Enjoy The Best View of Florence At The Palazzo Vecchio Tower

If you are looking for the best view of Florence, Italy, then look no further than the Torre di Arnolfo at Palazzo Vecchio.

The Arnolfo tower climb is perhaps not as well known as its famous neighbour, Florence Cathedral, with its famous dome and bell tower climbs. However, it offers one of the best views in Florence, with the bonus of the Cathedral being in the view!

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Discovering the best view in Florence

Overflowing with history, art and culture it’s no surprise that Florence is one of Italy’s most visited cities. That means it is often very busy. Think long lines of people queuing to get the most popular attractions and some selling out in advance.

So if there is one bit of advice I would share with someone visiting Florence it is do your research, plan and be organised! Particularly if you are only there for a day or so.

Taking all that into account you’d think I would have taken my own advice? Nope, course not.

Arriving in Florence I decided on a whim it might be a good idea to climb the famous dome of Florence Cathedral. Or not. Being the height of summer it was sold out for the next four days.

What a stroke of luck that turned out to be.

While looking for other towers in Florence, I came across the Torre di Arnolfo at the Palazzo Vecchio.

The Palazzo Vecchio is one of Florence’s most historic buildings. The heart of the city’s political power throughout the centuries, the building is still used as Florence’s town hall and administrative centre today.

It also has one of the best view of Florence from the top of the tower and perhaps one of the best views in Italy.

Climbing Torre di Arnolfo at the Palazzo Vecchio

Entering the imposing building it was noticeable how much quieter it was than some of Florence’s other landmarks. I’m not sure if I was just lucky, it was fairly late in the afternoon, or if this climb is slightly under the radar but there was virtually no queue at the ticket office. Same again at the beginning of the climb up the tower.

Tip: To avoid disappointment I’d recommend booking tickets to visit the Palazzo Vecchio.

The first part of the climb takes you to the top of the main building and the base of the tower.

The stone staircase is quite narrow, around two people wide so you can let people pass by fairly comfortably if necessary. A metal handrail runs along both sides of the wall. If you are reasonably fit, the climb isn’t particularly strenuous. The handrail does come in handy now and then though.

When you reach the top of the main building you come out onto an open landing. From there you can walk around the edge of the building. It is spacious with plenty of room to walk around. There are also some benches so you can take a break or just enjoy the view from the gothic arched windows.

Look out for some small gaps in the wall where you can take some arty shots of the cathedral in the distance.

The next part of the climb is up the tower itself, just 233 steps to the top! It’s not as bad as it sounds. Well ok, it is…but it goes quite quickly. Again the stone stairwell is confined but it’s not too strenuous a climb.

Before you know it you, though probably not soon enough, landing two appears like a mirage. From the dark enclosed staircase, a bright light appears and suddenly Florence Cathedral is directly in your view.

This landing is very narrow, just enough room to walk around single file, so you don’t want to spend too long here. The view is slightly obscured by the metal bars on the windows but it does give you a glimpse of what is to come.

The last set of stairs takes you to crenellated (the up and down bits) top of the Torre di Arnolfo.

The best view of Florence

Here you are rewarded with a view of Florence stretching out before you with the famous Duomo of Florence Cathedral making its presence felt on the skyline.

There is a slightly raised platform at one of the gaps in the tower wall (the rectangle spaces) that looks directly onto the Cathedral. So if you are short like me you don’t have to worry about missing out on the view or getting the money shot for your Instagram.

This was the only point on my whole visit to the Palazzo Vecchio that I encountered a little queue. There were a few people ahead of me waiting for their turn to get a photo of the view. It was pretty relaxed though with only one member of staff keeping an eye on things.

Everyone was happy to wait for their turn. Seeing how bad I was at trying to take a selfie with the dome, the person waiting behind me even often to take the photo for me.

You can stay at the top for as long as you like. It’s pretty small up there so once you’ve gazed at the cityscape and taken a few photos there isn’t much else to do but head back down the tower.

It seems to take half the time to get down to the ground. You can take another break at the first landing if you wish.

Tip: Skip the line tickets with a tour of the secret passages are also available. These give you the opportunity to also visit areas of the Palazzo Vecchio that are not often seen.

Is the palazzo vecchio worth visiting?

Yes! The Palazzo Vecchio is worth visiting for several reasons other than the fabulous view you get from the top of the tower.

As a seat of power for over seven centuries, the Palazzo Vecchio is an iconic symbol of Florence and it’s history, culture and political heritage.

It’s impressive architecture is also worth seeing. The Tuscan Gothic style building is the most spectacular building in the square.

If that wasn’t enough reason to visit, many art masterpieces are housed inside.

The last word

When looking for the best views of Florence, the Palazzo Vecchio Tower (Torre di Arnolfo) probably won’t be the first place that comes up in an internet search or a guide book. Same, if you looking for a tower in Florence to climb.

Not as glamorous as the Dome or Bell Tower means it seems to get overlooked. Which is a real shame as it offers a great way to see Florence from above without some the hassle of some of the more popular attractions. You also get to see some of the more famous Florence towers in your view.

Even if you don’t make it to the top of the tower, it is an incredible building to explore and well worth visiting on a trip to Florence.

So, if you are wondering what to do in Florence, why not put the Palazzo Vecchio at the top of your list?

Looking for more things to do in Tuscany?

• Spend a day strolling around the historic city of Lucca
• Dance the night away at the Lucca Summer Festival, one of the most popular summer festivals in Tuscany
• Find more places to explore in Italy