Florence & Pisa 5-day Itinerary
Italy
Where to go and what to see in Florence to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Nicky Swallow.
Bucket list experience:
Completed in 1436, this multi-colored marble megalith is crowned with one of the marvels of the Renaissance world; Brunelleschi’s vast double-shelled dome – built without scaffolding – was a breathtaking feat of engineering.
If time is short, skip the cathedral’s barn-like interior and visit the dome (463 steps) and Giotto’s magnificent bell tower (414 steps).
Head across the road to the Cathedral Works Museum to see Michelangelo’s Pietà along with sculptures from the Duomo’s façade and the original bronze doors of the Baptistery.
The octagonal, Romanesque Baptistry is thought to date from the Dark Ages making it one of the oldest buildings in the city. It’s famous for its three sets of ornate bronze doors made by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti: the originals are in the Cathedral Works Museum.
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Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
Italy
Where to go and what to see in Florence to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Nicky Swallow.
Italy
Where to go and what to see in Florence to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Nicky Swallow.
The Duomo is a 10-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella train station.
To circumvent the inevitable long queues, book a tour (group or individual), or you can book to see different combinations of the buildings you’re interested in (museum, dome, bell tower, baptistery and the crypt of Santa Reparata). There are also audio guides available at an audio guides desk inside the cathedral.
The cathedral is open all year round, seven days a week. Different elements open at different times of the day. If you’re pre-booking, go in the early morning or early evening when views are at their most spectacular.
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.3 miles]
A historic hotel well-deserving of its five-star status, the Helvetia & Bristol enjoys a fabulously central location and offers sumptuous rooms, bags of atmosphere and top-notch service.
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Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.4 miles]
This elegant guest house offers warm hospitality and an atmosphere of genteel ‘Old Florence’ steps from Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery.
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Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.5 miles]
One of Italy’s first boutique hotels offers sophisticated interiors, a club-like atmosphere and top-notch service in the heart of Florence.
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Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.5 miles]
Cool, edgy Ferragamo-owned design hotel by the Ponte Vecchio in the heart of the city – the perfect base for sightseeing.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Tuscany, Italy
A heady mix of incomparable Renaissance art, gorgeous palazzos, Tuscan cuisine and home-grown haute couture.
Tuscany, Italy
The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.1 miles]
The octagonal, Romanesque Baptistery, thought to originate in the Dark Ages, is one of Florence’s oldest buildings. It is famous for its three sets of ornate bronze doors although the ones you see today are copies (the originals are in the Cathedral Works Museum).
Best for ages: 18+ | £4
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.3 miles]
An eclectic, world-class collection of sculpture, decorative arts and Renaissance masterpieces, housed in a former fortified prison.
Best for ages: 18+ | £6
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.4 miles]
Dresses to impress at this museum dedicated to 90 years at the forefront of fashion. Admire gowns worn to the Oscars, along with oddities such as Gucci bicycles, sledges and scuba-diving fins.
Best for ages: 8+ | £6
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.5 miles]
One of Florence’s two big-name art museums, home to a world-class collection of 14th- and 15th-century art, and Michelangelo’s iconic masterpiece David.
Best for ages: 18+ | £10
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.1 miles]
This traditional Easter festival sees a towering cart laden with fireworks pulled through the city by white oxen accompanied by a procession of flag throwers and drummers in colourful Renaissance garb. In Piazza del Duomo, a mechanical dove swoops down from the cathedral to light the blue touchpaper.
Best for ages: 10+ | Free | 1 day
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.3 miles]
Benozzo Gozzoli’s glorious fresco depicting the Procession of the Magi dates from 1459 and covers the tiny ‘Cappella dei Magi’ in Palazzo Medici-Riccardi. Painted in brilliant jewel colours, it shows a procession of richly-attired kings, knights and servants travelling through a fairytale rural landscape.
Best for ages: 18+ | £6
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.4 miles]
This 16th-century palazzo is home to one of Italy’s most innovative public art galleries. Rotating exhibitions showcase artists as diverse as Jeff Koons, Ai Wei-Wei and Bill Viola and Bronzino, Donatello and Pontormo. The ‘Strozzino’ gallery in the basement focuses on contemporary art and peripheral cultural events.
Best for ages: 18+ | £13
Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.4 miles]
This imposing palace on Piazza della Signoria has been at the centre of power in Florence since its construction in 1299 and still functions as the town hall. Now partly a museum, its sumptuously decorated rooms reveal magnificent frescoes, coffered ceilings and hidden chambers. Book skip-the-line tickets online here.
Best for ages: 18+ | £8
Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.