ever visit. This is the kind of city that you think about all the time for the rest of your life.

There’s SO much to see in Florence, and it can be overwhelming — so I’ve put together a 3 days in Florence itinerary for you that includes visits to all of the best places in the city.

Florence is a city that I know very well. I lived here 20 years ago and continue to visit as a travel writer, teaching other people on how to travel better in Italy.

Florence has so much to do, it can feel a bit paralyzing — and for that reason, I recommend travelers spend three days in Florence at the bare minimum. With its entire city center a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and so much art that seems to spring up from the pavement, any less than three days would be spreading yourself thin!

Between 10 million and 16 million tourists visit Florence every year, and honestly, there’s not really a low season anymore, except maybe January. I most recently visited in March and there were huge crowds everywhere.

Despite the throngs of people, though, Firenze is magical. The city charms me as much today as it did 20 years ago.

So here is a three-day Florence itinerary that I think will work very well for you. I hope you enjoy it!

• Book everything in advance. Florence is busy year-round and tickets sell out days (if not weeks) in advance. Official websites usually charge a few euros as a booking fee, which is worth it for the time spent in lines. Otherwise, skip-the-line tickets are priceless. 

• Check the current sunset time so you know what time to get to Piazzale Michelangelo during your three-day Florence itinerary. The latest sunset is around 9:00 PM in June and the earliest is 4:30 PM in December. 

• Public transport isn’t necessary. If you’re a mobile person, this Florence itinerary keeps walking distances to a minimum and you can call Ubers if you have a particularly long distance between sites.

• Keep an eye out for the replicas of Michelangelo’s David. The real one is in the Accademia Gallery — the others are around the city!

Accademia Gallery and Statue of David

You’ll start your three days in Florence checking out the world’s most famous statue, Michelangelo’s David. 

This marble represents the Florentine Renaissance — and a turn from tradition. While most sculptors depicted a triumphant David, Michelangelo shows us the young shepherd before his battle with Goliath. 

The Renaissance period was all about idealism — depicting people as beautiful as they could be. Hence why Michelangelo’s David is still remembered for how gorgeous he is!

Don’t make the mistake of thinking David is the only statue worth seeing at the Accademia Gallery. I particularly love Michelangelo’s Slaves, which look like people trying to free themselves from blocks of marble, and the carvings by Lorenzo Bartolini are wonderful as well. One gallery is dedicated to historic musical instruments.

Advance reservations are essential year-round, and I strongly recommend skip-the-line tickets! Admission is 15 EUR ($16), or 10 EUR ($11) before 9:15 AM. 

This Accademia Gallery skip-the-line tour has the bonus of an expert art guide. 

Want to combine David and the Duomo? This VIP David and Duomo tour gives you exclusive access first thing in the morning at both hotspots.

Medici Chapels

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is the kind of building you’ll overlook if you don’t know what’s inside it. Just a 10-minute walk from the Accademia, this plain stone church is hiding a wild interior, which happens to be one of my favorite places in Florence.

Inside the basilica are the Medici Chapels (Cappelle Medicee), with walls built from beautifully sculpted stones in shades of green, burgundy, and gold.

You can also see a few sculptures of Michelangelo here — and honestly, they always crack me up, because they are supposed to be women, but they are totally male bodies with breasts awkwardly stuck on. There’s no doubt Michelangelo never saw a naked lady in his life!

At the bequest of the Medici family, two chapels were added to the church to serve as mausoleums. Michelangelo designed the Sagrestia Nuova while the Cappella dei Princi was a joint effort between the Medicis and local architects. 

Admission costs 9 EUR ($10) plus booking fees or you can save time with a skip-the-line ticket. The Medici Chapels are closed on Tuesdays. 

Lunch at Mercato Centrale

Right around the corner from the Medici Chapels is Mercato Centrale, a perfect place to stop for lunch. Like other big food markets in other European cities, the market has gone from being primarily for locals to being primarily for tourists, with rising prices to match.

Even so, it’s still an icon and you can find some nice food among the stalls. Lampredotto panino (tripe sandwich) is the specialty here — though if you’re not brave enough to try it (I know I’m not!), you’ll also find other Florentine dishes alongside pasta and pizza.

Factor in time to stroll around the produce and souvenir stalls. I don’t recommend buying leather from the stalls here — they sell low-quality imported leather. Real Florentine leather can be found in real stores.

