One Day in Florence

Twelve hours is plenty, especially if you're only shooting for one museum.

I'd do the Duomo very first. There's not much sense in climbing two things and the Duomo trumps since there isn't much to see inside while climbing the tower.

It's about a half mile from the bridge to the Duomo. Speed is up to you - - seven point three minutes if you hustle?

I've no idea who or what Bobo is nor what Mr. Steves' walking tour involves.

On the other hand, if you climb the bell tower, you get a close-up view of the Duomo's exterior.

On the other hand, if you want a close-up view of the exterior of the bell tower . . . .
On the other hand, if you want a close-up view of a church top, there's this place called Milan.
:)

We climbed Giotto's Tower so we could get great photos of the Duomo's dome in addition to Florence's skyline…plus there was no line.

The picnic lunch is a great idea, just make sure you get there before 1pm. We had the same idea and arrived right at 1pm and all of the stalls were either closed or in the process of closing.

For gelato I highly recommend Perche No! The gelato is made fresh every day. Hands down best gelato or ice cream I've ever had…and I've had a lot :)

We looked into dinner with Bobo but the reviews on Trip Advisor were way too scary. We ate dinner at Vini e Vecchi Sapori which was very close to the B&B we stayed in and had great reviews on TA, but we thought the food was terrible (and we are not picky eaters). Our favorite place was Uscio & Bottega - really small place (seating for 7-9 total) that serves meat and cheese plates, sandwiches and crostini.

Have fun in Florence!

There're lots of gelateria. My favorite is Grom, Via del Campanile 2 (at Via delle Oche). It's a small street just one block south of Piazza del Duomo. We went back there three times on our first day. You can reward yourself after your climb.
If you go to the Mercato Centrale for picnic goods, buy the Italian beef sandwich at Nerbone. It's not expensive and the sandwich is huge and tasty.
While at Piazza della Signoria, splurge and have torta della nonna at Rivoire. It's the best dessert ever, sort of like a slice of pie with toasted almonds, powdered sugar, custard and crust. It is cheaper if you stand inside instead of sitting at a table outside.
Are you really interested in art? I shutter to read that you would skip seeing the real David for a replica. Or are you going to the Uffizi just because it's on the tourist list of things to do? Have you looked into what is in the Uffizi collection? You could pick and choose the ones that you're interested in seeing to maximize your time there. Unless you book a tour, there may be long lines to get into the Uffizi and the Accademia. We booked a tour "Highlights of the Uffizi" that took an hour. That is all hubby could take. It was a company that was listed in RS' book.
If you don't want to spend too much time in a museum, there is a small museum near the Duomo (museum of the Duomo or something like that) which houses the original bronze doors of the Campanille. Close up you can see the amazing details. The ones outside are replicas.
There're not much to Ponte Vechhio. It'll take you less than 10 minutes to walk down one side and back the other. It's just lined with jewelry shops. When you get to the end of the bridge on the Florence side, look to your right for a small street running along the river. There is Carrozze another great gelateria, black cherry with mascapone. Look for a row of telephones in front of the shop.
More interesting is to walk to Santa Croce which I found to be the most beautiful church in Florence with its courtyard. And there's the leather school. There is a nearby market to buy picnic goods. We had lunch outside at Piazza Santa Croce. Vivoli is nearby and is quite famous for their gelato, but for us it was our least favorite.

As a reality check, you're not going to see "everything" in the Uffizi in 2 hours, regardless of what anyone says. Suggest you decide why you're going; if it's just to check it off your list, I'd suggest skipping it.

If there a few specific pieces you really want to see, you could probably do that in 2 hours, with luck (and a reservation). It would be a good idea to know where those pieces are before you enter the museum. In the past, galleries were somewhat chronological, but they have moved some of the art in the last few years as they opened new exhibition space. You don't mention when you're going, but most of the year, it's crowded as you move through the galleries, and it's always one-way traffic, with the longest "exit" path I've seen in a museum. (Last October, it was wall-to-wall bodies in a number of the galleries in the latter part of the afternoon on a weekday.)

Thanks so much for your thoughtful replies!! I will definitely check out Perche No and Gram....and the torta della nonna! As for Bobo's restaurant, I had only seen it on Rick's show and it looked like a great restaurant in which you can meet the owner/chef, which I would love. However, I haven't had a chance to check out the TripAdvisor reviews so I guess I will head there next.

Chun, I do like art--I took an entire class on the Renaissance in college and I'd love to see the David--but my boyfriend...not so much of an art lover. So I fear that doing both the Uffizi and the Accademia in our single day in Florence would be overdoing it for him. I'm equally as passionate about food, beautiful views, and interacting with people (as is my boyfriend), so I am striving to plan an itinerary that will strike the right balance. Sherry, the two pieces I'm most interested in seeing at the Uffizi are the Birth of Venus and Primavera. I'm sure I could spend all day there, but unfortunately we only have one day total. Chun, if we choose to visit the Accademia just to see the David, is it easy to get in and get out rather quickly? Or is it like the Vatican where you have to walk through the whole thing to get out?

I guess we will climb Giotto's Tower if we have the time! Thanks again, all!

Ah, Amy, men! Yes, I have to balance our activities to make hubby happy. Remember only one hour in the Uffizi!
We were in Florence for 5 days, so we had more time. We took the 3 hour Context Tour Michaelangelo seminar, so the tour guide took us thru the Accademia, but I think you can get to the David and out pretty quick on your own. (It's not jammed like the Vatican.) Our guide has a Ph.D in art history. She said the David was originally meant to be put up on the Campanille, so the point of view of the statue is to look up at it. And that is why the back of David is relatively unfinished.
The corridor leading up to the David is lined with his works. For me, the most spectacular were the Unfinished Slaves, even more interesting than the David. It is as if the figures were struggling to emerge from the stone. Our guide explained that Michaelangelo would make a wax model of his statue, then cover it with water. He would let out a bit of water to uncover part of the statue to use as a model to carve. Then let out more water and uncover more as he progressed.

Since your boyfriend is not into art, he might enjoy seeing the David more than going to the Uffizi. Besides, you can impress him with your expertise. Also, Michaelangelo was no starving artist, he was one of the wealthiest man in Florence. At his death, they found a chestful of ducats that would have been enough to buy the entire Pitti Palace.
Florence is very walkable. It will only take you about 20-30 mins to get to most of the major tourist sites.

Chun, I think you are right! Now I'm thinking about saving the Uffizi for my next trip to Florence and visiting the Accademia instead. I'm sure the boyfriend will enjoy that more.

I would definitely not miss out on seeing the real David in the Accademia. It is truly mind-blowing. The replica is nothing close to the real thing and has been worn down from years and pigeon poop. The real one is pristine and absolutely massive, it will actually take your breath away. For those of us here who have been lucky enough to see it multiple times, it never lets you down. Make a reservation for the museum so you don't have to wait in line and then you don't need to spend a lot of time in there. There are certainly other things to see in the museum, but on a limited amount of time, you can see the David and take a brief stroll through the remainder of the museum and move on. But to go to Florence and not see David would be a travesty! Other than that, I think your plan of Duomo first thing in the morning, followed by Rick's walking tour and then the Uffizi is good. A stroll to and over the Ponte Vecchio is a must and the Mercado Centrale is outstanding. And gelato at least twice during the day!