Start around 11:00 at Mercato Centrale Firenze in San Lorenzo, arriving before the busiest lunch rush. The ground floor is best for browsing Tuscan ingredients and produce, while the upstairs food hall is useful for an easy, informal meal—allow about €15–25 per person. It is generally open from morning until late evening, though individual stalls keep their own hours. Give yourself roughly 90 minutes, and keep an eye on bags in the crowded lanes around Via dell’Ariento.
After lunch, walk a few minutes to the Basilica di San Lorenzo, one of Florence’s most important Renaissance churches and the Medici family’s parish church. The church interior usually takes about an hour; check the official schedule before setting out, as religious services can affect visiting hours. Admission is typically around €9–10, with combined tickets sometimes including the Medici Chapels—but don’t add them today unless you want to shorten the rest of the afternoon.
From San Lorenzo, walk north along Via de’ Ginori toward the Galleria dell’Accademia, reaching it in about 10 minutes. A timed reservation is strongly recommended in August; without one, queues can consume much of the afternoon. Plan around 90 minutes inside, focusing on Michelangelo’s David as well as the unfinished “Prisoners” and the gallery’s musical-instrument collection. Tickets are usually about €16–20 before reservation fees. Afterwards, continue south for roughly 12 minutes to Piazza del Duomo. Spend an hour taking in Florence Cathedral, Giotto’s Campanile, and the Baptistery from outside; the square is especially dramatic in the late afternoon, but shaded edges are limited, so bring water. Entry to the cathedral itself is free when open, while the tower and dome require timed combination tickets.
Finish in San Lorenzo with dinner at Trattoria Zà Zà, a lively, traditional choice near the market. Reserve ahead for August and expect approximately €30–45 per person; classic orders include ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, and bistecca alla fiorentina, though portions are generous. It is an easy walk back from the Duomo—about 8 minutes—so there is no need for a taxi, and you can take a relaxed after-dinner stroll through the quieter lanes around Piazza San Lorenzo.
Begin in Santo Spirito around 9:00 at the Basilica di Santo Spirito, one of Florence’s most atmospheric churches and a quieter counterpoint to the grander monuments across the river. Brunelleschi’s plain, perfectly proportioned interior is the main attraction; allow about 45 minutes. Entry to the basilica is generally free, though modest donations are welcome, and opening times can vary around religious services—dress shoulders and knees modestly. From there, walk roughly 10 minutes through the Oltrarno lanes to Palazzo Pitti. Allow two hours for the former Medici residence, especially the Palatine Gallery; combined tickets covering the palace museums and Boboli Gardens are usually around €16–22, with reduced prices for some visitors. In August, book an early timed entry if available and carry water: the palace can feel busy and warm even before midday.
After Palazzo Pitti, go straight into the Boboli Gardens for about 90 minutes, taking the shaded upper paths and terraces rather than trying to cover every corner. The gardens are typically open from around 8:15 until 18:50 in summer, with last admission earlier, and comfortable shoes are essential because of steep gravel paths. When hunger catches up, cross the river toward All’Antico Vinaio on Via dei Neri—about 20–25 minutes on foot from Boboli, depending on your route—for a generous schiacciata at roughly €8–15 per person. Expect a queue, particularly in August; order simply, take your sandwich away, and eat it in a nearby shaded spot rather than treating this as a long restaurant lunch. Finish by walking east toward Piazzale Michelangelo via Ponte alle Grazie and the San Niccolò neighborhood, allowing 25–30 minutes; the final climb is steep, so a taxi is sensible if it is very hot. Arrive 45 minutes before sunset to secure a railing spot, then linger for the classic panorama of the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Arno—there is a café at the square, but prices and queues are better avoided by bringing water.
Start at Uffizi Gallery when it opens—ideally around 8:15–8:30, before the summer heat and the largest tour groups. Allow roughly 2½ hours for Botticelli, Leonardo, Caravaggio, and the views over the Arno; timed entry is strongly recommended in August, with tickets commonly around €25–30 depending on the booking channel. The gallery is closed on Mondays but open on Thursday, 6 August; bring only a small bag, as larger luggage must be checked. Afterward, walk through Piazza della Signoria and along Via dei Calzaiuoli toward Piazza della Repubblica, a straightforward 8–10-minute stroll.
Take your planned break at Caffè Gilli, where the historic Art Nouveau interior and terrace make a good counterpoint to the morning’s museums. Order a coffee and pastry—or something more substantial if breakfast was light—and expect about €8–18 per person. Give yourself around 45 minutes, then continue east on Via del Corso toward Museo Nazionale del Bargello, roughly 10 minutes away on foot. The museum occupies a wonderfully atmospheric medieval palace and is especially rewarding for Renaissance sculpture; allow 1½ hours. Check the day’s ticket availability and hours before setting out, as museum schedules can vary seasonally, with admission generally around €10–12.
From Museo Nazionale del Bargello, walk about 7 minutes to Santa Croce Basilica. Visit the church and its monumental tombs associated with Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli, leaving time to appreciate the cloistered spaces rather than rushing through; allow about 1½ hours. Modest clothing is required, and opening can be affected by religious services, so verify the afternoon schedule on the day. Finish with dinner at La Ménagère in Santa Maria Novella, about a 15-minute walk west via Via dei Servi and the cathedral area, or a short taxi ride if the heat has worn you out. Its florists, housewares, café spaces, and restaurant make it a pleasantly unhurried final stop; reserve ahead in August and budget approximately €35–55 per person.