Santa Maria del Carmine
Church in Florence, Italy.
The Brancacci Chapel, with frescoes by Masaccio and Masolino, sits behind a screen in the church; the morning slot keeps it quiet.
Morning · 45 minDay 1
Churches and a palace on the Oltrarno
Santo Spirito
Church in Florence, Italy.
The light interior takes a slow circuit; the piazza and its portico are part of the stop, not just the doorway.
Afternoon · 1 hr 30 min
Palazzo Pitti
Renaissance palace and museum in Florence, Italy.
A two-hour slot suits the palace; the courtyard and staircase are as much the visit as the rooms themselves.
Afternoon · 2 hrAll three stops sit on the same bank of the Arno, so the day moves on foot; Santo Spirito's piazza makes a natural place to sit between visits.
Day 2
Palaces, a piazza and the cathedral
Palazzo Rucellai
Palazzo.
Alberti's facade is the point of the stop; it reads best from across the narrow street rather than pressed against it.
Morning · 1 hr 30 min
Palazzo Spini Feroni
Palazzo.
The palace stands at the river end of its street, so it slips easily between the morning palazzo and the cathedral walk.
Afternoon · 1 hr 30 min
Florence Cathedral
13th-century cathedral in Florence, Italy.
Carry a shawl or a light layer to cover shoulders and knees at the door; the bronze doors of the west front reward a slow look.
Afternoon · 2 hrKeep the two palazzi for the morning and reach the cathedral after lunch, when the square is calmer.
Day 3
A tomb, a Medici palace and the synagogue
Tomb of Antipope John XXIII
Tomb monument of Baldassare Cossa created by Donatello and Michelozzo in the Baptistery, Florence, Italy.
The monument stands inside the Baptistery, not the cathedral; Donatello's gilded effigy lies at the top.
Morning · 45 min
Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Palace and museum in Florence, Italy.
Ask for the Chapel of the Magi first, before the palace rooms take the hour.
Afternoon · 2 hr
Great Synagogue of Florence
Synagogue.
The small museum at the entrance sets the building in context before the sanctuary, so give it its own few minutes.
Afternoon · 45 minThe three stops form a short loop: the tomb inside the Baptistery, the Medici palace, then the synagogue at the far end.
Day 4
Paintings, then the hilltop view
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Uffizi Gallery
Palace and art museum in Florence, Italy.
Book the morning entry before the visit; the top-floor corridor is the main spine and the fastest route through the rooms.
Morning · 2 hr.jpg?width=800)
piazzale Michelangelo
Square in Florence, Italy.
Afternoon · 45 min
San Miniato al Monte
Basilica in Florence, Italy.
A little above the square, the church keeps its own quiet; the climb from Piazzale Michelangelo takes only a few minutes.
Afternoon · 45 minLeave the ascent for the afternoon; Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato al Monte share one hill, so the two stops fold into a single walk.
Good to know
Do Florence churches need covered shoulders?
Florence Cathedral and the churches on this route ask for covered shoulders and knees. A shawl in the day bag covers everyone in turn.
Where is the best view of Florence?
Piazzale Michelangelo, reached on foot after the Uffizi, looks across the river to the cathedral dome. San Miniato al Monte sits a short climb above it.
How long to spend at the Uffizi with a family?
Two morning hours along the top-floor corridor and the Botticelli rooms is enough to hold attention before the walk up the hill.
Is the Antipope tomb worth a stop?
The Tomb of Antipope John XXIII by Donatello and Michelozzo stands inside the Baptistery and takes under an hour to see.
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