8 Florence Activities You Cannot Miss

The Italian city of Florence will leave you speechless because it is filled with so many photogenic sites! Deciding which places to add to your list of must-sees can be overwhelming. We’ve created this list of Florence activities and sites that you cannot miss.

Some of the names of these sites can run together and be a bit confusing. At least, to me! Before we start, here’s a quick guide…

Italian to English
Ponte = Bridge
Piazza or Piazzale = Square/Plaza
Palazzo = Palace

Wouldn’t it be amazing to speak fluent Italian? Anyway, follow along and read about 8 Florence activities that you cannot miss.

1. Admire David by Michelangelo

Head to the Accademia Gallery to view Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David. With David being one of the most famous sculptures in world, it was at the very top of my Florence activities bucket list! Trust me when I say that just the massive size of this artwork is remarkable.

There are a total of three David statues in Florence. The best and original version of the masterpiece is obviously this one, located at the Accademia Gallery. The other two statues are replicas and can be seen at two different places: the Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint and the Piazza della Signoria public square – both of which you will read about later on in this post!

The great thing about the Accademia Gallery is that there is more to the museum that just David. Even if the museum ONLY contained the sculpture, it would be incredible. But luckily you get more bang for your buck. There are other sculptures by Michelangelo on display, as well as a large collection of paintings by Florentine artists.

Address: 60, Via Ricasoli, 58, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Admission: €12 + €4 online reservation fee. Purchase tickets below.
Website: http://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.beniculturali.it/

2. Walk (& shop) across Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio is Florence’s iconic, medieval arch bridge along the Arno River. It is absolutely gorgeous on the outside (which you’ll see in my next point). Ponte Vecchio is unique because the bridge is lined with cute jewelry, art, and souvenir shops. Cars are not allowed on this bridge, so it is great to walk across and fit some shopping in. I encourage you to purchase a souvenir from one of the Ponte Vecchio shops. I bought my “Florence” ornament on this bridge!

Address: Ponte Vecchio, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy
Hours: The public bridge is always open, but the shops have business hours

3. Take in the view at Piazzale Michelangelo

This experience was without a doubt the highlight of our Florence activities. Hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the BEST viewpoint in the entire city. The large terrace offers panoramic views for miles. There are excellent views of Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, and more. It is a photographer’s dream up there.

Piazzale Michelangelo is also where you will find the first David statue replica. Though it is not the original piece of art, it’s an awesome site.

Address: Piazzale Michelangelo, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy
Admission: Free!

4. Experience the Duomo up-close

Wasn’t the Duomo amazing in the photo from Piazzale Michelangelo’s terrace? Well, it is the most popular structure in the entire city and even more captivating up-close. This impressive piece of architecture consists of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery of St. John, and Giotto’s bell tower. One of the most popular Florence activities is to climb the dome. You must reserve a time slot to climb the dome. As soon as you know your travel dates, book your spot.

This site can be called various names…the Florence Cathedral, the Duomo, the Florence dome, etc. Pretty much everyone knows what you’re talking about if you mention one of these terms! You could easily spend multiple hours exploring all that the Duomo offers…both on the inside and the outside. If you only see one thing in Florence, let it be the Duomo.

Address: Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Website: https://www.duomofirenze.it/

5. Climb the Palazzo Vecchio tower

Palazzo Vecchio is the photogenic town hall of Florence. It is located within the Piazza della Signoria, a public square in the city. Don’t get this confused with Ponte Vecchio…Ponte Vecchio is the iconic bridge, but Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall/tower.

Climbing the Palazzo Vecchio tower is a fun experience for everyone. I highly recommend this option if you do not plan on hiking up to the Piazzale Michelangelo panoramic viewpoint. The tower offers an incredible view of the Duomo, as well as the Italian rooftops. We were planning on climbing the tower, but it was closed due to the heavy rain. It worked out, though, because we still had the Piazzale Michelangelo on our itinerary. There is also a museum you can visit within Palazzo Vecchio.

Address: Piazza della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Admission: Museum €12.50, Tower €12.50, combined €17.50
Website: http://museicivicifiorentini.comune.fi.it/en/palazzovecchio/

Would you rather book a tour? Consider these options…

6. Explore Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria is known as the historical, political, and emotional heart of Florence. A climb up the Palazzo Vecchio tower is not the only exciting thing to do in this public square. You will also see an abundance of eye-catching statues, including the second David statue replica. The other statues are found in the Loggia dei Lanzi, an open-air sculpture gallery of Renaissance art.

The Uffizi Gallery is another nearby attraction, about 3 minutes away from Piazza della Signoria. One of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the best known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works.

From the Uffizi Gallery, to the Palazzo Vecchio tower, and even the impressive statues, you will discover many enjoyable activities near this public square!

Address: Piazza della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

7. Marvel at the Christmas decorations

Are you traveling to Florence in the winter? You are in luck, because Florence is one of the best cities in the world during Christmas. Around every street corner is another row of enchanting lights. I couldn’t get enough of the festive decor. Truly, it was stunning! This is one of the top Florence activities you can do in the winter months.

Check out our Christmas guide: Christmas in Italy – Rome, Florence, & Venice

8. Take a day trip!

Florence is perfectly situated near many incredible destinations. If you have more than 1-2 days in Florence, creating a day trip is a wonderful idea. There are lots of options within 3 hours of Florence, such as:

• The colorful villages of Cinque Terre
• The Leaning Tower of Pisa
• The town of Siena
• San Marino
• Hills of Tuscany

& more! We decided to plan a day trip from Florence to Cinque Terre + Pisa. It was so, so memorable.

Overall…

Our stay in Florence was 2 days, but we packed all of these activities into one memorable day. It was raining, chilly, and tricky to take photos, but we made the most out of our time in the city. We did all of this in order to take a day trip.

So, can you fit all of these Florence activities into one day? Yes! Prepare for lots of walking, but it can be done. However, it’s ideal to spread these sites out over 2-3 days. Whatever you choose, you will have a wonderful time in Florence, Italy.

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