Florence & The Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio bridge, lined with buildings, is one of the iconic sights of Florence. The shops that line the bridge are mostly jewelry and watch stores.

Il Duomo & The Gates of Paradise

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as “Il Duomo”, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Florence. Whether or not you like visiting European churches, this is one not to miss.

Also, in front of the Duomo is the Baptistry of Florence, which house the “Gates of Paradise”. These famous doors are giant gilded golden doors depicting scenes from the bible.

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

If you haven’t been to enough cathedrals, stop by the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and the Santa Croce.

The Uffizi & Accademia Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most famous museums in Europe.

Also, about a half mile away (on the north side of the Duomo) is the Accademia Gallery, which houses Michelangelo’s “Statue of David”. The Academia is not very large and you can tour it pretty quickly. However, it also contains some other sculptures from Michelangelo.

Siena

South of the Florence is the medieval walled town of Siena. It is a great place to explore for a few hours or even a few days if you have the time.

Also, we visited during Tuscany on an organized day tour out of Florence, which was a great way to get a taste for some of the towns in the region.

Additionally, Siena has it’s own cathedral similar in style to the Florence Duomo, the Duomo di Siena.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano is another Tuscan medieval town on out Tuscany tour. It is recognizable by it’s towers that stand out in the skyline.

However, I love these small towns! Also, I could easily spend a couple of weeks traveling Italy to visit some of the different ones.

tuscany vineyards

Additionally, our tour made a stop at a Tuscany vineyard where you could sample the wine and pick up a bottle of vino.

Pisa

Pisa gets the reputation as a tourist trap and it is deserved. However, it is still worth a visit to see the iconic leaning tower and get a cheesy photo. Also, our tour stopped here for about an hour, which is plenty of time to walk around and get some pictures as the tourist area is not very large.

ALSO CONSIDER VISITING THESE NEARBY AREAS

Additionally, when in Italy, make sure to visit Rome, Venice, and Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast!