Sights in Florence's San Marco

A list of sights in the northernmost part of the historic center

Michelangelo's David at the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence

Michelangelo's David (Accademia) ★★★

So much more than just Michelangelo's David (but, yes, that is here), this fine arts academy houses works by Botticelli, Giambologna, and Andrea del Sarto as well as several more Michelangelo sculptures that are, to many, more interesting than the David: a group half-finished Slaves that showcase the master's carving technique... » more

Museo Archeologico ★

This embarrassingly rich collection is often overlooked by visitors in full-throttle Renaissance mode. It conserves Egyptian artifacts, Roman remains, many Attic vases, and an important Etruscan collection. Parts of it have been undergoing restoration and rearrangement for years and are closed indefinitely, including the garden ... » more

The nave of the church of SS. Annunziata and its Chapel of the Annunciation in Florence. (Photo by Richard Mortel)

Santissima Annunziata ★

Founded in 1250, this church near the northern edge of the tourist center was rebuilt in 1444-81 by Michelozzo and completed by Leon Battista Alberti, two of the greatest architects of the Renaissance, and decorated by some of the most important Mannerist artists of the High Renaissance. » more

Cenacolo di Sant'Apollonia ★

Home to one of most recognizable frescoes in history; The Last Supper. This masterful work dates back to 1450. So few people know about this location resulting in no lines at this former convent and no crowds. Walk right up and ring the doorbell… ... » more

Museo del Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Firenze. (Photo by Kent Wang)

Museo Opificio delle Pietre Dure

In the 16th century, Florentine craftsmen perfected the art of pietre dure (misnamed "Florentine mosaic"), piecing together inlay of cut pieces of precious and semi-precious stones. The Medici founded this institute devoted to the craft in 1588, and while the collection in this museum is small, the pieces are uniformly excellent... » more

Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi

The chapter house houses 13th-century church's hidden main prize, a wall-filling fresco of the Crucifixion and Saints (1493–96) by Perugino, grand master of the Umbrian school. The interior, remodeled in the 17th and early 18th centuries, represents the high baroque at its restrained best...» more

The Sepdale degli Innocenti, Florence. (Photo by Richard Mortel)

Spedale degli Innocenti

Europe's oldest foundling hospital, opened in 1445, is still going strong as a convent orphanage, though times have changed a bit. The lazy Susan set into the wall on the left end of the arcade—where once people left unwanted babies, swivelled it around, rang the bell, and ran—has since been blocked up... » more

The tomb of Elizabeth Barrett Browning in the Cimitero degli Inglesi (English Cemetery) in Florence. (Photo by Alessandra)

Protestant Cemetery

Florence's Cimitero degli Inglesi—once a quiet garden spot tucked up againt the city walls, now an oasis in the middle of a traffic circle—is the eternal resting palce of Elizabeth Barret Browning.... » more

Sinagoga

The center of the 1,000-strong Jewish community in Florence is this imposing Moorish-Byzantine synagogue, built in the 1870s. In an effort to create a neo-Byzantine building, the architects ended up making it look rather like a church, complete with a dome, an apse, a pulpit, and a pipe organ.... » more

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Around San Marco

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How long does Florence take?

Planning your day: Florence would well be worth a week, but you can still fit a lot into just a day or three.

To help you get the most out of your limited time in the Cradle of the Renaissance, here are some perfect itineraries, whether you have one, two, or three days to spend in Florence.

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