Florence in 2 1/2 days in city

Saturday looks more tiring than fun.

EDITED: And I'm someone who loves Renaissance art and considers Florence to be my favorite city in Europe.

When we were in Florence in Sep 22, the line for the Duomo was really long, so we skipped it. We did the museum where they have all the good stuff anyway. You should do the Duomo right away first thing.

I would hate to be your daughter......Ok, just kidding, in all seriousness, I'm a planner as well, however I try not to get down into the time details other than those that require reservations.

In all honesty, maintain some flexibility for each day, your itinerary is doable, hope the rest of your family is as enthusiastic. A early-teenager is likely to be ornery/obstinate as she becomes tired and bored, especially when she see's a lot of other teens/college agers (lots of American study-abroad kids in Firenze) doing their own thing. That Sunday looks like a crusher, if you want to go visit Pisa, just do that then, don't try to shoehorn-in several other things on top of a travel day.

Definitely purchase advanced tickets for Accademia, we went in the morning, and the security line to get in was less than 20-min. We used RS Self-Guided Audio tour to guide us through. The Uffizi I think is worth while hiring a guide, definitely provides some perspective as to why certain works are celebrated and valuable than others; the RS Guided Tour is also a very good resource here also if you're watching your budget.
Duomo might be worthwhile to get a tour of the dome/top. The Duomo museum is worthwhile as that's were all the timeless/valuable items are kept on display; you can self-guide here on your own.
Florence is a very walkable city, quite a lot of people visiting so, maintain a positive vibe.

I'm not up on whether advanced entry tickets need to be purchased for Bargello but I'd leave this open if you can as you may be maxxed out by 6PM on your first full day of touring.

I enjoy the restaurants on the piazza near the Mercato Centrale although I've never been in March so it might be too cool to eat on their outdoor terraces. I like both Trattoria ZaZa and Trattoria Garibaldi. Long ago I ate at Da Pinocchio but to be completely honest I had too much wine and remember nothing about the meal except I had a great time, lol. Fortunately we were staying nearby!

Hi Ken--I obviously do not know your 13-year-old, but I was that age when my parents took me to Europe. The number one thing I wanted to do was go into gift shops and buy "cool" things to bring home--for myself and my friends. I wasn't able to articulate that desire ahead of time, as I had not yet seen the cool things other countries had--and to a 13-year-old, a LOT was happening with soaps, lotions, postcards, miniatures, bracelets, necklaces, and all things European.

Unfortunately, my parents did not anticipate this either, which led to a lot of frustration for everyone.

You can probably tell I am in my 70s now, but as you plan all of this, remember to plan "daughter time" in all the museum gift stores, and the tiny shops along the way to the museum: education is wonderful but so are the memories of spending your money and making your own memories (I still remember Yardley cosmetics in Harrods!). Have a wonderful trip!

I think it looks pretty good! Saturday does indeed look packed, is that your first day after Florida? If so, then eep. You’ve already made decisions to skip a few heavy-hitter sites, so don’t be afraid to do it again if you’re not all feeling up to it. The Bargello, for all its treasures, is one you could skip or try another day. You could also skip going inside the Duomo. There’s often a long, long line of day-trippers/tour groups waiting to get in when all of the art is actually in the museum.

Loved Mercato Centrale, but take a pass by the eateries downstairs. They’re not as fancy, but feels very authentic and local.