I recommend getting to Mercato Centrale by noon to beat the rush. And it’s nice to get a post-lunch espresso at the cute little coffee bar.

Duomo and Campanile (Giotto’s Bell Tower)

I hope you went easy on the market as the next one’s a biggie: it’s time to climb one of Florence’s most iconic buildings! We’re heading straight to Piazza del Duomo, the center of the city.

I’m going to give you two options here: you can either climb the Duomo, also known as Brunelleschi’s Dome, or you can climb the Campanile, also known as Giotto’s Bell Tower.

Both are great experiences, and the number of steps are similar (463 steps to the top of the dome vs. 414 steps to the top of the bell tower).

Climbing the dome: The Duomo is the centerpiece of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and grants an incredible view of Florence. Climbing the dome is ticketed and requires advance booking with a designated time slot.

Buying the Brunelleschi Pass (30 EUR/$33.50) will allow you to climb the dome and give you access to all areas, including the baptistery. There are no barriers at the top, so hold on to your kids if you bring them!

(You’ll also want to visit the church itself: this is free, but there are usually long lines.)

Note that if you’d rather do this later in the day, there is a VIP after-hours tour of the Duomo that is sensational. You get exclusive access and can visit the terrace!

Would you rather go earlier and combine the Duomo and visiting David? This VIP David and Duomo tour gives you exclusive access to both, first thing in the morning.

Climbing the bell tower: This climb gives you the best view of the Duomo, and it’s easier as there are three large platforms during the climb that give you time to catch your breath and take photos.

However, you should know that the viewing platforms are wired in, which makes it hard to get good photos with a DSLR camera. It’s fine if you’re taking photos with your phone. I also think climbing the bell tower is a better option if you have kids, because it’s impossible for them to fall out.

If you’d like to climb the bell tower but not the Duomo, you can buy the Giotto Pass for 20 EUR ($22).

So, which one do I think is better? Neither is a bad choice, it’s just about personal preference.

Personally, I actually prefer climbing the bell tower because you get an excellent view of the Duomo, but when you climb the Duomo, you can’t see the Duomo because you’re in it! It’s also less of a herding experience than the Duomo, because you can go at your own pace and rest at the different platforms in the bell tower.

Don’t want to climb either of them? That’s totally fine! Climbing’s not for everyone. The Florence Duomo Express Tour is great if you want to visit the ground floor of the Duomo, but skip the line and get a nice overview of the history.

Piazza della Repubblica

After leaving the Duomo and checking out the Baptistery of St. John (San Giovanni), I recommend strolling down to Piazza della Repubblica, which is about a five-minute walk. 

This is the epitome of a European plaza with elegant buildings and monuments. It’s a nice place for a few photographs. There’s a carousel where adults are equally welcome alongside kids!

But what I especially recommend is walking across the street to Rinascente Firenze, a department store, then take the escalators or elevators to the top, followed by one final staircase.

Up here is a rooftop cafe called La Terrazza, home to one of my favorite views of Florence! This is a great place to grab a coffee or a spritz.

Basilica di San Miniato al Monte

As you say arrivederci to the north bank of the Arno, you’ll cross the river and make your way into the hills. Basilica di San Miniato al Monte stands at one of the highest points in Florence.

This is a big walk — it’s about a 40-minute walk from Piazza della Repubblica — and much of it is uphill by the end. You can either walk it or take an Uber. That said, it’s a scenic and enjoyable walk.

If you walk, it will take you past the Ponte Vecchio and the Rose Garden before leading you past Piazzale Michelangelo and up the final staircase to San Miniato al Monte. If you take an Uber, it will drop you off at the final staircase.

San Miniato al Monte feels so different from the other churches in Florence, in part because it predates the Renaissance era. The frescoes are less sophisticated, but it gives you such a strong feeling of history. (I always feel like it’s a bit haunted.)

Besides the incredible views, this Romanesque church with geometric marbling is a wonder of Tuscany. Head inside to view the mosaic of Jesus, the Virgin, and St. Miniato before taking a stroll through the cemetery. The view from here is one of my favorite views in Florence.

Notable graves include Carlo Collodi (author of The Adventures of Pinocchio) and the soprano Marietta Piccolomini, known for her starring role in La Traviata. 

