europeannovice

I have made a wish list of places/things we would like to see in Florence. I keep reading that Florence is a compact city and sites are not that far apart from each other. However, with the following list, how many days would be ideal--not rushing like a lunatic and having time for some gelato and food along the way too.

Academia--for the David statue---need advance purchase tickets here right?
Uffizi--for a few hours tour--again need advance ticket purchase here
Doumo--is it worth it to climb the dome or better to just view the Doumo from Piazza Michelangelo?
Museum dell opera del Doumo--how long needed here--a couple of hours?
Borgello Museum--about 2 hours?
Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens--again all day? half day?
Palazzo Vechio--understand this is open in the evenings as well for viewing?
Brancacci Chapel--how long a visit needed?
Galileo Museum--about 2 hours?

Thanks in advance.

Sassafrass

You will probably want to see the other sculptures in the Academia, so allow an hour to an hour and a half or more, and a couple of hours for the Uffizi. Depends on your interests. I don't think you need a tour. Read ahead of time about the paintings and sculpture you most wish to see and use the map of the museum to find them.
Yes, get tickets ahead for both.

You have left out Santa Croce, which is, IMHO, one of the most beautiful, historic buildings in Florence. The ceiling is absolutely gorgeous. Read up before you go. It would be high on my list along with the Duomo, Academia, Baptistery and Uffizi. I would not miss it. Allow an hour. All these are all only about 5 minutes apart, 10 max.

You will also want some time admiring the exterior of the unique and beautiful Ponte Vecchio from down along the Arno. Allow at least half an hour.

You can walk across it to go to Pitti Palace. Allow about 20 minutes to walk over to the Pitti. It was my least favorite museum, big, a bit dark, crowded, but interesting.

We saw Santa Croce and the Academia one morning, had a quick lunch and saw the Uffizi and Pitti Palace in the afternoon. Kind of an art overload, and a tiring day, but worked for us. Went up to Piazza Michelangelo for evening sunset. In both museums, I picked only a dozen or so works I didn't want to miss.

You also did not mention the Baptistery. Assume you will look at those incredible doors while you are at the Duomo.

We went up in the Duomo, very interesting, and the roof of the Palazzo Vecchio years ago and enjoyed it, but the view from Piazza Michelangelo is beautiful and if you don't have time, for other things you want, go there.

bilboburgler

Baptistry you have to go indoors

Min 2 days for me

Cjar

I also loved Santa Croce. One of my Florence favorites. I would say at least 4 days depending on what kind of pace you like to keep. I think we did most of those in 3 , but if you can slow down, I highly recommend it. We also spent a lovely late afternoon/evening in the Oltrarno area. We found a route for a walk online that takes you past several mom and pop shops. We met a lovely man who does enamel work and we had a great meal in a quiet square where there were some students who were studying abroad that we had a nice chat with.

I know this will get boos, but we bought Firenze cards. They are pricey and not worth the money, in my opinion also, unless you are very short on time which we were. It allowed us to bypass very long lines at the Uffizi and the Accedemia . As I recall, many of the places you mention were included on the card, but I believe it only allows a very short time period to see them all, 3 days (?).

However you decide to spend your time, I know you'll have a wonderful trip.

rosemaryoz

Definitely pre-buy your tickets online for Accademia and Uffizi if you can - or ask if your hotel can organise them - for the very first tour of the day, on consecutive days. I think it's so much easier to get around those galleries first-thing.

And another vote for Santa Croce. I can also recommend two smaller museum-galleries which don't take long but are very evocative of Renaissance Florence (and both should be pre-booked online too): Palazzo Medici Riccardo and Palazzo Davanzati.

We did a similar trip a couple of years ago, and I would recommend four full days to see everything on your list comfortably, with plenty of time for morning coffee breaks and afternoon wine bar stops.

nytraveler

A busy 3 days or a looser 4 days.

Only you know how fast you move through museums and it can differ by museum.

I would allow more time for the Ponte Vecchio - we love strolling there and exploring the shops - but it was only 2 blocks from our hotel.

Also you have not left time for the Central Market - fascinating - and don;t miss petting the boar statue.

Vttraveler

I agree at least three, preferably four, days would be a good amount of time to see all this comfortably and maybe fit in some other sights not mentioned.

IMO it is definitely worth it to climb the dome

vincenzo32951

Don't order the Accademia and Uffizi tix online; use the international phone number to order them. No surcharge and no pay in advance.

If you do plan to climb the Duomo, which I recommend, do it first thing in the a.m. before the lines form.

Hard to say how much time you need. I suppose, for instance, some people could spend a lot of time in the Uffizi, while others might breeze through.

There's a lot you could do in one day. Let's say you climbed the Duomo in the morning (2 hours), visited the Uffizi and Accademia (3-4 hours total), then Santa Croce (2 hours), then the bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a glass of wine and sunset, and back down to the city for dinner.

BumbleB6

I also loved Santa Croce and recommend it.

Concur with everyone else that three full days minimum is required if you want to do all that, preferably four.

I spent an entire morning in Boboli Gardens, but I'm slow and like to wander and took lots of photos, and stopped at a couple of different places for a while. It was hot that day, too, so maybe if the weather is nicer, it's easier to get through it quicker.
The gardens and cathedrals are beautiful, though, and imo, worth slowing down and savoring, but that's just me.
When I travel with my Mom, for instance, she like to walk quickly through places, take a quick visual inventory, then leave - and these are usually places she's wanted to see all of her life. But she still seems satisfied with the visit afterward..
But that pace drives me nuts. So I guess it depends on your own travel/touring style.

