Florence 7-day itinerary

Brunelleschi's dome: 463 steps to the top (€30 Brunelleschi Pass, book online). Pass through the interior of the dome to see Vasari's Last Judgment fresco from centimetres away, then emerge to a panorama of terracotta rooftops and Tuscan hills. The cathedral interior is free. Giotto's Bell Tower (414 steps) and the Baptistery with Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise are included in the pass.

The Uffizi (€20) deserves an unhurried afternoon. Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, Leonardo's Annunciation, Titian's Venus of Urbino, and Caravaggio's Medusa. The newer wings are less crowded and house excellent Baroque works. The views of Ponte Vecchio from the upper corridor are a hidden bonus. Lunch at All'Antico Vinaio (panini, €5–7, always a queue).

Cross Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno. Aperitivo at Volume on Piazza Santo Spirito (€8–10 with snack spread) or Gesto (cocktails with Arno views). Dinner at Trattoria dell'Orto (Florentine classics, ribollita €8, pappardelle al cinghiale €12) or Il Magazzino (tripe and lampredotto, traditional workman's food done brilliantly). Santo Spirito buzzes every evening.

Pre-book the 8:15am slot (€16). Michelangelo's David, 5.17 metres of perfected marble, dominates the tribune hall. The unfinished Prisoners (Prigioni) lining the corridor, figures trapped in rough stone, are almost as moving. The musical instrument collection and Byzantine gold paintings are often overlooked. Allow 60–90 minutes.

San Lorenzo (€7) has a Brunelleschi interior, the earliest Renaissance church. The Medici Chapels (€9) behind hold Michelangelo's sculptured tombs of the Medici princes, and Dawn, Dusk, Day, and Night are some of his greatest works. Mercato Centrale downstairs has the best lampredotto stand in Florence (€4) and the upstairs food hall serves sit-down Tuscan meals (€8–14).

Basilica di Santa Croce (€8) holds the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Rossini. The Pazzi Chapel in the cloister is a Brunelleschi gem. For dinner, try a shared bistecca alla fiorentina, a massive T-bone (€45–60/kg, feeds two). Trattoria Sostanza (book ahead, cash only) or Perseus (locals' steak favourite). Drinks at Rex Caffè for cocktails.

Palazzo Pitti (€16): the Palatine Gallery has Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, and Rubens hung salon-style in lavish rooms. The Royal Apartments show how the Medici and later the Savoy family lived. Walk into the Boboli Gardens (€10 or €22 combined) for Renaissance terraces, grottos, the amphitheatre, and views of the Duomo from the Cavaliere Garden at the top.

Walk uphill from Piazzale Michelangelo to San Miniato al Monte (free), a Romanesque masterpiece with a green-and-white marble facade and luminous interior. The monks sell honey, liqueurs, and soaps in the monastery shop. The cemetery behind has extraordinary Art Nouveau tombs. The view from here surpasses the piazzale below. Walk down through the rose garden (free, Apr–Oct).

San Frediano in the Oltrarno is Florence's most neighbourhood-like area, where locals outnumber tourists, trattorias are genuine, and the Piazza del Carmine anchors the community. Dinner at Trattoria Sabatino (since 1956, Florentine classics, cash only, mains €8–10, unbeatable value) or Il Guscio (creative Tuscan, mains €12–16). Drinks at Mad Souls & Spirits for craft cocktails.

Flixbus or SITA bus from Florence (75 min, €7–12). Siena is Florence's medieval rival, a UNESCO World Heritage city of brick towers, narrow lanes, and the extraordinary shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. Walk the contrade (neighbourhood) streets, each with its own church, fountain, animal symbol, and fierce loyalty. The city feels like stepping back centuries.

Siena's Duomo (€5 cathedral, €15 combined with library, crypt, and baptistery) has a striped marble facade and the most ornate church interior in Tuscany, with inlaid marble floors depicting 56 scenes. Climb the incomplete new nave for panoramic city views. Then sit in the Piazza del Campo, where the tilted, fan-shaped square is where the Palio horse race runs twice yearly. Lunch at a campo-side cafe or cheaper one block back.

Bus back to Florence. Explore the area around Santa Maria Novella (church €7.50, stunning Masaccio Trinity and Ghirlandaio frescoes). The pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella (free entry) has been operating since 1612, with frescoed ceilings, marble floors, and exquisite herbal products. Dinner at Buca Mario (cellar restaurant since 1886, Tuscan classics, book ahead, mains €14–20).

The Bargello (€9) is Florence's most underrated museum, with Donatello's bronze David (the first nude since antiquity), Michelangelo's Bacchus, Cellini's Perseus model, and Verrocchio's works. The medieval building (former prison and police headquarters) has a powerful atmosphere. The courtyard is beautiful. Most visitors skip this for the Uffizi, and that is their loss.

Bus 7 from Piazza San Marco to Fiesole (25 min, €1.50). This Etruscan hill town above Florence has Roman amphitheatre ruins (€7), a Franciscan monastery with stunning views, and cafes overlooking the city. The panorama of Florence spread in the valley below is extraordinary. Walk up from the bus stop through olive groves. Lunch at a Fiesole terrace restaurant.

Return to the Oltrarno for an artisan workshop crawl: watch bookbinders at Il Torchio (Via de' Bardi), paper marblers at Giulio Giannini e Figlio (Piazza Pitti, since 1856), and leather workers in the side streets off Via Maggio. Many welcome visitors and explain their craft. Dinner at Gustapanino (gourmet panini, €7–10) or Trattoria 4 Leoni on Piazza della Passera.

Join a half-day wine tour to Chianti (€60–90 including transport and tastings) or rent a car and drive the SS222 (Chiantigiana road) through rolling vine-covered hills. Greve in Chianti has a charming piazza and wine shops offering tastings. The landscape, with cypress trees, hilltop villages, and vineyards, is the Tuscany of postcards. Most tours include olive oil tastings and a farmhouse lunch.

Back in Florence for a gelato tour: Vivoli (since 1930, Via Isola delle Stinche), La Carraia (Oltrarno, enormous portions, €2.50), and Gelateria della Passera (creative flavours, Piazza della Passera). Walk the quieter streets of Santa Croce, taking in the Museo Horne (€7, a collector's Renaissance home), and the flood markers from the devastating 1966 Arno flood visible on many buildings.

Florence has exceptional wine bars (enoteche). Le Volpi e l'Uva near Ponte Vecchio is legendary (wine by the glass €5–8 with cheese and charcuterie). Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina on Piazza Pitti has a curated Tuscan wine list. Order a glass of Brunello di Montalcino or Chianti Classico with tagliere (charcuterie board, €12–16). This is Florence at its most civilised.

The Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine (€8, reservation recommended) holds Masaccio's frescoes, considered the starting point of Renaissance painting. The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden is raw and revolutionary. Only 30 people allowed at a time for 30 minutes. Walk the Oltrarno one last time, when the morning light on the ochre buildings and workshop sounds is pure Florence.

For gifts: leather goods from Scuola del Cuoio (inside Santa Croce, ethically made, €30+), marbled paper from Giulio Giannini, olive oil and wine from Eataly (Via de' Martelli), and perfume from Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (since 1612). One last panino at All'Antico Vinaio. Pack your bags with the scent of leather and espresso.

One final sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo. Bring a bottle of Chianti (€5–8) and sit on the steps as the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Arno bridges glow gold and then pink. The Tuscan hills fade to purple behind the city. Farewell dinner at a favourite trattoria. Florence to the airport is 20 minutes by Volainbus shuttle from Santa Maria Novella station (€6).