Things to See and Do in Florence in 3 Days

Cradle of the Renaissance, birthplace of many outstanding artists, guardian of unique treasures

of their kind, strong in landscape views capable of conquering in every season.

Spending 3 days in Florence also means knowing how to move around a city full of places to

discover, monuments to admire and masterpieces capable of thrilling every tourist.

The city’s heritage is extremely vast and heterogeneous. This is why it becomes important to have

a sort of guide to tell us what to see in Florence in 3 days!

10 things to see in Florence in 3 days

So many points of interest can disperse our attention.

It is therefore important to identify the must-sees right away, those attractions that we cannot not visit.

Let’s discover the 10 things to see in Florence in three days:

Duomo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Baptistery and Brunelleschi’s Dome: only 500 metres away, represent the heart of the city.
- The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is Gothic, Renaissance and neo-Gothic in style. It was consecrated in 1436 and houses the busts of Giotto, Brunelleschi, Arnolfo di Cambio and Emilio de Fabris; the clock painted by Paolo Uccello; the equestrian monuments by Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno; the portrait of Dante by Domenico di Michelino.
- The Baptistery of San Giovanni is in the Florentine Romanesque style and was consecrated in 1059. The exterior is decorated with white Carrara marble and green Prato marble. Particularly important are the three entrance doors: the South Door by Andrea Pisano, the North Door and the East Gate by Lorenzo Ghiberti.
- The Campanile di Giotto (Giotto Bell Tower) is in Gothic style and was built between the 13th and 14th centuries to a design by Giotto and Arnolfo di Cambio. It boasts a height of 84.7 metres. The summit terrace can be reached by climbing up 414 steps.
- Brunelleschi’s Dome is the roof of the Cathedral, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and constructed between 1420 and 1436. It still holds the record today as the largest masonry dome masonry dome ever built;

Ponte Vecchio: 1 km from Hotel Botticelli, this is the most famous bridge over the Arno in the city. 95 metres long, it is made of pietraforte and has three spans. There are famous goldsmiths’ workshops on either side. Among the iconic features is the Corridoio Vasariano, a portion of which passes right through the elevated part of the bridge and connects Palazzo Vecchio with Palazzo Pitti;

Palazzo Vecchio: located in Piazza della Signoria, 950 metres from Hotel Botticelli, it is the symbol of the city’s power. Built between 1299 and 1314, it was the seat of the Parliament of Italy between 1865 and 1871, while today it houses municipal offices. Inside is a museum housing works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Bronzino, Vasari, Ghirlandaio and Verrocchio. Also not to be missed is its Tower, designed by architect Arnolfo di Cambio and 95 metres high. It is also one of the most important panoramic sites in the city. We can reach the crenellated lookout level by climbing 223 steps;

Uffizi Gallery: 1 km from Hotel Botticelli, it is one of the most important museums in Italy. It is divided into rooms organised according to schools and styles. A chronological order is respected chronological order is respected. Inside are works by Caravaggio, Pontormo, Titian, Giotto, Bronzino, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Durer, the world’s largest collections of Botticelli and Raphael, the most important collection of works from the Florentine Renaissance;

Brancacci Chapel: is 1.5 km from Hotel Botticelli and is inside the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine. It was frescoed by Masaccio and Masolino da Panicale and completed by Filippino Lippi. It represents one of the highest peaks of Renaissance painting;
Basilica of Santa Croce: 1.6 km from Hotel Botticelli. It was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and built between 1294 and 1385. It represents one of the greatest examples of Italian Gothic. It is the burial place of Michelangelo, Rossini, Galileo Galilei and Macchiavelli. It contains numerous works of art, by Giotto, Donatello, and Gaddi, among others;
Church of Santa Maria Novella: just 650 metres from Hotel Botticelli we find one of the most important churches in the city, consecrated in 1420, designed by Giovan Battista Alberti and built in Gothic Renaissance style between the 13th and 15th centuries. The marble façade is among the most important works of the Florentine Renaissance, while inside we admire masterpieces such as Masaccio’s Trinity, Giotto’s Crucifix, Ghirlandaio’s frescoes in the Tornabuoni Chapel;
Accademia Gallery: 400 metres away from Hotel Botticelli. Established in 1784, houses the world’s largest number of sculptures by Michelangelo, including the famous David, as well as works by Giovanni da Bologna, Jacopo da Pontormo, Sandro Botticelli, Pacino di Buonaguida, Bernardo Daddi. It also houses the Museum of Musical Instruments. Musical Instruments and the world’s largest collection of gold-ground paintings;
Palazzo Pitti: 1.4 km from Hotel Botticelli we visit this large Renaissance palace which houses several museums. Inside is the Palatine Gallery, the Treasure of the Grand Dukes, the Museum of Fashion and Costume, the Porcelain Museum, the Carriage Museum. But also the Royal Apartments, the flat of the Duchess of Aosta and the Prince of Naples. It is completed by the Boboli Gardens;
Boboli Garden: created between the 16th and 19th centuries, it is one of the most important examples of Italian garden, as well as an authentic open-air museum thanks to the numerous works of art in its perimeter. Inside are fountains, obelisks, terraces, sculptures, historical buildings.

