Last updated: October 2026
When I lived in the hills above Pescia, Florence was the big city down the line. Close enough for a day out, far enough that you felt you’d been somewhere. Here’s how to do it well from our side of Tuscany, and without losing your mind.
Take the train
Really. Don’t drive into Florence. The centre is a big ZTL (limited traffic zone) and the fines arrive by post months later. My ZTL and driving guide explains the horror.
The good news is that one railway line ties our patch to Florence: Lucca, Pescia, Montecatini, Pistoia, Prato, Firenze Santa Maria Novella. Regional trains run along it through the day. You get off at Santa Maria Novella (SMN), right in the centre, and you can walk almost everywhere from there.
- Buy your ticket at the station machine or on the Trenitalia app.
- Paper regional tickets usually need stamping in the little validating machine before you board. App tickets work differently, so check.
- Check the last train home before you set off, and keep an eye out for strikes (sciopero).
My train travel guide has the details, and my guide to Tuscany without a car covers getting to the station from the villages.
Book ahead (or queue for hours)
Florence is busy most of the year. A few things to sort out before you go:
- The Uffizi. The great gallery of Renaissance painting. Book a timed ticket.
- The Accademia. Home of Michelangelo’s David. Book a timed ticket.
- Brunelleschi’s Dome. To climb it you need the Brunelleschi Pass, with a booked slot. It’s 463 steps, with no lift, narrow in places and steep near the top. Wonderful, but not for anyone who hates tight spaces. The climb is closed from 16 to 20 November 2026.
And the big one: the Uffizi and the Accademia are both closed on Mondays. Plan around it.
A plan for one day
You can’t see Florence in a day. Nobody can. But you can have a very good day. Here’s a gentle route:
Morning. From the station, walk to the Duomo: the cathedral, Giotto’s bell tower and the Baptistery, in their white, green and pink marble. If you’ve booked the Dome, go up early, before the heat and the crowds.
Late morning. Walk down Via dei Calzaiuoli to Piazza della Signoria, with the Palazzo Vecchio and the outdoor statues of the Loggia dei Lanzi. The Uffizi is right next door, if you’ve booked it.
Lunch. Head back towards the station and the Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo, a covered food market with stalls upstairs. Or find a small trattoria in a side street. Avoid anywhere with photos of the food outside.
Afternoon. Cross the Ponte Vecchio, the old bridge lined with jewellers’ shops, into the Oltrarno, the quieter side of the river. Wander the artisans’ streets round Santo Spirito. If your legs are willing, the Boboli Gardens behind Palazzo Pitti are a lovely green escape.
Before the train. Walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the view over the whole city. It’s a climb, but that’s the Florence you’ll remember. Or, if your feet have had enough, a last coffee and a gelato near the station.
Prefer the art?
Swap the afternoon for the Accademia in the morning and the Uffizi after lunch. Two great museums in one day is plenty. Your feet will tell you.
My tips
- Wear proper shoes. Florence is all stone pavements.
- Carry water in summer, and refill it.
- Watch your bag in crowds, on buses and round the station.
- Avoid the hottest months if you can. July and August in Florence are tough.
- Cover your shoulders and knees for churches.
- Don’t try to do everything. Florence will still be there next time.
Coming back to the hills in the evening, after the noise and the crowds, is part of the pleasure. The train rolls out past Prato and Pistoia, the hills turn blue, and you’re home.
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Susan
Photo credits: The Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, Florence (photo: Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons); Pistoia station, on the line between Florence and Lucca (photo: Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
