How to spend one day in Florence: a complete itinerary
- Lifestyle
Every day is a good day for traveling back in time to the birth of the Renaissance. Florence, Italy, is hailed as the “birthplace of the Renaissance.” During the 14th through 17th centuries, Florence initiated a trend of supporting the arts (painting, architecture, sculpting, etc.) and advanced education. Historians, philosophers, architects, scientists, doctors, students of anatomy, and painters alike were all financially supported by the city’s elite (famous and wealthy families) to allow them to further their craft and studies. This led to a revolutionary era known as the “rebirth,” more commonly referred to today as the Renaissance Era.
Taking off from Locanda le Piazze, arriving in Florence by car takes about an hour – but it’s a beautiful drive. Be sure to set an early alarm because Florence is filled to the brim with significant and wonderful sights to see; today is going to be a busy day!
I recommend parking your car outside of the busy city center. Park further away from the city and enjoy the short walk towards the city center. If you park on the south side of the city, you may get the joy of walking through the remaining portions of the old city walls. The best place to cross is at Porta Romana.
Firenze
The city of Florence – called Firenze in Italian – has a long and historically significant past. The Roman town of Florence can be traced back as far as 59 BC. In 1115, Florence formed one of the first City-States, a self-governed commune run by a number of the city’s elite. In the mid-1400s, the banking Medici family took control of the City-State’s politics and were eventually recognized as rulers of Florence. Then, in 1743, the last member of the Medici family died, releasing Florence into the control of the Habsburg-Lorraine family, who later ruled the Austrian Empire. Finally, in the late 1860s, the Kingdom of Italy (the country of Italy while still a monarchy, prior to becoming a republic) united the many City-States surrounding Florence under the rule of King Vittorio Emanuele II. For a short period of time, Florence was declared the capital, and the King created his headquarters at Palazzo Pitti.
Some of the most famous names to come from Florence include Dante Alighieri (who wrote The Divine Comedy), the Medici family (a wealthy banking family of high priority that held a lot of political control and were extremely important in funding the start of the Renaissance), Michelangelo (who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and sculpted the David statue), and Leonardo da Vinci (an inventor who painted the Mona Lisa).
Palazzo Pitti
We start our one-day trip to Florence with a historical walk, following the footsteps of the magnificent Medici family. First, at the residence of the family: Palazzo Pitti. Cosimo I de’ Medici bought this palace from banker Luca Pitti so his family would have a grand ducal residence fitting of their title. Even after the Medici dynasty came to its end, this palace continued to house the political elite of Florence, including the House of Habsburg-Lorraine (the family that took control after the Medici) and the House of Savoy (the King of Italy).
Nowadays, this grand residence displays architecture, paintings, and furnishings fitting for a king, as well as great art displays in its five inner museums. If it’s not yet noon and you want to explore the splendor of a ruler’s home, purchase a ticket for entrance into the palace. If it’s warm and sunny, consider instead purchasing a ticket to enter the gardens in the palace’s backyard. The Boboli Gardens can be found directly behind the palace and are accessible through the palace courtyard. There are fountains, ancient and Renaissance statues, creative grottos, and even a greenhouse for lemon trees.
Vasari Corridor
Continuing in the footsteps of the Medici family, we continue northward from the ducal residence of Palazzo Pitti and follow a strange overhead corridor. This corridor, now called the Vasari Corridor, connects at one end to Palazzo Pitti. It continues over the heads of the citizens of Florence towards the Arno River. You may lose sight of the corridor as you walk along it, hidden behind storefronts and newer, taller residence buildings, but you will see it again as you approach Ponte Vecchio.
The old bridge (the direct translation of Ponte Vecchio) has stood since the 1300s and was the storefront for many butchers, blacksmiths, and tanners. All of the waste from their products was dumped into Arno, much like a watery landfill. Later, the Grand Duke of Tuscany (a member of the prestigious Medici family) ordered that all dirty, smelly, or otherwise unpleasant workers vacate the bridge and instead encouraged goldsmiths and jewelers to set up shop on the Ponte Vecchio (under the floor of the Vasari Corridor). Still today, the law decrees that only luxury goods stores, particularly gold sellers and jewelers, can open shop on the Ponte Vecchio.
Fun Fact: When the Germans who had occupied Florence during World War II retreated on August 3rd, 1944, they bombed all of the bridges across the Arno in Florence except for one: the Ponte Vecchio. There is argument as to why the Germans spared the old bridge. Was it because the Germans (particularly their leader, Hitler) were equally as entranced by the beauty of the Ponte Vecchio as we are today, or because the German army leaders deemed the bridge too weak and unstable to actually aid the enemy if they left it untouched?
