Florence in one day: an essential itinerary

Florence in one day is possible. It is not ideal - two or three days allow you to breathe more easily - but with intelligent organisation you can see the most significant places without rushing from one side of the city to the other like someone possessed.

The essential condition: booking in advance. The Uffizi, the Duomo and most Florentine museums have hours-long waits without a reservation. Booking online a few days in advance transforms the whole experience.

The right approach for Florence in one day is to choose three or four essential stops and experience them well. Quality over quantity: this is the philosophy that transforms a rushed visit into a lasting memory.

Florence in one day: is it really possible?

The answer is yes, with some caveats. Florence has a concentration of art and architecture unmatched anywhere in the world: trying to fit it all into a day means making drastic choices and accepting that you will not see very much.

The right approach is to choose three or four essential stops and experience them well, rather than making a list of twenty things and not really seeing anything. This itinerary follows that philosophy: quality over quantity.

From Poggibonsi, Florence is about 50 kilometres, less than an hour by train. Leaving at 8-8.30am, you arrive in the centre of Florence by 9.30am. Returning by 6-7pm, you have a good 8-9 hours.

Morning: Piazza del Duomo and the Baptistery

Start at Florence’s most famous square - the complex of the Duomo, the Baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with Brunelleschi’s dome, is the symbol of Florence and one of the masterpieces of world architecture.

Brunelleschi’s dome: climbing the dome is one of the most significant experiences you can have in Florence. 463 steps, no lift, but the view from the top - over the city, the countryside, the surrounding hills - is incomparable. Booking is essential.

The Baptistery of San Giovanni: the octagonal Baptistery is older than the Duomo and is famous for its bronze doors, above all the “Gates of Paradise” by Lorenzo Ghiberti (the original door is in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo; a copy stands in the square). The interior is covered in remarkable medieval mosaics.

Giotto’s Campanile: if you are not climbing the dome, the campanile offers a similar view with fewer steps and a shorter queue.

Towards the Uffizi: what to choose

The Uffizi is one of the most important museums in the world, with a collection spanning from the Middle Ages to the High Renaissance. The problem is not finding what to see - the problem is that there is too much to see in a day.

The strategy: book your ticket online (essential), choose two or three rooms you cannot miss, and do not try to see everything.

Rooms not to miss:

• Botticelli rooms (rooms 10-14): The Birth of Venus and Primavera, among the most famous works of the Renaissance
• The Tribune corridor: the octagonal room with the Medici collections
• Titian and the Venetian painters (rooms 83-93)

Two hours in the Uffizi, with a reservation, are sufficient to see the essentials without being overwhelmed.

Lunch: where to eat near the centre without spending too much

The area around Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi is full of tourist restaurants - expensive, mediocre, focused on volume. The best places are slightly off-centre.

Some options:

• Mercato Centrale (San Lorenzo area): the covered market offers many stalls with quality Tuscan cuisine at reasonable prices
• Oltrarno: cross the Ponte Vecchio and look for a trattoria in the alleys of Oltrarno. Prices are lower than in the historic centre
• Lampredotto: the typical Florentine sandwich with tripe, bought at street stalls - cheap and good

The Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, in the Santa Croce neighbourhood, is frequented mainly by Florentines and has considerably lower prices.

Afternoon: Ponte Vecchio and Oltrarno

After lunch, cross the Arno. Ponte Vecchio is one of the most photographed structures in Italy: the medieval bridge with jewellers’ shops overlooking the water. It is beautiful to see, but very busy - crossing it in the right direction (from the north-east towards Oltrarno) is pleasant; coming back in the afternoon, less so.

Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens: on the other side of the bridge, Palazzo Pitti was the Medici grand-ducal residence. The museum is enormous - worth a dedicated visit. The Boboli Gardens, one of the most beautiful historic gardens in Italy, can be walked in about an hour.

Oltrarno neighbourhood: the alleys of Oltrarno - Piazza Santo Spirito, Via Maggio, Via dei Serragli - have a different character from the centre: more artisanal, less touristy, with workshops of restorers, antiquarian bookshops, trattorias frequented by locals.

Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo

Piazzale Michelangelo, on the hill of San Miniato al Monte, offers the most famous panorama over Florence. The entire city spreads out below, with Brunelleschi’s dome at the centre.

Arriving at sunset - the time varies by season - is the best experience. Expect crowds: the piazzale is busy throughout the day, but sunset attracts particularly large numbers.

You can reach it on foot in 20-30 minutes from Oltrarno (a steep but pleasant climb) or by bus. Visiting the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte, just above the piazzale, adds 30 minutes and is well worth it: it is one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy.

Getting there by train from Poggibonsi: less than an hour

The Poggibonsi-San Gimignano station is on the Siena-Empoli-Florence railway line. Regional trains for Florence Santa Maria Novella depart roughly every hour and take 50-60 minutes.

The advantage of the train over the car is enormous: Florence has a vast ZTL, parking is very expensive, and the traffic in the centre is chaotic. The train deposits you directly in the centre, at Santa Maria Novella station, a few minutes’ walk from all the main attractions.

The ticket costs about €8-10 per person each way; for families or groups, it is worth checking Trenitalia’s offers.