Florence itinerary check - May 1-3 including free Sunday!

Slash half of these planned destinations. You are WAY over-subscribed! Every place you mention will take much longer than you anticipate - particularly if you want to not just see, but SAVOR what you are seeing.

Example:

Uffizi (first thing, all morning)
Palazzo Vecchio
Santa Croce Basilica
Late afternoon Shopping

NO. How about this?

Uffizi (first thing, all morning)
Palazzo Vecchio
Late afternoon glass of wine somewhere (mom loves wine)

Another example:

Medici chapel (our apt is next door)
Bargello
Pitti Palace (walk over by Vasari Corridor if possible)
Boboli and Bardini gardens
San Miniato basilica

Ummmm... how about this?

Medici chapel (our apt is next door)
Pitti Palace (walk over by Vasari Corridor if possible)
Boboli and Bardini gardens

... and then you might have time to eat a thing! And have a coffee or a wine! And take a bathroom break!

Florence isn't large and things are pretty close together, but all of the locations you mention are soooooo rich with things to see and experience that I think you are going to really short change everything by rushing through so much.

As Rick himself often says, "assume you will be back."

Hope you have a lovely time!

Thx for your advice Volva. It does feel like I’m trying to fit in way too much, agreed on that. I’ll add that for us our ‘must sees’ are Accademia, Duomo and Uffizi (like everyone else in Florence). The other museums and basilicas were if time allows and my daughter and I might split up in the day too (e.g. she’s more interested in the Uffizi than Palazzo Vecchio so she might stay there longer than I would and I might go to the Palazzo alone, similarly for Santa Croce basilica she might go shopping instead). Any thoughts on the Vasari Corridor on the free Sunday? Worth it if we have to line up at Uffizi? Since we’ll be booking Uffizi for Saturday morning we don’t really need to return there other than the Vasari Corridor if it’s worth it. Also this itinerary doesn’t allow us see Michelangelo’s secret room in the Medici chapel (it will be closed on the free Sunday) - has anyone seen that and is it worth considering? Daughter says it’s not a top must see for her…but since we’re staying next door to it it’s not too difficult to move our visit to another day to allow for it either…

Yes I’m sure we’ll need a return visit to Florence no matter what… pretty much everywhere in the world really…thx for sharing your thoughts. Maria

mariart, I don't think Michelangelo's Secret Room is a possibility for you as the only day/time showing tickets still available on your dates is Monday May 4th at 18:00 PM, and there's only one ticket left. You also may not be back from your day trip by that time.

Aside from that - and being an art geek like you - I'd consider skipping the Boboli Gardens on May 3rd. They're VAST, and San Miniato is, IMHO, more important so I'd be sure to include that one. I wasn't personally a fan of the Medici Chapels - too over-the-top opulent for my tastes - or the Michelangelo sculptures in the New Sacristy but then, I think his depictions of the female form too often look oddly like body builders with pasted-on melons. HA! The Vasari Corridor is devoid of art, if that makes a difference whether to do it or not?

May 2nd looks fine.

May 1 will be a stretch depending on how much time you expect to spend at each. I''d think about skipping the dome climb; you'll get a nice view from San Miniato without puffing up 463 steps in an enclosed space! 🥵 I'm happy to see that you have San Marco on your list; we loved that one. Wish you had time for a quick look at Ghirlandaio's frescoes in Santa Trinita.

https://www.feelflorence.it/en/points-interest/chiesa-di-santa-trinita