Destinations > Europe > Italy > Florence
Don't Miss
Uffizi Gallery • Galleria Degli Uffizi
Piazzale degli Uffizi, Florence
Information: +39 055 238 8651
Reservations: +39 055 294 883
Tue-Sun 8:15am-6:50pm
Extended hours in summer
Closed Mon
Closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25
One of world's great galleries, the Uffizi features most of the distinguished names in Italian and European art over last 800 years, but is most famous for its collection of Renaissance art. Major works include Botticelli's Primavera and Birth of Venus, Da Vinci's Annuciation and Adoration of the Magi, and Michelangelo's Holy Family.
Palazzo Vecchio
Piazza della Signoria, Florence
+39 055 276 8465
Fri-Wed 9am-7pm; Thu 9am-2pm
Extended hours in summer
Closed Jan 1, Easter Sun, May 1, Aug 15, Dec 25
Looming like a medieval fortress over the Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio is still in use as Florence's Town Hall.
Piazza della Signoria
The hub of Florentine civic life, this piazza's central location makes it an ideal gathering place. The square features a number of impressive sculptures, many of them political in theme.
Palazzo Pitti & Boboli Gardens
Piazza Pitti, Florence
Tue-Sun 8:15am-6:50pm
Closed Mon
Closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25
The massive Pitti Palace was built to outdo the Medici palaces in grandness. Today it houses four important museums–Galleria Palatina & Royal Apartments, Galleria D'Arte Moderna, Galleria del Costume, Museo degli Argenti as well as a charming Porcelain Museum. The Boboli Gardens is a superb example of Renaissance gardening.
Galleria dell'Accademia
Via Ricasoli 60, Florencez
Information: +39 055 238 8609
Reservations: +39 055 294 883
Tue-Sun 8:15am-6:50pm
Extended hours in summer
Closed Mon
Closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25
The main attraction here is Michelangelo's David. Photos cannot prepare you for the scale and impact of this marvelous statue, or the intensity of its gaze. It is not to be missed.
El Duomo
+39 055 230 2855
Cathedral hours:
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Thu 10am-3:30pm; Sat 10am-4:45pm; Sun 1:30-4:45pm
Closed Jan 6
Dome hours:
Sun-Fri 8:30am-7pm, Sat 8:30am-5:40pm
Closed Jan 1, many religious holidays
Designed by Brunelleschi, the famous dome of this cathedral dominates the Florentine skyline. It's well worth making the 463-step climb up the dome, which offers insights on the dome's construction as well as fantastic views from the top.
Campanile di Giotto
+39 055 230 2855
Daily 8:30am-7:30pm
Closed Jan 1, Easter Sun, Sept 8, Dec 25
Tall and graceful, with an exquisite façade of white, pink and green marble, the bell tower of the Duomo is one of the loveliest in Italy. A climb to the top is rewarded with splendid panoramic views of the city.
Battistero
+39 055 230 2885
Mon-Sat 12-7pm; Sun 8:30am-2pm
Closed Jan 1, Easter Sun, Sept 8, Dec 24-25
This octagonal building features a beautifully decorated exterior, rich ceiling mosaics and an intricately patterned floor. The real standouts, however, are Ghiberti's celebrated bronze doors, known as the Gates of Paradise.
Bargello National Museum • Museo del Bargello
Via el Proconsolo 4, Florence
+39 055 238 8606
Bookings: +39 055 294 833
Daily 8:30am-12:30pm
Closed 2nd, 4th Mon and 1st, 3rd, 5th Sun of each month
Closed May 1, Dec 25, Jan 1
The finest sculpture museum in Florence, the Bargello features famous works by Michelangelo, Donatello and their contemporaries.
Leonardo da Vinci Museum
Via dei Servi 66/68r, Florence
+39 055 282 966
info@mostredileonardo.com
Daily 10am-7pm
This incomparable museum displays fully functional machines that have been replicated from Leonardo's drawings. The interactive exhibits will captivate children as well as adults.
Ponte Vecchio
The iconic bridge is the oldest in Florence, and such is its history and charm that it was the only bridge the Germans didn't destroy in World War II. Shops selling new and antique jewelry line the bridge, which is particularly stunning at sunset.
Santa Maria del Carmine & Cappella Brancacci
Piazza del Carmine, Florence
+39 055 238 2195
Mon, Wed-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 1-5pm
Closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25
This church is best known for the splendid frescoes of The Life of St Peter in the Brancacci Chapel. Begun by Masolino and Masaccio in 1425 and finished by Filippino Lippi 50 years later. The frescoes show a mastery of perspective and shading that profoundly influenced 15th century painters like Michelangelo.
Santo Spirito
Piazza di Santo Spirito, Florence
+39 055 210 030
Mon-Fri 10am-12pm, 4-5:30pm (only am on Wed)
4-5:30pm Sat & Sun
Simple in design, Santo Spirito was Brunelleschi's last church. The old refectory displays medieval and Renaissance sculpture.