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Last updated:
July 20, 2026
Published:
March 31, 2025
Last updated on:
July 20, 2026
Published on:
March 31, 2025
Not many visitors to Italy know just how easy it is to visit Florence from Naples and see the famous sites of the Renaissance City such as Michelangelo’s David and the Uffizi Galleries. Having done it myself, here’s how you can take a day trip from Naples to Florence.
Florence is just a direct train away from Naples – what are you waiting for?
How to visit Florence in a day from Naples
By following this detailed guide, you can find out how to visit Florence easily from Naples and how to best spend your day, seeing the main sites and eating some of Florence’s famous cuisine. On this page I’ll cover:
- Why visit Florence
- Tips for maximising your time
- Prepare for your day trip to Florence
- How to get to Florence from Naples
- Spending a morning in Florence
- Lunch in Florence
- Afternoon in Florence
- The best part of a day in Florence (in my opinion)
- Returning to Naples from Florence
- More ways to spend a day in Florence
Why you should visit Florence
While a small city in geographical terms, Florence is a heavyweight when it comes to Italian art, history and cuisine.
Some of Italy’s most famous historical figures – including Dante, Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Machiavelli – either came from Florence, or lived and worked in the city for long parts of their lives.
Visit the final resting place of some of history’s greatest artists in Florence
This cultural legacy is combined with Florence’s history as a centre of commerce under the powerful Medici family. As a crossroads between the Vatican and the great kingdoms of Europe through the late Middle Ages until the unification of Italy, Florence was one of the most important places in the world for a long time.
This means now that Florence is a showcase for some of the most incredible Italian art, architecture, food and drink.
Tips for maximising your time
With just one day to visit Florence, maximising your time will be key to ensuring you have the best possible visit from Naples.
Here are two important tips based on our years of visiting Florence and living in Italy:
Book in advance
Florence is a small city with a handful of must-see sights, but it attracts a huge number of visitors annually.
In addition, being a small city means that the restaurant and bar scene is far more competitive compared to somewhere like Rome.
Considering this, we recommend booking ahead for anything you absolutely have to see or do. You should also reserve any restaurants/bars that you really want to dine/drink at. Not doing so runs the risk of arriving and being turned away. Why take a chance when most things can be booked online in a couple of minutes?
Guarantee that you can access famous sites like the Uffizi by booking your ticket or tour in advance
Be flexible – unexpected things happen
Even if you plan every element of your trip, anything can happen when travelling. This is not a Florence/Naples/Italy specific tip, just a general consideration when traveling.
The chances of unexpected things happening are heightened if you are somewhere that you are not already familiar with, when factors like language barriers come into play.
As such, you should be prepared to go with the flow if the unexpected happens. Your train is delayed? Take the next one and adapt – if you’re anything like me you’ll regret not going on your trip if you decide to cancel. One of the sights you’d like to visit is fully booked? Visit somewhere else, there are no shortage of alternatives in Florence!
Prepare for your day trip to Florence
Before setting off on your day trip, make the following preparations:
1. Check the train timetables to understand the departure and arrival times between Napoli Centrale and Firenze Santa Maria Novella, and book your tickets if you know when you’d like to travel
2. Book your tickets/tours to the key places you wish to visit during your day trip so your entrance is guaranteed. The places you should absolutely book include:
- The Accademia Gallery (Michelangelo’s David statue)
- The Uffizi Galleries (and Vasari Corridor)
- Florence Duomo climb and/or the Campanile climb
- Palazzo Vecchio
- The Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens
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How to get to Florence from Naples
The quickest, most efficient and greenest way of getting to Florence from Naples is by train. Also, it’s the most comfortable and most relaxing option so I wouldn’t recommend any other type of journey.
You will want to book one of the first trains leaving Napoli Centrale for Firenze Santa Maria Novella if you want to make the most of your day trip.
Typically the earliest direct high speed trains leave Naples around 5AM, and with an average journey time of 3 hours this will have you arriving in Florence around 8:30AM. With multiple trains per hour you don’t have to get up this early but I would recommend arriving in Florence by 10AM.
I have tailored this guide with first-time visitors to Florence in mind, but I have also included options suited for different travel styles and returning visitors. Everything is based on my firsthand experience of visiting and exploring Florence (I first visited in 2016) and my work over at Florencewise.
Spending a morning in Florence
For your first couple of hours in Florence from Naples, I recommend visiting the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s famous statue of David.
