ArboursAbroad contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase using one of the affiliated links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure Policy for more information.
We are so stoked you’re making it to Florence! Yes, it’s another big city, but it’s one of those places you just can’t miss! This Florence one day itinerary allows for all the Florence feels without the tourist overload. These top things to do in Florence will give you a true feel for the city while getting you away from the tourist vibes this iconic Italian city tends to portray.
There are three things you HAVE to do in Florence. And we mean HAVE to!! Eat your weight in gelato, indulge in some pear and cheese ravioli, and hike to the viewpoint! And two others that you really should do, but maybe not have to… as you can get the same historic vibe in other cities as well.
Florence One Day Itinerary
We’ll start with the three things you HAVE to do when visiting Florence for a day…
Devour Some Mouth-Watering Pear Ravioli
Pizzeria I Tarocchi
Via dei Renai, 12R, 50125 Firenze, Italy
The restaurant, Pizzeria I Tarocchi is on a cute side street with outdoor and indoor seating. You MUST GET the pear ravioli (8.5 euro) … It’s simply amazing!! Like to die for.. My mouth is currently watering thinking about you going there!! The Italian way of saying the dish is, “Fagottini di pere alla crema di taleggio”. But you could probably just ask for the pear ravioli, although trying to speak the local language is always fun!
We also got lasagna (8 euro) which was good and their bruschetta.. also good. The dishes were kinda small, so we’d recommend getting an appetizer, or maybe two plates of the ravioli because, trust us… it really is that good!! However, it’s always good to save room for gelato as well.. which leads us to our next recommendation!!!
Indulge in Some Italian Gelato
Gelateria La Carraia 2
Via de’ Benci, 24/r, 50122 Firenze, Italy
Basically just across the bridge from the amazing pear ravioli place.. and down yet another cute street… this place is the bomb digity, arguably the best gelato in Florence! All the hype is about the other one of these down along the river (La Carraia di Via de’ Benci).
However, we found this place to be much tastier… and the service was a lot better than the one down the river. We were able to sample loads of flavors (not practical at the other one because too many tourists) and there’s a little porch to eat on just outside the gelateria. You could also enjoy the gelato sitting along the river — but that recommendation comes later 😉
The portions are huge, the price is small, and the gelato is amazing… What more could you ask for?!
Sunset At The Viewpoint Over Florence
Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazzale Michelangelo, 50125 Firenze, Italy
Okay… postcard-perfect minus the crowds of tourists and loud, crazy Americans. At this viewpoint, you’ll see the cathedral towering over the city and a beautiful skyline. We highly recommend grabbing a bottle or two of wine and finding a spot on the lower level to watch the sunset over Florence up here.
This was one of our favorite nights of that trip… we only wish we had two bottles of wine instead of one! 😉 If you’re unable to watch the sun setting over Florence here, there’s a little café at the top where you can get Coca-Cola in glass bottles, and I believe coffee and other drinks/snacks as well for a daytime treat.
Traveler’s Tip… If you sit on the wall along the road you won’t have nearly as many people crowded around you or people in front of you for your view/pictures. Get here early to secure a seat!
Cramming a Florence One Day Itinerary
If you have more than one day in Florence or want to really jam-pack your day in Florence, we recommend doing these two things as well…
Visit The Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore (the Florence Cathedral Duome)
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze, Italy
If you’ve seen any pictures of Florence, we’re sure you’ve seen pictures of this cathedral. After all, this is what Florence is famous for. It really is a gorgeous piece of architecture. With free admission, the line for the cathedral was way, way, way too long, so we just wandered around the outside of it instead.
We don’t think waiting in line for hours to go into the Cathedral is worth it but to each their own if you fancy that. To read more about the Cathedral like opening times and tours head here.
Traveler’s Tip… Wander around the surrounding area, and you’ll find Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune) and other statues.. a.k.a. a great place to people-watch at Piazza della Signoria, 50122 Firenze, Italy.
Join The Locals At Giardino Delle Rose
Giardino Delle Rose
One thing we always try to do when we visit a new city is, join in with the locals and hang where they hang. Turn into a local by grabbing a pizza or packing a picnic and visiting the Giardino delle Rose (Rose Garden).
It’s a great place to just relax, take in the city, and of course, people watch! We even joined the crowd and took a nap in the sun here too!
Getting To Florence
Flying To Florence
We always recommend searching for flights is using Momondo. They display of flight options is pleasing to the eye, and we have typically found the cheapest flights through their search options.
Top Florence tip on reaching the city…
When looking for flights to Florence, consider flying into Pisa, and then taking the train over. The Pisa airport is right in town, meaning you don’t have to pay extra train fees and such for getting into the city.
If you fly carry-on only then, you can walk from the Pisa Airport to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and then just hop on the next (very frequent train) to Florence and arrive in the city center there too!
Transportation in Florence
Walking Everywhere in Florence
While we know it’s not possible for everyone to walk everywhere in Florence, we recommend walking as much as you can! Exploring Florence is best done by foot with all the side alleys and restaurants and shops tucked down streets that public transportation doesn’t go on! If you are not capable of walking for the day in Florence, there are buses that run throughout the city, cutting down on walking between the different main places to visit in Florence.
Renting A Car In Florence
If you’re simply visiting Florence for a day, you do not need to rent a car to get around to the different places to visit. In fact, we’d say you should not rent a car for just a day in Florence, as finding places to park will take so much extra time out of your day exploring the city!
If you have more than a day in Florence and want to visit the countryside, check rental car prices here. It’s also quite popular to rent mopeds and moped around the outskirts of Florence!
Where To Stay In Florence
Hotels In Florence
There are plenty of Florence hotels to choose from, but finding one that suits your budget is what you’re after. Budget hotels in Florence, as well as higher-end hotels, can all be found here. We especially like this booking site because it compares with a graph the cheapest time to visit Florence and even the cheapest day to visit during the week!
Things To Do Near Florence
When we went to Florence, we went completely on a whim. We were actually visiting Cinque Terre and ran into some other traveler’s that offered us a ride to Pisa a day earlier than what we had planned. We decided to take the offer, and realized one full day in Pisa was enough, so we jumped on the earliest train the next morning to Florence.
So, we really only got about 14 hours in Florence, but honestly felt that was enough time in the city.
Five Top Things to do in Florence READ MORE | What is Cinque Terre
If you’re staying in Florence for longer than a day, we suggest renting a car or moped and getting to the outskirts of the city. Do some wine tasting in Tuscany, or just moped around the smaller villages.
And with trains being fairly frequent and relatively cheap, you could always jump on a train and visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or relax on the beach in one of the picturesque villages within Cinque Terre.
READ MORE | Five Days in Cinque Terre
Recommended Travel Gear for Florence
Florence, being the big city it is, is a huge point for tourist traps and pickpocketers. We’ve helped you avoid tourist traps with our recommendations on things to do in Florence, but how about helping you avoid the pickpocketers?
This purse is perfect for traveling in cities! It’s RFID protected, has a cut-proof strap, a safety mechanism on the zipper for locking, and can even fit a small computer or the DSLR camera we used for the photos in this post! They also make fanny packs, for those not interested in carrying a purse around!
If you have any questions at all, shoot us an email, and we’ll fill you in with any more details you may need!!
And as always, if you have anything to add to these top places to visit in Florence, share your experiences with us and other readers below! We know there’s more to Florence than just a day in the city!
