I must start off by saying that I truly believe that Florence is a city that requires more than 48 hours. However, working a full time 9-5 and having limited time to travel, I understand that we don’t all have that luxury. So, I have tried to compile the absolute best of Florence into a 48 hour itinerary that I think would be enjoyed by anyone visiting!
Day 1
Check into Hotel La Terrazza Sul Duomo
Arrive in Florence and check into your hotel. We absolutely loved this stay right in the center of Florence overlooking the Duomo. You could not get a better view if you tried! We booked the apartment room, which gave us direct walk out access to the terrace. Although the terrace is shared by the other hotel guests (it is a small boutique hotel), we did not ever see anyone else out there and we were always able to enjoy it. We watched sunrises, sunsets, and enjoyed the scene throughout our whole trip.
The apartment room itself was a perfect stay, it had two rooms with comfortable beds and a nice shower. It technically sleeps four, but I honestly think it would be a little tight with four adults. We used the spare bedroom as our “closet”. It has a nice little kitchen so you can whip up an easy breakfast in the morning and some coffee to enjoy on the terrace. The B&B also has hotel style rooms that you can stay in, that also have access to the terrace, but you have to go up a flight or two of stairs. The staff here were very helpful and kind and I do believe the view just can’t be beat.
Head out for lunch and a wine window at Babae
This is one of my favorite little spots in Florence. I came for the wine window, but stayed for the food and relaxed/lovely vibes. This is a perfect spot to start your day, they have excellent lunch food, and it is so charming inside. We tried paccheri with burrata and tomato sauce, an open faced porchetta panini, and a mushroom soup. Everything we tried was fantastic and had such fresh and delicious ingredients. I had a nice glass of Montepulciano to top it off and it was a lovely experience.
Visit Santo Spirito & Explore this side of the river
Since you’re already over on this side of the river, this would be a good time to explore the area. Depending on the day, the area around the Basilica di Santo Spirito can be very lively and you might even catch a market here! There are also a lot of quieter art shops and beautiful places hidden back here and it is well worth a wander. This area is also nearby to the Palazzo Pitti which is a unique place to explore and is essentially connected to the Boboli Gardens. I mention the Boboli Gardens later, but if you’re open to it today, this is another incredible beautiful and VERY large area you can explore.
Climb the Duomo for Sunset
Depending on what time of year you are traveling this may or may not be possible or make sense. We visited in November so sunset was rather early, which made it easy to book a sunset time for this. Regardless of the timing, this really is a beautiful way to see Florence and the inside is truly unique and special. It should be noted that you need to be reasonably fit to do this, there are over 400 stairs to get to the top and it is very narrow in some places.
It is such a neat experience to see the inside of the Duomo and kind of see the inner workings of how to get up to the top. You also get some incredible views much closer to the interior painted ceiling, which is so beautiful. Once at the top you have endless views over Florence in all directions! You have to come down the same way you come up, so keep that in mind.
Dinner at Osteria Pastella
This place went viral at some point and it made me worried that it wouldn’t be worth the hype, but I am happy to report, it was fantastic! They are known for their truffle pasta made in a cheese wheel table-side. This makes dinner a performance and a meal! Of course you don’t have to order this particular meal, but it truly is wonderful. We enjoyed everything we had here which included some lovely complimentary cheese bread and prosecco, a beautiful salad, my pasta, and my husbands risotto. I only wished we could have ordered more, everything here looked fantastic. The staff were kind and welcoming and we didn’t feel rushed here at all. You may see a line form out front here, don’t worry, if you have a reservation you can walk right in or they will have separate line for those with reservations.
Get Gelato
I think this goes without saying when you’re visiting Italy! But in case it does not, you should always do this! Florence has no shortage of amazing gelato options and we like to try a different spot each night!
Day 2
If you’re up for it, head to Piazza Michelangelo for sunrise
This place is super popular for sunset, and for good reason. However, it is actually INCREDIBLE at sunrise too and you can have it almost entirely to yourself! If you’re staying in the center of town it isn’t that hard to walk up either, it takes about 30 minutes. If you’re not a sunrise kind of person, I have it listed later as a sunset activity, it can be really lively and fun at sunset!
