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Florence in 3,5 days: Hacking Rick's Itinerary

Hi,
I'll be visiting Florence for 3 fulls days + arrival evening + morning of departure. I have purchased Rick's Florence Pocket guide and I was thinking in follow his 3-days itineray, but then I need some adjustments to it:

  1. He recommends visiting the Uffizi Gallery on Day 2, which for me is Monday (not counting the Saturday, when I arrive), so it will be closed. How can I fit this visit in the other days, in a way that is easy and logical? I could just swap days 1 and 2, but then the Renaissance Walk would be in day 2, which is not very intuitive because it has some of the main views of the city.

  2. How can I spend the afternoon/evening of my arrival? Being Saturday I imagine it will be especially crowded. For departure morning I think I will just wander around or make some lefting visit, but any other suggestion is welcome.

  3. I would love to make a trip to Lucca, Siena or some other town nearby. Do you think I can fit it in my plan, or shoud I focus on Florence?

I will carry just a backpack, if that's help.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Posted by
7622 posts

Do Renaissance Walk on Sat evening
Visit Uffizi on Sunday

No need to follow that itinerary if it doesn’t work for you

Monday would be the day for a day trip but without knowing how many other sites are musts for you hard to say whether you have time for a day trip or not

Posted by
15195 posts

Yikes, that is a packed itinerary. Even on several of Rick's tours that included Florence we didn't see as many museums has he has listed on Day 2.

What time do you anticipate arriving? Can you do the Renaissance walk that evening?

Otherwise, if you take his itinerary as published and swap days 1 and 2 but want the Renaissance Walk on your Uffizi day, I'd cut one of the 3 museums he proposes or do it instead of the Oltrarno Walk in the evening.

To me, with just 3 full days in Florence I don't think you have time for a day trip unless you want to skip some Florence sights.

Where else are you going after Florence?

Posted by
4747 posts

With your time schedule, I would skip the Medici Palace and Duomo Museum. I have been to both. In 4 trips to Florence, I have not done the Bargello or Pitti Palace. I really like the Science/Galileo Museum and Museo San Marco is my top favorite museum in Florence.

Posted by
349 posts

I dont think you can do everything he says in 3 days.
Using his itinerary as a base, removing some stuff and adding other stuff, I would do this:

Saturday afternoon

  • Renaissance Walk or quick trip to Pisa... I would go to Pisa

Sunday

  • Accademia
  • Museum of San Marco
  • Climb the dome

Monday

  • Bargello
  • Duomo Museum
  • Uffizi

Tuesday

  • Santa Maria Novella
  • Santa Croce
  • San Miniato Church and Piazzale Michelangelo
Posted by
349 posts

Updated because Uffizi is closed on Monday

Saturday afternoon

  • Renaissance Walk or quick trip to Pisa... I would go to Pisa

Sunday

  • Accademia
  • Uffizi

Monday

  • Bargello
  • Duomo Museum
  • Santa Croce
  • Climb the dome

Tuesday

  • Santa Maria Novella
  • San Marco
  • San Miniato Church and Piazzale Michelangelo