Choose a Florence tour by what you want to see first. For Michelangelo’s David and the city’s highlights in one go, take a 3-hour private walking tour that includes the Accademia. For the Uffizi alone, a 1.5-hour express small group tour is the most efficient option. For Tuscany, Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa or Lucca, a private day trip with a driver from your hotel saves a lot of logistics. Arriving by cruise ship or from Rome? There are tours that start at the port or at your Rome hotel.
Florence is compact, so it’s tempting to skip guided tours entirely. The catch is that its two most famous museums, the Uffizi and the Accademia, are where queues and missed context cost you the most. Below are the main tour types, what each actually includes, and how to combine them without overlap.
Florence Tours at a Glance
| Tour | Duration | Format | What’s included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence private walking tour | 3 hours | Private | Accademia (David) with skip-the-line tickets, Duomo interior, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio | First visit, short stay |
| Uffizi express small group tour | About 1.5 hours | Small group, max 20 | Uffizi entry with skip-the-line tickets, key works only | Uffizi highlights without a full morning |
| Uffizi private tour | 2 hours | Private | Uffizi skip-the-line tickets, private guide | Art lovers, families, your own pace |
| Florence city tour for kids | 3 hours | Private | Accademia skip-the-line tickets, a family-friendly route through the centre | Families with children |
| Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti | 9 hours | Private driver and guide | Hotel pickup, 3-hour guide in Siena, wine tasting with a light lunch | Tuscany in one day |
| Pisa and Lucca day trip | 9 hours | Private driver and guide | Hotel pickup, 2-hour guide in Pisa, Leaning Tower tickets | Pisa without the train-and-queue routine |
| Shore trip to Florence and Pisa | 9 hours | Private driver and guide | Pickup at the dock in Livorno or La Spezia, 3-hour guide in Florence, Accademia tickets, stop in Pisa | Cruise passengers |
| A day in Florence from Rome | 12 hours | Private driver and guide | Pickup at your Rome hotel, 3-hour guide, Accademia tickets | Visitors based in Rome |
If You Have One Day in the City: The Walking Tour
The best single tour for a first visit is the Florence private walking tour. In 3 hours it covers Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia (skip-the-line tickets included), the interior of the Duomo, the Straw Market, Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio. It’s private, so the pace is yours.
The catch: it doesn’t include the Uffizi or the climb up Brunelleschi’s Dome. If you want both, add the Uffizi on a separate morning and book the Dome climb on your own. Our guide to climbing Florence’s Duomo explains how. For how the rest of the day fits around a tour, see Florence in one day.
For the Uffizi: Express Group or Private?
The Uffizi is the visit most worth doing with a guide. It’s huge, the rooms are crowded, and without context the Botticellis blur into the twentieth Madonna. You have two options:
- Uffizi express small group tour: about 1.5 hours, maximum 20 people, straight to the key works. It’s the better value if you’re travelling alone or as a couple.
- Uffizi private tour: 2 hours with your own guide. It’s worth it for families, groups of four or more, or anyone who wants to linger.
Not sure whether to start with the Uffizi or the Accademia? Read Uffizi or Accademia: which to visit first.
Travelling With Children
The Florence city tour for kids is a 3-hour private tour with a family-oriented guide. It covers the David at the Accademia (skip-the-line tickets included), the Duomo, the Straw Market, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria, and the stories are pitched for children. Because it’s private, breaks happen when the kids need them, not when the group allows.
Day Trips Into Tuscany
Florence is the best base for Tuscany, but public transport to the hill towns is slow and you can’t combine more than one place easily. Both of our day trips are private, with a driver who picks you up at your Florence hotel:
- Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti (9 hours): a 3-hour guided walk in Siena, wine tasting with a light lunch in Chianti, then the medieval towers of San Gimignano. Choose it if you want the Tuscany of postcards.
- Pisa and Lucca (9 hours): a 2-hour guide in Pisa with Leaning Tower tickets, then the walls and lanes of Lucca. Choose it if Pisa is on your list and you’d rather not spend half the day on trains.
The catch: a 9-hour day trip takes a full day out of your Florence time. With fewer than three days in Florence, prioritise the city.
Arriving by Cruise Ship or From Rome
- Cruise passengers docking at Livorno or La Spezia: the shore trip to Florence and Pisa picks you up at the dock and brings you back. It includes a 3-hour guide in Florence with Accademia tickets and a stop at the Leaning Tower.
- Based in Rome: A day in Florence from Rome is a 12-hour private trip with hotel pickup in Rome, a 3-hour guide in Florence and Accademia tickets. It’s a long day, but there’s no train timetable to manage.
How to Combine Tours Without Overlap
- Two days: walking tour on day one (David, Duomo, Signoria), Uffizi express on the morning of day two. See our 2-day Florence plan.
- Three days or more: add one Tuscany day trip, Siena and Chianti or Pisa and Lucca, not both.
- Don’t double up on the Accademia. The walking tour, the kids’ tour, the shore trip and the trip from Rome all include it. Pair any of them with the Uffizi, not with each other.
- Watch the Monday closure. The Uffizi and the Accademia are closed on Mondays. Plan a day trip for Monday, not a museum tour.
FAQ
What is the best tour in Florence for first-time visitors?
A private walking tour that includes the Accademia. In about 3 hours it covers the David, the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio.
Is a guided tour of the Uffizi worth it?
Yes, for most visitors. The museum is large and crowded, and an express guided tour takes you straight to the key works with skip-the-line entry in about 1.5 hours.
Do Florence walking tours include the Uffizi?
Our walking tour includes the Accademia, not the Uffizi. Book a separate Uffizi tour for another morning.
Can I visit Siena and San Gimignano in one day from Florence?
Yes. A private driving trip covers Siena, San Gimignano and a Chianti wine stop in about 9 hours, with hotel pickup in Florence.
Can I visit Florence from a cruise ship?
Yes, from Livorno or La Spezia. A private shore trip takes you from the dock to Florence and Pisa and back in about 9 hours.
Are Florence museums open on Mondays?
The Uffizi and the Accademia are closed on Mondays. Use Monday for a walking tour without museums, a day trip or the Duomo.
