Piazzale Michelangelo
The whole city and the Arno in one look, from the hill on the south bank.
Duration
45 min – 1 hr 30 min
Best time
An hour before sunset
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
The square was laid out in 1869 by Giuseppe Poggi, in the great replanning of Florence when it was capital of Italy. It is dedicated to Michelangelo, and a bronze copy of the David stands on it — one copy among several, the original being in the Accademia.
Its value is unique: it is the only point from which you see the whole of Florence in one glance, Brunelleschi's dome, the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno in one frame. You walk up by the Rampe del Poggi from Piazza Poggi, in twenty minutes.
Getting there
On the south bank; walk up from Piazza Poggi by the ramps, twenty minutes. Bus 12 or 13 avoids the climb.
What to bring
- Walking shoes
- Swimsuit
- Dry bag
Rules on site
The square is a car park and a coach stop: it is noisy and packed at sunset. The church of San Miniato al Monte, five minutes higher, gives a comparable view and far more quiet.