Florence packs more Renaissance art per square kilometer than any city on earth, but its appeal goes beyond the Uffizi and the David. You can climb a 463-step dome, cross a medieval bridge lined with jewelry shops, eat a tripe sandwich from a 150-year-old street cart
watch the sun set over terracotta rooftops from a hilltop piazza, all within a single day. This guide covers the essential Florence attractions with prices, hours, and practical tips as of 2026.
Must-Do Attractions in Florence Italy
Uffizi Gallery: The World’s Greatest Renaissance Collection
Piazzale degli Uffizi 6. Open Tuesday-Sunday 8:15-18:30, closed Mondays. Tickets cost €25 (€2 online booking fee). The Uffizi houses Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Leonardo’s Annunciation, and Caravaggio’s Medusa among 2,200 works spanning the 13th-18th centuries.
Book tickets at least 3 weeks ahead through the official website (uffizi.it). The first Sunday of each month offers free entry but draws enormous crowds with queues forming by 6am. The rooftop terrace cafe, closed for years, reopened in 2025 with views of Palazzo Vecchio.
Galleria dell’Accademia: Michelangelo’s David
Via Ricasoli 58/60. Tuesday-Sunday 8:15-18:50, closed Mondays. Tickets cost €16 (€4 online booking fee). The 5.17-meter David dominates the main hall
the unfinished Prisoners (Slaves) in the hallway leading to it are equally worth your time. The museum also contains a collection of Renaissance musical instruments and 15th-century Florentine paintings. The wait without a reservation can exceed 2 hours in peak months, so book ahead through the official site. Early morning (8:15) and late afternoon (after 16:00) slots are quietest.
Climb Brunelleschi’s Dome at the Duomo
Piazza del Duomo. The 463-step climb to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome is Florence’s most physically demanding attraction and its most rewarding. The Brunelleschi Pass costs €30 and includes the Dome, Bell Tower, Baptistery, Museum, and Santa Reparata crypt, valid for 3 days.
You must reserve a specific time slot for the dome climb. The 45-degree staircase narrows to single-file in sections and has no exit option once you start. Not suitable for claustrophobic visitors or those with mobility limitations. The 360-degree view from the top covers all of Florence and the surrounding Tuscan hills.
Ponte Vecchio: Florence’s Medieval Bridge
The Ponte Vecchio spans the Arno River at its narrowest point. The current bridge dates to 1345 and is the only Florentine bridge to survive WWII bombing. Gold and jewelry shops line both sides, replacing the butcher shops that occupied the bridge until 1593 when Ferdinando I evicted them over the smell.
The Vasari Corridor, a kilometer-long elevated passageway connecting Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, runs above the shops. It’s currently closed for renovation until late 2026. The bridge itself is free to cross 24/7. For a classic photo, walk to the Ponte Santa Trinità one bridge west.
Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti
Piazza de’ Pitti 1. Open Tuesday-Sunday 8:15-18:30 (until 17:30 Nov-Feb), closed Mondays. The combined Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens ticket costs €22. The 45,000-square-meter Boboli Gardens represent one of the earliest examples of Italian Renaissance garden design, with geometric flowerbeds, fountains, and an amphitheater.
The gardens sit on a hillside, so expect significant walking uphill. The Pitti Palace houses the Palatine Gallery (Raphael, Titian, Rubens) on the first floor and the Museum of Fashion and Costume on the ground floor. In summer, bring water and a hat as shade is limited on the upper terraces.
Piazzale Michelangelo: The Postcard View
Viale Michelangelo. Free, open 24/7. The panoramic terrace across the Arno in the Oltrarno neighborhood delivers the iconic Florence skyline: Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce, and the surrounding hills in a single frame.
Sunset draws the largest crowds. Walk up from the city center (20 minutes from Ponte Vecchio via the Rampe del Poggi stairway) or take bus 12 or 13 from the train station. The bronze copy of David stands in the center of the piazza, with the original in the Accademia.
Basilica of Santa Croce: Florence’s Temple of Italian Glories
Piazza Santa Croce 16. Monday-Saturday 9:30-17:30, Sunday 12:30-17:45. Tickets cost €8. Santa Croce is the burial place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Rossini, earning it the nickname Temple of the Italian Glories. The Pazzi Chapel, designed by Brunelleschi, sits in the cloister and represents a masterpiece of Renaissance harmony.
The leather school (Scuola del Cuoio) in the monastery sells high-quality bags and accessories. Check the Florence events schedule as the piazza hosts the Calcio Storico matches in June.
Mercato Centrale: Food Market and Upstairs Eatery
Piazza del Mercato Centrale. Ground floor market open Monday-Saturday 7:00-14:00. Upstairs food hall open daily 10:00-24:00. The ground floor remains a working food market selling produce, meat, cheese, and the famous lampredotto (tripe sandwich) from Da Nerbone (€4.50). The upstairs Mercato Centrale food hall, opened in 2014, houses 12 artisan food stalls including fresh pasta, pizza, truffle specialties, and a craft beer bar.
It’s a better-value lunch option than most restaurants in the San Lorenzo area. The San Lorenzo neighborhood around the market offers central accommodations at moderate prices.
Bargello National Museum: Renaissance Sculpture
Via del Proconsolo 4. Open daily 8:15-13:50, closed 2nd and 4th Monday monthly. Tickets cost €11. The Bargello, housed in a 13th-century fortress-palace, contains Florence’s premier sculpture collection including Donatello’s bronze David, Michelangelo’s Bacchus, and works by Cellini and Giambologna.
The building itself, with its interior courtyard and staircase, is a masterpiece of medieval architecture. Because most visitors prioritize the Uffizi and Accademia, the Bargello rarely has queues, making it an excellent choice for a less-crowded art experience.