What to visit in three days

Among the city’s strengths are its religious architecture and museum, both guardians of artistic masterpieces of international importance.

Let’s find out what to visit in Florence in 3 days:

Palatina Gallery in Florence: 1.5 km from Hotel Botticelli, the museum is inside the Palazzo Pitti Palace and is divided into 28 rooms. It boasts works by Raphael, Perugino, Titian, Caravaggio, Andrea del Sarto, Filippino Lippi, Fra Bartolomeo;
Gallery of Modern Art: 1.5 km from Hotel Botticelli, the museum is inside Palazzo Pitti and is divided into 30 rooms. It houses works created between the 18th and early 20th century. We can admire paintings and sculptures by artists such as Fattori, Rosso, Hayez, Signorini, Boldini, Pissarro, Lega and Nomellini;
Church of San Lorenzo and Medici Chapels: Only 300 metres from Hotel Botticelli we find the Minor Basilica in Renaissance style, founded as early as the 4th century and later redefined several times. The San Lorenzo complex includes the Basilica, considered one of the most important buildings of the Renaissance; the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, designed by Michelangelo; the Medici Chapels, with the Mausoleum of the Princes and the New Sacristy;
Santo Spirito Church: 1.5 km from Hotel Botticelli stands one of the most important basilicas in the city. It is in the Oltrarno district and was built between 1444 and 1487 to a design by design by Filippo Brunelleschi. Inside we admire the Wooden Crucifix by Michelangelo, the Annunciation by Pietro del Donzello, the Pietà by Nanni di Baccio Bigio, Miracles of San Fiacre and Christ and the Adulteress by Alessandro Allori.

In addition to artistic beauties, museums and historical buildings, there are a number of attractions, place not to be missed, food to be discovered.

Let’s find out what to do in Florence in 3 days:

Admire the panorama from Piazzale Michelangelo: it is the most important observation point and famous observation point in the city. It is just over 6 km from Hotel Botticelli and offers a breathtaking view of the entire breathtaking view of the entire Florentine skyline. It was designed by architect Giuseppe Poggi and can be reached by public transport line 12;
Stroll along the surrounding hills: vineyards, olive groves, villas, excavations and museums characterise the famous hilly area surrounding the city. A perfect place for trekking admiring scenic and historical beauty;
Discovering authentic local cuisine: a trip to Florence is not complete if we have not tasted dishes such as pappa al pomodoro, bistecca alla fiorentina, lampredotto, ribollita cantuccini.

What to see around Florence in 3 days

72 hours gives us the opportunity to better organise a visit to the city by choosing from the many points of interest in the historic centre, in the more suburban districts and listed in this article.

But we can also think about organising a trip out of town to reach some destinations within easy reach.

Let’s discover what to see in and around Florence in 3 days:

Villa Medicea in Poggio a Caiano: 20 km from Hotel Botticelli here is a building in the classical style with a monumental hall frescoed by artists such as Pontormo, Allori, del Sarto and Franciabigio. On the second floor is the Museo della Natura Morta;

Certosa del Galluzzo: the monastery is about 10 km from Hotel Botticelli and consists of church, refectory, chapter house, colloquium room, monks’ cells. Inside we find also numerous works of art, frescoes and a 16th-century wooden choir;
Badia a Passignano: 33 km from Hotel Botticelli. The Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo was founded around the year 1000. It is a fortified building, complete with towers and preserves numerous works, including the fresco The Last Supper by Domenico Ghirlandaio;
Certaldo: less than 50 km from Hotel Botticelli here is a village that grew out of the medieval castle Certaldum. Here we can visit the House of Boccaccio, admire breathtaking landscapes and discover typical products such as the Certaldo onion;
San Gimignano: just over 50 km from Hotel Botticelli here is a charming village famous for its towers. We visit the Duomo, the Chapel of Santa Fina, Piazza del Duomo, Musei Civic Museums, Piazza della Cisterna, Museum of Torture, Church of Sant’Agostino, Rocca di Montestaffoli.