Roavina

City guide · Italy

Florence

A photograph of Florence
Photograph · Wikibusters · CC BY-SA 4.0

Florence has a compact, largely pedestrian historic centre on both sides of the Arno. The Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Uffizi and Santa Croce form the main north-bank cluster; the Oltrarno begins across the river around Santo Spirito and Palazzo Pitti. Santa Maria Novella station lies northwest of the centre, while hilltop viewpoints and Fiesole require a separate climb or transport leg.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Practical information

Language spoken
Italian
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+39
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C, F and L · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Florence

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walking, tram and bus
  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: good time to visit
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: good time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: best time to visit
  7. July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  8. August: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  9. September: best time to visit — current month
  10. October: good time to visit
  11. November: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Galleria dell'Accademia Galleria dell'Accademia
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Galleria dell'Accademia

    The Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze is a state museum on Via Ricasoli, ten minutes' walk north of the Duomo, and it exists in its present form because of one statue.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  2. Boboli Gardens Boboli Gardens
    03 2 hours

    Boboli Gardens

    Giardino di Boboli

    The Boboli Gardens climb the hillside directly behind Pitti Palace and run south along the line of the old city walls as far as Porta Romana.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  3. Medici Chapels Medici Chapels
    04 1 hr 30 min

    Medici Chapels

    Cappelle Medicee

    The Medici Chapels, known locally as Cappelle Medicee, constitute a significant mausoleum complex in Florence.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  4. Bargello National Museum Bargello National Museum
    05 1 hr 30 min

    Bargello National Museum

    Palazzo del Bargello

    The Bargello National Museum occupies the Palazzo del Bargello, a medieval fortress palace in central Florence. Built from 1255, it served as the city podesta residence and later as a prison and police headquarters.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  5. Museo Galileo Museo Galileo
    06 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Galileo

    Museo Galileo - Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza

    Museo Galileo occupies a historic position near the Arno River in Florence, housed in the Palazzo Castellani. The institution operates under its full designation Museo Galileo - Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  6. Museum of San Marco Museum of San Marco
    07 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of San Marco

    Museo di San Marco

    The Museum of San Marco occupies a former Dominican convent in central Florence, Italy. The complex holds significant importance for its architectural history and its association with prominent figures of the Italian Renaissance.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  7. Brancacci Chapel Brancacci Chapel
    08 1 hr 30 min

    Brancacci Chapel

    Cappella Brancacci

    The Brancacci Chapel, known locally as Cappella Brancacci, is a chapel within the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  8. Palazzo Strozzi Palazzo Strozzi
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Palazzo Strozzi

    Palazzo Strozzi is a Renaissance palace in central Florence, Italy. Built for the Strozzi family beginning in 1489, it represents one of the finest examples of secular Renaissance architecture in the city.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  9. Museo Novecento Museo Novecento
    10 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Novecento

    Museo Nazionale Alinari della Fotografia

    Museo Novecento is a museum in Florence dedicated to twentieth-century Italian art. It occupies a prominent position in the historic centre, near Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  10. Museo dell'Opera del Duomo Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
    11 1 hr 30 min

    Museo dell'Opera del Duomo

    The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is the storehouse and the explanation of the buildings standing outside its own door.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  11. Basilica of San Lorenzo Basilica of San Lorenzo
    12 1 hr 15 min

    Basilica of San Lorenzo

    Basilica di San Lorenzo

    The Basilica di San Lorenzo stands on its own square a short walk north-west of the Duomo, and the Opera Medicea Laurenziana, the body that runs it, describes it as the oldest cathedral in Florence: the first building raised for…

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  12. Hospital of Innocents Hospital of Innocents
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Hospital of Innocents

    Spedale degli Innocenti

    The Hospital of Innocents, or Spedale degli Innocenti, stands as one of Florence's most significant Renaissance buildings. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, it opened in 1445 as Europe's first dedicated orphanage.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  13. Museo Bardini Museo Bardini
    14 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Bardini

    Museo Stefano Bardini

    Museo Bardini, locally known as Museo Stefano Bardini, is a museum in Florence housed in a historic building that once belonged to the antiquarian and collector Stefano Bardini.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  14. Museo Horne Museo Horne
    15 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Horne