Visit a Museum (Your Choice)
Now could be a great time to be the first people at the museum of your choice. Check the opening times and book the first time slot. We enjoyed the Uffuzi Gallery as well as the Academia. The Uffuzi building itself is just absolutely stunning and really neat to see in person. Another option is to go to the Galleria dell’Accademia later in the day to see the David, we noticed the crowds really cleared out a bit later. There are almost limitless museums in Florence and you have so many options.
Another option would be visit the Boboli Gardens on the hills above Florence. They are large and incredibly beautiful. You can get some lovely views over Florence and really enjoy the scenery.
We visited Florence on a weekend and the first Sunday of the month. If you visit on the first Sunday entry to all of the above mentioned places is FREE! This helped us to check out a ton of spots on our trip without having to pay! If you can plan your trip accordingly, this is a great hack!
Visit a wine window: Osteria Bella Donne
If you’re into the wine window scene, now would be a great time to check out another one! You can visit Osteria Bella Donne and grab a cup of wine to take with you as you continue to wander around. This would also be a great time to head towards lunch!
Grab a Panini: All’Antico Vinaio
This panini spot is another one that is “worth the hype” in my opinion, although it should be noted that I would not wait in line for more than about 10-15 minutes for it. We actually went at about 10 am and we were the only people there. You will see queues start to form later in the day that look like they could take hours.
If you can get here when it is not packed, it is seriously one of the BEST panini I have EVER had. You can also order from a kiosk if you’re not going to make any changes to your panini, this makes it really easy! I highly, highly recommend a stop here. My only regret about this spot was that we didn’t get multiple panini and save some more for later!
If the line is too long a GREAT alternative is Antica Porchetteria Granieri 1916. We had a truly amazing sandwich from this spot and it was always a lot less crowded, which I assume can only be attributed to viral popularity on social media because the sandwich was amazing.
Tour the Main Sites
Now would be a good time for a nice walk and touring some of the main sites of Florence. You don’t want to miss the Ponte Vecchio (but I think you know that). It is a unique experience to walk along the bridge and see all of the jewelry shops and beautiful buildings. It is also neat to walk down to some of the other bridges for a look back at the Ponte Vecchio. If you want to have a great view you should grab a drink at Signorvino Firenze, they have a terrace that overlooks the bridge.
Get an affogato at Vivoli Gelateria
If you skip this stop you have failed me! This is one of the best affogato I have ever had! In case you’re not aware, affogato is simply gelato with espresso poured over it. While it sounds so simple, it is so incredibly delicious. The regular affogato here is to die for, but they usually have a special option too. One is sprinkled with pistachio nuts and I can not think of a better combination! There is usually a line here but it moves quickly since most people are ordering the same thing. You can also go sit inside this cafe so make sure you’re lined up for the right thing whether it be take away or sitting in.
Sunset at Piazza Michelangelo or Alternative options
Sunset here is truly magical and I love the communal experience of watching a sunset with a bunch of other happy travelers. It will get crowded up here, as it is a popular activity, but you’ll often find live music, vendors selling drinks and snacks, and happy people enjoying the scene along with you!
If you already did this for sunrise and you don’t want to go up again, totally understandable. Here are some alternative ideas: You could try a lovely rooftop bar like View on Art, or you could go sit in a square and enjoy a drink as the sun sets. If you do stay at La Terazza Sul Duomo you can watch the sunset right from the terrace.
We love the Santa Maria Novella square, there is just something so lovely about it. I also love the square by the Basilica of Santa Croce, it is always a lively area. You could also pop into the Scuola del Cuoio (leather school) which is right behind the church and is a very special and unique place to visit.
Dinner at Vini e Vecchi
This was our favorite meal of our trip in Florence and it was hard to get a reservation. We had our hotel call for us prior to our trip to make sure we got a spot. It is RIGHT in the center of things but kind of hidden in plain sight down a smaller street. It is a very small spot so although you could get lucky, I think a reservation is the right idea.
We loved absolutely everything about this place, the service was fantastic and so kind, and the food was next level. I only wish we could have eaten more!
If you have more time
If you’re interested in getting outside of Florence and taking some day trips, I have a post you can check out here —-> 5 Day Trips from Florence, Italy
If you’re interest in more to do in this area of Italy, check out my post —-> How to Spend 4 Days in Tuscany
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