A perfect two-day tour of Florence and Tuscany

Allow about 8 hours: 45 minutes around the Duomo, 30 in Piazza della Signoria, 3 hours in the Uffizi and 90 minutes at Santa Croce, plus 35 minutes for walking, an hour for lunch and 40 minutes of arrival margin. The direct links between these stops total about 1.4 km; walking inside museums and travel from your accommodation are additional.

Start outside the cathedral. Walk around the dome, bell tower and Baptistery rather than treating the whole Duomo complex as one short visit. Continue towards Piazza della Signoria for the palace façade and the sculptures of the Loggia dei Lanzi.

Make the Uffizi the main visit, with time to follow the collection rather than rush from painting to painting. Fit lunch after the gallery and walk east to Santa Croce for the basilica, tombs and cloisters. Admission to the museum complex, not just a look across the square, is included in this budget.

For a slower day, finish after the Uffizi and lunch, and leave Santa Croce for another day. A dome climb or the Duomo museum needs its own time and, where required, a booked slot; replace another visit rather than squeeze it in. The Uffizi normally closes on Monday. Exact admission slots, church access and dated exceptions still determine the order.

Reserve a full excursion day, with about 6 hours in Siena before adding outward and return travel. Allow 45 minutes in Piazza del Campo, 90 in the cathedral, 90 at Santa Maria della Scala, 45 for local walking, an hour for lunch and 30 minutes of margin. Local walking is an editorial allowance; this route has not been measured by our Florence walking service.

Arrive with time to reach the historic centre from the actual bus stop, station or parking place. Begin in Piazza del Campo with the shape of the square, Fonte Gaia and the exterior of Palazzo Pubblico. A Torre del Mangia climb is a separate ticketed visit and is not included in these 45 minutes.

Continue up to the cathedral for the interior and Piccolomini Library. The uncovered floor and extra parts of the cathedral complex depend on your date and ticket; the 90-minute allocation does not mean that the whole complex fits. Lunch and a visit to Santa Maria della Scala give the afternoon a second substantial stop rather than leaving it empty.

If travel leaves less destination time, keep the square and cathedral and leave Santa Maria della Scala for another visit. Allow for hills and the journey back to your boarding point. A practical same-day return still needs departures for your chosen date, transfers and the final connection to your accommodation; there is no confirmed bus or train timetable attached to this example.