    Museo Horne is a museum in Florence, Italy, housed in a historic building. It is named after its founder, Herbert Percy Horne, an English art collector and historian who established the institution.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  15. Salvatore Ferragamo Museum Salvatore Ferragamo Museum
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Salvatore Ferragamo Museum

    Museo Salvatore Ferragamo

    The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, or Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, is a fashion museum in Florence devoted to the work and legacy of shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  16. Vasari Corridor Vasari Corridor
    17 1 hr 30 min

    Vasari Corridor

    Corridoio Vasariano

    The Vasari Corridor is an elevated enclosed passageway in Florence, Italy. Giorgio Vasari designed it in 1565 for Cosimo I de' Medici.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  17. House of Dante House of Dante
    18 1 hr 30 min

    House of Dante

    Casa di Dante

    The House of Dante, or Casa di Dante, stands in Florence as a museum dedicated to the life and work of Dante Alighieri, the medieval poet whose Divine Comedy shaped Italian literature.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  18. Villa Bardini Villa Bardini
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Villa Bardini

    Villa Bardini is a historic villa and garden complex in Florence, situated on a hillside with elevated views across the city. The property encompasses a Baroque villa, extensive terraced gardens, and an orchard.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  19. Annigoni Museum Annigoni Museum
    20 1 hr 30 min

    Annigoni Museum

    Museo Annigoni

    The Annigoni Museum, or Museo Annigoni, is devoted to Pietro Annigoni, the Florence-based Italian painter known especially for highly detailed portraits. The museum presents his commitment to figurative art during a period when modernist approaches were gaining influence.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  20. Archaeological Museum of Fiesole Archaeological Museum of Fiesole
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Archaeological Museum of Fiesole

    Museo Civico Archeologico

    The Archaeological Museum of Fiesole, locally Museo Civico Archeologico, stands in the hill town of Fiesole overlooking Florence. It occupies a purpose-built structure near the ancient Etruscan and Roman archaeological zone.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  21. Botanical Garden of Florence Botanical Garden of Florence
    22 1 hr 30 min

    Botanical Garden of Florence

    Giardino dei Semplici

    The Botanical Garden of Florence, known as Giardino dei Semplici, is a historic garden operated by the University of Florence. Founded in the sixteenth century, it began as a place for cultivating medicinal plants, or semplici.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  22. Casa museo Rodolfo Siviero Casa museo Rodolfo Siviero
    23 1 hr 30 min

    Casa museo Rodolfo Siviero

    Museo Casa Rodolfo Siviero

    Casa museo Rodolfo Siviero is a house museum in Florence devoted to Rodolfo Siviero, the art historian and secret agent known for recovering Italian artworks looted during World War II.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  23. Garden of Archimedes Garden of Archimedes
    24 1 hr 30 min

    Garden of Archimedes

    Giardino di Archimede - Un Museo per la Matematica

    The Garden of Archimedes, or Giardino di Archimede – Un Museo per la Matematica, is a mathematics museum in Florence. Its purpose is to make mathematical ideas tangible through interactive exhibits and educational displays.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  24. Jewish Museum of Florence Jewish Museum of Florence
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Jewish Museum of Florence

    Museo Ebraico di Firenze

    The Jewish Museum of Florence, or Museo Ebraico di Firenze, presents the heritage of Florence’s Jewish community. It is associated with the Great Synagogue of Florence and places religious objects, history, and community life within the city’s cultural landscape.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  25. Marino Marini Museum Marino Marini Museum
    26 1 hr 30 min

    Marino Marini Museum

    Museo Marino Marini (Chiesa di San Pancrazio)

    The Marino Marini Museum occupies the deconsecrated Chiesa di San Pancrazio in central Florence. It is dedicated to the work of Marino Marini, the twentieth-century Italian sculptor and painter.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  26. Museo Bellini Museo Bellini
    27 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Bellini

    Collezione Luigi Bellini

    The Museo Bellini, locally known as Collezione Luigi Bellini, is a museum in Florence housing the private collection of the Bellini family. It displays artworks and antiquities accumulated over generations by this prominent dynasty of Florentine art dealers and collectors.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  27. Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce
    28 1 hr 30 min

    Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce

    Museo dell' Opera di Santa Croce

    The Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce is a museum complex integrated with the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence. It occupies former monastic spaces including the refectory and other areas adjacent to the famous Franciscan church.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  28. museo della Misericordia museo della Misericordia
    29 1 hr 30 min

    museo della Misericordia

    Museo della Misericordia

    The Museo della Misericordia is a museum in Florence dedicated to the history of the Venerabile Arciconfraternita della Misericordia, one of the oldest charitable institutions in the city.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  29. Museo Fiorentino di Preistoria Museo Fiorentino di Preistoria
    30 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Fiorentino di Preistoria

    Museo fiorentino di preistoria "Paolo Graziosi"

    The Museo Fiorentino di Preistoria is a Florence museum dedicated to prehistoric studies. Named after Paolo Graziosi, a significant figure in Italian prehistoric archaeology, it preserves and presents materials related to early human history.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  30. Museo Primo Conti Museo Primo Conti
    31 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Primo Conti

    Museo della Fondazione Primo Conti

    Museo Primo Conti, also known as Museo della Fondazione Primo Conti, is a specialized Florence museum devoted to the Italian painter Primo Conti.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  31. Museum Bandini Museum Bandini
    32 1 hr 30 min

    Museum Bandini

    Museo Bandini

    Museum Bandini, also known as Museo Bandini, is a Florence museum included within the city's wider cultural landscape. Its local name is useful when reading Italian directions or referring to the museum in the city.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  32. Museum of Orsanmichele Museum of Orsanmichele
    33 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Orsanmichele

    Museo di Orsanmichele

    The Museum of Orsanmichele occupies a distinctive building in Florence's historic centre, originally constructed as a grain market in the late thirteenth century before conversion to a church.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  33. Museum of the Last Supper of Andrea del Sarto Museum of the Last Supper of Andrea del Sarto
    34 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of the Last Supper of Andrea del Sarto

    Cenacolo Andrea del Sarto

    The Museum of the Last Supper of Andrea del Sarto, also called Cenacolo Andrea del Sarto, presents Andrea del Sarto’s Last Supper fresco in Florence.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  34. National Archaeological Museum National Archaeological Museum
    35 1 hr 30 min

    National Archaeological Museum

    Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze

    The National Archaeological Museum of Florence, locally known as Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, stands as one of Italy's principal archaeological institutions. Housed in the Palazzo della Crocetta, the museum preserves extensive collections spanning Etruscan, Roman, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  35. Officina di Santa Maria Novella Officina di Santa Maria Novella
    36 1 hr 30 min

    Officina di Santa Maria Novella

    Museo dell'Officina Profumo - Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

    Officina di Santa Maria Novella is a historic pharmacy and perfume workshop near Florence’s Santa Maria Novella church complex. Its story is connected with Dominican friars and traditional apothecary practice.

    • High
    • Museum
  36. Pazzi Chapel Pazzi Chapel
    37 1 hr 30 min

    Pazzi Chapel

    Cappella de' Pazzi

    The Pazzi Chapel, locally known as Cappella de' Pazzi, stands as a significant Renaissance religious structure in Florence. Commissioned by the Pazzi family, prominent Florentine bankers, this chapel represents a key architectural work of the early Renaissance period.

    • High
    • Museum
  37. Salvatore Romano Foundation Salvatore Romano Foundation
    38 1 hr 30 min

    Salvatore Romano Foundation

    Fondazione Salvatore Romano

    The Salvatore Romano Foundation is a Florence museum devoted to the art collection assembled by Salvatore Romano. It offers a smaller-scale experience within the city’s exceptionally rich museum landscape.

    • High
    • Museum
  38. San Sebastiano de' Bini San Sebastiano de' Bini
    39 1 hr 30 min

    San Sebastiano de' Bini

    Oratorio di San Sebastiano de' Bini

    San Sebastiano de' Bini, also known as Oratorio di San Sebastiano de' Bini, is a religious oratory in Florence.

    • High
    • Museum
  39. Sant'Alessandro Sant'Alessandro
    40 1 hr 30 min

    Sant'Alessandro

    Basilica di Sant'Alessandro

    Sant'Alessandro is a basilica in Florence, Tuscany, and forms part of the city's long religious and architectural tradition. Its setting makes it a useful stop for travellers who want to see a quieter sacred landmark alongside Florence's better-known Renaissance monuments.

