1 day in Florence
Ciao!
I think you'll have a wonderful day in Florence no matter what you do. If you're not particularly interested in visiting museums all day, I'd actually recommend to just walk around the historical center and enjoy the views that Florence offers.
From the SMN train station, walk across the square and visit the
Church of Santa Maria Novella. You have to pay to see the inside frescoes but I think they're worth it. After that, continue toward the Duomo - visit the inside of the
cathedral and the
Baptistery across the way.
Take Via Calzaiuoli and walk to
Piazza della Signoria. Here you can enjoy the outside view of
Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's city hall for over 600 centuries, the statues outside - the David has been this position since the 15th century although what you see now is a copy - then on to
Ponte Vecchio. I am sure you will love the view. Eat great gelato at
Grom near the duomo (one street after the duomo as you go on to via Calzaiuoli, turn left - generally has a line outside). If you want really traditional local cuisine, for lunch go to
Fiaschetteria Nuvoli on Piazza dell'Olio (one street from piazza del duomo back toward the train station). It seems like a really small sandwich shop from the outside but has a small cellar downstairs where you can enjoy the day's menu of traditional Florentine dishes. I've always found the food to be delicious and at a great value.
If you feel up to the climb, you can head to
Piazzale Michelangelo to get a great view over Florence. It is especially beautiful around sunset. You can see pictures of all of Florence's main highlights at
Florence Pictures or learn more about Florence's main attractions at
Visit Florence.
