Florence in one day: sample itineraries

Sometimes occasion has it that travellers have only one day to spend in Florence. While we hope this is not the case for you, and we also don't encourage this, we are providing a few one-day itineraries that we think are valid approaches to the city. Travellers staying longer might use these as starting points for planning their own trips, or combine these to plan a longer stay.

The goal of these itineraries is to get a good feel for the city as it was during the late medieval or renaissance periods. Don't be shocked: you might want to skip the uffizi! Read along with a good guide book like the Blue Guide.

Itinerary #1- compact route (duomo-san lorenzo- santa maria novella) but lots to see!
MORNING
-Start in piazza del Duomo (aka Santa Maria del Fiore) - If you're arriving by train this is just a short walk (10 minutes slowly) from the main station of Santa Maria Novella (FI-SMN).
-Go inside the Baptistery: it has amazing mosaics and if you're not going to ravenna, you will never see anything else like it. The lines aren't long.
-Have a snack at a bar to keep you going... then...
-Head to the Museo dell'opera del duomo, which is just behind the duomo. It contains sculpture made for the duomo complex but that has been taken down over time, including important works by Donatello. In the courtyard there are the original gilt bronze doors for the baptistry by Ghiberti (the copies are outside). Upstairs, take time to compare the two amazing CANTORIE, architectural sculptural pieces from the 1430's by Donatello and Luca della Robbia.
LUNCH
Then have lunch at Mario's in the san lorenzo area, or for something lighter, go to Chiaroscuro, a bar on via del corso with good primi.
AFTERNOON
-Church of San Lorenzo by Brunelleschi, with the old sacristy - both examples of Brunelleschi's "modular" architecture system.
-Medici Chapels with scupture and architecture by Michelangelo
-Shopping in San Lorenzo market (the outside portion that sells leather etc. is open all day)
-Browse your way through the market and back out towards the train station, in order to go to the church of Santa Maria Novella (left of station). Here, look at Masaccio's Trinity (a masterpiece of perspective), the high chapel with delicate portraits of 15th century florentines by Ghirlandaio, and the chapel to its right by Filippino Lippi. If you have time, don't just see the inside of this church, but also go to the annexed "Spanish Chapel", accessed through a gate on the left side of the facade (separate entrance), with a complex 14th century allegorical fresco cycle.

Itinerary #2 - mendicant friars on a saturday
If you've been to florence and seen some of the major hits before, try this more unique program that focuses on the mendicant orders of religious, which arose in the late 13th century. These friars - not monks - were religious whose prime function was to go out and preach, in the vernacular, to the people.
MORNING
Start at the church of Santa Croce, quite possibly the largest Franciscan church in Italy. Started in the 1290's, it contains a superb chapel (Bardi Chapel) by Giotto, an artist who so early on (1305) understood how to show people in space, and emotion. Also worth looking at are the stories of the Life of the Virgin in the Rinuncini chapel (in the sacristy) and Baroncelli chapel (now under restoration), whose colourful and complex forms will dazzle you.
SNACK: at the world famous gelateria VIVOLI's (via storta), which also has fine pastries and cappuccino.
WALK: walk up past the back of the uffizi and stop to look at the palazzo della signoria, which was begun by the same architect as santa croce; head over to the river, and walk along it, to...
THE church of Santa Maria Novella (left of station). This is the important DOMINICAN church that was established in direct contrast to santa Croce. Dominicans have a different, less friendly artistic style than the FrancHere, look at Masaccio's Trinity (a masterpiece of perspective), the high chapel with delicate portraits of 15th century florentines by Ghirlandaio, and the chapel to its right by Filippino Lippi. If you have time, don't just see the inside of this church, but also go to the annexed "Spanish Chapel", accessed through a gate on the left side of the facade (separate entrance), with a complex 14th century allegorical fresco cycle.
Head into the San Lorenzo Market area and have lunch at BONDI (see food page) or MARIO's.
AFTERNOON: (only open saturday afternoon; otherwise this is open mornings) Then go to
the convent of SAN MARCO to see frescos painted by Fra Angelico for the 15th-century Dominicans. (We're seeing this last because it's chronologically later). The chapter house has a large fresco comparable to the one you saw in the Spanish chapel. The cloisters lead you to the cells upstairs, where each cell (which would have been very sparcely furnished) is painted with a single fresco for the friars' contemplation.

Itinerary #3 – Uffizi and some family palaces
Combine one of the world’s most famous galleries (a tiring affair) with a stroll around shops, palaces and family chapels nearby. Timing on this Itinerary will depend on your entry time for the Uffizi. During most months of the year, reservations are necessary in order to avoid waiting in line for hours. (Call Firenze Musei, 055 294883).
Visit the following:

• Uffizi Gallery – with works in chronological order, including Cimabue, Giotto, Lorenzo Monaco, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Filippo and Filippino Lippi, Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Vasari and Titian.
• Palazzo Davanzati (open mornings, entry is free) – a family home from 1330
• Near the Porcellino Market (rub the statue’s snout for good luck), have a break at Café le Logge
• Via Tornabuoni – luxury brand name stores
• Palazzo Rucellai (from outside only, via della vigna nuova) – family palace from the mid 15th century, designed by Alberti
• Church of Santa Trinità – contains an important family chapel (for the Sasseti family) with frescoes by Ghirlandaio.