A photograph of Florence

City guide · Italy

1 to 2 hours in Florence, Italy — page 3

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 nor...

Photograph · Wikibusters · CC BY-SA 4.0

3,075 Places
Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walking, tram and bus

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

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

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.

Checked 2026-08-26

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

Planning a visit

September · September balances a 26.7°C mean high and 14.4°C mean low in Florence with 79.6 mm of normal rain across 6.2 rain days.

  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

Sources

Top things to see

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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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.