Michelangelo’s iconic David has to be seen up close to really appreciate the level of artistic mastery that created it
The Accademia is a short walk from the train station (or jump in a taxi from the rank outside the station) and reservations in advance are absolutely necessary. Entrance to the Accademia is staggered with guests having specific time slots for admittance, and to visit this museum fully takes around 1.5 hours.
While most visitors to this gallery usually beeline straight for Michelangelo’s statue of David, take some time to explore the other rooms, especially those before the hall where David resides.
There is a lot more to see in the Accademia than just the David!
Not only are these rooms full of fascinating history and beautiful artwork, by delaying your arrival to David, a lot of the visitors in your timeslot will have already gone ahead. This means that you will see the David with less people around.
If you have visited the Accademia before, other great places to visit which can be seen in this time before lunch include:
- Medici Chapels & Basilica San Lorenzo (resting place of notable Medici family members, 1.5 hours total)
- Florence Duomo (Florence’s principle cathedral, 2 hours, including the climb to the top)
- Palazzo Vecchio (Firenze’s seat of government, past and present, 1.5 hours)
Lunch in Florence
Once you have finished your visit to the Accademia, it’s time to eat!
Florence is renowned throughout Italy for its unique cuisine. Where this will be your main meal of the day (as getting back to Naples means an on-the-go dinner) seek out a traditional dining experience – here are a few options:
For steak and traditional Florentine cuisine:
- Fuoco Matto: Just a few minutes from the Accademia and Medici Chapels, this has been one of my favourite restaurants in Florence for years. The menu features Tuscan classics, including the famous Bistecca Fiorentina (Florentine Steak) which is done to perfection here. You’ll also find pasta and pizza on the menu, and an extensive wine list.
Florentine steak is the hallmark dish from this city, and a must-try for meat eaters
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For street food and cheap eats:
- Mercato Centrale: If you’re travelling on a budget, or love street food, this is the place for you. This covered market hall is home to dozens of places to grab something to eat, with stalls and takeout spots offering everything from traditional local Lampredotto sandwiches to international cuisine options. Mercato Centrale is just a short walk from the Accademia.
If you’re looking for something different and authentically local, grab yourself a lampredotto sandwich from the Mercato Centrale
For something different:
- Coquinarius: This tucked-away bistro offers guests a more contemporary Tuscan dining experience with modern twists on traditional plates. We love this place for its intimate atmosphere and friendly service, and for its location. The restaurant is less than 5 minutes on foot from Florence Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio and therefore makes a great option if you visited the cathedral instead of the Accademia in the morning.
An afternoon in Florence
Once you have refuelled at lunch, it’s time to visit Florence’s most iconic museum; the Uffizi Galleries.
This relatively simple looking building is home to some of the world’s most precious artworks
This huge gallery is in the heart of the historic centre (right next door to Palazzo Vecchio) and was once home to Florence’s city administration. The name translates as ‘the Offices’ in Tuscan dialect.
It would be easy to spend an entire day here and not see everything, but in mine and Sara’s experience, two hours is more than sufficient to see all of the key pieces of art and history on display.
See masterpieces such as Botticelli’s Birth of Venus up close in the Uffizi Galleries
Alongside other iconic sites like the Colosseum in Rome and Pompeii near Naples, the Uffizi is one of Italy’s most visited sights. You should absolutely book your entrance tickets or tour well in advance of arriving. Regardless of the time of the year, the chances of being able to get a ticket at the entrance office on the day of your visit are extremely limited.
Conveniently you’ll find a small café on the upper floor of the gallery which makes a great place to stop and have a coffee or spritz during your afternoon visit.
If you plan to visit the Vasari Corridor as part of your Uffizi experience, you need to reserve a specific time to enter the corridor. Admittance to the Vasari Corridor is at fixed times, and you are only permitted to enter the Uffizi a maximum of 2 hours prior to your Vasari Corridor visit time.
The Vasari Corridor was the Medici’s private elevated thoroughfare between their offices and palace
Given that you need to arrive at the entrance to the Vasari Corridor 20 minutes before your visit time, this will give you around 1 hour 40 minutes to visit the Uffizi collections so be sure to manage your time accordingly.
If you have visited the Uffizi previously and are looking for something else do during your afternoon, beyond the sites mentioned previously, consider:
- The Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens (the Medici family’s principal palace, allow 3 hours to see both of these, or 1.5 hours per site)
- Santa Croce (resting place of Michelangelo, 1.5 hours)
- Bargello Museum (home to works by Michelangelo, Donatello and others, 1.5 hours)
The best part of any day in Florence (in my opinion)
Depending on what you’ve done during your trip from Naples to Florence, by this point it will likely be early-to-mid evening. If you don’t mind arriving back in Naples a little later, I have one final Florentine experience to recommend; aperitivo.
