We'll be staying in Castellina in Chianti for four nights on an upcoming trip to Italy and will be devoting one well-organized day to the city of Florence. Other than reservations to see the David at 12:30 -- we have nothing set in stone. Any recommendations on "must-see" things, timing, etc. We'll be driving there in the morning and are ready to spend the entire day.
Thanks!
There's a problem with driving into the Florence historic center, much discussed here
read this discussion of why you probably don't want to drive a rental car into the historic center of Florence
Many travelers have decided to avoid the hassles and drive to the nearest train station and take the train into Florence. There are a few day parking lots located outside the dreaded ZTL zones, but these are difficult to locate and must be approached carefully from the non-ZTL direction in order to avoid the big fines.
Many of us have given up driving into Florence, have bitten the bullet and now take the train to Florence.
Take the train...seriously.
For your Florence itinerary--I did Florence in one busy day in December and we fit in: Santa Maria Novella, Duomo & Bapistry, lunch, Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi, Accademia (for David), and dinner. We tried to fit in San Marco but it closes early. Things in Florence do tend to run on a weird schedule, so I'd recommend verifying opening/closing times if you can (and even then they don't always stick to them!)
If you want to see the Uffizi, reserve. I liked Santa Croce (I saw it on a return visit to Florence) but it's pretty heavily damaged from floods. On the other hand, that's where Galileo, Michaelangelo, Machiavelli and others are buried. Bargello has sculptures while San Marco has frescos.
Must-see depends on whether you are more interested in art, history, churches, or just wandering around and seeing the city.
Listen to Kent. He knows his stuff. Don't drive into Florence. The city center is pretty much off limits to anyone who doesn't live or work there. It might be different if you were staying at a hotel in the city center, but as a day visitor you should leave the car behind and take the train. The fines for driving into the ZTL are steep and can come up to a year after you get home. Liz is pretty much spot-on for the sights you may want to see. It's a shame that you have not allotted more time for Florence. I would take a couple of hours to see the Uffizi (reservations recommended). You will want to see the Duomo and Baptistry. The Santa Maria Novella church is right across from the train station, so that would be convenient if you came by train. The Santa Croce church is undergoing renovations, but you can still see Galileo and Michelangelo's tombs, and there is a leather school there with pricey handmade leather goods for sale. It might also be worthwhile to see the Medici Chapel at the Basilica of San Lorenzo located between the Duomo and the train station. Check hours of operation for these sights as many close at 5 p.m. or shortly thereafter.
I agree the driving can be a bit tricky in Florence, but as long as you stay outside the "center" you are fine. You can drive in directly to a garage, like the one at Piazza Beccaria, and walk everywhere you want to go from there. Stop up at the Piazzale Michelangelo on the way in or out.
View Larger Map
I agree the driving can be a bit tricky in Florence, but as long as you stay outside the "center" you are fine. You can drive in directly to a garage, like the one at Piazza Beccaria, and walk everywhere you want to go from there. Stop up at the Piazzale Michelangelo on the way in or out.
View Larger Map
As for the rest of you day, just walk the streets and hit the main squares - there is so much to see in Florence. The duomo is a free entrance - but just about anything else you will have to pay for so you may want to plan in advance.
We stayed in Greve in Chianti and did the same thing (one day in Florence) My husband and I had been to Florence before and spent the day out biking in the vineyards. But my sister and her husband did what you are planning to do and had a great day. The key is organization. They had reservations for the Uffizi when it opened. They had reservations for "David" for about the time you do. They also managed to get to several outdoor markets, The Pitti palace, the Michealangelo plaza with the great views of Florence, the Duomo, and more. Read up and map out a flexible day that prioritizes what you want to see most. I highly recommend the outdoor markets and a little wandering and taking in the charm of Florence (while eating some gelato, of course) Do take the bus in. It is inexpensive and drops you right by the train station. We got up really early and were in Flornece by 7:30 to eat pastries before our big day. Be sure you check out where you go to catch it home (it is a little tricky since it is on the other side of the train station and you have to go into this huge garage to get on the bus) Also, be aware of when the last bus leaves-We caught a 7:30 bus, but I think they left up until 8:30. If you have a car, you could drive to Greve where there is free parking and catch the bus there. That would cut down on the amount of time on the bus (it is an hour plus to Florence from Greve) Have a great time.