The church is free to visit. It’s open daily, 9:30 AM-1:00 PM and 3:30–7:00 PM. 

Piazzale Michelangelo

Keep an eye on your watch as you explore San Miniato — you’ll want to walk the seven-minute downhill walk from here to Piazzale Michelangelo in time for sunset! Say hello to the David statue and find a good spot!

Know that you won’t be alone — just you and a few hundred of your fellow travelers. It’s no secret that this piazza is the best place to see the brilliant colors of sunset. Crowds aside, the atmosphere is lovely. Some people play live music, and everyone is in a good mood.

Very close to Piazzale Michelangelo is the Rose Garden of Florence. This is another beautiful spot, especially if you’re visiting at a time of year when roses are in bloom.

One thing I notice is that people often leave sunset spots as soon as the sun drops beneath the horizon. (Often after a round of applause. Heh.)

As a photographer, I urge you to stick around a bit. Some of the prettiest colors in the sky happen after the sun sets. That’s when you get those streaks of pink in the deep blue sky as the city of Firenze lights up in gold beneath you.

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Dinner at Il Latini

Many restaurants in Florence have become quite touristy over the years, and yes, my beloved Il Latini is one of them. But I promise you this place is worth it, for introducing you to the best of Tuscan cuisine in your first night in Florence.

Il Latini is about a 30-minute walk from Piazzale Michelangelo — feel free to take an Uber if you’re not up for a walk that long.

Here you’ll find plenty of Tuscan standards, from the vegetable-bean-bread stew of ribbolita to the tomato soup of pappa al pomodoro, to the yellow cantuccini cookies served with vin santo — topped off with the bistecca alla fiorentina, the enormous, rare Florentine steak.

Il Latini started in 1911 as a humble fiaschetteria (wine store) before opening the kitchen. You can either order à la carte here (better for vegetarians, or if you don’t like rare steak), or order the Menu Degustazione, which serves several courses and I think is excellent value for money.

If Il Latini isn’t for you, look around you — this is one of my favorite neighborhoods for dining in Florence, where the food is delicious and it’s not as tourist-trappy as others. Ristorante Gilo’ Firenze is more upscale with a diverse menu and live music.

I recommend taking a quick look at reviews on Google Maps before committing to a place and going for a rating of at least 4.2 (I find Italians are harsh in their restaurant ratings!). Just keep in mind that it’s smart to book in advance, as many Florence restaurants book out far ahead of time.

Uffizi Gallery (2 hours)

Finish your morning cappuccino bright and early and aim to be one of the first people through the door at the Uffizi Gallery. Art history buffs can spend the whole day at this huge museum, while casual art fans should plan for around two hours. 

Galleria degli Uffizi is a who’s who of Renaissance artists. Masterpieces here include Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus (probably the most famous work in the museum) and La Primavera, Titian’s Venus of Urbino, Raphael’s Self-Portrait, Caravaggio’s Bacchus, Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation, and SO many more.

I’m a big fan of artist Artemisia Gentileschi — the first female painter to earn admission to the Academy of the Arts of Drawing in Florence! Her Judith and Holofernes is on display here.

Advance booking is essential at the Uffizi; book skip-the-line tickets for 25 EUR ($27) or join a tour. This small group tour of the Uffizi is worth every cent for the intel shared by passionate guides. 

As the Accademia and Uffizi galleries are two of the most popular sites in Florence, my recommendation is to start two of your three days in Florence at each one.

I don’t recommend visiting both museums in the same day, if you can help it — art fatigue is a real thing (as is museum fatigue), and you’ll enjoy them more if you spread them out a bit.

The Galleria degli Uffizi is closed on Mondays. 

Piazza della Signoria

Another beautiful square, Piazza della Signoria is a place you’ll cross several times throughout your three-day Florence itinerary. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the Uffizi exit and home to the Palazzo Vecchio, a fake statue of David, and the Neptune fountain that is frequently vandalized by locals.

The square is beautiful to see, and don’t miss the Loggia dei Lanzi — a section of the square featuring several sculptures. Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa is among the most famous works here.

If you have time for a libation, I highly recommend Rivoire, a cafe right on the square. Their ciccolato caldo con crema (hot chocolate with cream) is so rich and sumptuous — I make time for it on most of my Florence trips!

