3 Days in Florence: A Day-by-Day Plan with One Day Trip (2026)

With 3 days in Florence, you can see the Duomo, David and the Uffizi. You can also leave the city for a day. The trick is to plan by area and by closing day. So this plan gives the first two days to the two halves of the historic center. Then it offers four day-trip options for the third. It also lists what to book and how far ahead.

Last updated: September 27, 2026

3 days in Florence at a glance

In short, each day stays inside one area. As a result, you spend your time looking at Florence rather than crossing it. Only have one day? Then read our plan to visit Florence in 1 day instead. Prefer a guide for everything? Then our guide to the best tours in Florence for a first visit compares the formats. This page, by contrast, is the do-it-yourself plan for three days. For the wider city, see our Florence travel guide.

What to book before your 3 days in Florence

In fact, only a few things need a booking. Still, those few decide how your 3 days in Florence flow. Below is the list, with the rules the official sites give.

First, the dome. The official Duomo price page lists the Brunelleschi Pass at €30 (checked September 2026). It covers the dome, the bell tower, the museum, the Baptistery and Santa Reparata. In addition, the Duomo FAQ says a pass cannot be changed, canceled or refunded. The three-day validity starts on your dome date. So book the dome first and build day 1 around it. Our Florence Duomo tickets guide compares the three passes.

Next, David. The Accademia visitor page lists a full ticket at €16 plus a €4 booking fee (checked September 2026). It also says reservations are highly recommended, because the wait can be long. Then the Uffizi. Its ticket page lists €25 for a same-day ticket and €29 booked in advance (checked September 2026). Also, from 4 p.m. the ticket drops to €16. See our Uffizi tickets guide and our Accademia Gallery guide for the details.

The Monday rule for 3 days in Florence

Above all, check which weekday your trip starts. The Uffizi and Palazzo Pitti open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and close on Mondays (checked September 2026). The Accademia also closes every Monday. However, the dome stays open on weekdays. So if your 3 days in Florence include a Monday, use it for the Duomo or for the day trip.

Day 1 of 3 days in Florence: the Duomo, David and San Lorenzo

Start in Piazza del Duomo, because the dome has the strictest slot. According to the Duomo opening hours page (checked September 2026), the dome runs Monday to Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. On Saturday it ends at 4:30 p.m., and on Sundays and holidays it runs from 12:45 to 4:30 p.m. (last slots). So a weekday morning slot works best.

Morning: the dome climb

The Brunelleschi Pass page warns that the climb has 463 steps and no lift (checked September 2026). Also, only five minutes of delay are allowed, and staff check an ID. Afterward, the cathedral interior is free, Monday to Saturday from 10:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Then use the rest of the pass for the Baptistery and the museum, or save them for day 2. For a guided climb, see our page on a Florence Duomo dome climb.

Afternoon: David at the Accademia

After lunch, walk about ten minutes north to the Accademia for your David slot. The museum opens from 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m., with last admission at 6:20 p.m. (checked September 2026). Want context? Then compare our page on an Accademia and David tour. Alternatively, a Florence walking tour with David and the Duomo combines both sights of day 1.

Evening: San Lorenzo and dinner

Finally, loop back through the San Lorenzo area, with its leather stalls and the covered Mercato Centrale. Then eat nearby. For ideas, see our guide on where to eat in Florence. Rather eat with a guide? Then try a Florence food tour on this first evening. To compare formats before you book, read our guide to the best food tours in Florence.

Day 2: the Uffizi, Piazza della Signoria and the Oltrarno

On day 2, walk south from the Duomo along Via dei Calzaiuoli to Piazza della Signoria. Meanwhile, the Uffizi sits right next to it. Then book an early entry, so you finish before lunch. In fact, the collection is large, so a guide helps you pace it. For example, see our page on a Uffizi Gallery guided tour.

First Sunday of the month

Is your day 2 a first Sunday? Then entry is free. However, the Uffizi free-Sunday page says there is no reservation or priority pass that day (checked September 2026). Only people with disabilities and pregnant women are exempt. As a result, lines are long. In that case, swap day 2 with day 3. Our guide to free museum days in Italy explains the national rules.

Afternoon across the Ponte Vecchio

After the Uffizi, cross the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltrarno, the artisan district on the south bank. After that, choose one: Palazzo Pitti for its galleries, or the Boboli Gardens behind it. The Uffizi Galleries ticket page also sells a Pitti and Boboli combined ticket (checked September 2026). Finally, walk uphill to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset over the city.

