3 Days in Florence for Food & Wine: A Flexible Itinerary

The short version: three days is plenty to eat Florence well — a first day among the markets and the old-town classics, a second making pasta or gelato in a class and tasting Tuscan wine, and a third out in the Chianti hills for a vineyard lunch. Below is a loose, food-first shape for the trip, not a fixed schedule — bend it around opening hours and your own appetite.

A note on how to use this: these are suggestions and options, not a minute-by-minute plan. Market days, tasting-room and restaurant hours and tour availability change through the year, so treat the days as a flexible outline and confirm anything time-sensitive directly with the operator or venue before you go.

At a glance

Day one — markets and the old town

Start where Florence shops. The Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo (produce and stalls downstairs, a buzzing food hall upstairs) and the smaller, more local Sant’Ambrogio market are the best introductions to Tuscan ingredients. A Florence food tour is the easiest way in — it threads the markets together with tastes of pecorino, salumi, lampredotto (the tripe street-food sandwich Florentines queue for), crostini and wine. Save the evening for the city’s signature plate, bistecca alla fiorentina — the great charred T-bone (see how it works). Not sure what else to order? Our what to eat in Florence guide runs through it.

Day two — cook something, then taste wine

Give the second day to your hands and your palate. A Florence cooking class is the highlight many remember most — make fresh pasta or pici, ravioli and tiramisù, or join a dedicated pasta-making class or a gelato workshop — then eat what you made. In the afternoon or evening, a Tuscan wine tasting in a city enoteca introduces the region’s bottles — Chianti Classico, Brunello, Vino Nobile — with someone to explain them, a gentle primer for the vineyard day to come.

Day three — into the Chianti hills

Spend the last day in the countryside. Chianti is the classic and the closest — rolling vineyards, stone villages and family estates pouring Sangiovese, usually with a farmhouse lunch and olive oil to taste. A Chianti wine tour from Florence is the simplest way to do it without a car (our pick of the best Chianti tours helps you choose). With more time or a deeper wine interest, swap in Montalcino for Brunello or the Val d’Orcia, though those are longer days — and our Chianti vs Montalcino vs Montepulciano guide compares them.

Where to base yourself, and practical notes

Stay in the historic centre to walk to the Duomo, the markets and dinner, or across the river in Oltrarno for a more local, artisan feel and some of the best trattorias. Florence itself needs no car — it’s compact and walkable — so save the driving for wine country or, better, let an organised day trip handle it. Book cooking classes and wine day trips ahead in spring and autumn peak season, and mention dietary needs when you reserve. Keep it loose: a Florentine lunch is meant to linger. Browse everything on the Florence hub, and read Florence or Siena if you’re choosing a base for the wider region.

Frequently asked questions

Is three days enough for Florence?

Yes — three days lets you explore the markets and old-town food, do a cooking class and a wine tasting, and still take a day trip into Chianti. It’s a comfortable amount of time to eat and drink well without rushing.

What food should I try in Florence?

Bistecca alla fiorentina (the Florentine T-bone steak), lampredotto and crostini, ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, pappardelle al cinghiale, pecorino, and cantucci with Vin Santo — with Chianti and other Tuscan wines. A food tour or cooking class is the quickest way in.

What’s the best wine day trip from Florence?

Chianti is the classic and closest, with vineyards, villages and a farmhouse lunch. Montalcino (Brunello) and Montepulciano (Vino Nobile) are further but rewarding for serious wine lovers — they make longer days.

Plan your Florence food trip

Start with a Florence food tour, book a cooking class or a Tuscan wine tasting, add a Chianti day trip, or see everything on the Florence hub.