You can either sit at the outdoor seating on the square and people-watch, or sit inside and enjoy the over-the-top maximalist decor of the cafe. Both are great options.

Gucci Garden Museum

Just across Piazza della Signora is Gucci Garden, a relatively new addition to Florence and a super-fun place to pop in. If you’re interested in fashion, design, celebrity culture, or interactive light shows, you’ll love this place! If not, feel free to skip it.

The Gucci brand originated in Florence, and Gucci Garden is a shop featuring some unique items you can’t find for sale anywhere else in the world.

But attached is a really cool museum called Gucci Visions, with vintage accessories and apparel on display and themed rooms. I absolutely adored the endless glass cabinets filled with colorful Gucci bags! There are also cool light displays that you can take part in — perfect for Instagram!

Gucci Visions has also outfits on display worn by Ryan Gosling, Lupita Nyong’o, and other A-listers.

It’s a pretty small museum and I think it makes an interesting deviation from Florence’s more serious sights. Gucci Garden is open 10:00 AM-8:00 PM daily and admission costs a few euros.

Ponte Vecchio

Good luck finding a more romantic sight in Florence than Ponte Vecchio! Back in the day, this bridge used to be full of butchers’ shops — but in time the local government demanded they switch to jewelry shops, improving the smell of the whole area.

You’ll want to cross the bridge to experience all the different angles. If time allows, consider revisiting Ponte Vecchio at different parts of the day. It’s lovely early in the morning and around dusk and even the midday bustle creates a fun atmosphere.

I also love photographing the bridge from near the Uffizi exit on the Lungarno. That’s where the above photo was taken.

The bridge is crammed with shops selling gold jewelry. The quality is excellent — you can expect 18k for the gold, as Florentines believe it’s only gold if it’s 18k (though always double-check just to be sure). Just know that you’ll pay inflated prices here compared to jewelry shops in other parts of the city.

Lunch in Santo Spirito

Once you reach the Oltrarno — the other side of the Arno — grab a quick bite in the Santo Spirito neighborhood. You reach this neighborhood after crossing the Ponte Vecchio and taking a right — though Piazza Santo Spirito is a good central landmark if you need one.

This is one of very few neighborhoods in Florence’s centro (historic center) where the locals outnumber tourists. As a result, this is a good place to wander and see if you like the look of any of the restaurants.

Trattoria La Casalinga is the favorite restaurant of a Florentine I know, and is great for pasta and steak. Otherwise, pick up pastries and coffee from a cafe like Ditta Artigianal.

Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens

The Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens, along with the Bardini Gardens next door, are the most prominent sights in the Oltrarno. These are the places to hit up when visiting this side of the river, and you can buy tickets to visit all of the sights together or separately.

Although it carries the name of its original landlord, the main estate was the home of the Medici family and later the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. Inside the palace, you’ll see the Royal Apartments, the Palatine Chapel, the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, and the Museum of Costume. 

It costs 16 EUR ($18) to go inside the palace or 22 EUR ($25) for a ticket that includes access to the gardens. 

See what kind of mood you’re in and how you are for time, but purchase advance tickets if it’s important to you to see the Pitti Palace. I absolutely love to Boboli Gardens, pictured above, and they’re one of the best nature spots in Florence, a city that is often a bit nature-deprived.

The Bardini Gardens are a five-minute walk from the exit by Fort Belvedere in the Boboli Gardens, and there are signs showing you the way. You can use the same ticket or visit only the Bardini Gardens for 10 EUR ($11). 

So if you’re visiting both gardens, which one is better? Well, first, check out my best views in Florence post for pictures from them both! Honestly, I think the view is better from Bardini, but you can’t beat the landscaping and beauty of Boboli.

Palazzo Pitti is closed on Mondays. Giardino di Boboli and Giardino Bardini are open daily. 

Oltrarno at Sunset Food Tour

The Oltrarno is Florence’s answer to Rome’s Trastevere — a foodie neighborhood where you can enjoy plenty of food, nightlife, and local culture. If you’re going to go on a food tour in Florence, this is the place to do it.

I went on the Oltrarno at Sunset Food Tour during my last trip to Florence and loved it! It’s a fun cultural activity with an emphasis on the stories behind Florentine food and how it all pieces together. (I hope you get Lorenzo as your guide, he’s the best!)

