In short: with one day and no suitcase, you can see the Duomo, the Uffizi or the Accademia, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo, all on foot. Start by leaving your bags at Via Palazzuolo 170, 4 minutes from Santa Maria Novella.
Florence is compact: almost every famous sight is within a 25-minute walk of the station. What slows visitors down is not distance but luggage. Museums send bags to the cloakroom, the dome climb does not allow medium or large bags, and stone pavements are hard on small wheels. This itinerary assumes you arrive by train in the morning and leave in the evening.
Before you start: three things to book
- Uffizi or Accademia: buy a timed ticket online, especially from spring to autumn. Both museums are closed on Mondays.
- Brunelleschi’s Dome: the climb requires a ticket with a reserved time slot.
- Your locker: register online so your access code is ready when you arrive.
Morning: station, Duomo and San Lorenzo
9:30 – Drop your bags. From the platforms take the exit on the right, cross the street and walk straight along Via degli Orti Oricellari to Via Palazzuolo 170. For a full day like this one, the 24-hour rate applies: €15.90 for a medium locker, €18.90 for a large one.
9:45 – Santa Maria Novella. Look at the marble facade of the basilica on your way into town.
10:00 – Piazza del Duomo. About 10 minutes’ walk. The cathedral is free to enter (expect a queue); the Baptistery, the bell tower and the dome need a ticket. If you climb the dome, you’ll appreciate having no luggage: 463 steps and narrow passages.
Midday: art and lunch
12:00 – Accademia or Uffizi. Pick one: the Accademia (Michelangelo’s David) takes about an hour, the Uffizi at least two. At the Uffizi, backpacks and large bags must go to the free cloakroom before entry; arriving without them saves time.
13:30 – Lunch. The Mercato Centrale food hall in San Lorenzo is close to the Accademia; around the Uffizi, try the sandwich shops in the streets behind Piazza della Signoria.
Afternoon: the heart of the city
15:00 – Piazza della Signoria. Palazzo Vecchio, the Loggia dei Lanzi and its open-air statues are free to look at.
15:45 – Ponte Vecchio and Oltrarno. Cross the bridge of goldsmiths and wander towards Santo Spirito or the Pitti Palace.
17:30 – Piazzale Michelangelo. A steep 20-minute walk up from the river (or bus 12/13) rewards you with the classic view over the domes and bridges, best at sunset.
Evening: back to the station
From Piazzale Michelangelo it’s about 35–40 minutes on foot back to Via Palazzuolo, or take a bus/taxi towards the station. Collect your bags before 23:00, pay the difference at the kiosk and you are 4 minutes from your platform.
Short on time? With only 3–4 hours between trains, skip the museums: Duomo square, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and back. A medium locker for 4 hours costs €7.90.
Frequently asked questions
Is one day enough for Florence?
It’s enough for the highlights if you choose one big museum and walk everywhere else. Without luggage, you’ll comfortably cover the route above.
Can I bring a suitcase into the Uffizi or the Duomo?
No. The Uffizi asks visitors to leave backpacks and large bags in its cloakroom, and the dome climb doesn’t allow medium or large bags. Suitcases are best left in a storage locker.
How much does it cost to store bags for a day trip?
€13.90 for 7 hours or €15.90 for 24 hours in a medium locker; €17.90 or €18.90 in a large one.
Make the most of your day: get your access code and travel light.
Cover image: Daniel Lu (User:dllu) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
