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TRAVEL ITINERARIES:

Time Management:
With so much to see, strange (and sometimes erratic) opening hours time and generally not enough time to see everything- time management will be one of the most important elements to your travels in Florence. Likewise you are better off to pick a few favorites and fit them all in versus running yourself exhausted all day and having little as a memory but a mash of painting, sculptures, and other precious sites which should stay in your mind for years to come.

Despite wanting to see it all in the time you are here, this is just not reasonable so choose wisely, and organize your travel based on personal preference rather than strictly on what other’s or guide books tell you, you HAVE to see. Moral of the story if you are not a “museum person” spending 6 hours trekking through museums regardless of their hype, is probably not going to be something you find enjoyable!

Some keys to successfully planning you time in Florence:

• Be sure to check closing times of museums, churches, etc as many have sporadic closing times, close on certain days of the month, early closing times.
• Account for times you will need to stand in queue/ inline if you are not booking ahead. If you want to avoid running late, and or missing out on certain attractions we highly suggest booking your tickets for the major monuments such as the Uffizi Gallery, and the Accademia (David) museum ahead of time.
• Most importantly - Organize your travel plans based on personal preference. What is an ideal travel itinerary for one person may not be right for the next. In general, Sundays and Mondays are bad, with many museums either closed or with shorter hours. The itineraries below are suggested itineraries only for those with a broad taste in sights and attractions, obviously make replacements to meet your tastes where needed.
  

Places to see:

The most important/ popular museums and attractions in Florence based on our experience:

• Museo Nazionale del Bargello
• Piazza San Croce- Piazza Santa Croce is one of the most charming, and lively squares on the southeast side of Florence. This is a prefect square to sit and take it all in. The beautiful Basilica makes a stunning back drop for a lazy afternoon Panini, and some down-time!
• Ponte Vecchio (the Old Bridge)
• Museo delle Cappelle Medicee (closed Mondays)
• Museo di San Marco
• Museo delle Pietre dure

CENTRO STORICO is an area possessing some of the most breathtaking and unbelievable sights of anywhere in the world:

• The majestic Duomo Cathedral (with Brunelleschi's dome poised almost effortlessly atop the Duomo). This is undisputedly one of the city’s great centerpieces.
• The Battistero and their famous bronze doors
• The Uffizi Gallery- this museum has something for everyone and presents some of the most awe striking Renaissance art you will find anywhere in the world, including Botticelli's Primavera and the world-famous Birth of Venus.
• Galleria dell’Accademia (closed Monday) – you can not visit Florence without seeing Michelangelo's David. Even for the most skeptical, one look at this phenomenal sculpture and you will instantly understand the world-wide fascination.
• The Oltrarno (“other side of the River”)
• Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens
• Bargello and Museums of San Marco (both close at approx 1:30pm during the week)
• Mercato Centrale
• Piazza della Repubblica
• Piazza della Signoria
• Piazzale Michelangelo- the square is laid on one of the highest perches in the Florence’s city-centre hills and as such presents you with some of the most breathtaking views of Florence you will find. You can easily see from one end to the other, and at sunset this location is second to none.
• Santa Maria Novella Church & Piazza SMN (near the train station. Although as throughout most of Italy, these areas surrounding the train station(s) do suffer from a ‘less-than-fresh-faced’ appearance and feel but just the same there are a fair share of architectural suffers a degree of squalor, especially at night. Nevertheless, the streets in and around the piazza have their share of hidden architectural riches.

FLORENCE and HOW TO SEE IT:

Florence (Firenze) is a town of majestic sites, hidden treasures and enough food, wine and one-of-a-kind art to make your senses reel. Though you can read about the history, and the beauty, and the culture, you can never really prepare yourself for the world you are about to enter.

Florence is known for its Renaissance art world wide, and people flock from all ends of the globe to experience the art and history here, but beyond that the pleasant personality and lively atmosphere here in Florence rivals that of any Italian city.
In order to see and experience all Florence has to offer you will need to plan accordingly and take time to breathe-it-all-in rather than trying to see everything – that just isn’t possible in one short trip.

It will make the most sense to tackle the major sites/ monuments, etc from area to area if you have the time to do so. Below we have outlined some suggested travel itineraries based on 1+ day(s) in Florence and to see the city.

DAY ONE IN FLORENCE

DAY TWO IN FLORENCE

DAY THREE IN FLORENCE

DAY FOUR, FIVE OR MORE IN FLORENCE

 

Where to Shop?

With so much variation in taste, preference and budget we always find this a tough question to answer and this will vary widely dependent on what you are looking for.

If you have time you can visit an outlet in the neighborhoods of Florence where you can find top brands including Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Guess, etc at highly discounted prices (generally from 40- 60% off regular price; and more than this during “sale periods”). You can even inquire at Information Point’s about shuttles which go directly to the outlet’s, since driving here is a must.

The “luxury shopping district” includes Via Tornabuoni leading to Via della Vigna Nuova and includes Gucci, Prada, Bulgari, Ferragamo, etc. For most of us this means simply a few hours of “window shopping” but it is a beautiful walk from Piazza Repubblica all the way down the Arno River.

Two other great streets in terms of average-price shopping are the two main streets between Santa Maria Novella and the Duomo Cathedral (Via Panzani, and Via de’ Cerretani). The stores on these streets include everything from souvenir shops, to shoes, and from leather to beach wear, and from high-end to low cost stores. A word to the wise- the winter “sales” begin in early to mid-January and you can often find things discounted 30- 70%, and summer sales begin mid-July seeing the same levels of discount.

If you are looking for souvenirs there is a side-shop or souvenir stand just about any where you look however if you are looking to get it all done in one location your best bet is to hit Mercato San Lorenzo (in the same square as Cappelle Medici, often also called Piazza Madonna). This is large variety, stand, market selling just about every souvenir you could dream of! But remember to barter for the best deals! Post-cards can also be bought in most small shops along your travels, which is ideal as most also sell stamps. If you forget stamps during your purchase most tabacchi’s (smoke shops), marked with a large T-sign outside their shop, also sell them.

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