A Florence Weekend: 36 Hours of Food and Neighborhoods
Updated: 12 hours ago
Updated October 2026
My best weekends in Florence were never about ticking off museums. They were about eating well, wandering one neighborhood and catching one perfect sunset. This is my route from Friday night to Sunday afternoon.
It works best if you have been before or are passing through. First time? Pair it with my 3 days in Florence guide, or browse the Best Things to Do in Florence.
Friday evening
Aperitivo near the river
Drop your bags and head straight out. I start with a Negroni or a glass of Chianti and a few snacks. It sets the pace for the weekend. For my favorite glasses in town, see my guide to Florence wine bars.
Dinner in a trattoria
Book a classic trattoria for ribollita, the Tuscan bread and vegetable soup, and pappardelle with wild boar ragù. Linger. Nobody rushes dinner here.
Saturday
Early: the Duomo before the crowds
Some of my favorite Florence photos are of the Duomo before 6 am, when the piazza is empty and the marble is just catching the light. Get there early, then have a cornetto and a cappuccino standing at a bar counter.
Morning: one museum, chosen well
Pick one: David at the Accademia, the Uffizi or the Bargello. Book a timed entry and leave the rest for next time.
Lunch: a market
Head to the Mercato Centrale for food stalls upstairs and produce downstairs, or to the Sant'Ambrogio market for a more local scene. Grab lampredotto or a schiacciata and eat it like a Florentine.
Afternoon: the Oltrarno
Cross the Ponte Vecchio and slow down. Wander Via Maggio, Santo Spirito and the side streets where artisans still restore furniture and gild frames. Duck into a workshop if the door is open.
Sunset: up the hill
Walk up through San Niccolò to Piazzale Michelangelo, or keep going to San Miniato al Monte. Then walk back down for dinner in San Niccolò.
Sunday
Morning: the old pharmacy and a quiet church
Visit the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, for its frescoed rooms and scents. Then step into Santa Maria Novella next door for Masaccio's Trinity.
Late morning: one more market or museum
Browse the San Lorenzo stalls if you want a souvenir, or the Bargello if you skipped it on Saturday.
Lunch, then go
A last long lunch, a gelato for the walk to the station, and you are on your way.
How to make 36 hours feel longer
Stay central or in the Oltrarno, so you walk everywhere.
Book only one or two timed entries. Leave room to wander.
Eat at local hours: lunch around 1 pm, dinner after 8 pm.
For more on taking it slow, read my guide to slow travel in Florence, and to understand the daily rhythm, see my post on Florence local culture.
Where to stay
For a weekend built around food and neighborhoods, the Oltrarno is my pick. See where to stay near Oltrarno.
A rainy weekend version
Florence in the rain is still wonderful, but the plan changes. On a wet Saturday I swap the Oltrarno wander for a long morning at the Bargello and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, both easy to enjoy for hours. Lunch is ribollita in a warm trattoria.
The afternoon goes to the covered Mercato Centrale, the frescoed rooms of the Santa Maria Novella pharmacy and a thick hot chocolate at Rivoire on Piazza della Signoria. Sunset becomes an evening walk under umbrellas, with the wet stones reflecting the street lamps, which is one of my favorite Florence moods.
If you only have one day
Cut the plan in half. Morning at the Duomo and one museum, lunch at Mercato Centrale, afternoon across the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltrarno, and sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo. It is a lot of walking, so wear good shoes, and keep dinner close to where you are staying.
Small things that make the weekend
Carry a refillable bottle and use the public fountains, the fontanelli, around the city. Keep a little cash for bakeries and markets. Download the museum tickets to your phone before you leave the hotel. And leave one hour each day completely empty, because that is when Florence surprises you.
Most of all, slow down at meals. A two hour lunch is not wasted time here.
What I would book before arriving
One museum slot for Saturday morning.
Dinner for Friday and Saturday nights.
Nothing else. The best moments of a Florence weekend come from wandering.
Arriving and leaving
Santa Maria Novella station is a short walk from the center, so the train is the easiest way in. From the airport, the T2 tram reaches the center in about twenty minutes. For more on getting around, read my Florence transport guide. For a romantic weekend, my romantic restaurants guide has the dinners.
Saturday night: where I eat
After sunset on the hill, I walk back down through San Niccolò, one of the most charming small neighborhoods in the city, full of wine bars and simple trattorias. For a weekend, I book Saturday dinner before I arrive, because the good places fill.
I order Florentine classics I cannot get at home: crostini neri, pappa al pomodoro, a plate of pici or pappardelle, and if there are two or more of us, a bistecca to share.
A carafe of house Chianti is usually very good. Afterwards, a short walk along the river to the Ponte Vecchio lit up at night is the best way I know to end the day.
Sunday quirks to know
Florence on Sunday is slower and quieter, which I love, but plan for it. Many shops in the center open late or not at all, especially outside the main shopping streets. Markets like Sant'Ambrogio close on Sundays, though the Mercato Centrale food hall upstairs stays open.
Most big museums open, and on the first Sunday of the month state museums are free, which means long lines. Churches have services in the morning, so tourist visits may be limited until midday. Some restaurants close on Sunday evening or Monday, so check before you plan your last meal.
How I pace the weekend
My rule for 36 hours is one big thing in the morning and one view at the end of the day, with long lunches between. Trying to see the Uffizi, the Accademia and the Duomo climb all in one day leaves you tired and remembering nothing.
I would rather see one museum well, wander, and come back for the rest on another trip. Florence rewards slowness more than any city I know.
A walking route that links it all
From Santa Maria Novella station, it is a 10 minute walk to the Duomo, another 5 to Piazza della Signoria and 5 more to the Ponte Vecchio.
Cross into the Oltrarno, walk to Santo Spirito, then follow the river east to San Niccolò and climb to Piazzale Michelangelo. That loop covers most of the weekend on foot, with no buses or taxis needed.
Souvenirs worth the space
For a short trip, I bring home things that fit in a carry-on: marbled paper, a small leather piece from a workshop, a bottle of olive oil and a bag of cantucci.
FAQ
Is 36 hours enough for Florence?
Enough to fall in love, not enough to see it all. Pick one museum and give the rest of the time to food and walking.
Which museum should I choose?
First-timers: the Accademia for David or the Uffizi. Repeat visitors: the Bargello.
Are museums open on Sunday?
Most major museums are open on Sunday and closed on Monday.
Where should I stay for a weekend in Florence?
Stay central or in the Oltrarno, so everything on this plan is a short walk.
What should I do on a rainy weekend in Florence?
Spend the morning in the Bargello or the Duomo Museum, eat a long lunch and visit the Santa Maria Novella pharmacy and Mercato Centrale.
About the author
I'm Jason GaNung, and I write every guide on Florence Life. I have spent extensive time in Florence over many trips, and I have stayed in many of the hotels and villas I cover, so my picks come from my own stays, not press releases. More about me.
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