Florence from the other bank, gardens, a neighbourhood square and Gregorian chant at dusk.

On Sunday, the centre of Florence fills up and the other bank of the Arno is left to those who stroll. This plan leaves Rome by train and devotes the day to the Oltrarno: the city's two big gardens with a single ticket, lunch in Piazza Santo Spirito and the climb to San Miniato al Monte to hear vespers in Gregorian chant. Almost everything is outdoors and you only need to book a table.

The day, hour by hour

7:30 · Train from Termini. High-speed to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, about an hour and a half.

9:30 · The Boboli Garden. From the station, buses C3 and C4 drop you at Santo Spirito, a few steps from the Pitti Palace; on foot it is about 25 minutes. It opens at 8:15. At the ticket office buy the combined ticket with the Bardini garden, €15: it is sold only there and for the same day. Climb through the amphitheatre to the Neptune fountain and the Kaffeehaus, and look at the city from above.

11:30 · The Bardini Garden. It is about 15 minutes on foot from Boboli. It is smaller, on a hillside, with a Baroque staircase, a wisteria tunnel that blooms in April and the most frontal view there is of the Duomo. In winter, until 28 February 2027, it closes at 16:00 and the combined ticket is sold until 13:45: that is why it comes before lunch.

13:00 · Lunch at the Osteria Santo Spirito. On the square, with a terrace. Order the house gratinated gnocchi and take advantage of the half portions. Book on its website.

15:00 · San Miniato al Monte. Walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo to see the city in the afternoon light and carry on a few minutes to the Romanesque basilica. On Sunday it is open from 15:30 to 19:00; at 17:30 there is Mass in Gregorian chant and at 18:30, sung vespers. Free.

19:00 · Return. Taxi or bus 12 to Santa Maria Novella and train to Rome.

With children

It is the Florence plan they handle best: grottoes, fountains and statues in Boboli, stairs and wisteria in Bardini, a lunch with half portions and a climb to the viewpoint. With a pushchair, expect slopes and stretches of gravel.