You’ll swing by five casual eateries to try crostini, salume, bistecca alla fiorentina, some really good gelato, and plenty of wine. Everything comes from small, wonderful local eateries. But for me, the big highlight was getting a glass of wine through a wine window!

The tour starts at 4:45 PM and lasts about 3.5 hours, so you’ll have most of the evening free. I should point out that you’ll have enough food for a meal, but you won’t be stuffed beyond recognition like some food tours.

Cocktails in Florence

After the tour, I’m sending you out for a well-deserved drink at one of Florence’s cocktail bars. If you want to stay in your current neighborhood, Bulli e Balene serves up spritzes and cicchetti, little pieces of bread with toppings that are originally from Venice, in a cozy atmosphere.

Otherwise, you can cross the Ponte Santo Spirito back to the other side of the river and hit up the other bars, all of which are a short walking distance from this bridge.

Procacci might be my favorite, with its old-world decor and boutique wine menu. To top it all off, they serve delicious little truffle sandwiches, in case the tour didn’t fill you up! This is a small place, but there’s room to stand if you need to.

Two minutes down the street, Manifattura is another fun spot. This cocktail bar deals exclusively with Italian spirits and is great for trying a cocktail you’ve never heard of before. 

Giacosa 1815 is a rite of passage for negroni fans. The iconic cocktail was created here in 1919, although there are plenty of options for those who like their drinks a bit sweeter. This is a nice spot for a morning cappuccino, too. 

On your third day in Florence, I’m going to give you two options. You can either stay in Florence and explore more of the city, or go on a day trip outside the city to explore more of Tuscany.

If you choose to do a tour, I strongly recommend focusing on Tuscany rather than heading somewhere further afield.

My top recommendation is the Florence Day Trip to Siena, Chianti, and San Gimignano. I did this day trip on my most recent visit to Florence, and it was SO good — a perfect blend of visiting another city, a beautiful small town, and a really nice lunch with lots of wine.

If that’s not your thing, here are a few other day trips I recommend from Florence:

• Half-Day Tour to Pisa from Florence
• Chianti Wine Tasting Trip from Florence
• Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence

If not day-tripping, let’s take a look at what you can do on day three in Florence!

Bargello Museum

Haven’t had enough art yet? Want even MORE? If that’s the case, I recommend you make your way to the wonderful and underrated Museo Nazionale del Bargello. I actually didn’t visit here until recently, and I don’t know what took me so long!!

Donatello and Michelangelo’s sculptures are the headliners at this prison-turned-art gallery. (Honestly, by this point you’ll have seen works by Raphael and Leonardo as well, so your ninja turtle search will be complete.) It’s also a great place to learn about Giotto di Bondone, one of the earliest Renaissance artists, and see his fresco of Dante the poet. 

If you’re into weaponry, this is the museum for you. They have some really cool weapons on display, and I loved the frescoes on some of the ceilings that evoked a starry night.

Bargello admission costs 10 EUR ($11) and it’s one of the few places where you don’t need to buy skip-the-line tickets in advance.

The museum is open 8:15 AM-1:50 PM on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays and until 6:50 PM on Mondays and Saturdays. It’s closed on Tuesdays. 

Basilica di Santa Croce

The world’s largest Franciscan church, Basilica di Santa Croce, dates to the late 13th century. It contains the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo, along with many other prominent Florentines, and it has a gorgeous cloistered courtyard. And it happens to be just a four-minute walk from the Bargello.

Arnolfo di Cambio is credited with most of the design, while Giotto painted frescoes in the Giugni, Tosinghi Spinelli, Bardi, and Peruzzi chapels. The graves here are ornate and beautiful.

The Basilica di Santa Croce is open 9:30 AM-5.30 PM, Monday to Saturday, and 12:30 PM-5:45 PM on Sundays. Admission costs 8 EUR ($9) plus 4 EUR ($4.50) to download an audio guide on your phone.  

Casa Buonarroti

Next up is another less-visited attraction in the neighborhood, just a three-minute walk from Santa Croce. Michelangelo’s last name was Buonarroti, and this was his family home. He lived at Casa Buonarroti before the townhouse passed to his nephew. 

As plans to overhaul the complex never materialized, the house as it stands today was completed long after the sculptor’s death by his great nephew, known as the “Younger Michelangelo.”

