3 days in Florence with kids (and my in-laws!)

Ah, Florence. It seems like I hear more love for this city than just about any other in Italy, but up until last week I’d only spent a couple tumultuous hours there as an 18-year-old (that’s a story for another day, I think!). This past week, we changed all that with 3 days in Florence with our kids and my in-laws, Gail and David. We actually ended up staying in an apartment the city for five days total, but two of those were spent on day trips to Siena and Greve so for now we’ll focus on our 3 days in Florence itself.

This was our second 3-generation trip (we were in Ireland together last year!) and we had a fantastic time. That said, I can’t say that Florence was my favorite Italian city. It was absolutely beautiful, but with our off-peak travel this year and living in Sicily I somehow have gotten much more annoyed by crowds and long lines than I used to be. Florence had a lot of both. I guess we are spoiled?

Still, I’m so glad we got to see beautiful Florence at last. I definitely would say it is worth a visit sometime, and if you go with kids you’ll need a minimum of 3 days in Florence for sure (though adult groups who plan strategically could see a lot with two days in Florence!). Before I started researching, I had no idea how much there was to do! Today I’ll share our suggested itinerary for 3 days in Florence with kids, some words of advice on planning, our favorite restaurants and plenty of pictures from our own trip.

This is not entirely representative of what we ended up doing — lines, illness and foul weather intervened — but it was what I came up with before we left. With luck and adequate preparation, I believe this itinerary can work great for 3 days in Florence with kids! For more details about each place I mention — and suggestions for lunches and dinners — see below.

3 days in Florence with kids: An itinerary

Day 1 in Florence with kids:

1. Cross the Ponte Vecchio.  This iconic bridge spanning the Arno River dates back to the 1300s (though records of bridges at that site date back to at least 900). It was the only bridge not bombed by the retreating Germans fleeing Florence, allegedly at the express order of Hitler. It is interesting because it still has shops lining its sides (as many bridges used to), which are mostly jewelry shops these days,

2. Visit the Duomo di Firenze. (9 minute walk from the Ponte Vecchio). Undoubtedly the most recognized building in Florence, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is a masterpiece. Its dome is the largest brick dome ever constructed. If you plan to go inside, I’d suggest booking ahead — more on that later. You can also climb the 400+ steps to the top of the Duomo, but be aware that reservations are required, not just recommended, for that. For the record, we waited in line for two hours to go inside and didn’t think it as particularly worth it … it is much more impressive on the outside!

3. Visit the Palazzo Vecchio. (6 minute walk from the Duomo). A palace built to impress, this structure’s uses have varied over the years but it is now the seat of the Florence city government as well as a museum. If you are with kids, consider taking one of the age-appropriate kid tours — such as the “The Story of the Turtle and the Snail” for ages 4 to 7 — at the Palazzo. Sadly we didn’t have time to make it there but I’ve heard rave reviews.

3a. See Florence’s “outdoor museum” at the Loggia dei Lanzi. The Palazzo Vecchio sits on the Piazza Signoria, once the home of Michelangelo’s David before he was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia for his own safety. You can still find incredible sculptures that date back to as early at the Roman times and as late as the Renaissance, many of which are tucked under the arched Loggia dei Lanzi (sometimes called the Loggia delle Signora). The Loggia provides a roof over the statutes, but is open on the sides.

From here, you have a choice (unless you are ambitious and do both!) depending on the mood of the crowd … 

4. Visit the burial place of the greats at Santa Croce. (6 minute walk from Palazzo Vecchio). Described by fellow blogger Maggie as a “hidden gem,” this church is the burial place of the likes of Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo. Read Maggie’s Tuscany itinerary to learn more.

Alt. 4. Take in views at Piazza Michelangelo. (20 minute walk from Palazzo Vecchio). Generally know as the best view of Florence around, fellow blogger Alicia recommends watching the sunset at Piazza Michelangelo. This one will be a longer stretch of walking, and riding a bus only gets you so close. Still, those views looks like they are worth it! Also a great choice if you are with kids who need more of a place to run!

