Suggestions for attached itenarary for Florence

You may be able to visit a few more churches (Orsanmichele, Santo Spirito) and other buildings, such as the Medici-Riccardi palazzo. Do you plan to see the Museo dell' Opere del Duomo, which contains many of the original works from the Duomo and Baptistry?

4 out of the 6 of us are architects...

Add Piazza Santissima Annunziata to your list. It's architecturally significant and very close to San Marco so could be passed through en route to your next attraction. Some of what I wrote about it for a review:

"It is a MUST for anyone with an interest in architecture as the master of Renaissance design, Filippo Brunelleschi, fulfilled one of his earliest commissions here: Ospedale Degli Innocenti.

This elegant building on east side of the square was built in 1419-27 with funds provided by the Florentine Silk Guild. It’s said to be the very first in Florence to implement the proportional mathematics, linear perspective, symmetry and ancient, classical Roman elements that were hallmarks of the Renaissance era: all elements of a structure working harmoniously together inside and out, and appropriately for its setting and purpose. This careful adherence to humanist principles of pleasing balance, order and beauty was carried over to painting and sculpture as well.

This piazza’s particular appeal is because Brunelleschi’s light, delicate facade and porch for the foundling home was duplicated almost exactly (100 years later) on the former monastery on the west side, and echoed again in a new facade added to the church on the north side in 1601. Other than a couple of small fountains and equestrian monument of Ferdinando I de’ Medici by Giambologna - cast in bronze from melted enemy cannons - the rest of the square is free of distractions. A look south from the center of the piazza provides another bonus: a very nice glimpse of Brunelleschi’s biggest triumph."

The last refers to the duomo's dome. Stop into the church (Basilica Della Santissima Annunziata ) if you have time? It has some lovely frescoes in the entry cloister and more works by notable artisans (Vasari, Lippi, Sarto, etc.) inside.

You probably already know that you have a really tight schedule.

It's amazing how quickly 15 minutes can go by when 6 people need to use the toilet, for example. Your timing for lunch will work if you go to really simple take-out-type places; even a sit-down pizza place might take more time than you have (when you also factor in bio-breaks and transit time).

Buy as many tickets in advance, online, as possible - that will help with your timing. Check on tickets for the Uffizi - as I recall (though it may be different now, it's been a few years since we last visited) individuals can buy advance tickets only for certain times of the day.

Enjoy!

The Bargello and the Accademia are worth much more than one hour.
I would factor in at least two to three for each.
I think you are trying to squeeze in too much; and you will have to run fast ( six of you) to get between each place for your allotted times.
You can always return on another trip !
I'm not trying to put you off, but It's better to see a few places very well, than a lot in a restricted time frame.

Your schedule looks breathtaking, you can keep it but only if you keep strict discipline and still most of your visits will be hurried.
As a general philosophy, I would prefer to skip something and let visits flow smoothly instead of running to keep a schedule, but this is your choice.
If you are architects and trying to see as much as possible, I would skip the day trip. It looks barely possible to see Siena, S. Gimignano and Pisa in the same day - basically it is a day spent on a bus with occasional short visits. - But spending more time seeing your targets in Florence and adding Palazzo Vecchio, S. Croce, S. Spirito, S. Miniato would mean, IMHO, spending your time in a significantly better way on the architectural side.

I'll agree with the others that you're trying to cram too much into too little time in Florence. For art and architectural lovers there's SO much to see that I'd recommend skipping the day trip as well. Add some more of Firenze's gems and give yourself more time for some of the attractions already on your list that deserve more than an hour!

Additionally, that day trip you have planned is badly overloaded: you just can't do all those locations in 1 day and get much of anything (but exhausted) out of them. Save those for a 2nd trip when you can give them more time!

If you skip the day trip on day 4, you can use your Firenze Card on days 2,3,4 -- not wastingit on day 1 when most things will be closed for the May 1 holiday. (Check with your hotel -- we were in Florence on May 1 last year and the Boboli Gardens were open for free!)
Cathedral and Ghiberti doors always available for viewing. Duomo Museum closed first Tuesday.
What do the Hop On Hop Off buses cover? Most of central Florence sites are in pedestrian-only areas. We only took a bus to Piazzele Michelangelo, walked every place else.

Wow..don't forget to stop and smell the roses...enjoy it the Italian way...sit in a park, piazza or at a cafe and watch the world go by for an hour or so you will be glad that you did...Even with advance tickets, you may wait on line for awhile which could cut into you tight schedule of 1 hour or so visits...I agree with others that this is a lot to see and do with a large group, perhaps cut it down a bit, or cut out the day trip.

Not sure if you are seasoned travelers, or how you do with jet lag...so the first day could be a good one to slow down the scheduling a bit...also in case of a later arrival which does happen with international air travel quite often...and public transport being on a very slow schedule due to Labor Day.....there will be marches and parades, events all over...and Italians themelves will be holiday making...so May 1st could be a good walking day...hope you have nice weather...enjoy your trip!

Thanks a lot for ur valuable inputs. We have cancelled the day trip on the 4th and are planning to do a short half day trip on the 1st. That gives us 3 full days in Florence for sight seeing. Suggestions for 1 st may trip from 2:00pm to nearby places are most welcome. Shall also be sharing my iterinary for Rome shortly as m sure ur inputs will definitely help in ensuring that we have a wonderful time in Italy. Thanks again friends!!!!

Suggestions for 1 st may trip from 2:00pm to nearby places are most
welcome

Anantsaklani, I wouldn't plan a day trip outside of Florence unless you had most of the day to do it and can leave in the morning. 2:00 PM, IMHO, is too late to get a good start. Also, where are you arriving in Florence from? Are you flying in on that day or coming from another Italian city?

One little complication? May 1 is a national holiday (Labor Day) in Italy so the kids will be out of school and the museums will be packed. Heck, it's also "Free Sunday" at the national museums so the big ones will be mobbed anyway. I would just do a walkabout in Florence and get your bearings. Get up to Piazzele Michelangelo and take in the great view, and stop into wonderful San Miniato church up there if it's open.

Editing to add: this may be a useful website for taking a look at what's going on in Florence during your visit:

https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-events/may-in-florence.html

Do be aware that you're unlikely to be able to check into your hotel at 12:00. Most check-in times are no early than 2:00 or even later, although they sometimes will allow it if they have rooms cleaned and ready. What they ARE likely to do is store your bags for you until you can return later in the day to check in.

The first day after check in may not have anything to do with architecture, but I would:

Take the bus up to Fiesole for a glass of wine and watch the sunset
Walk up to Piazzele Michelangelo to watch the sunset
Enjoy a glass of wine at sunset at one of the many rooftop bars

Soak up Florence....

Hi friends.

Worked out an itinerary for Florence that I would like to share with u. Need u to confirm if our planning is in the right direction.

May 1st ( Monday) ---- Reach from Rome at 10:40. Check in to hotel ac Firenze by Marriott. Drop off luggage in hotel cloak room and leave hotel by 12:00 noon.
Reach city centre by hop on hop off bus by 12:30 and do Rick steves renaissance walk.
12:30-1:30

Pick up lunch at go to Smn station to take shuttle to baberino outlet mall for shopping. Return to hotel after dinner

May 2nd (Tuesday) ---

Galleria academia 8:30-10:30
San Marco museum 10:45-12:30
Piazza santissima annunziate 12:30-2:00 with lunch
Medici chapel and basilica 2:00-4:00
Duomo complex 4:00-7:00
Return to hotel post dinner

May 3rd ( Wednesday) ----
Church or San Michele 8:30-9:30
Bargello museum 10:00-12:00
Lunch and relax 12:00 noon - 2:00
Uffizi galleria 2:00-5:00
Santa Croce, leather outlet, palazzo vechio + piazzale Michael Angelo (sunset).
Back to hotel post dinner.

May 4th (Thursday) -----
Santa Maria novella 8:30-9:30
Would like to do as much as possible out of the ones mentioned below:
Pitti palace and boboli gardens
Santa spirito
Medici Ricardo palazzo
Santa miniato
Dinner and head to hotel

Eagerly awaiting your kind suggestions.