Florence in 2, 3 or 4 Days: Can You Do It for €250? One Plan, Grouped by Area

Three days: the default plan

Florence is small, so closing times and bookings set the days, not distance. Start in the north for the Duomo and the David, spend day two in the centre for the Uffizi and Santa Croce, then cross the Arno.

1. Day 1: the dome at your booked time, lunch at the Mercato Centrale, then the Accademia.
2. Day 2: Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, then Santa Croce.
3. Day 3: Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens, then Piazzale Michelangelo for the view.
4. Before you fly: book the dome slot, the Accademia and the Uffizi; the dome start time is fixed once the ticket is issued.
5. Day order: on a Monday, take the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce and Boboli, and move the Uffizi, Accademia and Pitti to other days.

Day 1: Duomo, San Lorenzo and the Accademia, about €120

The Duomo, the market at San Lorenzo and the Accademia sit close together, so day one never crosses the river. The dome slot cannot be changed once issued, so it goes first and the David waits for the afternoon.

See or book Duomo dome tickets →

1. Enter the dome at your booked time through the Porta della Mandorla on the north side: 463 steps, no lift, and photo ID is checked.
2. Use the same pass for the Baptistery, the museum and, for 2026 visits, the bell tower; they need no slot for three calendar days.
3. Walk to San Lorenzo for lunch at the Mercato Centrale. Its ground floor closes mid-afternoon and all day Sunday; the first floor stays open into the evening.
4. Reach the Accademia at your booked time on Via Ricasoli; it has no cloakroom, so leave large bags at your hotel.

Day 2: Signoria, Uffizi and Santa Croce, about €95

Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi and Palazzo Vecchio stand together, and Santa Croce lies a short walk to the east, so day two is one line across the centre. The Uffizi takes the morning.

See or book an Uffizi guided tour →

1. Be at the Uffizi at your booked time; the ticket is a named one, so bring the photo ID that matches the booking.
2. Cross Piazza della Signoria, past the Neptune fountain, the Loggia dei Lanzi and a copy of the David beside the palace door.
3. Enter Palazzo Vecchio at your booked time. It closes at 2pm on Thursdays, so on a Thursday book the Uffizi for the afternoon instead.
4. Walk east to Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan church in the world, with Giotto’s frescoes in the Bardi and Peruzzi chapels.
5. Cover shoulders and legs; on a Sunday Santa Croce opens only at 2pm, so save it for late afternoon.

Day 3: Ponte Vecchio, Pitti and Boboli, about €45

The Oltrarno is the south bank of the Arno, so day three crosses the river once and stays there. Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens fill the day, and Piazzale Michelangelo ends it.

See or book a Pitti and Boboli guided tour →

1. Pass the Porcellino boar fountain in the Mercato Nuovo loggia, between Piazza della Repubblica and Ponte Vecchio, and rub its nose for luck.
2. Cross Ponte Vecchio, where goldsmiths’ workshops have lined the bridge since 1593.
3. Enter Palazzo Pitti at your booked time; the ticket sold here covers the palace and the Boboli Gardens.
4. Spend the afternoon in the gardens, then ride bus 13 up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the view of the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and Ponte Vecchio.

If you have two days

Keep Day 1 as written and merge Days 2 and 3: the Uffizi in the morning, then the Oltrarno. Santa Croce and the Palazzo Vecchio museum drop, and the Boboli Gardens stand in for the Pitti rooms.

1. Day 1: the dome, the market lunch and the Accademia, exactly as written.
2. Day 2 morning: the Uffizi at your booked time, then a walk past the Signoria statues to Ponte Vecchio.
3. Day 2 afternoon: the Boboli Gardens, then bus 13 to Piazzale Michelangelo.
4. If one day is a Monday, give it to the dome and the Boboli Gardens, and put the Accademia and the Uffizi on the other day.

If you have a fourth day

A fourth day is a short list, not a fixed route. Pick one item, or swap it for Day 3 if you would rather leave the city.

Facts that shape the trip

Monday and Sunday set the order. Monday shuts the Uffizi, Accademia and Pitti; on Sunday the cathedral is closed to visitors and Santa Croce opens late.