Photo © Santiago Almada

What to do in Florence on a Monday

What to do in town when Uffizi and Accademia have their day off

While planning your visit to Florence you should keep in mind that some of the main museums are closed on Mondays, more specifically some

State museums. And this information might suddenly sound a bigger deal once you realize that these include the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia Gallery, the museums of Palazzo Pitti and some more.

But don’t worry, there are plenty of alternatives to enjoy Florence, even on a Monday.

Contents

1.

Choose another museum
2.

Spend a day close to the sky
3.

Cross the river
4.

Look for art everywhere
5.

From street art... to street food!

Choose another museum

Opera del Duomo Museum - Credit: Opera del Duomo Museum

Florence has such a large number of museums and galleries that art lovers will easily find the one that better suits their interests.
If a heavy dose of Renaissance art is what you're looking for, head straight to the door of the Opera del Duomo Museum, home of the largest collection in the world of sculpture from the Middle Ages and the Florentine Renaissance, including masterpieces by the greatest artists of the time, like Michelangelo. In the monumental Salone del Paradiso (Hall of Paradise), there is a recreation of the Cathedral’s façade, with the original sculptures, and, in front, are the original Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise.
Mondays are also perfect to browse through the list of Florentine Civic Museums, which includes Palazzo Vecchio, the Brancacci Chapel and the Santa Maria Novella complex.

Spend a day close to the sky

Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo - Credit: Benson Kua

See the beauty of Florence from different angles and have a breathtaking experience (litterally!): climb Brunelleschi’s Dome, or Giotto's bells tower, or Torre di Arnolfo, the tower of Palazzo Vecchio. Watch the show of the sunset on the backdrop of Florence's skyline from Piazzale Michelangelo. End the day with a dinner or a drink on a terrace with a view.

Cross the river

Santo Spirito church - Credit: Alessandro Farese

Spend a day in the Oltrarno, which literally means "on the other side of the Arno". Cross Ponte Vecchio and wander the streets of the neighboirhoods of Santo Spirito, San Frediano and San Niccolò. There are plenty of artisan studios and antiques stores, tons of friendly bars and small restaurants.
Here is a one-day itinerary to explore "the other side".

Look for art everywhere

- Credit: Gayly Planet

When the museums are closed, it's time to look for art elsewhere! Wear your most curious eyes and walk through the streets and cobbled lanes of the historic centre, where street artists have use walls, road signs and street lamps as canvas for their works.
Here is a quick guide to street art in Florence.

From street art... to street food!

Fresh products, authentic food and real hospitality: Monday mornings are the right moment to plunge into the atmosphere of a Florentine historic market. At lunch, time to taste some local street food: trippa or lampredotto, two culinary institutions, served by the “trippai” (tripe stalls).
Add a glass of Chianti and enjoy the rest of your Monday!