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Florence rewards a trip built around its historic centre, the cathedral and time in the gardens. UNESCO recognised the historic centre within the medieval walls in 1982. For a stay focused on heritage, the historic centre is a sensible base.
The cathedral and Ponte Vecchio make a useful starting point if architecture is your focus. Brunelleschi's cathedral dome was built without a wooden centring to support it during construction, while work on Giotto's neighbouring bell tower started in 1334. The dome climb involves a narrow staircase of 463 steps to the top, with no lift, so it deserves a separate decision from simply seeing the cathedral.
Ponte Vecchio dates to 1345, when it replaced a bridge lost to an Arno flood. Its exclusive association with goldsmithing began in 1593. For another strand of Medici history, the elevated Vasari Corridor linked their residences along a route of about a kilometre.
For a break from sightseeing, the Florence wine tasting with cured meats and cheeses lasts 1 hour and includes Tuscan wines, regional cured meats, aged cheeses, an expert host and food pairing guidance.
Three days is a workable plan for the cathedral, the Uffizi and the Boboli Gardens. Day one can focus on the cathedral and Ponte Vecchio; day two on the Uffizi; and day three on Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens. A combined ticket covers the Uffizi, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens over 5 consecutive days, allowing that plan to spread out.
The Uffizi building follows Giorgio Vasari's design and was built from 1560 to 1580. Behind Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens spread across a vast terraced hillside, and in 2013 it was also included in the UNESCO listing of the Medici villas and gardens of Tuscany. For a particular feature to look for there, the Grotta Grande carries work by Bernardo Buontalenti from 1583 to 1593.
A private guided day trip to Florence from Rome lasts 12 hours and includes an English-speaking professional driver, a guided historic-centre visit, the Accademia Gallery with Michelangelo's David and Basilica di Santa Croce. The full-day Florence tour from Livorno with Tuscan food tasting lasts 8 hours and includes an English-speaking tour leader, return transport, Tuscan product tasting and free time in the city centre.
Easter Sunday suits a trip focused on a local tradition, while January and February call for warm layers. At the Scoppio del Carro, the colombina, a rocket shaped like a dove, sets off from the cathedral's high altar. January has average daily highs of 11.2 °C and lows of 2.1 °C; February averages 12.7 °C and 2.5 °C respectively.
Tram T2 is an option for travelling between Florence Airport and the centre. The airport is about 5 km from the city centre. For travel from Rome, Frecciarossa takes a little over an hour and a half, with more than 100 daily connections according to Trenitalia.
Chianti fits a day away if rolling hills and a medieval village appeal. The area stretches between Florence and Siena, with a triangular piazza in the medieval village of Greve in Chianti. The Chianti wine region day trip from Florence with tastings lasts 5 hours and 15 minutes and includes return coach transport, an English-speaking guide, visits to two wine estates, guided cellar tours, wine tastings and local food pairings.
Three days allows a suggested plan of the cathedral and Ponte Vecchio, then the Uffizi, then Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens.
Easter Sunday suits a visit focused on the Scoppio del Carro; January and February call for warm layers.
Tram T2 connects the airport with the city centre, about 5 km away.
Chianti offers rolling hills between Florence and Siena, including Greve in Chianti and its triangular piazza.
The historic centre is a sensible base for a heritage-focused stay, with UNESCO recognition dating to 1982.
