Florence In A Day
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and is known for its Renaissance art and architecture. We loved exploring the beautiful streets and discovering Renaissance street art. This is how we recommend you spend your time in Florence.
Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)
Palazzo Vecchio & Piazza della Signoria
Uffizi Gallery
Ponte Vecchio
Oltrarno the Artists’ Quarter
Where to park your car?
We had pre-booked a car park in a garage nearby at Park2Go. It cost €23 for 24 hours. Finding it was stressful with the narrow one-way streets. They do things very differently in Italy, instead of us parking the car in the underground garage, the manager parked our car for us, then we had to leave our keys on the windshield.
Where to stay in Florence?
We stayed centrally at Renascentia Garden Relais. It is a small boutique hotel and our room was luxurious. They had a Happy Hour where we got a complimentary cocktail in the beautiful garden courtyard. The service from the manager of the hotel was superb. After we got our drinks he gave us some really good recommendations for places to eat.
Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)
The Duomo was only a 400m walk from our accommodation. Therefore we visited the Duomo at sunset and sunrise to capture this breathtaking architecture with the best light. At sunrise, it was more peaceful with fewer people compared to sunset. We had seen photos taken from a balcony with the Duomo in the background. We tried to find this place, however, you need to be a guest at this Airbnb to get access to the balcony.
Palazzo Vecchio & Piazza della Signoria
Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence. The entrance has the magnificent Michelangelo’s David and Baccio Bandinelli’s Hercules and Cacus statues. Adjacent is a gallery of statues in the Loggia dei Lanzi. The David statue is a replica, the original David was moved to the Accademia Gallery. Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo and is the main point of origin and history of the Florentine Republic.
Uffizi Gallery
Located next to the Arno River in the Historic Centre. It is one of the most important museums and most visited in Italy. We followed the narrow courtyard between the two wings of the palace towards the river. Similar Architecture lines the riverside. At sunset, the sun formed unique light and shadows in the arch walkway.
Ponte Vecchio
We crossed the river over Ponte Vecchio, a medieval stone bridge. Old shops line either side of the bridge. They were initially occupied by butchers, tanners, and farmers. However, now they are occupied by jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir shops.
Oltrarno the Artists’ Quarter
This Artists’ Quarter is the most relaxed and alternative neighbourhood. We wandered the small streets off Via Guicciardini and looked at unique shops. This area has some very nice cafes with excellent coffee. The quarter is surrounded by beautiful gardens including Giardino Torrigiani, di Boboli and Bardini. Further down the river is Piazzale Michelangelo where there is a bronze replica of Michelangelo’s David and panoramic views over the city.
We hope this blog helped you with your planning. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask!