Are you planning a trip to Florence? Sure, you can’t miss Michelangelo’s David, the Ponte Vecchio, Italian food and gelato, and the galleries of Renaissance Art, but you also cannot miss the best views of Florence. No trip to Florence would be complete without a climb up the Duomo or a view from Piazzale Michelangelo.
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Where to Get the Best Views of Florence
The Duomo
The Duomo is the grand centerpiece of Florence. Sure, you already have plans to see the Duomo. Who doesn’t? It is one of Florence’s most popular sites. The Duomo is also the perfect place to get that first view of the city.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: Reservations are now mandatory to climb the dome. Without a time slot you will be unable to climb the dome. These time slots tend to sell out days in advance. As soon as you know your dates of travel, reserve your time slot online.
The Boboli Gardens
This one may come as a surprise. The Boboli Gardens sits across the Arno River from the main section of Florence. The views of Florence from here may not be as impressive as from the Duomo but they are still wonderful. Plus, to see Florence from these gardens…beautiful!
Piazzale Michelangelo
For the one of the best views of Florence, visit Piazzale Michelangelo at twilight. This is the best place to watch the sunset over Florence. For that iconic, panoramic view of Florence, this is the best spot.
Palazzo Vecchio
Palazzo Vecchio is Florence’s city hall. There is a lot to see here, but for more amazing views of Florence, climb the tower. Plus, this climb tends to be less crowded, since most people climb the Duomo for those 360° views of the city.
At the Palazzo Vecchio, you can climb the tour, tour the museum, tour the archeological sites, or do all three. Learn more, and get up-to-date prices and hours on the official website.
The Uffizi Gallery
Really, the Uffizi? Most people come here to see art by Raphael, Titian, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, but you can also get one of the best views of the Arno River from here.
The Campanile
In our opinion, the best view of Florence is from the Campanile. The Campanile is the bell tower of the Duomo.
Why does the Campanile give you the best views of Florence? From here, not only do you get 360° views of the city, but you also get a breath-taking view of the Duomo. This view is magical!
Note: Since our visit in 2014, a mesh grate has been added. If you will be taking photos with a DSLR camera, you will get this grate in your photos. However, the camera on a smartphone is small enough to take photos without also capturing the metal grate.
From a Rooftop Bar
One of our favorite things to do in Florence is to have a glass of wine or a cocktail with a view of the Duomo, Arno River, or Palazzo Vecchio. Several of our favorite rooftop bars are View on Art, Divina Terrazza, and SE·STO on Arno. You can see the full list in our guide to the best rooftop bars in Florence.
View on Art Rooftop Bar
B Roof Restaurant
So, what do you think? Doesn’t Florence look magical? If you have traveled here, what do you think are the best views of Florence?
More Information for Your Trip to Italy
TUSCANY: Learn how to spend one wonderful day in Siena and check out our guides to Montepulciano, Pienza, and San Gimigano.
LAKE GARDA: Plan your visit with our article Best Things to Do in Lake Garda. We also have information about things to do in Sirmione and Riva del Garda.
PISA: Learn how to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa while traveling from Florence to the Cinque Terre.
PHOTOGRAPHING ITALY: For some of the best views in Italy, here are 10 gorgeous views and exactly where to photograph them.
ITALY ITINERARY: If you have two weeks in Italy, check out our 14 day Italy itinerary, which covers the highlights (Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, and the Cinque Terre).
We have TONS more information about Italy in our Italy Travel Guide, including Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, and the Cinque Terre.
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Comments 6
Did you do a specific tour for the Palazzo Vecchio or a specific ticket to climb the tower – or did you just buy tickets day of? Wanting to plan and looking for a skip the line option as we will be there this Summer and may be crowded. Thank you
Author
We had the Firenze Card so we used this to tour the museum and climb the tower. We did not take a tour but I have heard that a tour of the archeological sites is very interesting. You can purchase a ticket to just climb the tower for 10 euros, a ticket to climb the tower and visit the museum for 14 euros, or do the tower/museum/archeological sites for 18 euros. Visit this website and click on Palazzo Vecchio for full details. The Firenze Card lets you skip the ticket line and if you purchase your tickets in advance or a tour of the archeological sites you will also be able to skip the line. With that being said, sometimes there still can be a queue to ascend the tower (some places only allow so many people on top so you may have to wait for people to come back down). Cheers, Julie
Great tips! I didn’t know where the most famous photo of Florence was taken from (the one taken from Piazzale Michelangelo). Full of excitement in planning my trip to Florence next week after my first visit in 1994!
Remarkable pics too. Many thanks.
Author
You’re welcome. Have a great time! – Julie
Terrific list, thank you! Heading there in April and this guide is exactly what I needed 🙂
Author
You’re welcome! Have a great time, and enjoy those views!! – Julie