Uffizi Gallery
Immediately after crossing the Arno, the corridor takes a sharp right-hand turn and continues onward to the Uffizi Gallery. Now a famous art museum, this building once was the second headquarters of the legal officials of the Republic of Florence. The outer walls of the U-shaped building are lined with statues of the most famous artists, thinkers, and explorers from Italy. The interior of the building is beautiful, with carefully painted ceilings and large windows granting unobstructed views of the Arno.
The Uffizi Gallery holds on display some great artworks, including The Birth of Venus by Botticelli, Primavera, also by Botticelli, Medusa by Caravaggio, and Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci. Visits to the Uffizi can take an entire day. If you walk quickly, without pausing to admire each piece of artwork, the entire gallery can be walked in two hours. It is worthy to note, however, that the Uffizi is not the only celebrated art museum on this itinerary. So, unless you are an avid art fan, for this one-day trip to Florence, I am going to recommend enjoying the Uffizi Gallery from the outside only, and entering the other world-famous art museum later in the afternoon instead.
Connecting through the Uffizi Gallery, the Vasari Corridor continues on to the first, original, legal and administrative headquarters: Palazzo Vecchio (formerly known as Palazzo della Signoria). It was for this reason that Cosimo de’ Medici had the Vasari Corridor built in the first place. He wanted a “secret” passageway that would connect his place of residence to his place of work. Via the above-ground passageway, the Medici family could travel from home to work without once stepping foot on the ground with the common people.
After a long morning of following the footsteps of the Medici family, it is time for lunch! Consider stopping at a sandwich stop for a special Florentine tradition: a schiacciatta. This delicious sandwich is made with a special crunchy bread and filled with classic Italian toppings.
Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo)
The Duomo (a loving term used by Italians to signify which cathedral is most beloved in their city) of Florence is officially called the Santa Maria del Fiore. Construction of the cathedral began in 1296 and did not finish until 1436. It is comprised of a magnificent cathedral, a baptistery, and a campanile. Take a slow stroll around the entire Piazza del Duomo to take in the cathedral’s glory from every angle. Maybe even grab a few scoops of fresh gelato to enjoy while you admire the Duomo.
If you are young and able-bodied, consider purchasing a ticket to climb to the top of the cupola (the dome). In order to reach the top of the dome, visitors have to climb hundreds of steep, twisty-turning staircases. The tremendous effort is worth it, however, for the bird’s-eye view of the city from atop the dome, and for the up-close view of The Last Judgement, the gigantic painting on the inner walls of the dome, created by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. Tickets to climb the cupola can be pre-purchased online or in person at the ticket office.
Accademia Gallery
Continuing on from the splendid Duomo, travel north until you reach an ordinary building with an extraordinary interior. The Accademia Gallery is a relatively small museum housing fantastic artworks. I highly recommend pre-purchasing your tickets in advance for this museum because travellers flock to Florence for a chance to see Michelangelo’s famous David statue in person. This immense statue will impress anyone, even those who do not consider themselves to be art enthusiasts. Not only is the David genuinely huge, but he is incredibly detailed, right down to the veins in his fists.
Originally, the David was displayed for all the public to see outside of Palazzo Vecchio (where today stands a replica), but the statue was exposed to the dangerous natural elements and was eventually moved into the Accademia in a tribunal hallway built specially for the David. The Accademia houses many of Michelangelo’s most celebrated works, as well as an entire floor dedicated to sacred Late Gothic artworks and a wing dedicated to historical musical instruments.
Piazzale Michelangelo
After a long day of visiting the past, it is time to slowly meander back to your car. Along the way, don’t forget to take a short hike up a hill to Piazzale Michelangelo for a fantastic view of the historic city center of Florence. If you time it out just right, watching the sunset over Florence from the high viewpoint of the Piazzale is the pinnacle of romance.
Don’t forget to stop for dinner on your trip from Piazzale Michelangelo to your car. Don’t worry about going to a specific, trendy restaurant. Any osteria, trattoria, or ristorante is sure to provide you with a delicious, authentically Florentine dinner. After so much walking, treat yourself to an antipasto, a pasta, and even a dessert! You have an hour to digest it all while you drive back for a restful sleep at Locanda le Piazze tonight.
