Day 1: Art & Renaissance Heart
Morning
Start at the Uffizi Gallery (book timed entry online for €20 + €2 reservation fee). Focus on Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" and Leonardo's "Annunciation." Exit onto Piazza della Signoria – watch street performers near the Loggia dei Lanzi. Walk 5 minutes to Palazzo Vecchio (entry €15) to see the Hall of the Five Hundred. Transport: All within 15-minute walk from Uffizi.
Afternoon
Cross the Arno River to Oltrarno neighborhood. Wander through narrow streets to see artisan workshops. Stop at the Basilica di Santa Croce (free entry) to see Michelangelo's tomb. Grab lunch at a local osteria for panini with pecorino cheese and sun-dried tomatoes (€8-10). Head to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset views over the city (free). Transport: Cross Ponte Vecchio (walk 10 mins from Santa Croce).
Evening
Dinner at a family-run trattoria in Oltrarno serving pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar pasta, €14) and local Chianti wine (€8 glass). After dinner, stroll back across Ponte Vecchio – see goldsmiths working under the bridge. Costs: Lunch €10, Dinner €30/person (including wine), Transport: €1.50 tram for Ponte Vecchio return.
Day 2: Duomo & Market Culture
Morning
Enter the Florence Cathedral complex (Duomo) – climb Giotto's Bell Tower (€18) for panoramic views. Next, visit the Baptistery (free) to see Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise" bronze doors. Grab coffee and a cornetto at a bar near Piazza del Duomo (€2). Transport: All sites clustered within 10-minute walk.
Afternoon
Head to San Lorenzo Market (Mercato Centrale) for lunch: try lampredotto (tripe sandwich, €3.50) or panzanella (bread salad, €7). Browse leather goods in the market's covered arcade (bargain for bags, €20-40). Walk to Piazza della Repubblica – see the Roman ruins under the square. Transport: 15-minute walk from Duomo to Mercato Centrale.
Evening
Aperitivo (pre-dinner drink + snacks) at a wine bar in Santa Croce – order spritz and bruschetta (€8). Dinner at a classic ristorante for bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine steak, €25-35 per person, shared). End with gelato at Gelato Giolitti (€3) on Via dei Calzaiuoli. Costs: Lunch €7, Aperitivo €8, Dinner €35/person, Transport: Free walking.
Day 3: Hills &
Morning
Take bus 12 from Piazza Santa Croce to Fiesole (€1.50, 20 mins). Explore Fiesole's ancient Roman amphitheater ruins and Etruscan tombs. Walk uphill to Villa Medicea di Castello (entry €10) for Renaissance gardens and views. Transport: Bus 12 departs every 15 mins from Santa Croce; buy ticket at newsstand.
Afternoon
Return to Florence via bus (same fare). Relax at Boboli Gardens (free, open 8am-7pm) – walk past the Medici fountain and hidden grottoes. Lunch at a wine bar in San Lorenzo: fritto misto (mixed fried appetizers, €12) with a glass of Vino Nobile (€5). Transport: 10-minute walk from Boboli Gardens to San Lorenzo.
Evening
Stroll through the Jewish Ghetto (area near Ponte Vecchio) for artisan jewelry shops. Dinner at a cozy enoteca (wine bar) near Piazza della Signoria – order pici pasta with tomato sauce (€14) and local Vernaccia wine (€7 glass). Watch street musicians near the Palazzo Vecchio as dusk falls. Costs: Lunch €12, Dinner €25/person, Transport: Bus €1.50, City walking.