2 full days in Florence - help with logistics?

[AndyB]

Would love to get some feedback from the experts.  I'll be staying in Florence for 4 nights the last week of October.  Of the 3 full days, one of them will be a day trip to Siena.  For my 2 full days in Florence, I'd like to see a little more of the city than I did on my only other visit, which was a cruise stop.  I am thinking of one day (maybe plus another morning) in the historic center (my hotel is a few minutes walk from Piazza della Signoria), and the other day (or part of it) on the Oltrarno side.  I'm travelling solo, so I can be flexible. But I like to at least start with a plan (however much it may change when I get there).

 

I do want to spend some time in the Uffizi, and that would be the only thing I expect to pre-book for a particular time (David will have to wait for another trip - I can be satisfied with the replica this time) - would you suggest booking right at opening time or closer to closing time?

 

Here are the things I would like to see:

 

Historic center (in order of importance):

• Uffizi Gallery
• Santa Croce
• San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel
• Mercato Centrale (maybe around lunch time for a short, or long, rest?)
• Duomo and Baptistry outside only 
• Bargello Museum

 

Oltrarno:

• Ponte Vecchio
• Pitti Palace / Boboli Gardens
• Piazzale Michelangelo (for sunset view)
• Lunch or dinner - restaurant recommendations?

 

As I'm looking at the lists it seems like I could move Uffizi to the second list and do that in the morning before crossing to Oltrarno.

 

I know this will be a LOT of walking, and I'm wondering if there will be an opportunity to use the bus lines to give me a break (I thinking particularly about up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo - I see buses 12 and 13 go up and down that hill and seem to go back to the main bus station).

 

I would also love any recommendations for the evenings - I'm pretty much an early bird so I'm thinking nice strolls ending with a dinner, back to the hotel by 10.

 

Really appreciate your feedback!!

 

Andrea

[CCJack]

We were in Florence for 4 days and also took a day trip to Siena... Really enjoyed Siena, I hope you enjoy it to.

 

In Florence try dining at the rooftop restaurant at the Grand Hotel Baglioni -   the restaurant may now be called B roof.   Fantastic views and great food.

 

 

[euro cruiser]

Based on what you're doing, I would move the Uffizi to the morning of the second day.

 

It's not as much walking as you may think, the historic center of Florence is not all that large.  If you make a google map of the locations you'll see how close they are to one another, your day one list is only about two miles spread out over an entire day.

 

Most of the historic center is pedestrian only so buses will not help

Edited April 24, 2023 by euro cruiser

[cruisemom42]

The inside of the Baptistery is wonderful; I wouldn’t skip it! If you like St. Marks in Venice, it has a similar feeling. Rick Steves guide to Florence gives a detailed description.

 

I also recommend the Palazzo Vecchio but maybe you already saw it. Wonderful huge hall with huge scale paintings by major artists, plus painterly tricks (read about the “Cerca Trova” later used by Dan Brown in one of his books. Also portraits of the Medicis and several special small rooms or gabinetti (cabinets). I did it a few years ago again with my son and he really enjoyed it as well.

 

Mercato Centrale is a great idea for lunch. Also, if you are okay with just seeing a reproduction of David, there is one on the Piazza Signoria, which is where the original actually stood, so perhaps easier and more true to the artist’s vision. ( But yes, you can take a bus to Piazzale Michelangelo.)