4 days in Florence
It’s the first weekend of November when we arrive in Florence. My wife and I packed for brisk fall weather and are surprisingly welcomed with a wave of warmth and sunshine. We take the bus from the airport to Stazione di Santa Maria Novella—the main train station in town. Luggage in tow, we pace around the block to Piazza Santa Maria Novella and lay eyes on the renowned basilica.
Florence, Italy is everything you’ve ever heard or read about. It’s fashionably historic, breathtakingly beautiful and ridiculously romantic. Situated in storybook Tuscany, Firenze offers the most authentic glimpse of old Italy you can imagine. With four days to burn, we check in to our hotel and prep for a day of exploration.
Day 1: Eat. Drink. Explore.
We start with a stroll to the famed Doumo and Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore—well worth popping your head in and snapping some pics from the square. The next stop is Piazza della Signoria, home of the open-air Loggia dei Lanzi and its Renaissance statues. A light rain begins to fall as we settle into an outdoor restaurant patio on the north side of the square for anitpasto, a main course, and carafe of local red wine.
There’s plenty of time for all your must-see tourist sites, but your first evening needs to be exploratory. Try the food, taste the wine, take in the amazing architecture and absorb the culture. The remainder of the night is dedicated to mindlessly walking the streets of Florence, dipping in and out of cafès and bars, taking pictures of historic statues and getting a lay of the land.
Quick Tip: As you’ve probably heard, Italians only drink cappuccino in the morning, but after 11a feel free to go for the Americano. And it’s typically beer for lunch and wine for dinner. But hey, go crazy and do your thing.
Day 2: Art & History
Open your day with a visit to the Accademia Gallery, home of the original Statue of David. Dedicate an hour or two to the museums and exhibits, and be sure to purchase a “skip-the-line” ticket online before you go. The paintings that adorn the walls are centuries-old, and some of the most famous of all time. Make your way to the Musical Instruments Museum and you’ll be rewarded with a few original Antonio Stradivari violas, as well as one of Bartolomeo Cristofori’s first prototypes of the piano.
And of course, you’ll naturally make your way down a corridor that funnels visitors to Michaelangelo’s David. The statue has been housed at the Galleria dell’Accademia since 1873, when it was moved from nearby Piazza della Signoria.
After a lesson in Italian art history, walk to other great sites like Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, Uffizi Gallery, and Basilica of San Croce.
Along the way, you’ll be sure to discover countless churches, statues and piazzas.
Day 3: Frescos & Food
Like any other day abroad, we get started early. And that means breakfast. So find your nearest bakery or cafè and dig into prosciutto & eggs, custard-filled croissants and fresh fruit topped with yogurt. But, relax…eating any meal of the day in Italy is a journey of the senses and hustling through breakfast isn’t acceptable.
With a full stomach, we circle back to Santa Maria Novella and spend the morning in the sprawling estate; gardens, chapels, tombs and museums. This place is immediately my favorite part of Florence.
Basilica Santa Maria Novella is a treasure trove of priceless art and funerary monuments. The cathedral is lush with towering frescos and stained-glass windows. We shuffle from chapel to chapel, cathedral to garden, and take in the history behind it all.
After absorbing everything Saint Maria has to offer, we make our way a couple blocks east to Mercato Centrale Firenze—the central market and beating heart of downtown Florence.
The market spans several blocks with outside vendors selling everything from handmade Italian leather to fresh vegetables and tourist gifts. Spend some time wandering the outside stalls to get a feel of Florence’s brilliant retail offerings. For the best leather accessories and jackets, visit Jimmy’s and thank me later.
After wandering rows of pop-up vendors, we walk to the central building and head inside to the fresh market that’s buzzing with shoppers from around the globe. My senses are overwhelmed with fresh meats, spices, veggies and every flavor of olive oil you can imagine.
My wife is a true foodie—and she has entered what she refers to as “heaven”. We immediately make our way upstairs and find a couple of open barstools in front of a display of canapes topped with everything from salmon to caviar to cheeses and artichokes. We’re served glasses of red wine and pick out some appetizers. After gushing over the food and silky finish of a local wine, we move on to some of the other eateries to try everything and anything we can get our hands on.
Needless to say, we’ve eaten good today, and it’s only noon.
After taking in the sites, tastes and sounds of Mercato Centrale, it’s time to walk off all the calories we’ve just absorbed. A relaxing march down Via Calimala leads us past art galleries, jewelry stores, and cafès. If you’ve traveled this far to find the world’s best cannoli, you’ve arrived. Treat yourself to some gelato or countless other treats on this stretch of road.
We soon arrive at the world-renowned Ponte Vecchio. The bridge, made famous by lovers who place a padlock on the fence and throw the key into the Arno, is every bit as beautiful as the pictures you’ve seen on Instagram. Across the river you’ll find no shortage of riverside bars and trattorias to keep you busy.
Day 4: A Goodbye Tour
It’s Day 4, and we’ve got a train to catch in the afternoon. So we spend our day checking off all the boxes we missed during our previous three days. From fountains and churches to gardens and artwork, we wind our way through piazzas and side streets, exploring all the nooks and crannies we can find. Museo Casa di Dante, Piazza della Republicca, Chiesa di San Michele, and Basilica di San Lorenzo all make the list. We sneak onto a sidewalk patio for lunch and finish it all off with chocolates and candy from Caffè Gilli.
Next Stop: Rome!