ZiaVino

Thank you in advance!!!

I have been to Florence twice (one as a teen, once in my 20s), for single day trips, and regrettably can only spend that amount of time again before we begin a bike tour in Tuscany. I have "seen" highlights, but never been able to feel an appreciation for the city. I'm doing more reading about it this trip, and hoping to --in one day-- see the sights and get a sense of the vibe and people. Maybe this is unrealistic -- someday I will return!

My party of 4 adults (50ish) arrives in Florence about 2 pm (this Thursday!) to our hotel on Via Tournabuoni; we depart Florence Friday at noon. I have cobbled together a draft walking itinerary (using for the first time a mapping/itinerary building website called Visitacity), that I would love your expert input on. We would not have more than 1 hours time at each (except the Uffizi on Friday morning)-- too ambitious?

From Via Tournabuoni, walk to:

1. Piazza del Duomo
2. Florence Cathedral
3. Galleria Accademia to see the real David (assume advance puchase of tickets)
4. Piazza della Signoria
5. Ponte vecchio
6. Palazzo Pitti
7. Piazzale Michelangelo (aiming for sunset!)
8. Dinner and return to hotel.

Friday morning:
8:15 tickets to the Uffizi

And, if you have recommendations for a single local favorite restaurant (aka not tourist trap) somewhere between Piazzale Michelangelo and Via Tuornabuoni, I would be grateful. We are foodies, but not big meat-eaters; of course I have read about the Florentine bistecca alla fiorentina but not sure if it's a must do.

Again, thank you!!

ZiaVino

Ok, I'm realizing Pitti Palace is probably a no go --- maybe just the Boboli Gardens -- or maybe we have to skip this entirely. I have never been, so would have loved to explore, but not within a short timeframe....

mamcalice

I would skip the Pitti and Boboli and instead visit Santa Croce, my favorite destination in Florence. In order to avoid backtracking, I might begin at the Accademia and proceed from there. You should have advance reservations for both the Accademia and the Uffizi.

Jean

You get to your hotel at 2:00p Thursday (tomorrow?) and are leaving at noon Friday??? Put on your running shoes and have a good map!!

I believe the Duomo closes at 4:00p, and the Accademia's last entry is around 6:00p. The last admission at Santa Croce is 5:00p. Sunset will be around 9:00p.

It will be nutty in the area around the Belvedere while the Kardashian wedding circus is being set up. Wedding is Saturday, I believe. You don't have time for the Pitti and Boboli Gardens anyway, but I'd avoid that part of Florence entirely. Consider dropping the Uffizi and just slow down; otherwise, you're just racing around in the same track as all of the other tourists.

Shar

lots of things in a short time. It would be hard for me to do all of these things and enjoy them but everyone is different. I would skip the Pitti as suggested. One of my favorite memories of "dinners" involves the Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset. My DH and went up to the Piazzale with fresh strawberries, rolls, cheese and lunch meat. Think we also had wine but not sure. We sat on the steps and had our little picnic watching the sun set over Florence. There were no buses with all their fumes, not a lot of people since the sun set late. It was a moment I will never forget....

nytraveler

Pitt Palace and Boboli are fantastic - but not sure of the opening hours and in any case you just don't have the time. Not sure how long you have allocated even to see the Duomo and the Baptistry.

bvlenci

I would skip the inside of the Duomo. If you want to go inside something there, go into the Baptistery.

Also, I don't think most people enjoy the Uffizi very much unless they have a rather specialized interest in Renaissance art. I've read many trip reports by people who thought it was dull, nothing but one Madonna and Child after another. The place is huge, and even two hours isn't enough to see more than a small fraction. My daughter and I once spent 7 hours there, over two successive days, and still had to skip some of the things we had planned to see.

With your limited time, I think it would be more rewarding to see your Renaissance art in some of the churches of Florence, which would also have the advantage of giving you a nice walk around the city. San Marco, for the beautiful frescoes of the Beato Angelico. The Brancacci Chapel, with its amazing frescoes by Masolino and Masaccio. Masaccio's "Expulsion from Paradise" is an incomparable depiction of human woe and remorse. Santa Croce has already been mentioned. Santa Maria Novella, right by the train station has the Tornabuoni Chapel, with frescoes by Il Ghirlandaio and his studio, and several other great works of art.

bvlenci

By the way, in the center of Florence, the residents of the city are outnumbered by about 20 to 1 by the tourists, so it's not the place to get a feeling for Italian life.

Jean

I realize it's entirely my personal thing, but I can't go to Florence without seeing the Botticellis in the Uffizi. For me, they alone are worth stopping in at the gallery.

You can do a virtual tour of the Uffizi at the link below and then decide whether to go, what to seek out while you're there, etc.

http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/musei/?m=uffizi
[click on Virtual Tour, then the Select a Room box]