View of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo with the cathedral dome and the tower of Palazzo Vecchio
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Florence in 1 day

  • 1 day
  • 4.5 km on foot
  • 18 stops
  • Audio guide

Florence is so compact that a single day gives you a real feel for it, as long as you choose well and don't rush. This plan splits three free walks across morning, afternoon and sunset: the must-see Renaissance, the story of the republic and the Medici, and the legends of the old centre. No big museum queues, just streets, squares and a proper Tuscan table.

One day in FlorenceDome, Medici and legends

Start early with “Must-see Florence: from Santa Maria Novella to Santa Croce”, which takes in San Lorenzo, Palazzo Medici Riccardi and the Duomo on its way to the Loggia dei Lanzi. For lunch, a bistecca alla fiorentina, sold by weight and made for sharing. In the afternoon, “From Roman Florentia to the palace of the Medici”: from Piazza della Repubblica to the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio. At sunset, “Bulls, lightning and hanged men: secret Florence” leads you to the Duomo's fallen ball and the Bargello. Dinner is a lampredotto sandwich, quick and casual.

  1. Morning

    Must-see Florence: from Santa Maria Novella to Santa Croce

    Mixed · 2 km · 2 h

    1. Santa Maria NovellaA marble facade that weds Gothic and Renaissance, signed by a merchant and designed by Alberti.
    2. Basilica of San LorenzoThe Medici church, with a bare brick facade that Michelangelo never got to build.
    3. Palazzo Medici RiccardiHome of Cosimo the Elder and Lorenzo the Magnificent: a palace plain outside and lavish within.
    4. Duomo and BaptisteryThe cathedral with the impossible dome and, facing it, the Baptistery with the Gates of Paradise.
    5. Loggia dei LanziAn open-air sculpture gallery on Piazza della Signoria, with Perseus, the Sabine women and the Medici lions.
    6. Basilica of Santa CroceThe Franciscan church where Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli rest, and where Dante has an empty tomb.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Bistecca alla fiorentina at Buca Lapi. Via del Trebbio, 1r, Florencia

  3. Afternoon

    From Roman Florentia to the palace of the Medici

    History · 1.3 km · 1 h 35 min

    1. Piazza della RepubblicaThis was the forum of Roman Florentia, and later a medieval market that was flattened in the 19th century.
    2. OrsanmicheleA grain store turned church, decorated by the guilds with the finest statues of their day.
    3. Palazzo VecchioThe fortress of the Florentine republic, where the priors, Savonarola and the Medici all held power.
    4. Uffizi GalleryA block of government offices designed by Vasari that became one of the world's great museums.
    5. Ponte VecchioThe goldsmiths' bridge, the only one in Florence the Germans did not blow up in 1944.
    6. Pitti PalaceThe palace of a rival banker that became home to the Medici, the Lorraine dukes and the kings of Italy.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  4. Early evening

    Bulls, lightning and hanged men: secret Florence

    Mysteries & legends · 1.2 km · 1 h 30 min

    1. Column of St ZenobiusA lone column recalls the dead elm that, according to tradition, burst into leaf in midwinter as a saint went by.
    2. The bull's head on the DuomoHigh on the cathedral's north side a bull's head peers out: a tribute to the oxen, or a jilted lover's revenge?
    3. The Duomo's fallen ballA marble disc in the pavement marks where the gilded ball from the top of the dome crashed down after a lightning strike.
    4. The BargelloBefore it became a sculpture museum, it was a court, a prison and a place of execution; conspirators were hanged from its windows.
    5. Michelangelo's ImportunoA profile carved into the stone of Palazzo Vecchio: a prank by Michelangelo, or the face of a condemned man?
    6. The Porcellino and the Stone of ScandalA bronze boar whose snout you rub to come back to Florence and, next to it, the stone where debtors were humiliated.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Lampredotto sandwich at Da Nerbone (Mercato Centrale). Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Florencia

The map

Florence in 1 day, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed History Mysteries & legends

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Before you go

Tips for Florence in 1 day

  • Wear comfortable shoes: the centre is flat, but the cobbles tire your feet, and the three walks add up to around 4.5 km before any detours.
  • If you want to climb the dome or go inside the Uffizi or Palazzo Vecchio, book ahead or save them for another trip; in one day, enjoy the facades and courtyards.
  • The whole historic centre is walkable. You don't need a bus or taxi, unless you'd rather cross to the Pitti Palace on tired legs.

Questions

Florence in 1 day: your questions

Can you see Florence in one day?

Yes, the historic centre is small. You can see the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, the Ponte Vecchio and several churches without entering the big museums. It's a good first visit, but it will feel short if you want to see the art up close.

How far do you walk in 1 day in Florence?

The three walks add up to about 4.5 km: 2 for the must-sees, 1.3 for history and 1.2 for mysteries. With the stretches between them and meal breaks, expect around 7 to 8 km over a full day.

What should I book if I only have one day?

If you want to climb the Duomo's dome or enter the Uffizi, book ahead, but you won't fit everything into one day. It's better to save those visits for a second day and enjoy the city out in the open now.

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