Florence 1-day itinerary

Start at the Duomo. Brunelleschi's dome is still the largest masonry dome ever built. Climb the 463 steps (€30 combined ticket, pre-book) for close-up views of Vasari's Last Judgment fresco and a panorama over terracotta rooftops. The Baptistery's Ghiberti bronze doors (Gates of Paradise) are extraordinary. Walk to the Uffizi Gallery (€20, book ahead) for Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera.

Walk across the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval bridge lined with jewellers' shops hanging over the Arno since 1345. Cross into the Oltrarno, Florence's artisan quarter, less touristy and more authentic. The Palazzo Pitti (€16) and Boboli Gardens (€10, or €22 combined) are worth the splurge. Lunch at Trattoria Mario (shared tables, Florentine classics, mains €8–12, cash only, queue early).

Walk (or bus 13) up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the definitive Florence sunset: the entire city, the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Arno bridges spread below you with the Tuscan hills behind. Bring wine. Return to the San Lorenzo market area for dinner, where the Mercato Centrale food hall upstairs (mains €8–14) has excellent quality. Drinks at the piazzas, and Santo Spirito in Oltrarno buzzes.