Florence Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

Piazzale Michelangelo: The Classic View of Florence

Laid out in 1869 by the architect Giuseppe Poggi, when Florence was briefly the capital of Italy, Piazzale Michelangelo is the terrace every postcard of the city is taken from. A bronze copy of Michelangelo's David stands in the middle, and below you the Duomo's red dome, Giotto's bell tower, Palazzo Vecchio and the bridges over the Arno line up in one frame.

Getting to Piazzale Michelangelo on foot means a steep climb from the Oltrarno, so the bus is the most relaxed way up; both lines stop here. The best time to visit Piazzale Michelangelo is late afternoon, when the stone turns gold. From here you can also walk a few minutes uphill to the Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte.

Fiesole, the Hill Town Above Florence

Fiesole was founded by the Etruscans centuries before Florence and later became a Roman town. Today it is a quiet village about 8 kilometres north-east of the centre, with a Roman theatre that still hosts summer performances, the remains of baths and Etruscan walls, a small cathedral and a Franciscan friary with sweeping views down the Arno valley.

A day trip to Fiesole from Florence usually means finding a local bus, but Line B of your pass takes you there on a winding panoramic road past villas and olive groves. The full loop lasts about two hours, and buses on this line run less often than in the city, so check the timetable before you hop off. An hour or two is enough to see the archaeological area and enjoy the view.

Santa Croce and the Historic Centre

The historic centre of Florence has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, and much of it is closed to traffic, so the bus runs around its edge. The Santa Croce stop leaves you a short walk from the great Franciscan basilica, where Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini are buried, and from the leather workshops of the surrounding streets.

From the Santa Maria Novella stop you can walk to the Duomo and Baptistery in about ten minutes, and on to the Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio. Many visitors use a Florence bus tour as a moving map: ride the full loop once to get their bearings, then hop off for museums they have booked in advance.

Porta Romana and the Oltrarno

Porta Romana is one of the best-preserved gates of Florence's medieval walls, built in the 14th century on the road to Rome. It marks the entrance to the Oltrarno, the quieter bank of the river, known for artisan workshops, local squares and the vast Boboli Gardens behind Palazzo Pitti, whose back entrance is close to this stop.

Is the Florence hop-on hop-off bus worth it? If you have limited time or tired feet, yes: it links the far side of the river, the hills and the station in one ticket. The 72-hour pass gives the most flexibility for a longer stay, while the 24-hour pass works well for a first overview.