Updated June 2026 · Real prices · Verified places · Visa-aware
Quick answer: For a 3-day trip to Florence, budget about EUR 135 per day (mid-range). Best time: April-May and September-October - mild and walkable; July-August is hot, crowded and expensive. Visa: Italy is in the Schengen area - visa-free up to 90 days in any 180-day period for EU/US/UK and many other passports - always check current rules for your passport.
Florence packs the Renaissance into a walkable core: Brunelleschi's dome, Michelangelo's David at the Accademia and the Uffizi's Botticellis all sit within 15 minutes of each other on foot. Cross the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltrarno for artisan workshops and cheaper trattorias, then climb to Piazzale Michelangelo for the classic sunset view over the Arno.
Best timeApril-May and September-October - mild and walkable; July-August is hot, crowded and expensive
Budget / day~EUR 135
Suggested length3 days
VisaItaly is in the Schengen area - visa-free up to 90 days in any 180-day period for EU/US/UK and many other passports - always check current rules for your passport.
3-day Florence itinerary
Day 1: Duomo complex and Brunelleschi's dome climb (book a slot), Piazza della Signoria and Orsanmichele, sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
Day 2: Uffizi Gallery first thing on a timed ticket, Ponte Vecchio, afternoon in the Oltrarno's artisan workshops and aperitivo on Piazza Santo Spirito
Day 3: Accademia Gallery for Michelangelo's David, market lunch upstairs at Mercato Centrale, Boboli Gardens or the Bargello sculpture museum
Where to stay: neighborhoods that make sense
Centro Storico (Duomo area) - steps from everything but touristy and the priciest place to sleep and eat
Oltrarno / Santo Spirito - artisan workshops, wine bars and the best evening atmosphere; the local-feeling side of the river
Santa Croce - lively squares, the leather school and solid trattorias; central but a touch calmer
San Marco / SS. Annunziata - quieter streets near the Accademia; good value and still walkable to it all
What to eat in Florence
Bistecca alla fiorentina at Trattoria Mario or Osteria dell'Enoteca - sold by weight, about 50 EUR per kg; one steak feeds two
Lampredotto panino from Nerbone or a street trippaio cart - about 5 EUR, the classic Florentine worker's lunch
Schiacciata sandwich at All'Antico Vinaio - about 7 EUR, expect a queue at lunch
Gelato at Gelateria dei Neri or La Carraia - about 3 EUR for a small cone
Ribollita (bread and vegetable stew) at a traditional trattoria - about 9 EUR
Mistakes most first-timers make
Turning up at the Uffizi or Accademia without a timed reservation - book official tickets days or weeks ahead, especially April-October
Eating on the main squares - walk 10 minutes to the Oltrarno or Sant'Ambrogio and pay roughly half for better food
Driving into the ZTL restricted traffic zone - cameras issue automatic fines; park outside the center and walk
Cramming Pisa, Siena and Chianti into one day - pick one day trip and give Florence itself the time it deserves
Worth leaving the city for
Siena (75-90 min by bus) - Gothic rival city with the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo and striped cathedral
Lucca (80 min by train) - intact Renaissance walls you can cycle on top of, and a relaxed old town
Pisa (60 min by train) - the Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli; half a day is enough
Getting around
The T2 tram runs from Florence airport to Santa Maria Novella station in about 20 minutes for 1.70 EUR. The center is compact and mostly pedestrian - you will walk almost everywhere; buses/trams (1.70 EUR single) only matter for Piazzale Michelangelo or Fiesole.
Why this plan won't send you to a closed café
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