Casa Buonarroti is now a monumental museum to Michelangelo and artists that followed in his footsteps. Two of Michelangelo’s earliest reliefs are on display as well as drawings and biographical exhibits. You can also spot a small David statue here.

Casa Buonarroti is open Wednesday through Monday, 10:00 AM-4:40 PM. Tickets cost 8 EUR ($9). 

Lunch at Sapori Toscani Street Food

Make a pitstop for schiacciata (sha-CHA-ta) at Sapori Toscani Street Food, a six-minute walk from Casa Buonarroti. This hole-in-the-wall serves traditional Tuscan flatbread sandwiches.

This is a popular spot, and there is no seating (other than two tiny chairs in front that are usually taken). The thing to do is wait in line, take a look at the menu, choose your number, and order. They will call you when it’s ready, and you can eat it while standing there or find a bench a few blocks away.

The schiacciate come in lots of different types — though primarily different kinds of pork (porchetta, prosciutto, and sausage). Think ham, parmigiano, and truffle sauce, or pork loin, scamorza, and eggplant sauce. They do have a big vegetarian menu as well, so don’t overlook it!

Gelato Break

Now that you’ve had lunch, how about some gelato? Gelateria dei Neri is my absolute favorite — I’ve been eating there for 20 years! They have fantastic gelato and so many interesting flavors along with the usual favorites. Know that they’re closed on Tuesdays. They’re an eight-minute walk from Sapori Toscani.

An even closer gelato option is Vivoli, a three-minute walk away. This is another long-standing gelato joint. I personally don’t think they’re as good as Gelateria dei Neri, but they DO make the best affogato in town! An affogato is espresso poured over a scoop of gelato, and Vivoli ups the ante with beautifully sculpted gelato. They’re closed on Mondays.

Seeing as you’re spending three days in Florence, you should squeeze in a trip to both gelaterie. I also hope you’ve been eating lots of gelato all this time!

Now that this is your third and final afternoon in Firenze, I recommend you take some time to explore at your own pace — or don’t. Just sitting in a cafe and people-watching is just as valid as hitting up yet another museum. By now you should know what makes you tick.

Here are a few more options, if you’re looking for them.

Palazzo Vecchio

If you love views and don’t mind climbing, one of my absolute favorite views is from the Arnolfo Tower at the Palazzo Vecchio on Piazza della Signoria. This is a view that doesn’t seem to get much attention compared to the Duomo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, or even Rinascente or the Boboli Gardens.

It’s so unknown, in fact, that people often ask me if the photo above is a drone shot! It’s not! It was taken with my feet planted firmly on the Arnolfo Tower!

So what is the Palazzo Vecchio about? This “Old Palace” had a stint as a Medici residence before switching back to a government office once they settled into Pitti Palace. These days, it’s the town hall of Florence, and the courtyard is free to visit. 

Tours of the Palazzo Vecchio apartments complete your education in Renaissance art and political goings on. They’re a bit heavier and I would recommend them primarily for hardcore history buffs. 

Now — here’s the important part. You need to buy museum and tower admission separately. You can buy them here. Each ticket costs 12.50 EUR ($14). Make sure that you select “ARNOLFO TOWER” when purchasing your ticket! It’s easy to miss, and I made the mistake of buying the wrong kind of ticket once.

Otherwise, you can buy a combined ticket which guarantees admission to both attractions. 

Quick trip to Fiesole

Alternatively, you can deepen your Tuscan experience with an easy side trip to Fiesole. By this point of the day, going all the way to another city in Tuscany will eat up much of your day, but Fiesole is just a quick 25-minute bus ride away.

Fiesole (fee-YAY-zo-lay) is a city even older than Florence! This city was founded by the Etruscans and went on to garner the affection of the Medici family. 

You can spend an afternoon taking in the historic sights and lush gardens of Fiesole. Don’t miss the Roman theater and bathhouse built on top of Etruscan foundations.

The monastery of San Francesco is a short but steep walk from the main square. It’s free to roam the compound and the views are second to none. I love that this gives you a view from the other direction, as most of the famous views of the Duomo come from the south.

To get to Fiesole, you can take the number 7 bus, which leaves from outside Santa Maria Novella train station and takes 25 minutes. 

