Not everything happens on a bike or with a glass of wine in our hands. I swear.

One of the really great things that Italy has sponsored since 2014 has been to offer free admission to state museums on the first Sunday of the month. Florence has responded by opening some of the city museums and gardens for free as well. That means if you are planning a trip to Florence or Italy you may have the opportunity to see a museum or two for free if you can plan your trip to coincide with the first Sunday of the month.

As an example, for the first Sunday in March we visited the Archaeological Museum near Piazza Santissima Annunziata. It’s a treasure trove of Etruscan, Roman, Greek and Egyptian artifacts collected by the  Medici and Lorraine families, and eventually donated to the city. It’s the kind of museum I could spend the whole day investigating.

The Bargello is another museum that is open on first Sundays. It’s a favorite among artists and students of art because of its many sculptures, with at least four different versions of David and several Bacchus. The Galleria dell’Accademia, home of Michelangelo’s David is free on first Sundays, as is the Uffizi. The Boboli and Bardini gardens are also on the list along with parts of the Pitti Palace. You can find a fairly comprehensive list of museums here.

If you’re planning a trip and are lucky enough to be in Italy, especially Florence, on the first Sunday consider taking that day to visit a museum. My advice? Get there early as the lines can be outrageously long because who doesn’t want to get into a major museum for free?

Confession time: I only go to the museums when it’s raining or bad weather. Sunday is the day that every person capable of pedaling a bike is out on the road basking in the sunshine and the camaraderie of fellow cyclists.