Day 3: choose one day trip from Florence

For the last of your 3 days in Florence, leave the city. Florence is the main rail and bus hub of Tuscany. As a result, every option below starts downtown. Pick one, not two. For more choices, see our guide to the best day trips from Florence.

Pisa and Lucca by train

First, this is the simplest trip on your own. The Trenitalia Tuscany Line page lists Florence to Pisa at about €8.90 per single journey (checked September 2026). Then Pisa to Lucca costs about €3.70. In Pisa, the Leaning Tower rules say tickets go on sale 90 days ahead (checked September 2026). In addition, each ticket is valid only at its time slot. Also, children who will not turn 8 by the end of the year cannot climb. Then continue to Lucca for its walls, perhaps on a Lucca bike tour. Prefer a guide in Pisa? See our page on a Pisa tour with the Leaning Tower.

Siena and San Gimignano

Next, Siena is a short hop by bus. The Autolinee Toscane line 131R page shows the rapid route between the Florence bus station and Siena (checked September 2026). Alternatively, a Tuscany day trip to Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa packs three towns into one day. Once there, a Siena walking tour covers the Campo and the cathedral.

Chianti wine country

The Chianti hills start just south of the city. However, the villages are spread out, and wine and driving do not mix. So a tour is the practical choice here. For example, compare a Chianti wine tour from Florence with a Chianti e-bike tour from Florence. Both start and end in the city.

The Cinque Terre, or a slower day in Florence

The coast is far for one day, so most visitors join a Cinque Terre day trip from Florence. By contrast, you may prefer to stay. In that case, spend day 3 on the Duomo museum and a cooking class. Then end with an aperitivo, the early-evening drink with snacks. For the class, see a Florence cooking class.

Getting to Florence and getting around

In practice, most visitors arrive by train at Santa Maria Novella, a short walk from the Duomo. From Rome, read our guide to the Rome to Florence train. Inside the center, walk everywhere, because the historic core is compact and largely closed to traffic. Also, skip the rental car until you leave, since Florence has a limited traffic zone.

Where to stay for 3 days in Florence

Whichever area you choose, however, Florence charges a nightly tourist tax at check-in. See our guide to the Italy tourist tax before you book.

3 days in Florence in fall

Fall is a good season for 3 days in Florence. For example, summer heat and crowds ease, and the grape harvest season arrives in the hills. Still, two closures matter. According to the Duomo hours page, the bell tower closes for maintenance from November 9 to 13, 2026 (checked September 2026). Then the dome closes from November 16 to 20, 2026. So if you travel then, choose the Giotto or Ghiberti pass, or move your dates. Also, days are shorter, so plan Piazzale Michelangelo for late afternoon. For the season as a whole, see our guide to Italy in fall.

Florence tours that fit this 3-day plan

Meanwhile, these experience pages on our site match each day. Each one lists prices and ratings read on Viator:

• Florence Duomo dome climb: day 1, morning.
• Accademia and David tour: day 1, afternoon.
• Uffizi Gallery guided tour: day 2, morning.
• Florence food tour: any evening.
• Chianti wine tour from Florence: day 3.
• Cinque Terre day trip from Florence: day 3.
• Florence Vespa tour in the Tuscan hills: a day 3 alternative.

Short on time? Our 2 days in Florence plan shows which museum to drop and how to book the rest.

Flying in? Compare the tram and taxi in our guide to Florence airport to city center, with the Pisa option too.

Planning to shop in Florence? See how the tax refund in Italy works, from the €70 minimum spend to validation at the airport.

For an hour of wine in town, the Florence wine tasting page compares a tasting near Ponte Vecchio, rated 4.9 by 249 travelers on Viator, with a seven-wine tasting.

3 days in Florence: frequently asked questions

Are 3 days in Florence enough?

Yes. Two days cover the Duomo, David, the Uffizi and the Oltrarno at a steady pace. Then the third day leaves room for one day trip.

What should I book first for 3 days in Florence?

Book the Duomo dome slot first, since passes cannot be changed or refunded. Then reserve the Accademia and the Uffizi for the days that fit your plan.

Which day of the week is best for a day trip from Florence?

Monday. The Uffizi, the Accademia and Palazzo Pitti all close on Mondays, so a Monday day trip wastes nothing.

Can I visit Pisa and Lucca in one day from Florence?

Yes, by regional train. Florence to Pisa costs about €8.90, and Pisa to Lucca about €3.70. Also, book a Leaning Tower slot ahead.

Is fall a good time for 3 days in Florence?

Yes. The summer heat and crowds ease. However, the bell tower and the dome close for maintenance on set days in November 2026.