Dinner at L’Ortone

Everyone deserves one upscale, unforgettable dinner in Florence, and L’Ortone in the Santa Croce neighborhood gets my vote. This place is very popular, and justifiably so, so I recommend making a reservation in advance.

L’Ortone is located east of Santa Croce and JUST far enough that it keeps away a lot of the tourists. But it’s just an eight-minute walk from Santa Croce or a fifteen-minute walk from the Duomo.

While so much of Tuscan cuisine is hyper-local, L’Ortone puts a creative twist on their dishes.

On my most recent visit, I had cubes of fried beef tongue with caramelized onion and lime scented yogurt; followed by agnolotti stuffed with pigeon, its gravy, and thyme butter; finished with a berry cheesecake.

And you don’t have to go weird like me — they have spaghetti with burrata, eggplant parmesan, and of course a bistecca alla Fiorentina.

Prices are a bit higher, but the quality reflects that.

And from your table, I hope you raise your glass of wine and toast to the wonderful 3 days in Florence you’ve just experienced. I hope you never forget it!

Florence’s city center is on the smaller side, so most hotels are within walking distance of main attractions, decent restaurants, and the train station.

Here’s where to stay in Florence city center. 

Top-rated Luxury Hotel in Florence: If you’re looking for an incredibly luxe experience, The St. Regis Florence occupies a Brunelleschi-designed building on the riverside just west of the city center. Rooms are palatial and the views are outstanding.

Top-rated Mid-range Hotel in Florence: Close to the Piazza della Repubblica and with terrace views of the Duomo, Boutique Hotel del Corso is a great choice for your first time in Florence. Rooms feature modern bathrooms and classic Italian decor. 

Top-rated Budget Hotel in Florence: Know that it’s tough to find affordable accommodation in this beautiful city but B&B Emozioni Fiorentine has rooms around the $250 mark — a deal by Florentine standards. It’s clean, cozy, and close to sights. 

Top-rated Hostel in Florence: Plus Florence features both private ensuite rooms as well as dorms. The two pools and sun deck make it an awesome pick during summer! Breakfast is available, and you can use the kitchen to prepare light meals.

Find deals on places to stay in Florence here.

More on Florence and Tuscany:

• 35+ Best Things to Do in Florence, Italy
• Where to Find the Best Views in Florence, Italy
• Best Day Trips from Florence, Italy
• 16 Cool Things to Do in Siena, Italy
• 16 Fun Things to Do in Pisa, Italy
• 14 Fab Things to Do in San Gimignano, Italy

Planning a Trip to Italy:

Cool Places in Northern Italy:

• Three Weeks in Northern Italy: An Itinerary
• 30+ Epic Things to Do in Rome, Italy
• Guide to the 5 Towns of Cinque Terre
• Parma, Italy: A Colorful, Artsy, Delicious Town
• Where to Stay in Rome: Best Neighborhoods and Accommodation
• Three Days in the Dolomites: A South Tyrol Getaway
• The Immaculate, Bursting Mosaics of Ravenna, Italy
• 25 Best Food Experiences in Emilia-Romagna, Italy
• 23 Best Things to Do in Bologna, Italy
• 30+ Best Things to Do in Venice, Italy
• 16 Cool Day Trips from Venice, Italy
• How to Spend 1 Day in Venice, Italy
• Guide to Murano Island in Venice
• Guide to Burano Island in Venice

Cool Places in Southern Italy:

• 28 Fabulous Things to Do in Naples, Italy
• 16 Fun Things to Do in Sorrento, Italy
• Tropea, Italy: A Spectacularly Situated Beach Town
• The Joys and Challenges of Traveling in Sicily
• 22 Beautiful Places to Visit in Sicily
• Where to Go in Eastern Sicily
• 23 Fun Things to Do in Palermo, Sicily
• Complete Guide to the Aeolian Islands, Sicily
• Aci Trezza: A Laid-Back Coastal Town in Sicily
• Visiting Sicily in the Winter: Worth it or not?
• 17 Fun Things to Do in Bari, Italy
• 17 Cool Things to Do in Matera, Italy
• The Stunning Trulli of Alberobello, Italy
• 16 Fab Things to Do in Lecce, Italy
• Experiencing the Carpino Folk Festival in Puglia, Italy

How would you spend 3 days in Florence? Share away!