I also enjoyed strolling through the Oltrano neighborhood, across the river (if you visit Boboil and Pitti, you'll be there already) and recommend it if you have time.

I did find 2 hours for the Academia sufficient, and 2 and 1/2 hours in the Uffizi.
I spent about an hour in the Bargello and was satisfied.

europeannovice

Yes forgot to include the Baptistry. The original doors are in the museum of the Doumo so was focused on that too.

Ok Santa Croce added to the list!

I have to cut some things out to coordinate the whole trip though.

Skip Siena and Gimignano this time and spend more time in Florence? Do a day trip from Rome to Orvieto instead of Siena from Florence? I see on another thread the question of choice between Siena and Orvieto.

Or try to squeeze in a Tuscany day?

Drop a day from Rome to add to Florence? Some would say that is crazy right?

Right now looking at 5 nights Rome, 4 or 5 nights Sorrento, and 4 or 5 nights Florence. Sorrento will provide some relaxing time in between the two major cities. Although I have a long list for the Amalfi area too! We need a day just to relax though.

Florence will be really hot in the summer though. But the museums and the architecture are very appealing.

raincitygirl

The re-opened Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is really well done, an elegant space. Two hours should be more than enough time, you could probably do it in less, depending on your interest.

BigRuss

Four days.

Go to the Synagogue too.

HappyTrvlr

Foir days and add San Marco.

Pepper_von_snoot

The Brancacci Chapel ticket is timed. You get about 15 minutes in the chapel with a group guide.

It is an open secret that you can usually avoid the line at Uffizi by entering after 3 PM. The line to get in forms at 8 AM as most people visit in the morning. Weekends are busier than weekdays.

Be careful in Firenze with money. I have noticed (also in Rome) that ticket kiosk employees don't give back the correct change when you pay cash.

Also, the closer you are to the Duomo the more you will pay for food, drinks, and goods.


Thin

bvlenci

I recommend going inside the Baptistery as well as admiring the doors in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. I was in that museum shortly after the reopening, and I was disappointed in several things, especially the lighting. It was also not easy to find your way around, but that might have been corrected by now. Regarding lighting, there were many points where historical and artistic information was engraved in gold letters on badly lit walls, so that the reflected light washed out the writing, and you had to keep moving back and forth to read the text. In many ways, I preferred the old museum, although I agree that the architecture of the new is stunning.

When I was in Florence this past October, there were long lines waiting to get into the Uffizi even in the late afternoon. Anyway, it's a huge museum very highly concentrated on paintings of the Italian Renaissance, especially paintings from churches (and thus of religious subjects). Someone described it on TripAdvisor as "one d***ed Madonna after another".

Some of the best art in Florence is in its original setting, in churches. Apart from Santa Croce, I would recommend Santa Trinità, San Marco, and Santa Maria Novella. San Lorenzo appeals to me more for its library than for the church (or for the Medici Chapels, which are part of the church, but with a separate entrance).

Vttraveler

When you go to Piazzale Michelangelo, don't miss San Miniato al Monte.

I don't know whether you have ever been to Rome? If it is not a return trip I would not cut your time there short.

kja

If I'm not too late -- I'd also say 4 days for these specific museums.

Enjoy!

CharlotteK

I got timed tickets for both Uffizi and Accademia and wasn't sorry when I saw the lines (this was Oct/Nov last year). We took our chances the other places and did all right. We spent an entire day in the Uffizi (but we are art nuts) and ate lunch there, which was very pleasant, although the waiter scolded me sweetly for ordering a second glass of wine--weird! U. very crowded, some rooms really impossible to see anything meaningfully--(Botticelli). The Accademia was a good long morning.

Like bvlenci I found the newish Duomo museum extremely confusing, but it was worth it to see the art moved from Baptistery and Campanile exteriors, and learn a lot about the construction of the Duomo. Also, a good long morning but no more.

I would say the absolutely do-not-miss places for me are San Marco Convent, which for some odd reason doesn't seem that well known, to see heavenly Fra Angelico frescoes in situ, and the Brancacci Chapel, which I found deeply moving for its unvarnished view of the human condition.

I chose Florence for my vacation because I had been recovering from a torn meniscus so needed a place where I wouldn't have to walk far at any one time. It filled the bill perfectly. I even made it up the beautiful terraced stairs to San Miniato al Monte (much to my surprise).

europeannovice

kja--Not too late--the trip is not until next year. Just doing research now.

CharlotteK--how long was your vacation in Florence? How many days did you spend? The Brancacci Chapel is on my list.

The museum dell opificio about the mosaic tiles and stones seems interesting too. Has anyone been?

tuscanlifeedit

I'm envious of your trip. I think your timing plans are very good. I've been several times and offer these tips that are purely my opinion and not what you should do:

I could return Rome and Florence every year (and actually have) but I would not return to Orvieto. There's nothing wrong with it, but I don't understand why so many people and guidebooks say to go there.

For a day trip from Rome, I would choose Ostia Antica.

For a day trip from Florence, I don't think Siena and San Gimignano are a bad idea, but it would be great to get to San G. after midday breaks, and stay for dinner. A really good eating town and I wouldn't go to either Siena or San G. without visits to the Duomo in each. IMO, the major highlight of each town. However, I slso don't think it's necessary to cut time in Florence, which is so packed with attractions that it's hard to have enough time there.

I like the sound of your trip. One of the nicest things about staying put in a few bases is that you can leave if you want to for a day trip, but you don't have to.