You can’t go wrong by getting a Negroni in Florence – it was created here after all!
Florence has a strong aperitivo heritage (it’s the birthplace of my favourite drink, the Negroni after all) and if you stick around into the evening, you’ll see the city come to life with locals and visitors alike enjoying a pre-dinner drink.
Here are some of our favourite spots for an evening drink in Florence:
Piazza della Repubblica
This large square in the historic center of Florence loosely follows the footprint of Florence’s ancient Roman forum, and like in ancient times, this area is still a hub of activity. Facing the square you’ll find two of Florence’s most famous bars – Paszkowski and Gilli – where you can order food and drink any time of the day, making it the perfect place for a pre-return-to-Naples recharge.
Sara and I love the bar at the Rinascente department store overlooking Piazza della Repubblica
Piazzale Michelangelo
If you opt to make the trip across the river Arno (I’d recommend doing so via the Ponte Vecchio so you can see Florence’s most famous bridge up close), and up the small hill to the southeast of the centre of Florence you’ll find the monumental Piazzale Michelangelo.
This scenic square offers the best views of the city of Florence. Once you’ve had your fill of the view, across the road from the piazza, you’ll find La Loggia del Piazzale Michelangelo. They offer a high-end aperitivo experience serving the best quality drinks with immaculate service, all in a traditional and refined setting.
Be sure to take a moment or two to appreciate the view of Firenze from Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazza Santo Spirito
If you’re looking for a more local experience for your aperitivo, again head across the river Arno via Ponte Vecchio to enter the Oltrarno neighbourhood. Make your way to Piazza Santo Spirito where you’ll find several bars facing the square and Basilica of Santo Spirito.
We love this square as the drinks are on the cheaper side, service is fast and efficient, and you can people-watch as locals go about their lives and visitors enjoy their vacations.
Grab a seat at any bar on Piazza Santo Spirito and watch the world go by
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Returning to Naples from Florence
Typically, the latest trains leaving Firenze Santa Maria Novella station with arrival at Napoli Centrale depart around 8PM and get in at 11PM.
However, I would not recommend booking the last train in case of any issues. It’s always good to have a fallback option…unless of course you don’t mind getting stuck in Florence for a night (not the worst thing admittedly!).
Depending on where you ended up during the final part of your day in Florence, you should factor in around 45 minutes to get back to the train station. Whether you are walking across the city, catching a bus or using a taxi, it has never taken me any longer than this to get from one side of Firenze to the other.
If time allows on your way back to Santa Maria Novella station, swing by the basilica that this area is named after – find it just a few minutes from the train station
At Santa Maria Novella train station you’ll find several cafes and shops to grab any refreshments you want for the train. The station itself is not large so just keep an eye on the departures board and make your way to your train when you have a set platform.
Then, sit back and enjoy the journey back to Napoli – you’ve earned a rest!
More ways to spend a day in Florence
If you’re planning to do a day trip from Naples to Florence and are looking to skip the main sites, here are two other great ways to spend your day:
Shopping
Florence is renowned throughout Italy for its shopping, with a focus on fashion and particularly leather-made goods. The history of this goes back centuries, so if you’re in the new market for a new jacket, bag, pair of shoes or anything else leather, Florence is a great place to start browsing.
Focus on Food & Drink
I’ve detailed on this page how to ensure you experience some authentic Florentine cuisine during your day trip from Naples to Florence as well as see the key sites.
However, if you’re a real foodie, why not dedicate your whole day to indulging in Florence’s famous food?
You can either take a look at this guide from Florencewise covering the best places to eat, or book a dedicated food tour – take a look at recommended experiences from our partners here:
- Explore Florence’s local neighborhoods and markets, tasting traditional food and wine along the way
- Learn all about Italian gelato before making your very own flavor concoction in this gelato-making experience
- Make fresh pasta dishes in a historic setting, accompanied by plenty of wine, before eating what you have prepared
- Discover the story of Florence on this walking tour of the historic center, including multiple stops for food, wine and gelato
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To sum up…
It will be a long day, but a very fun day, going from Naples to Florence by train. The city of Florence is perfectly laid out to explore in one day, and helpfully the high speed trains run all day and night. Just be sure to book your tickets for places like the Accademia and Uffizi Galleries in advance!
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