Day 2 in Florence with kids:

1. Hit the Mercato San Lorenzo for breakfast. This two-story farmer’s market, otherwise known at the Mercato Centrale, is a place where you can buy fresh foods of all kinds in the traditional style. There are also many bars and restaurants in the market to grab a bite. This is a great place to grab some healthy snacks for the kids!

2. Visit the Michelangelo’s David at the Galleria dell’Accademia. (7 minutes from Mercato San Lorenzo). You know how famous icons sometimes seem like they don’t live up to what you expect they’ll be? (I’m looking at you, Ms. Mona Lisa!). David is the opposite of that. Plus, if your kids are anything like mine they’ll get a laugh at the naked butts of the statues. I’d say, “kids will be kids” but there was some joking and snickering from me and Chris too, so I guess not. Buy tickets in advance for this.

3: Check out royal living at the Palazzo Pitti. (20 minute walk, but you’ll stop for lunch or gelato somewhere!) This palace, once home to the wealthy Pitti family, later became the seat of the Medici family once they’d effectively seized control of Florence. It houses four museums as well as Royal Apartments that you can tour, though if you are in Florence with kids I’d obviously suggest you be selective in what you want to check out. For my part, I’d suggest seeing how the other half lived in the Royal Apartments. Buy tickets ahead for this.

4: Relax in the Boboli Gardens. (Right behind Palazzo Pitti). Depending on the mood of your crowd, you might want to do this before the museum. The Boboli Gardens are just behind the Palazzo Pitti, and by all accounts should be high on your list for a visit to Florence with kids since it gives them the chance to run around or even have a picnic. Unfortunately we couldn’t make it here because of terrible weather most of the time we were in Florence. Next time!

This might be a good time to stop at Enoteca Pitti Gole e Cantina, just across the street from the Palazzo Pitti, if you are in the mood for some upscale food.

Day 3 in Florence with kids:

1. Ride the Antique Carousel in the Piazza Della Repubblica. Florence with kids isn’t always going to be the easiest — lots of churches and museums to tour — but you can help keep the kids happy with a visit to the Antique Carousel at the Piazza della Repubblica. It costs only a euro each for the children to ride, and both times we went there was somehow no line.

1a. Check out street performers near Piazza Repubblica. Also in this area, you’re likely to find chalk artists, musicians and living statues, which can be fun for everyone.

2. Visit the Uffizi Gallery. (6 minutes from Piazza della Repubblica). One of the largest and most famous art museums in the world, the Uffizi surely tops most people’s must-see lists in Florence. I approached it with some trepidation considering how overwhelming I find the Louvre, but in the end I’m glad we didn’t miss the chance to see famous works like The Birth of Venus in person. That said, have realistic expectations for visiting with kids — there are only so many paintings of an inexplicably blond baby Jesus that a kid can deal with. My best advice is to see what you want to see immediately so you can bail as soon as necessary, and to really discuss what you are looking at with your kids as you visit. BUY TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME, SERIOUSLY.

3. Visit the Antique Carousel (yes, again). (6 minutes from Uffizi). Your kids were good in the Uffizi? If you are anything like us, you’ve promised them the carousel again as a reward. Enjoy!

4. Whatever you missed before. This is actually a wish-list item for me. We’ve never once had an trip where we’ve seen absolutely everything on our proposed itinerary, so it recently occurred to me that I should really plan more time to try and cope with that. So, that’s what I’m advising you to do here. Let’s see if I take my own advice next trip, eh?

