Florence, Italy 1.5 days
Aug 2nd, 2012, 10:48 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Florence, Italy 1.5 days
I would like a realistic view for myself:
Am I able to see the following sites in the short time allotted? How should I split them up, what should I leave out? I would be arriving in Florence at 0830, assuming I need to find my hotel, etc. I would start out around Noon the first day and have 1 full day following. Thank you for your advice.
Accademia
Uffizi
Medici Chapels
Duomo
Church of Sante Maria Novella
Piazza della signoria
Piazza Michaelangelo
Ponte Vecchio
Oltrano Quarter
Am I able to see the following sites in the short time allotted? How should I split them up, what should I leave out? I would be arriving in Florence at 0830, assuming I need to find my hotel, etc. I would start out around Noon the first day and have 1 full day following. Thank you for your advice.
Accademia
Uffizi
Medici Chapels
Duomo
Church of Sante Maria Novella
Piazza della signoria
Piazza Michaelangelo
Ponte Vecchio
Oltrano Quarter
Aug 3rd, 2012, 04:27 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi K,
Yes, you can.
You should also take the no. 7 bus from the SMN train station up to Fiesole to view the sunset from the terrace of the Blue Bar.
Here is an itinerary so that you can see how easy it will be.
Remember that you must have gelato no less than twice per day.
A DAY IN FLORENCE:
Train to Florence SMN:
The Luggage Office is to your left as you leave the train.
From Piazza d' Stazione, walk up via Nazionale to via d'Ariento and the Mercato Centrale, wander through.
Take any street going NE to Via Degli Alfani and go right to the Accademia for The David.
Take via Ricasoli SE to the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Opera Museum (Originals of the bronzes on the doors)
From the Campanile, take via Calzaiuoli S (do some window shopping) to the Piazza d' Signoria. Look around, take a break.
Continue S to the Uffizi. Visit.
From the Uffizi, walk W along the Arno River to the Ponte Vecchio.
(You can walk up to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens if there is time. Great views of Florence from the top of the Gardens)
If you have time, walk E along the S bank of the river to Ponte alle grazie and cross over to visit Santa Croce.
If not, go W along the Arno from Ponte Vecchio to Ponte S. Trinita and go right. Go left on Via d'Spada to via d'Fossi and go right to Santa Maria Novella. Look around.
SMN is across the square from the train station.
If you have time, take the no. 7 bus (you can find it at the SMN train station) up to Fiesole (0:20 hr 1E) to watch the sunset from the terrace of the Bar Bleu.
Be sure to have lots of gelato (in a cup, not a cone), take some wine breaks and a light lunch.
Train schedules, prices and tickets are at http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Call center from outside Italy is 39-06-68475475
Bus routes are at http://www.ataf.net/
Buy your ticket before you get on the bus. Stamp it in the yellow box on the bus.
Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
You can purchase tickets online at http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/
Or call the museum booking line on +39 055 294883, open during Italian hours from 8.15 am to 5.50 pm Tuesday to Sunday for the English-speaking operator.
Have a nice visit.
Yes, you can.
You should also take the no. 7 bus from the SMN train station up to Fiesole to view the sunset from the terrace of the Blue Bar.
Here is an itinerary so that you can see how easy it will be.
Remember that you must have gelato no less than twice per day.
A DAY IN FLORENCE:
Train to Florence SMN:
The Luggage Office is to your left as you leave the train.
From Piazza d' Stazione, walk up via Nazionale to via d'Ariento and the Mercato Centrale, wander through.
Take any street going NE to Via Degli Alfani and go right to the Accademia for The David.
Take via Ricasoli SE to the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Opera Museum (Originals of the bronzes on the doors)
From the Campanile, take via Calzaiuoli S (do some window shopping) to the Piazza d' Signoria. Look around, take a break.
Continue S to the Uffizi. Visit.
From the Uffizi, walk W along the Arno River to the Ponte Vecchio.
(You can walk up to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens if there is time. Great views of Florence from the top of the Gardens)
If you have time, walk E along the S bank of the river to Ponte alle grazie and cross over to visit Santa Croce.
If not, go W along the Arno from Ponte Vecchio to Ponte S. Trinita and go right. Go left on Via d'Spada to via d'Fossi and go right to Santa Maria Novella. Look around.
SMN is across the square from the train station.
If you have time, take the no. 7 bus (you can find it at the SMN train station) up to Fiesole (0:20 hr 1E) to watch the sunset from the terrace of the Bar Bleu.
Be sure to have lots of gelato (in a cup, not a cone), take some wine breaks and a light lunch.
Train schedules, prices and tickets are at http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Call center from outside Italy is 39-06-68475475
Bus routes are at http://www.ataf.net/
Buy your ticket before you get on the bus. Stamp it in the yellow box on the bus.
Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
You can purchase tickets online at http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/
Or call the museum booking line on +39 055 294883, open during Italian hours from 8.15 am to 5.50 pm Tuesday to Sunday for the English-speaking operator.
Have a nice visit.
Aug 3rd, 2012, 08:39 AM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 741
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Make sure you check the hours for Santa Maria Novella. Both my guidebook and hotel had the wrong information. I walked there from Santa Croce just to find it had closed 10 minutes earlier. I went back the next day, though, and it was definitely worth it.
Aug 3rd, 2012, 03:06 PM
#4
I don't know what a 'realistic view' is for you, but on my first visit to the Uffizi I spent half a day and didn't see everything. If you're not very interested in art, have a plan for the few specific works you want to see (which will likely be in different rooms/galleries on different floors).
http://www.uffizi.org/museum/
FYI, the Uffizi and Accademia are closed on Mondays.
Were you planning to climb the Duomo to the Lantern?
Definitely go inside the Battistery (near Duomo) after looking at the Gates of Paradise doors. It's like walking into a jewel box. Open M-F and a few hours on Saturday; closed Sunday.
If at all possible, add Santa Croce and the Bargello to your list.
See the piazzas after sightseeing when things are closed.
When is this trip?
http://www.uffizi.org/museum/
FYI, the Uffizi and Accademia are closed on Mondays.
Were you planning to climb the Duomo to the Lantern?
Definitely go inside the Battistery (near Duomo) after looking at the Gates of Paradise doors. It's like walking into a jewel box. Open M-F and a few hours on Saturday; closed Sunday.
If at all possible, add Santa Croce and the Bargello to your list.
See the piazzas after sightseeing when things are closed.
When is this trip?
Aug 4th, 2012, 09:37 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Answering a few questions:
@Jean- Not too much of an art buff, I plan a researching what I want to see at the Uffizi first. This trip is at the beginning of May. I think it would be cool to climb the Duomo.
@Jean- Not too much of an art buff, I plan a researching what I want to see at the Uffizi first. This trip is at the beginning of May. I think it would be cool to climb the Duomo.
Aug 4th, 2012, 11:38 AM
#6
Katie- it's achievable, but you would need to book your tickets for the Uffizi and the Accademia in advance to avoid spending ages in queues.
you would also need to hit the Duomo early in the morning for the same reason.
you might also like the palazzo vecchio which is open til midnight some nights.
in May, the Giardino Bardini in Oltrarno is lovely and has a nice cafe overlooking Florence.
http://www.bardinipeyron.it/ab/
alternatively there is a nice cafe just under the walls of the piazzale Michelangelo where you can have a quiet drink overlooking the city. [the prices are high enough to keep out the hoi-poloi].
you would also need to hit the Duomo early in the morning for the same reason.
you might also like the palazzo vecchio which is open til midnight some nights.
in May, the Giardino Bardini in Oltrarno is lovely and has a nice cafe overlooking Florence.
http://www.bardinipeyron.it/ab/
alternatively there is a nice cafe just under the walls of the piazzale Michelangelo where you can have a quiet drink overlooking the city. [the prices are high enough to keep out the hoi-poloi].
