Florence Itinerary: My Two Days from the Uffizi to the Duomo

By Blaise Jaeger · Updated October 14, 2026

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is the cradle of the Renaissance: in a compact historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you find Brunelleschi’s dome, the Uffizi and its Botticellis, the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. Everything can be done on foot, and two days are enough to see the essentials.

I spent a day and a half in Florence at the end of May 2025 with my friend Roy, arriving by train from Rome and leaving for Pisa and the Cinque Terre. This itinerary follows exactly what we did, hour by hour, with the tickets to book, where we stayed and what I would recommend.

The marble facade of Florence Cathedral and Giotto bell tower on Piazza del Duomo — Piazza del Duomo, June 1, 2025

Florence at a Glance

Where: in Tuscany, central Italy, about 1 h 30 from Rome and 1 hour from Pisa by train.
Main station: Firenze Santa Maria Novella, a 10-minute walk from the Duomo.
Must-see: the Duomo and its dome, the Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Uffizi, Piazza della Signoria and the Palazzo Vecchio, the Ponte Vecchio, the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens.
How long: two days for the highlights, three or four with the museums and a day trip to Pisa or Siena.
Book ahead: the Uffizi and the climbs of the Duomo and the Bell Tower work with timed tickets, often sold out in high season.
Getting around: on foot; the historic centre is small and largely pedestrian.

My Florence Itinerary

Day 1 afternoon: arrival, the Uffizi and Piazza della Signoria

On Saturday, May 31, 2025, Roy and I took the 2:35 PM Frecciarossa from Rome Termini and arrived at Florence Santa Maria Novella at 4:11 PM, after a little over an hour and a half. We dropped our bags at our apartment, the Central View Boutique – Milù Holidays Firenze, and walked straight to Piazza della Signoria, dominated by the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio.

Around 5:00 PM, we entered the Uffizi with tickets booked in advance. We walked along the long corridors with their painted ceilings and, from a window, enjoyed the view of the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno. In the evening, we had dinner in a restaurant with red walls near the Mercato Centrale.

The long corridor of the Uffizi Gallery with its painted ceiling and checkered floor — The corridor of the Uffizi, May 31, 2025

The Ponte Vecchio and the Arno river seen from a window of the Uffizi Gallery — The Ponte Vecchio from the Uffizi

Day 2 morning: the Duomo, the Baptistery and the Ponte Vecchio

The next morning, Sunday, June 1, we were on Piazza del Duomo at 10:00 AM. The cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its white, green and pink marble and its huge brick dome, dominates the whole square. We had booked our Duomo tickets in advance, and started with the Baptistery of San Giovanni, whose octagonal dome is entirely covered with golden mosaics of the Last Judgement.

The golden mosaics inside the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence — Inside the Baptistery, June 1, 2025

We then walked down to the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval bridge lined with jewellers’ shops, and crossed the Arno to the Oltrarno.

The Arno river seen from the Ponte Vecchio in Florence — The Arno from the Ponte Vecchio

Day 2 midday: the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens

Around 12:30 PM, we reached the Pitti Palace, the immense palace of the Medici on the south bank. We visited its painted rooms, then climbed through the Boboli Gardens, behind the palace. From the upper terraces, the view embraces the whole city: the dome, the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio and the hills around Florence.

The Pitti Palace in Florence — The Pitti Palace

View of the Florence skyline with the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio from the Boboli Gardens — Florence from the Boboli Gardens

Day 2 afternoon: Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Mercato Centrale

Back at the Duomo, we climbed Giotto’s Bell Tower: 414 steps up narrow stone staircases, with several terraces on the way, and at the top, a face-to-face view of Brunelleschi’s dome and the red roofs of Florence.

Brunelleschi dome of Florence Cathedral seen from the top of Giotto bell tower — The dome from Giotto’s Bell Tower, June 1, 2025

The Duomo and the rooftops of Florence seen from the bell tower — The rooftops of Florence

We ended the day at the Mercato Centrale, the covered market near San Lorenzo: butchers and Tuscan produce on the ground floor, and a large food hall upstairs with pasta, truffles and antipasti stalls. Then we walked to Santa Maria Novella for the 5:28 PM train to Pisa.

The busy food hall of the Mercato Centrale in Florence — The Mercato Centrale

Tickets: Duomo, Bell Tower and Uffizi

The Duomo: entry to the cathedral is free. The other monuments are sold as passes valid for three days: the Brunelleschi Pass (€30, with the dome), the Giotto Pass (€20, with the Bell Tower) and the Ghiberti Pass (€15). The climbs require a timed booking. See the official Duomo website.
Dome or Bell Tower? The dome (463 steps) lets you see the frescoes of the Last Judgement up close; the Bell Tower (414 steps) offers the best view of the dome itself. We chose the Bell Tower.
The Uffizi: book a timed ticket in advance on the official website, especially from spring to autumn; the queue without a booking can take hours.
The Pitti Palace and Boboli: tickets are sold separately from the Uffizi; allow half a day for both.

Where to Stay in Florence

We stayed at the Central View Boutique – Milù Holidays Firenze, in the historic centre, from where we did everything on foot. The best areas are around the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria for the sights, Santa Maria Novella for the station, and the Oltrarno for a quieter, more local atmosphere.

See all the hotels in Florence.

Getting to Florence

From Rome: about 1 h 30 by Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train to Santa Maria Novella. Our Business class ticket on a Frecciadays offer cost €27.90. See my Rome travel guide.
To Pisa: regional trains in about 1 hour; we took the 5:28 PM train. See my Pisa travel guide.
To the Cinque Terre: by train to La Spezia, with a change in Pisa or direct. See my guide to the Cinque Terre.
Tickets: trains can be compared on 12Go.

Practical Tips for Florence

Book everything: the Uffizi, the dome and the Bell Tower sell out in high season; book several days ahead.
Dress code: cover your shoulders and knees for the cathedral and the churches.
Climbs: the staircases of the dome and the Bell Tower are narrow and steep; avoid them if you are claustrophobic.
Heat: Florence is very hot from June to August; visit the open-air sights early in the morning.
Eat local: try the bistecca alla fiorentina, ribollita and lampredotto, the tripe sandwich sold at the market.

Italy travel guide: my trips and itineraries in Italy.
Rome travel guide: our stop before Florence.
Pisa travel guide: the Leaning Tower at sunset, our next stop.
Cinque Terre in one day: the five villages by train.

Florence FAQ

How many days do you need in Florence?

Two days are enough for the essentials: the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. Add a day for the Accademia and the museums, or for a day trip to Pisa.

Is it better to climb the dome or Giotto’s Bell Tower?

The Bell Tower offers the best view of the dome, and the dome shows you its frescoes up close. If you only do one, the Bell Tower has the better panorama.

Do you need to book the Uffizi in advance?

Yes, especially from spring to autumn. A timed ticket booked online saves hours of queueing.

Is the Florence Cathedral free?

Yes, entry to the cathedral itself is free. The dome, the Bell Tower, the Baptistery and the museum require a pass.

How do you get from Rome to Florence?

By high-speed train from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, in about 1 h 30.

Can you visit Pisa from Florence?

Yes, Pisa is 1 hour away by regional train. We stopped there for the night to climb the Leaning Tower at sunset.