Where to Find the Best Views in Florence

The best view in town is from the top of the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, aka the Duomo. Summiting the 376-foot-tall (115-meter-tall) dome requires walking up 463 steps, and there's no elevator, but at the top you’ll have a bird’s-eye view of the city from its most iconic landmark.    

If you prefer a viewpoint you can reach by car or bus, head to Piazzale Michelangelo. Located on the south side of the Arno River, just outside the city center, this hillside spot provides a lovely panorama of red-roofed Florence. Go at sunset for the best photos.

While not an aerial perspective, the Arno gives you the chance to sit back and relax on a boat tour along the waterway, where you can admire the passing buildings and bridges, including the Ponte Vecchio.

The 311-foot-tall (95-meter-tall) Arnolfo Tower is part of Palazzo Vecchio, a 13th-century palace that sits between the Arno and the Duomo. The top of this clock tower is a good alternative view for those who don’t want to wait in line for the Duomo.

An elevated passageway that connects the Uffizi Gallery and Pitti Palace, located on opposite sides of the Arno, the Vasari Corridor doesn’t offer sky-high views. Instead, visitors can get sneaky perspectives of the streets and river below through the windows of the once-secret walkway, which today is an art gallery. It can only be visited as part of small-group or private tour.