    • High
    • Museum
  40. Santo Stefano al Ponte Santo Stefano al Ponte
    41 1 hr 30 min

    Santo Stefano al Ponte

    Chiesa di Santo Stefano al Ponte

    Santo Stefano al Ponte is a historic church in Florence’s compact centre, close to Ponte Vecchio and the Arno.

    • High
    • Museum
  41. Università di Firenze Museo Zoologico "La Specola" Università di Firenze Museo Zoologico "La Specola"
    42 1 hr 30 min

    Università di Firenze Museo Zoologico "La Specola"

    La Specola

    La Specola is the zoological museum of the University of Florence. It brings together scientific heritage, natural-history collections and the history of university teaching in a historic Florentine setting.

    • High
    • Museum
  42. Villa Carducci di Legnaia Villa Carducci di Legnaia
    43 1 hr 30 min

    Villa Carducci di Legnaia

    Villa Pandolfini Carducci

    Villa Carducci di Legnaia, also known as Villa Pandolfini Carducci, is a historic villa in Florence's Legnaia neighbourhood. It represents the country-house tradition of wealthy Florentine families and reflects the transition between the historic city and its former rural edges.

    • High
    • Museum
  43. Villa Corsini in Castello Villa Corsini in Castello
    44 1 hr 30 min

    Villa Corsini in Castello

    Villa Corsini

    Villa Corsini in Castello is a historic villa in Florence’s Castello area.

    • High
    • Museum
  44. Villa Le Balze - Gardens Villa Le Balze - Gardens
    45 1 hr 30 min

    Villa Le Balze - Gardens

    Giardini di Villa Le Balze A Fiesole

    Villa Le Balze is a historic villa and garden estate in Fiesole, on the hills above Florence. The name refers to the area’s cliffs and crags, fitting the property’s steep position above the Arno valley.

    • High
    • Museum
  45. Galleria Rinaldo Carnielo, Florence Galleria Rinaldo Carnielo, Florence
    46 1 hr 30 min

    Galleria Rinaldo Carnielo, Florence

    Galleria Rinaldo Carnielo

    The Galleria Rinaldo Carnielo is a museum in Florence dedicated to the works of Rinaldo Carnielo, an Italian sculptor active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    • High
    • Museum
  46. Giardino delle Scuderie Reali e Edificio delle Pagliere Giardino delle Scuderie Reali e Edificio delle Pagliere
    47 1 hr 30 min

    Giardino delle Scuderie Reali e Edificio delle Pagliere

    Giardino delle Scuderie Reali e Edificio delle Pagliere is a Florence heritage site combining a garden with buildings linked by name to royal stables and straw-storage functions.

    • High
    • Museum
  47. Gucci Museum Gucci Museum
    48 1 hr 30 min

    Gucci Museum

    The Gucci Museum presents the history of the Florentine luxury house founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921. Set in the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia near Piazza della Signoria, it connects fashion objects with Florence’s traditions of craftsmanship, commerce, and design.

    • High
    • Museum
  48. Museo de' Medici Museo de' Medici
    49 1 hr 30 min

    Museo de' Medici

    Museo de’ Medici explores the family whose political power, banking wealth, and artistic patronage shaped Florence and Tuscany.

    • High
    • Museum
  49. Museo del Calcio Museo del Calcio
    50 1 hr 30 min

    Museo del Calcio

    Museo del Calcio is a museum in Florence dedicated to the history of Italian football. The institution preserves and displays artifacts, documents, and memorabilia chronicling the development of calcio in Italy.

    • High
    • Museum
  50. Museo di Santa Maria Novella Museo di Santa Maria Novella
    51 1 hr 30 min

    Museo di Santa Maria Novella

    Museo di Santa Maria Novella occupies historic convent spaces beside the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella in central Florence. The museum preserves cloisters, chapter rooms, chapels, and other areas once used by the Dominican community.

    • High
    • Museum
  51. Museo Stibbert Museo Stibbert
    52 1 hr 30 min

    Museo Stibbert

    Museo Stibbert is a museum in Florence, Italy. It was founded by Frederick Stibbert, a British-born collector who inherited substantial wealth and dedicated his life to amassing art, armour, and decorative objects from across the world.

