# One day in Florence: a walking route > A day in Florence is a walk through the heart of the Renaissance. Start on Piazza del Duomo with the Baptistery's Gates of Paradise and the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore under Brunelleschi's dome. Then see Michelangelo's David at the Accademia, Piazza della Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia dei Lanzi, and, towards evening, the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno. Everything is 5 to 10 minutes apart on foot. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/in-1-day ## Plan 1. [Ponte Vecchio](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/ponte-vecchio.md) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free ↓ 5 min on foot 2. [Piazza della Signoria](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria.md) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free ↓ 6 min on foot 3. [Florence Baptistery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-baptistery.md) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Combined cathedral pass ↓ 3 min on foot 4. [Florence Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-cathedral.md) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Free; dome paid Lunch break, about 1 h ↓ 8 min on foot 5. [Galleria dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/galleria-dell-accademia.md) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid Total with walks: 6 h 7 min ## How to see Florence in one day Florence's historic centre is small. Santa Maria Novella station to the Ponte Vecchio is about 20 minutes on foot, and every stop on this route lies along the way. You can see the highlights in a day if you book two things ahead: the combined cathedral pass and a timed Accademia ticket. Spend the morning on Piazza del Duomo before the groups arrive: study the Gates of Paradise on the Baptistery, then step into the cathedral, which is free (the dome climb is timed and ticketed). Without the dome, the square takes about an hour and a half. The Accademia is seven minutes north, and its star is David, more than five metres tall. After lunch, walk down Via dei Calzaiuoli to Piazza della Signoria, the city's main square and an open-air sculpture gallery, then pass through the Uffizi courtyard to the Ponte Vecchio. Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, add something nearby, and the timings update. ## Lunch and saving time The handiest lunch stop is between the Accademia and the Signoria, at the Mercato Centrale by San Lorenzo: fresh produce downstairs, a food hall upstairs with pasta and the famous lampredotto sandwiches. For something quicker, grab a filled schiacciata near the Duomo. Queues are the big time-waster in Florence. Without a booking you can wait more than an hour for the Accademia or the dome, so buy online from the official sites. Piazza della Signoria, the Loggia dei Lanzi and the Ponte Vecchio are free at any hour. ## If you have time left Climb to [Piazzale Michelangelo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazzale-michelangelo) for Florence's classic sunset, 20 to 25 minutes on foot from the Ponte Vecchio or by bus 12 or 13. Near the Signoria are the [Bargello](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/bargello), with Donatello's sculpture, and [Orsanmichele](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/orsanmichele); on the way from the Duomo, the [Basilica of San Lorenzo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/san-lorenzo). ## Tips - Book the cathedral pass and a timed Accademia ticket in advance. - Start on Piazza del Duomo at opening; it's packed by midday. - Churches require covered shoulders and knees, and large backpacks are often refused. - Italy uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere; carry a little cash for cafés and markets. Buy museum tickets ahead on official sites, where closing days are listed too. - For sunset, walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo, 20 to 25 minutes from the bridge. ## Questions ### What can you see in Florence in one day? The Baptistery and Brunelleschi's dome, David at the Accademia, Piazza della Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Ponte Vecchio. ### Is one day in Florence enough? For the highlights, yes: the centre is compact and walkable. Book the Accademia and the dome ahead. ### Can I fit the Uffizi into one day? Only instead of the Accademia and the dome, as it needs at least three hours. It's better on a second day. ### How much do tickets cost on this route? You pay for the Accademia and the combined cathedral pass; Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio are free. Prices are on the place pages. ### How do I get to Florence for a day trip? By high-speed train: about 1.5 hours from Rome, 2 from Milan and 40 minutes from Bologna. ### Where's the best sunset in Florence? Piazzale Michelangelo, or San Miniato al Monte just above it. --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.