Florence is smaller than most first-time visitors expect. The entire historic centre — where roughly 90% of what you came to see is located — is about 1.5 km across and entirely walkable. You will not need a car, and you probably won't need public transport inside the centre either. That single fact should shape most of your other decisions.
How long do you actually need?
Two full days covers the essential sights at a sane pace: the Duomo complex, the Uffizi or the Accademia (choose one if you're tight on time, both if you have two days), Ponte Vecchio, and a wander through Oltrarno. Three days lets you add a day trip to Siena, Pisa or the Chianti countryside without feeling rushed. A week is comfortable, not excessive — Florence has enough churches, museums and neighbourhoods to fill it without repeating yourself.
The one thing to book before you arrive
Timed-entry tickets for the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia (David), and the Duomo's dome climb. These regularly sell out same-day in high season (April–June, September–October), and walking up without a booking often means either a long queue or no entry at all. Everything else on this site can be figured out once you land.
What Florence is not
It's not a city of grand boulevards or big set-piece attractions spread across town — it's dense, narrow-streeted, and best experienced by walking without a fixed plan for at least part of each day. It's also genuinely hot and crowded in peak summer; if your dates are flexible, our best time to visit guide explains the trade-offs by month.
Where to go from here
- Decide your dates using the best time to visit guide.
- Pick a neighbourhood using the where to stay guide.
- Sketch a rough plan with our sample itineraries.
- Book your Uffizi, Accademia and Duomo dome slots as soon as dates are fixed.