Tips for planning 3 days in Florence with kids

Points 1-5: Book ahead. I know, I know. I used to be resistant to doing this because traveling with kids can be a bit unpredictable. But unless you are somehow going at the very bottom of tourist season, Florence with kids is going to be rough without reservations to get into attractions.  I booked ahead for what I thought of as the “Big 2,” Accademia and Uffizi, figuring the lines couldn’t be that bad anywhere else in late April/early May. Wrong. When you are with adults, standing in line for TWO HOURS is annoying but not earth-shattering. When you are with young kids, it pretty much means you aren’t going (I’m looking at you, Palazzo Pitti). The only reason we were able to get into the Duomo di Firenze was because we had four adults with us, so one of us waiting in line at a time while the rest kept the kids chill at a restaurant. So, yeah, book ahead.

Point 6: Try to keep it to one reservation per day. Two, at the absolute most. Because of my lack of timely planning, our itinerary ended up with Galleria dell’Accademia and Uffizi back-to-back because those were the tickets that were still available, and that arrangement was far from ideal with kids. Luckily, we were allowed to walk into Accademia a good half hour early, which helped loosen up the schedule.

Point 7: Research closure days. Be aware that many Florence highlights are closed on Mondays, and plan accordingly. We opted to take a day trip to Siena on Monday for that reason.

Where to eat in Florence with kids

Ah, eating. Basically my favorite topic. We had some fantastic meals in Florence, and I’d urge you to check them out!

For dinner: Al Tranvai (Piazza Torquato Tasso, 14r, ). This cozy restaurant offers delicious fare at fairly reasonable prices. Owen is STILL talking about the Florentine steak he got there. (Yes, we got the 5-year-old steak, but he doesn’t eat pasta or much of anything generally so when he’s willing to eat something we try to accommodate it.) They didn’t bring the half-portion that we thought we were getting, but it worked out because he devoured the majority of it. We all agreed this was the best restaurant we visited on the trip.

For a cheap lunch: I Fratellini (Via dei Cimatori, 38). This is basically just a window where you order one of 20-something delicious sandwiches, then devour them on the curb. Simple, but very good, cheap and fast. The brothers make the sandwiches with lightening fast efficiency! I suggest the roasted pork with parsley sauce. You can also buy a glass of wine, then return your glass to a receptacle next to the service window.

For an upscale drink: Enoteca Pitti Gole e Catina (Piazza de’ Pitti, 16). We made reservations for this upscale wine bar and enjoy an amazing glass of Chianti while looking onto the Palazzo Pitti across the street. They have a kitchen as well, but we opted not to have dinner there as the portions were small and prices a little high for our taste. Still, I’d highly recommend as a stop for a drink or a kid-free evening.

For gelato: Gelateria La Carraia (Piazza Nazario Sauro, 25). Hand down, the best ice cream we’ve ever had. Do not miss this place if you go!

Getting to Florence for your trip

Florence has its own airport, and if you go that route you can take a taxi to the city center (22 euro fixed rate, extra charges for holidays and stuff). Alternatively, you can catch the Volainbus, which is a 20 minute shuttle to the city (more on that here).

But, if you are like us or my in-laws, you may find it cheaper or easier to fly into Rome for your trip. In our case, we pre-booked the Frecciargento train from a train station right inside the airport to Firenze’s central Santa Maria Novella train station. It takes about 2 hours to cover the 192 miles between the two, and the trains were quite comfortable. Prices varies depending on the time of day, and prices seem to be between about about $30 and $50. Kids under 4 ride free.

Closing thoughts on Florence with kids

Overall, I’m so glad we had the opportunity to see the beautiful city of Florence! While it wasn’t necessarily my favorite place, we got to see fantastic art, eat some fabulous meals and spend time with the grandparents . I wouldn’t say that Florence has a reputation as a destination to take young kids, and I do get why. That said, I don’t think there is any reason to let that stop you from visiting if Florence is calling to you! As I’ve talked about before, kids can surprise you by what they are interested in. The key is to keep them engaged in what they are looking at. For example, Fiona and I would pick a set of paintings and discuss which one we liked better, with her usually giving preference to anything with gold on it. Or we’d find statues and make up funny reasons for the expressions they were wearing. Keeping it fun is crucial to keeping kids engaged in what they are doing.

And gelato. Gelato helps everything.

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