A private transfer, a local guide, a wine window, the Ponte Vecchio, and an affogato. Basically, a very good day in Florence.

Florence was one of those cruise ports where I knew I wanted to see the big sights—but I also knew I didn’t want to spend the entire day worrying about trains, taxis, schedules, or whether we’d make it back to the ship on time.

So we did Florence our way: a private transfer from Livorno, a private guide for three hours, and then plenty of time to wander on our own.

And honestly? It was the perfect combination.

From Livorno to Florence

We met our private driver in Livorno and headed toward Florence, letting someone else worry about the driving while we enjoyed the scenery.

When you’re visiting Florence on a cruise, the distance between the port and the city is something to consider. Having a private transfer meant we didn’t have to navigate public transportation or worry about getting back to the ship.

Our driver dropped us off in Florence and we met our private guide for the morning.

And this is where having a guide made such a difference. Armando looked like the quintessential guide you would picture. He reminded me of Indiana Jones! 😂

Three Hours With a Private Florence Guide

Florence is one of those cities where you can walk around and see beautiful things everywhere you look—but having someone explain what you’re actually looking at takes the experience to another level.

Our guide spent about three hours with us, taking us through some of Florence’s most famous sights.

The Baptistry

We started with the Baptistry, right in the heart of Florence.

Even before you step inside, the architecture and those famous doors immediately tell you that you’re somewhere special.

Our guide filled us in on the history and details that would have been very easy to miss if we’d simply wandered past on our own.

The Duomo

From there, we made our way to the Duomo, officially the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

There are certain places that photographs simply don’t prepare you for, and the Duomo is one of them.

The size, the details, the colors, the dome—it is a lot to take in.

And because our guide knew the area so well, we weren’t spending our precious Florence day figuring out where to go next.

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

Next was the Museum of the Duomo, which houses an incredible collection of original works of art and sculpture connected to the cathedral complex.

This was another place where having a guide was especially helpful. Rather than simply looking at beautiful pieces, we understood what we were seeing and why it mattered.

Accademia and Michelangelo’s David

We finished our guided portion of the day at the Accademia, home of Michelangelo’s David.

And yes…seeing David in person is one of those travel moments.

You’ve seen the pictures. You’ve seen him in books. You’ve probably seen miniature versions in every gift shop in Florence.

But standing in front of the actual sculpture is completely different.

Our guide wrapped up our three hours here, and from this point on, Florence was ours to explore.

And that’s exactly how I like to do a city day.

See the important stuff with someone who knows what they’re doing. Then go wander.

And Then We Wandered…

This might actually be my favorite part of Florence.

Once our tour was over, we didn’t have an agenda.

We walked.

We popped into little streets.

We looked in windows.

We stopped whenever something caught our attention.

And, naturally, we found a wine window.

Because if you’re wandering through Florence and happen upon a little wine window, you obviously have to investigate.

These tiny windows—known as buchette del vino—are one of those wonderfully quirky pieces of Florentine history that make wandering around the city so much fun.

Lunch Behind the Duomo

By lunchtime, we were ready to sit down and enjoy a proper Italian meal.

We found a restaurant tucked behind the Duomo and settled in for lunch.

No rushing.

No checking the time every five minutes.

Just good food, a beautiful setting, and that feeling that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

And honestly, isn’t that what a day in Italy is supposed to feel like?

Crossing the Ponte Vecchio

After lunch, we continued wandering toward the Ponte Vecchio.

Crossing this famous medieval bridge is one of those Florence experiences that feels almost surreal.

The shops lining the bridge, the Arno below, the buildings rising along the river…

It’s busy, but it’s also beautiful.

We crossed over and spent some time walking along the Oltrarno side of the river.

It felt a little different from the busier streets around the Duomo—more relaxed and perfect for simply strolling.

One More Stop: Affogato

Eventually, it was time to start making our way back toward our meeting point.

But we had one very important stop to make first.

Affogato.

Because apparently there is always room for gelato when you’re in Italy.

A scoop of gelato with espresso poured over it is basically the perfect afternoon pick-me-up—and a pretty great way to end a day of walking around Florence.

Then it was time to meet our driver and head back to Livorno and our ship.

Was a Private Florence Day Worth It?

For us, absolutely.

The combination of a private transfer + private guide + free time to wander gave us the best of both worlds.

We got the history and major sights without spending our entire day trying to figure out logistics. Our guide took us through the places we really wanted to see, and then we had several hours to simply enjoy Florence.

And perhaps most importantly, we didn’t have to worry about getting ourselves back to the ship.

For a cruise day in Florence, that peace of mind is worth something.

Our Florence Day at a Glance

Port: Livorno
Transportation: Private transfer to/from Florence
Guided tour: Approximately 3 hours
Visited: Baptistry • Duomo • Museo dell’Opera del Duomo • Accademia
Then: Wine window • Lunch behind the Duomo • Ponte Vecchio • Oltrarno • Affogato
Style: Private touring + plenty of free time

If you’re visiting Florence from a cruise ship, my biggest piece of advice is this:

Don’t try to do everything.

Pick the things you really want to see, have someone else handle the logistics, and leave yourself enough time to wander.

Because some of the best Florence memories happen when you’re not actually looking for anything at all.

Sometimes you’re just walking down a street, you find a little wine window, and suddenly you’re having one of those this is why I came to Italy moments.