Florence must sees

Hi Liz -
Yikes! I can't imagine "doing" the Uffizi, Accademia and Duomo in three hours! Better have your running shoes on! :O)

Instead of giving you a list - as everyone's must-do list will be different - maybe it's better if you give us an idea of the sorts of things you're interested in? For instance, oodles of art may not be your thing? If so, I'd skip the Uffizi entirely. As not everything wonderful in Florence requires a pass, there are all sorts of other things to suggest depending on what you're looking for. Architecture? Beautiful views? History? Street culture?

The 72-hour, 72-euro Firenze Card could be a convenience if you want to pop in and out of many museums, but not likely to save money in 1.5 days. We lean toward making separate reservations for the Accademia and Uffizzi at http://www.uffizi.firenze.it/en/musei/tutti.php. It doesn't take terribly long to see the highlights of the Accademia or the inside of the Duomo, but would be nice to have a couple of hours just in the Uffizi, which the tour might not give you (or does it end at that museum?). If you don't have Rick's guidebook, see his prioritized list of attractions at http://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/florence under At A Glance and also Audio Tours linked on the same page. My favorite of the 2-star listings are the San Marco Museum/monastery and the Medici Chapels (not Medici Palace). The Duomo Museum is all or partly closed through 2015.

i have a must-see for you. Take at least one of the three Hop On Hop Off bus routes. These buses line up across the street in front of SMN train station.

The Hostess will give you a map, showing the routes. These are macro routes full of history and famous people and places, and scenes of breathtaking beauty as the buses drive up into Hills and Forests around Firenze.

You can stay on the bus or get off at sites you want to explore, and then get back on as you wish. Buses return to SMN.

I don't want to give anything away, just to say that there are many surprises along the routes that will enchant and entertain you.

http://www.visitflorence.com/itineraries-in-florence/two-days-in-florence.html

Hahahah! No offense, but obviously your travel agent has never tried to do those three things in one day! I've spent weeks in Florence, and I will tell you that you will have to run through all of these sites and stil maybe not get them all in in a day! Three nights (2 1/2 days) will not do the city justice, so just pare it down to what your specific interests are. It's a Very Walkable city, but that's just way TOO much!

If it were me, and it were a Honeymoon, and with the wine tour which will take a half day, I think I'd just relax and enjoy the incredibly beautiful Piazzas and walk across the Ponte Vecchio and have a drink and dinner at Golden View Open Bar -- at a table by the window overlooking the Arno River. Take the bus up the hill to the Piazza Michelangelo for a sunset view of all of Florence at the beautiful Piazza while sipping wine and exchanging kisses! Maybe I'd work in a trip to the Accademia to see the 'real' statue of the magnificent David and Michelangelo's unfinished works. This is a two hour place, unlike the Ufuzzi which can and should take a half day! (Make a reservation for the Accademia so you don't waste time standing in line!)

Stroll through the Piazza Della Signoria -- at NIGHT! Sit down and have a glass of wine or two and the acapella opera singer(s) will sing and the fountains will be lit and so very, very charming. For God's Sake, indulge in a Bisteca Florentina -- at one of the many restaurants which specialize in it -- it will be the Very Best Steak you've ever had!! You will share one, it will be what we call here in the U.S. a "Porterhouse" it will be served rare, don't bother arguing, order two sides to share........and they will also decide how much you need! Don't worry, you will not be 'overserved' the beef. The wine maybe, but not the beef!

What I'm trying to say is: Please don't schedule every minute. Florence is to be enjoyed and inhaled!

The Russians say, "we don't EAT caviar, we ENJOY Caviar" Great advice -- this is your honeymoon. Don't run from place to place!

You need a different travel agent. And I would not take one of her company's tours.

Take a deep breath, look at the site Roberto provided, and enjoy Florence. Look at any of the RS videos on Florence, it will help you make some decisions.

As for the ho-ho bus, I prefer just to walk. Florence's historic center is very compact. You can download a walking tour and be on your way, stopping where you want. Your hotel can help if you want to book a tour.

Straight advice from Donna and Zoe, and the others on this thread.
3 hours to "do" the Uffizi, Duomo, and Accademia. Hmmmm....

Thank you all for your advice. We are coming from Venice (no tours there...just doing random, relaxing, romantic things). I think our travel agent suggested this tour to get an overview of each place, not to necessarily spend all the time needed but to see the highlights. The tour ends at the Accademia so we would be able to spend more time there. My fiancé is an artist/photographer so visiting some museums is a must! The Medici church, home, etc sounds interesting to us as well. After Florence we head to Sorrento for 5 nights (pompeii, climbing Mt. Vesuvius, Capri, private driver for Amalfi Coast, and a honeymoon relax day to roam the coast), and then we go to Rome for 4 nights to complete our 15 day trip! So we def have relax days in our trip. Florence and Rome we are looking forward to being busy! I have the Rick Steves 2013 italy book, but I'm thinking I should upgrade! Any advice after hearing all this is welcome! Thanks again!

Thank you all for your advice. We are coming from Venice (no tours there...just doing random, relaxing, romantic things). I think our travel agent suggested this tour to get an overview of each place, not to necessarily spend all the time needed but to see the highlights. The tour ends at the Accademia so we would be able to spend more time there. My fiancé is an artist/photographer so visiting some museums is a must! The Medici church, home, etc sounds interesting to us as well. After Florence we head to Sorrento for 5 nights (pompeii, climbing Mt. Vesuvius, Capri, private driver for Amalfi Coast, and a honeymoon relax day to roam the coast), and then we go to Rome for 4 nights to complete our 15 day trip! So we def have relax days in our trip. Florence and Rome we are looking forward to being busy! I have the Rick Steves 2013 italy book, but I'm thinking I should upgrade! Any advice after hearing all this is welcome! Thanks again!

Also, I think our travel agent suggested this overview tour so we would skip lines.

Sounds wonderful!!! Forgive the lecture please. The Medici shouldn't be missed if you have the time and the new Hubby will love it! I still think the tour would be a bit much, but you guys are young!!! Have a great trip. OH, 'google' Santa Croce church. Florence's favorite sons are all buried there, and there's an attached leather manufacturing....I HATE to call it a factory, but there are leather artists in there hand making handbags (The Queen of England, Nancy Reagan and other famous girls have them) and also wallets, briefcases and desk sets (Dwight D. Eisenhower's was from here). But still, take a moment and enjoy Florence!!

Liz,

I echo the others... 3 hours to visit the 3 major attractions is definitely not possible.

You will figure it out once you're actually there & realize that we tried to warn you... ;-)

Anyway, you must eat the best gelato in Florence from Vivoli Gelateria, it's on a back street near Santa Croce Church.

Happy Honeymoon!

The tour was def not meant to see everything at each place in 3 hours. It was an overview of each place. I read the Duomo museum will be closed? Im def not set on doing the tour and listening to all your advice and appreciate it. I've read a lot in Rick's book. Nervous on doing things on my own being that I've never been there. He makes it seem so easy! No disasters on this HM! Nothing but love :-)

"Nervous on doing things on my own being that I've never been there. "
A wise policy.
Things in Florence will take longer than you think.
And will be more mind-blowing than you think.
Give yourself the gift of time, to savor the experience.
That's why you're going, (right)?

Right up the street from the Accademia is the Museum of San Marco. It's small, unique, your husband might really enjoy it and it can be thoroughly visited in an hour.

To skip lines, get your tickets in advance, you will need them for only the Uffizi and Accademia. Go to their websites or perhaps your hotel can help. Still security lines but your guided tour can't move you through those any faster anyway.

Thank you all! I think we are just going to get reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia on our own and skip the tour. Especially if those are the only places that reservations are required. I am thinking it is going to be pretty busy in July :)

I know there is the Church of San Lorenzo, Medici Chapels, and the Medici-Riccardi Palace. Anyone recommend one place over the other?

Just a note here as I see your husband is a photographer? The no-photo rules in the Italian State Museums (the Uffizi, Accademia, Medici Chapels, Convento San Marco are four of those) were changed this past year: it's now allowed but no flash and no tripods. Worth the mention as many guidebooks and Italian tourism websites haven't been updated with that information yet!

City or privately owned attractions may have different rules but in any case, the guidelines will be clearly posted at the entrances.

San Marco (the Fra Angelicos) is wonderful: a must-see on any artist's list. Very nearby is one of the loveliest little piazzas in Florence: Piazza Santissima Annunziata. It's well worth a walk-through on your way to or from San Marco - should you do that one - for a glance at Brunelleschi's Ospedale Degli Innocenti with its famous Della Robbia bambini. The church there is lovely as well (free to visit) and has some wonderful frescos by Lippi, Sarto and other Italian artists of note. From that square, look down the street for an interesting view of the Duomo.

Just my IMHO but we found the exterior of the Duomo to be far more impressive than the interior, and it shoots well at night. The interior of the Baptistry made a greater impression.

Church of San Lorenzo, Medici Chapel and palace are all worthwhile if you have time. My preference would be San Lorenzo, Chapel, then palace, but I would put the church of Santa Maria Novella above all three.

I have never forgotten the incredible Masaccio fresco of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise in the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine. My husband and I were young (on a pre-baby trip) and spent 3 glorious days wandering around Florence, but that fresco haunts me to this day. It will be tops on my list when we are there this summer, now with our 19 and 16 year old kids! That trip we missed the Uffizi and the Accademia and still thought Florence was the most glorious place we'd ever been. Too bad about the Duomo museum, that is another gem.
Rachel