Florence best and worst?

You should watch this Rick Steves video on Florence and decide based on your own interests
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show/florence-heart-of-the-renaissance

These are the top 8 sights:
http://www.10cose.it/firenze/cosa-vedere-firenze

With one full day and 2 partial days, you can probably do all if you don’t spend too much time at the Uffizi.

I would skip the Uffizi unless you are an avid art lover. It can be overwhelming and will suck up three hours easily.

Perhaps you would enjoy a guided tour of highlights? Guides make sense when one has limited time.

Hard to suggest what to see and what to skip without knowing your interests. I also agree with Laurel that a guided tour of the city and it's sights might be a good idea when time is so limited and there is so much to see.

Thank you so much, everyone! Great advice and several worthy links to follow up on. I really appreciate it!
I listened to Rick's podcast walking tour of Florence today, too, and have a lot to look forward to.

Thank you again!

I loved Florence, but if you have only one day then it comes down to what you NEED to see while you're there. I'd suggest the David, but YMMV.

If you can sneak in a few hours at the Uffizi, it really is awesome. I spent four hours or so there a year ago, but a normal non-museum nut person could probably manage in 2.5 hours. A quicker visit is the Accademia, featuring Michaelangelo's David. The Duomo sights are also awesome and great value on the combo ticket. The Duomo art museum in particular is very manageable and won't take up half your day. Other than that, with such limited time I would just walk around the city. I had four nights, three full days in Florence in November 2016 and I still think about what I should have done, but did not get the chance to due to limited time. It's not that big of a city, but you could easily spend a solid week there with a day trip or two.

I agree with Laurel. The Uffizi is well worth a visit if you love Renaissance art. If not, spend your time indulging in other joys of city - a stroll around the Piazza della Signoria, sunset over the Arno or over the city from Piazzolla Michelangelo, a walking tour, the Baptistry doors and the glittering mosaic-covered dome ceiling. My one must-see is the David in the Accademia, that's no more than an hour.

If I only had a day, my priorities would be:
1. Accademia (to see David).
2. Uffizzi and Piazza della Signoria (adjacent to each other; Uffizzi for the art and Piazza della Signoria just for being at the heart of Florence).
3. Duomo and Baptistery.

Thank you all!! The David is a must, and I would love to spend some time in the Ufizzi! Ah, to have a full week in Florence.

Be sure to get advance tickets for Accademia and Uffizi so you don’t spend precious time in a ticket line.

If you follow Rick’s audio tour of the Uffizi you can hit the highlights pretty efficiently.

Thank you for the tips!!

Leslie, ordinarily I'd say skip the Uffizi if you only have one full day BUT I see that you're going to Italy for a painting workshop, and that you "belong to a group of artists in Alabama"? That probably puts all things dabbled and chiseled higher on your list than for some tourists.

Those partial days will help, too. For SURE you'll want to make reservations at the Uffizi and Accademia to avoid standing in very long ticket queues. I'd also spend a little time with the Uffizi website so you have an idea what's there:

https://www.uffizi.it/en/the-uffizi

The Accademia is smaller so doesn't suck up as much time. Ordinarily I'd also make the duomo a priority but you might find the exterior more interesting than what's inside...or at least we did. It's especially impressive lit up at night so you could do that when everything else is closed. But the interior of the Baptistry? THAT is a piece of work. Take a look at it, anyway, and consider popping in?

Also of interest for the artist, Convento San Marco is a gem. Go for the Fra Angelico frescoes, still in place after nearly 600 years.

And if there's a scrap of time left over, the Sassetti Chapel in Santa Trìnita is very interesting as the painter (Domenico Ghirlandaio) created "warts and all" portraits of his wealthy client and family plus other notables of the day into his late 15th-century "Stories of St. Francis" frescoes. Fascinating stuff..

You'll have a short but wonderful visit and will have to plan a longer stay next time! :O)
(PS: Worst? There ain't no worst in Firenze!!!)

For lunch the Mercado is fun. Shopping around outside and grabbing lunch inside.

https://www.visitflorence.com/what-to-do-in-florence/shopping/san-lorenzo-central-market.html

Y'all are all wonderful! Thank you so much!

Yes, Kathy- you've got it right, and thank you for your very thorough answer!

To pile on, yes to :Uffizi, Accademia and Duomo. lnclude also a stroll over the Ponte Vecchio. Soak in all the ambience that is before you.

Hard to argue with the Uffizi, Accademia and Duomo...but don't overlook the Basilica di Santa Croce or the Basilica Santa Maria Novella (close to the train station by the same name). I don't know your circumstances, but you'll be kicking yourself for not setting aside more than one day for Florence!

Thank you!! I wish I could spend more than one full day there, but it's not in my power on this trip. I hope to come back some day and spend several days.

Maybe not a "best" but our favorite eats are Ristorante Self Service Leonardo a few blocks from the Duomo for simple, cheap GOOD food. If there's a tour group in line, however, forget it -- we usually walked right in, but that time walked right out and came back later. Agree about San Marco and Baptistry.
Worst thing -- having to leave Florence!