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The city of Florence is one of those cities I just couldn’t help but love. If you love art, like I do, you will love Florence. It has all the things you could want for main attractions in an art mecca, the Statue of David, the Duomo, and the Uffizi Gallery.

This is a great place to visit for a first-time visitor, a relatively small city with a historic center and the perfect place for art lovers. There is a lot to see here, and to truly get to know Florence you need to stay a while, but if you are limited on time, these are some of the top sites you need to check out that will give you a taste of what Florence is about.

Best time to visit

The high season in Florence is from May to July and September. July is the hottest month to visit, whereas January is the coldest. I would recommend aiming for the shoulder seasons, as high season often equates to higher prices.

Top sites for a two day Florence Itinerary

You will want to get an early start in order to make the most of your two days in Florence. I recommend grabbing an early morning coffee at a nearby coffee shop (and maybe a pastry) and get started.

Day 1

Take a walking tour

The best way to get a feel for any city is by taking a walking tour and a perfect start to your first day. You can take a guided tour that includes a lot of the stops I mention below or if you are looking for a food tour, they have those too.

You can also go on a free 2 hour walking tour if you just want to get a sense of the place before going into a deep dive of the sites.

Visit the Uffizi Gallery

I confess that part of the reason I loved this city so much is because the Uffizi gallery holds some of Botticelli’s best and most famous works. This was one of my favorite places to visit. I am a huge fan of Botticelli.  I cannot put into words the feeling I had when I entered the room dedicated to Botticelli’s work. It is a short walk from the Duomo (next on the list), so you can decide which order you want to start in.

As I walked around the room in complete awe at the shear size of Botticelli’s paintings a nice Australian couple offered me their audio guide (which you can get as an add on to your ticket) so that I could listen to the background on each of his paintings. They waited patiently as I became absorbed in Botticelli’s world. My all-time favorite painting? The Birth of Venus, how could there be any other?

This painting made my heart skip a beat and I just could not get over the shear size of this painting. I was expecting your typical art gallery sized painting, but no, this painting is 5’8″ x 9’2″!!!!! It took up an entire wall! I just couldn’t fathom someone taking the time to create such an immense piece of work, and creating it in 1484-1486 no less. It still blows me away when I think about it.

The Uffizi Gallery is worth the price of admission, just for that room alone, but there are many incredible works in the Gallery. There are also some incredible sculptures outside the gallery in a small square, which are fun to wander around while you take in the city.

Visit the Duomo and climb to the top

Next stop was the Duomo complex, another instant favorite. The official name is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del fiore and it is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is an immaculate historic building inside and out and you can climb several hundred stairs and get a view of the city from the top of the dome. Though you have to pay extra to climb those several hundred stairs for that view. It was the perfect perspective of Florence.

You can also take a guided tour of the Duomo for more of a deep dive into the history of the cathedral if you have the extra time.

Visit the Statue of David

Another one of the best things to do is see the Michelangelo’s David. There will be a long line as this is a popular attractions. It is also a short walk from the Duomo, heading north and is housed in the Accademia gallery. Because of it’s popularity, entrance is every 15 minutes and cost per adult is around 20 Euros.

You don’t need to spend a ton of time here, if your only plan is to see this one statue, but it is another gallery and worth wandering through if you have time.

Day 2

On day two, head to the other side of the Arno River across the famous bridge the Ponte Vecchio, where you can stop at the shops that have been built on the edges of the bridge, before heading to your first stop of the day. The old bridge is a great place to pick up any gifts for yourself or others (like the person watching your dog).

Boboli gardens

These incredible gardens are located directly behind Pitti Palace and were designed by the Medici family. There are beautiful fountains and grottos to explore along with the incredible plant life. It’s a nice way to spend your morning before heading further into this part of the city.

Piazzale Michelangelo

One of the best places to get the best view of Florence is at the Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s the perfect stop for a photo and a good place to stop and enjoy a moment just taking it all in.

Concluding Thoughts

Walking around this city was a first taste of what getting comfortable in one spot felt like. We casually wandered the city (all on foot of course), stopping a various restaurants, gelaterias and museums and art galleries as we saw fit. There was a sense of relaxation as there was no rush to make a train or a bus back to your hotel, you could wander all night if you saw fit. If you have a lot of time it’s a good place to stay and explore. There is just so much to see.

But if you are limited on time it’s a good idea to stay in the city center and take in these top sites. Though it will leave you wanting more. Then you can say goodbye and head for a day trip in Rome (that’s right, I said one day).