Florence in 24 Hours
If there is ever a place to have more than 24 hours, it’s Florence, Italy. However, as you all know, sometimes it’s just too hard to fit in everything you want to do & see on your vacay. I will always, always, always want more time in Florence; it’s such a beautiful city but alas, sometimes a day is all you get.
If you only have 24 hours, here is what I would suggest - especially if you’re an art lover…
9:00 a.m. - Start your busy day at the Accademia -
Home to one of the world’s most admired (and most oogled) statues - David by Michelangelo. It’s wise to make an online reservation and to get to the museum as early as possible to avoid crowds. (Don’t forget - many Florentine museums, including the Accedemia are closed on Mondays). The Museum itself is quite large and also includes some of Michelangelo’s other famous (& not-so-famous) sculptures, Pre-Renasissance & Renaissance paintings and an interesting music room. David is definitely the highlight & will not disappoint. There’s still some heated debate about whether this David is depicted before or after he has slain the giant - the current consensus is that David stands before Goliath, slingshot in hand and ready to rumble. Another fun fact about David is that his head and hands look disproportionate to his body. I’m sure you learned in Art History 101 that the sculpture was originally supposed to be placed high above today’s tourists to stand along the roofline of the Duomo, throwing his proportions out of whack when looking at him up close.
I could go on and on about David but we haven’t got all day! If you want to read up on (or watch) your art history, I highly recommend this lecture from Rick Steves’ - Michelangelo’s Italy
11:00 a.m. - Take a stroll through Town Center to see The Duomo -
The Duomo is Florence’s gorgeous cathedral and you can spot it from pretty much anywhere in the whole city. This beautiful Gothic cathedral was built in the Middle Ages but left unfinished. One of my favorite parts of The Duomo’s history is that architects built the whole church first without the massive dome on top. The technology to create this type of dome hadn’t been invented yet but the Florentines were not sweatin’ the details. In the 1400’s Filippo Brunelleschi developed a tall, self-supporting dome like the one on the ancient Pantheon. It took 14 years to construct and was the largest built since the dome on Rome’s Pantheon.
The climb up to the top of the dome is probably well worth the view but I wasn’t able to make it up there due to time constraints on my trip - if you have time to climb, do it! I regret not making time to see that view and it’s definitely on my list for the next time I’m in Florence.
This is also a great time to grab an early lunch - there are tons of cute cafes all around The Duomo for an espresso & croissant break!
2:00 p.m. - Stop by Santa Maria Novella Farmacia & Perfumery
The Church of Santa Maria Novella is absolutely beautiful and well worth a stop & a tour of the church. However, what I love more than the church and the art (blasphemous, I know) is the amazing Perfumery - located about a block away from the church itself.
The pharmacy dates as far back as the early 1200’s when Dominican Friars settled in the Florence area and started to study & experiment with herbs grown next to their monastery. The friars developed many ointments and natural remedies to keep members of the community healthy. In 1612, the friars opened their pharmacy to the public, making the way for Le CVS and Ye Olde Walgreens for future generations to come. In all seriousness though, the products created by the friars were so beloved they were granted a testimonial from Catherine de Medici herself. The friars continued the tradition of creating these natural products through the modern ages and today, although commercialized, you can still purchase anything from salves, perfume to candles and honey in their stores all over the world.
The store itself is beautiful and so charming to shop around in. The prices are high but considering the history and techniques you are purchasing - well worth it to take a tiny bit of historical Florence home with you. I’m a candle hoarder, so I bought some candles to take home!
3:00 p.m. - Head across town to the Palazzo Vecchio
The Palazzo Vecchio dominates Florence’s main square and looks like a legit fortress… probably because it was. It’s been everything from the Town Hall to the home of the infamous Medici family. Personally, the surrounding courtyard and town square are way more livlier than the inside and I would suggest skipping the tour since you still have a whopper of a museum on the schedule - the Uffizi. However, this is a really great place to grab some gelato. If there is one place in the whole world where I could go to get gelato, it’s Florence. Seriously - I have dreams about Florentine gelato. Eat until you can’t eat anymore. Once you’ve had your gelato fix, stroll through the courtyard and watch the influencers take selfies, street musicians play and local artists paint and draw while you head down towards the River Arno and the Uffizi…
3:30 p.m. - Tour the Uffizi Gallery
Definitely make a reservation in advance for your tour of the Uffizi - it is Florence’s best (in my opinion) and most popular museum so it’s well worth it to skip that line. Also, I don’t have any photos of the inside because you aren’t allowed to take pics. I actually really appreciated this rule since it allowed me to focus solely on the art and not looking through a viewfinder. Plus, there will be mad peeps in the way of everything (a la The Mona Lisa), so it’s hard to get pictures anyway.
You guys, THE ART in this place makes me googly eyed. I seriously can’t describe the beauties you get to see here. The finest collection of Italian art anywhere in the world - you’ve got Leonardo, Giotto, Raphael, Michelangelo (you know it’s good when they’ve got 3 out of 4 Ninja Turtle Namesakes) and the breathtaking Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Ahhh, you just have to go & see for yourselves!
7:00 p.m. - Take an evening stroll along the Arno River to view the Ponte Vecchio
Once you are finished at the Uffizi, it’s time for a romantic evening stroll along the Arno. Now that you have officially seen all of the big sights on your busy day, take some time to slow down, find the best Italian dinner of your life and enjoy being in Florence. The Ponte Vecchio and the surrounding city will light up as you stroll along. You’ll have to pinch yourself to remember that - yes, you are really there. Another perfect day in Italy.
I hope you love Italy as much as I do - please let me know what you think of this post and what other info you’d like to see here in the comments below!
Amanda
