One week of exploring Florence, Italy

Oh gosh, SO much to see in Firenze for lovers of art and architecture (which I am)! Besides the Uffizi, what other 'big' sites did you visit, so we can skip suggestions for those?

A couple that come immediately to mind:
we always enjoy a mini day trip up to Fiesole - just a few miles above the city via the #7 bus from Piazza de la Liberta. There's an old Roman amphitheater that's still used for outdoor concerts in the summer, along with some other well preserved Roman and Etruscan ruins. It's just a pleasant place to wander around if the weather cooperates. If you're especially ambitious or are just up for a scenic walk thru the woods, there's a picturesque belvedere walk out to a feature called Monte Cecere - site of the world's first experimental test flight back in 1508. There are some very pretty views of the city of Florence in the valley below along the way.
An underappreciated little gem is the National Archeological museum located near the Accademia - contains one of the best exhibits of Etruscan, Roman and Greek artifacts we've seen. It makes for a pleasant alternative if you get tired of all the winged cherubs. .

Consider day trip(s) to Lucca and Pisa. So easy to get there by train.

Food: whether or not you also take a cooking class from Chef Michaele, have dinner at the restaurant at Riva Lofts. He taught at Mama Florence cooking school, where I’d taken several classes, but is now running the kitchen and teaching cooking classes at Riva Lofts. It’s an intimate place, just northwest of the very center of the city. We had dinner one night and a cooking class with lunch another day last year, after I sought him down. He’s a really top chef, and a brilliant teacher. We even came home with the recipe for his gelato, on a special laminated card.

Speaking of gelato, the standout place we discovered, and subsequently confirmed as the favorite for several residents and chefs in Florence that we spoke with, is La Sorbettiera, along one side of Piazza Tasso, in the Oltrarno neighborhood. They have unexpected flavors, along with classics.

Art: this is a top sight, but I went back last year and saw things in a new light … worth returning, even if you’ve already been. The Museo San Marco, at the Basilica San Marco just beyond the Accademia. Monks’ cells decorated by Fra Angelico, plus more of his greatest works are onsite. One of the cells has an absolutely surreal fresco, made centuries before Salvador Dali got started.

Oh, back to Food: just across the square from The San Marco Museum and Basilica, on the same street as the Accademia, is the better location of All’Antico Vinaio sandwich shop. They’re justly famous for their sandwiches, but the insane lines to get up to their location on Via del Neri make that the one to avoid. If you’re on Via del Neri, though, go 2 doors down to La Schiacciata. Outstanding sandwiches and other specialties, without wait.

Science: have you been to the Galileo Museum, right on the Arno? Besides Galileo artifacts (and some of his fingers!), there are fascinating displays on many elements of science. Also worth a return visit.

Have you been to San Miniato al Monte?

https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-churches/san-miniato.html

We stumbled across a small mosaic museum near the Accademia a few years ago. Lovely artworks via mosaics. It was very quiet and I think the four of us were the only ones there for most of the two hours we spent. Highly recommend.

Some smaller places I would recommend include Santa Maria del Carmine (Brancacci Chapel), San Marco Museum, Bargello Museum and Church of Orsanmichele

In Innsbruck, the Hofburg is quite underrated as it underwent restoration for a long time and went out of the tourist circuits, but is a sort of smaller form of the Vienna Hofburg. The Ambras castle is a bit out of the city (but now bus N has a good service), but definitely worth a look (better on a good weather day as the visit itinerary is partially outdoor).

Our goal is to stay in Florence and explore. We always seem to be “passing through”, stopping to see the major sights and heading on to others. In prior visits we’ve seen (some more than once or twice) the following; the Duomo and Baptistery, Pointe Vecchio, the Academia, the Uffizi, Pitti Palace and it’s gardens, Piazalle Michelangelo and Basilica di Santa Croce.
We really want to experience Florence, its neighborhoods, restaurants, shops and people during a slower time of year for whole the week.

Two aforementioned- San Miniato and its fabulous cemetery, Galileo Museum-I could live there!- the Giardino Bardini for views of Florence if it’s open (we liked it better than the Boboli) the Opificio delle Pietre Dure for fascinating semi precious stone works. Certainly make a stop in Basilica Santa Croce if you haven’t already.

A fun to do and it will take you all over Florence is download the map and list of the wine windows and go on the hunt!
https://buchettedelvino.org/home%2520eng/home.html
https://buchettedelvino.org/onewebmedia/EN%20FIRENZE%2021apr22.pdf

There is one well known one in the Oltrano that is still functioning. Many are not but are fun to find.

The Palazzo Davanzati is very interesting- a real palazzo with wonderful painted designs on the walls.

You can’t go wrong in Florence.

Some already mentioned and some not:
San Miniato al Monte and the attached cemetery (Porte Sante)
It's up above Piazzale Michelangelo and is a must-do. She's a very old and important lady.

Museo San Marco; definitely
Just around the corner is Piazza della SS Annunziata, probably my favorite in piazza in Florence unless it's all cluttered up for an event. On this square is Basilica della Santissima Annunziata with its wonderful "Cloister of the Votivi" frescoes by Renaissance masters. and Spedale degli Innocenti, one of the first formal foundling hospitals. The architecture is Brunelleschi's; the lovely bambini are by Andrea della Robbia. The museum - it has a nice collection - was under renovation last we were there so we didn't get to see it but it's on the list for next time!

https://www.istitutodeglinnocenti.it/en/services/innocenti-museum
https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-monuments/piazza-ss-annunziata.html

Santa Trinita: another favorite of mine for its Sassetti Chapel. The donors of the frescoes were painted as they really looked, warts and all. Pay attention to their clothing, and look for glimpses of 15th century Florence in some of the backgrounds. Yes, that's Lorenzo di Medici in "Francis Receiving the Order from Pope Honorius", and his sons, Piero, Giovanni, and Giuliano.

Santa Maria Novella

Bargello

Loggia dei Lanzi (although I'm pretty sure you've seen that one)

I'm not a fan of the Medici Chapels - too ostentatious for me, and I don't think Michelangelo's sculptures there are his best work - but some other folks are impressed. It is notable as the resting place of many members of the Medici family.

There is a small workshop museum, where you can see amazing, intricate mosaics, right in Florence. Walkable from where you are staying.

Google “ Opificio delle Pietre Dure”
It is not crowded (and at the week of Christmas/New Years Florence can be jammed).. There are mosaics side-by-side oil paintings, and you can almost not tell the difference between the mosaic and the painting. It’s truly a highlight of Europe and don’t understand how it isn’t more well known. Enjoy your trip!

That's the mosaic museum I was thinking of. I also was surprised that it wasn't recommended more or well known. A true hidden gem.

Benozzo Gozzoli chapel in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi --- really, having spent 6 weeks total in Florence, this tiny painted room remains one of my favorite things to see in the city. I skip the whole rest of the palazzo and just spend my time in this chapel.

Palazzo Davanzati

Museo Bardini itself & the view from its upper gardens

Museo Archeologico Nazionale

Ospedale degli Innocenti museum

San Miniato al Monte

Duomo museum is excellent

Baptistery interior

Take a class, like one of the wonderful Art History classes at the British Institute or one of their classes that is a tour of something in Florence --- https://www.britishinstitute.it/en/history-of-art/hoa-courses They also have a free Wednesday evening lecture that I attend every week on zoom, but you can go to one in person. You can see recordings of these lectures on youtube.

Mercato Centrale --- you can eat there, it's not just a market for raw ingredients, plus it's lively and everything is beautifully displayed.