The world’s most famous shop-lined bridge is a Mecca of activity day and night in Florence. It won’t take you long to walk across it, but pause in the middle to enjoy the view up and down the river. The bridge dates back to 1354, but the original butchers shops were replaced with the jewellers that you see today in the 16th century. It’s said that this was because the ruling Medici at the time couldn’t stand the smell when he was using the Vasari Corridor above the shops! Not everyone finds this bridge attractive, but we thought it was lovely and we really liked the hustle and bustle. Keep your hand on your valuables on the bridge as pick-pockets have been known to frequent it. There are usually municipal police officers around to keep them away though. This is an extract from our free Florence City Guide.
Ponte Vecchio, Florence at night
The bridge spans the river Arno at its narrowest point and its believed that there has been a bridge of some sort in this location since Roman times. We really liked the bridge, but if you’re not planning to go into the shops, you’re not likely to spend very long here. Your visit will probably last only a few minutes to walk from one side to the other and take a few photos. Look out in the vacinity of the bridge for the recent craze of attaching padlocks to railings and chain fences. Lovers leave the locks as a sign of their bond for each other, often throwing the keys into the river and etching their initials on the locks. This practice is a constant source of irritation to the authorities though, who have to remove them from time to time. There are even signs warning of a fine if you’re caught doing it! If you want to see the bridge on a tour, consider the Skip The Line Florence Walking Tour which calls in at Ponte Vecchio and consistantly gets good reviews from other travellers.
Ponte Vecchio, Florence as the sun starts to set
LOCATION & MAP
Address: Ponte Vecchio, 50125 Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
MORE ON PONTE VECCHIO
Hotels near Ponte Vecchio – Best price guarantee from Hotel.com
Ponte Vecchio – Wikipedia
Vasari Corridor Access – Private access on the tour of the Uffizi Gallery
Florence Walking Tour – Calls in at Ponte Vecchio
More Florence Tours – From our Tours & Activities pages
Florence Guide Books – Amazon.co.uk (UK)
Florence Guide Books – Amazon.com (USA & Canada)