    • High
    • Museum
  52. Palazzo Davanzati Palazzo Davanzati
    53 1 hr 30 min

    Palazzo Davanzati

    Palazzo Davanzati is a fourteenth-century Florentine palace and museum devoted to medieval and Renaissance domestic life.

    • High
    • Museum
  53. Palazzo dell'Arte della Lana Palazzo dell'Arte della Lana
    54 1 hr 30 min

    Palazzo dell'Arte della Lana

    Palazzo dell'Arte della Lana is a historic palace in Florence, Italy, associated with the Wool Merchants' Guild, one of the city's most powerful medieval trade associations.

    • High
    • Museum
  54. Villa Galileo Villa Galileo
    55 1 hr 30 min

    Villa Galileo

    Villa Galileo is a historic residence in Florence associated with Galileo Galilei, the astronomer whose observations changed European ideas about the heavens.

    • Notable
    • Museum
  55. Casa Vasari Casa Vasari
    56 1 hr 30 min

    Casa Vasari

    Casa Giorgio Vasari

    Casa Giorgio Vasari is a historic house museum in Florence, the former residence of the Renaissance artist, architect, and writer Giorgio Vasari. Located in the city centre, this property served as both his home and studio.

    • Notable
    • Museum
  56. Cenacolo di Fuligno Cenacolo di Fuligno
    57 1 hr 30 min

    Cenacolo di Fuligno

    Cenacolo del Fuligno

    The Cenacolo di Fuligno, also known as the Cenacolo del Fuligno, is a religious art site in Florence. It houses a significant Renaissance fresco depicting the Last Supper.

    • Notable
    • Museum
  57. Cloister of the Scalzo Cloister of the Scalzo
    58 1 hr 30 min

    Cloister of the Scalzo

    Chiostro dello Scalzo

    The Cloister of the Scalzo, or Chiostro dello Scalzo, is a Renaissance cloister in Florence known for Andrea del Sarto’s fresco cycle.

    • Notable
    • Museum
  58. Comune vecchio Comune vecchio
    59 1 hr 30 min

    Comune vecchio

    La Fabbrica dei Saperi

    Comune vecchio is the local name associated with La Fabbrica dei Saperi in Florence. The name connects the place with an older municipal identity and with the idea of a house of knowledge or learning.

    • Notable
    • Museum
  59. Fondazione scienza e tecnica Fondazione scienza e tecnica
    60 1 hr 30 min

    Fondazione scienza e tecnica

    Fondazione Scienza e tecnica

    Fondazione Scienza e Tecnica is a Florence institution devoted to scientific and technological heritage.

    • Notable
    • Museum

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

The cathedral is the clearest central landmark. Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi lie south toward the Arno, Santa Croce lies east, and Santa Maria Novella lies west near the main station. Cross Ponte Vecchio for the Oltrarno, Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens. Piazzale Michelangelo sits above the river and should be treated as a separate uphill destination rather than part of a flat centre walk.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Walk for most journeys inside the historic centre. Visit Tuscany describes Florence as relatively small and largely pedestrianised, with buses and trams serving places beyond the walking core. The tram also connects selected outer districts and the airport corridor. Restricted traffic zones make driving impractical for many visitors, so use public transport for outlying stops and keep central days on foot.

Checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Florence?

A fixed duration is not recorded. Plan by clusters: the cathedral and civic centre, Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, the Oltrarno and any hilltop or day-trip destination.

Is Florence easy to explore on foot?

Yes. The historic centre is compact and largely pedestrianised. Most major central sights can be linked on foot, while outer districts and uphill destinations may need transport.

Which sights are south of the Arno?

The Oltrarno contains Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens and Santo Spirito. Reach it across the central bridges and treat it as a separate neighbourhood cluster.

Does Florence have trams and buses?

Yes. Florence uses buses and a tram network for journeys outside the pedestrian core, including selected outer districts and the airport corridor.

Should I drive in central Florence?

Public transport and walking are usually more practical. The historic centre has restricted traffic areas, narrow streets and a layout designed for short pedestrian journeys.