Florence Itinerary 4 days

Why does your partner need to spend $50 to see the David in the Accademia Gallery? Tickets are only 23 Euros http://www.accademia.org/buy-tickets/

We could do that, it's still approx $36 CAD, but he's mainly not interested to see David in the "flesh". My parents are signing up for a tour to see David which is $50 CAD. I am just saying we aren't decided if we will see David or not.

There are a lot of things to do in Florence even without setting foot in a museum or a cathedral. Beauty and art will be all around you just by walking in the streets. Florence is a huge open air museum and shopping mall combined. However if you can bear the sacrifice, you should enter at least a museum and a cathedral, even if just half hour. Your pricing is incorrect. Most major museums are in the €10-€20+ range. Churches are mostly free. The itinerary as you have it laid out devotes a bare minimum to Florence itself (not even 2 days), the rest you are going elsewhere. I don't see how you can think you are spending too much time there. If anything you are spending too little. Fiesole can be visited in just a few hours. I don't remember how long the bus (no.7) takes, but from my parents' house was a 15-20 min drive, so the bus won't take much longer from downtown. Try to get there before they close the Roman Amphitheater and the ruins (1/2 hour), then walk up to San Francesco (view of Florence), have dinner in Piazza Mino da Fiesole. However between Piazzale Michelangelo and Fiesole, the Piazzale should have priority. The view from there is much closer and better. Plus you should visit the San Miniato basilica, in my opinion the most beautiful church in Florence.

Thanks for the information Roberto. I certainly will visit cathedrals, something I enjoy wherever I travel. I do like museums, but I’m not sure I am interested in visiting art museums. I love wandering the streets and enjoying the architecture/beauty of the cities I travel to. We will definitely make a trip to Piazzale Michelangelo. The pricing for David is based on the Artviva tour to see David that my parents plan to sign up for – which is 36 euros.

The Accademia Museum (David's home) is small and very easy to manage, if you do decide to go. The upper floors have medieval and Renaissance religious art. There is a small gallery of musical instruments as well.

The official website for Florence state museum is https://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/index.php

In their website I see tickets for Galleria dell'accademia (David) at 8 euro + 4 euro reservation. All other websites are resellers making a sizable margin from ticket resales.

Florence has some science museums also, notably, the Museo Galileo.

You don't need a guide or a "tour" to visit David in the Accademia Gallery. You walk in via the entrance make a couple of turns and there's the enormous David stand right in the center. It is rather breathtaking. Purchase your "timed" ticket directly from the link I gave you earlier. No need to pay extra.

If your husband considers churches and palaces to be art, you may be spending too much time in Florence.

We really enjoyed the Chianti Tour which we took with Tuscan Trails in late April of 2014. Great wine tastings and scenery. Lunch, with more wine, is included. While not inexpensive, it was a great value for money.

http://www.tuscantrails.com

I totally agree with Tim. No tour is needed to see the David. Do buy your tickets on line in advance for a day/time to enter so you can "skip" the line. Bone up on information before hand, search the web, bring printed info and read that to your parents - you can be the guide.

I took my daughter several years ago, it was on her "bucket list". We are not art people, but it's amazing to see the real statue in person. We wandered in, went right up to the David, then walked through the little side museum and walked out. Entire time in the building 30-45 min.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think maybe I will go see David and get us tickets beforehand and be our own "guide".

Unless I missed it, no one's mentioned that there is a full-size replica of David in the Piazza della Signoria. That's where David was originally, then he was moved indoors to protect him from the elements (bonus - sell tickets for big bucks) and the replica was made. While it's not the same thing, it's pretty close and it's free. Take a few minutes to look at the other nearby sculptures - most are originals.

My suggestion would be to take a walk through the Bobboli gardens, bottom to top. Great views, few people.

I can't imagine going to Florence and not seeing the original David -- But apparently your partner can and so should follow his heart here. It is frankly insane to pay 50 for a tour to see this when you can book reserved tickets yourself for less. What is to tour? But in an otherwise expensive trip, not to see one of the world's greatest pieces of art because it costs a few bucks would be IMHO a questionable choice. The David, the Pieta at St. Peters and the Moses in Rome are the three greatest works of Michelangelo and stunning to see in their originals. People should do what they want to do in their travels, but entrance fees should not be the driver, but interests.

A couple of sites we visited on our first trip to Florence 30 plus years ago were Palazzo Davanzati and Musee San Marco. The first is a restored Renaissance home which is pretty interesting; it was closed for renovation for years and was open last time we were there. The Musee San Marco is the monastery where Savanorola reigned in Florence before being burned at the stake. Fra Angelico painted devotional pictures in each of the monks' cells and there is a more elaborate painting in the cell of Savanarola and the one used by the Medici when they visited. There is a famous and fabulous annunciation painted over the stairs. It is a lovely place which is now run as a museum rather than being a monastery. It is on San Marco square close to the Academia where David is displayed and tends to close early so visit it in the morning and then perhaps have lunch at the bakery/cafeteria across from it on the square. There is a good granita place nearby as well.

LOL. My first time in Florence more tha 30 years ago as poor backpacking university student on $20/day budget, i could not afford ticket to see the real David. Finally saw it last year. As suggested above, book directly with official site www.b-ticket.com for cheapest ticket price €8 + €4 reservation fee. We did not pre-book because we had an uncertain schedule on the day of arrival and lined up for a very reasonable block and a half 30 minute wait line-up. The Accademia is not very large and probably 50% of the tourists go in take a couple photos of the David and then leave.

The Piazza della Signoria is probably my favourite piazza in Italy. Probably because 30 years ago, i spent at least an hour admiring the replica David before somebody told me where the real one was. Lots of other beautiful sculptures, nice buildings and fountain in the piazza. Great place to people watch and to eat gelato. The Uffizi is next door with great paintings, but if you are not into art, bypassing it will free up a ton of time for other things. But if you do want to tour the Uffizi, pre-book your tickets because this is a really busy one.

The Duomo is famous and is free to enter. If you buy the €15 ticket, you can see 6 related attractions including climbing to top of the Duomo or the Bell Tower (we did both, I suggest to do one or the other to save on waiting and climbing for more or less the same view. Pick the shortest lineup, usually the tower). You can also see the crypt, cathdral, museum and the baptisry on the same ticket.

There are other churches, piazzas and of course the bridges to see. There are street markets. Florence is known for its pricey leather, Santa Croce and Lorenzo Street (near a very modern Cental Market; labels say "made in florence" but i bet that is where the label was made). Lots of crypts if you are into famous dead guys. Cross the river and see the palace or go up the hill to see the view of the city. Google "Medici" and you will have planty of things to see. More than enough to fill all four days, but selected major sites are doable in a day, if you are doing Siena and a "Tuscany tour" on the other days and are in a rush.

I actually find Florence more enjoyable than Rome. So much to see and experience in a very short walkable area. Everything in Rome is just bigger and more spread out. In Rome, you need to know how to take a taxi, Metro or bus in the city. In Florence, i have no idea because i have never had a need.

One little known free attraction about one block from the train station: Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. Google it.