How to Spend the Perfect 48 Hours in Florence, Italy
How to Get to Florence
To get to Florence, fly into Pisa International Airport. Once you land, you can walk to the Pisa Centrale train station or purchase tickets for the PisaMover shuttle train. The PisaMover only takes about 5 minutes and is €5 per ticket. From the Pisa Centrale train station, the train ride to Florence is less than an hour.
We recommend adding Florence to a multi-city Italy trip. We have a 10-day Italy itinerary that covers the Dolomites, Cinque Terre, Florence, and Rome that you can read here.
Read More: 10-Day Italy Itinerary: The Dolomites, Cinque Terre, Florence, and Rome
How to Get Around Florence
You do not need a rental car in Florence, as you can easily use public transportation to get around the city. While many sights are within walking distance, you can use the city buses to save time. Make sure you always validate your bus ticket before boarding. If the machines are not working, immediately let the bus driver know to avoid fines.
Read More: Italy Travel Tips to Know Before Your Trip
When to Visit
For ideal weather and fewer crowds, April and May as well as September and October are the best times to visit Florence. We visited Florence in July and while we loved our time here, it was very hot and very crowded…
Where to Stay
Especially if you are visiting in the summer, try to find a stay with AC. Keep in mind that the city will be noisy at night, so no AC and sleeping with the windows open may be a struggle. We stayed at this affordable Numa property, and the location was perfect.
48 Hours in Florence, Italy
After you arrive in Florence, check into your hotel or Airbnb, then spend some time walking around the city. Our first evening in Florence was spent taking in the view of the Duomo, eating gelato (try RivaReno), and listening to the street musicians play at Piazza della Repubblica.
Day 1
Accademia Gallery
Start your first full day bright and early at the Accademia Gallery. Here you will find Michelangelo’s David sculpture along with other well known Renaissance paintings. Plan on spending a few hours here. This gallery opens at 8:15 am, and tickets are €16. Purchase your tickets in advance to not waste time standing in line. Tickets can be bought here; B-Ticket is the only official ticket site for the Accademia Gallery. Tickets purchased elsewhere may not be valid. The Accademia Gallery is not open on Mondays, so visit the following morning if necessary.
Vivoli
After your morning at the Accademia Gallery, head to Vivoli for some caffeine. Vivoli is known for their affogatos, and they are amazing. Expect to stand in line (the line is often out the door); we promise it’s worth it.
Fotoautomatica
From Vivoli, walk a few minutes to Fotoautomatica for a cute (and cheap) souvenir. These vintage photo booths are scattered across Florence, but this is the one closest to Vivoli: Fotoautomatica, Via del Proconsolo, 19r, 50122. Make sure you have €2 in coins. We used cash at Vivoli and used the change for the photo booth. We ended up visiting this Fotoautomatica a couple times and the pictures always turned out perfect. The only issue we had was the coin machine not taking the coins the first few (actually about 10-12) tries. If you want to learn more about the story behind Fotoautomatica, check out this article about Matteo Sani and why he restored these vintage photo booths.
Florence Cathedral
The Florence Cathedral with Brunelleschi’s dome is one of the most well-known landmarks in Florence. You can access the inside of the Florence Cathedral for free Monday through Saturday from 10:15 am to 3:45 pm. Visitors must be dressed appropriately-no hats or sandals, and shoulders and legs must be covered. You are also able to purchase a ticket and walk up 463 steps to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome where you can better view the artwork. Tickets can be purchased here.
Read More: The Easiest Way to Get Around Cinque Terre
Day 2
Uffizzi Gallery
Visit the Uffizzi Gallery as soon as it opens at 8:15 am to avoid a crowded experience. Tickets are €25 and can be purchased here. Just like the Accademia Gallery, B-Ticket is the only official ticket site, and tickets purchased from other sites may not be valid. Plan to spend a couple of hours here viewing the paintings, architecture, and sculptures. Some highlights for us were seeing some of Botticelli’s most well-known works.
Ponte Vecchio
After your time at the Uffizzi Gallery, walk over the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s oldest bridge.
Boboli Gardens
Once you cross the Ponte Vecchio, spend some time at Boboli Gardens. This open air museum and historical park is one of the first Italian gardens and was opened to the public in 1776. In addition to the expansive gardens, you can also see stunning architecture, statues, and fountains.
Piazzale Michelangelo
To end your time in Florence, get some dinner to go and head to Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunset. Piazzale Michelangelo offers one of the best views of the city and is a popular sunset viewing spot. Be sure to arrive earlier in the evening to secure a good viewing spot.
We hope you found this post to be helpful in planning your trip to Florence, Italy! For more Italy travel guides, click here.
