Florence Travel Guide: What to Book Ahead and What to Leave Open
Florence rewards the traveler who plans the right things in advance — and leaves the rest open. Here's exactly how to split that.
Florence is one of those cities that genuinely lives up to the photographs. Renaissance architecture, world-class art, food that will ruin you for Italian food everywhere else, and cobblestone streets narrow enough that you're constantly stepping aside for a Vespa. It's compact, walkable, and completely overwhelming in the best way.
It's also a city where a little advance planning makes an enormous difference. A few key things sell out weeks ahead. Everything else is better left open.
How Many Days Do You Need?
Two to three days is the sweet spot for the city itself. That's enough for the major art, the historic center, real meals, and some wandering. If you want to add Tuscan day trips — and you should consider at least one — budget three days minimum so Florence doesn't feel rushed.
What to Book Before You Go
Three things in Florence will get away from you if you wait: the Accademia Gallery, the Uffizi, and the Duomo climb.
The Accademia is where Michelangelo's David lives, and the line without a timed ticket is not worth your time. Book it. The Uffizi is one of the greatest art museums in the world — Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael — and it sells out weeks ahead during peak season. Don't assume you can walk up. The Duomo climb is one of the best views in Italy and the timed entry system means you need a specific slot, not just a ticket. The Duomo complex pass also covers the bell tower, baptistery, and museum, so book the full thing.
If a cooking class or food tour is on your list, those fill up fast in spring and fall too — worth reserving ahead.
Day Trips Worth Building In
Florence is one of the best bases in Italy for getting into the Tuscan countryside. A winery day through the Chianti region — hilltop villages, local producers, long lunches — is worth a full day and books up. Pisa is an easy half day if you want to see it, though most people find two hours is plenty. A hot air balloon over Tuscany is a splurge worth planning ahead if that's your thing.
The mistake I see most often: scheduling too many day trips and not leaving enough time in Florence itself. The city deserves more than just your evenings.
What to Leave Open
The Ponte Vecchio, the piazzas, the leather markets, the wine windows tucked into old palazzo walls — these appear naturally as you move through the city. Don't schedule them. Leave long lunches unplanned. Wander toward Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset without checking a clock. Give yourself an afternoon with no agenda and see what Florence hands you.
The travelers who love Florence most are the ones who didn't try to finish it.
Whether Florence is your first stop in Italy or the centerpiece of a bigger trip, let's build an itinerary that actually does it justice….