All that Glitters is Gold on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence
Any trip to Tuscany must include at least a few days in the region’s capital city of Florence, a Renaissance jewel filled with world-class museums, incredible historic sites, stunning sunsets over the Arno river and incredible shopping for everything from designer clothes to artisan jewelry.
One of our favorite historic sites is Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge in English. Keep reading to learn more about the Ponte Vecchio Bridge and find out the best times to visit, depending on what you hope to experience.
What is the Ponte Vecchio in Florence?
The Ponte Vecchio Bridge is the oldest bridge in Florence and it has played a central role in the life of the city’s residents going back thousands of years. Incredibly, archeologists have found remnants of earlier bridges in the same location dating back to Roman times!
Today the bridge is closed to traffic, making it one of the most pleasant strolls around. On one side of the bridge is the historic city center of Florence, where you will find the Duomo (main Cathedral) complex, the Uffizi Gallery and most of the major sites of Florence. The bridge connects to the other side of the river, called Oltrarno, which features the Palazzo Pitti, Boboli Gardens and Piazzale Michelangelo, among other fantastic attractions.
Some Ponte Vecchio Bridge history
Beginning in the mid-1400s, the Ponte Vecchio Bridge was used as a market and many small wooden structures were built to house the greengrocers and butchers selling their wares. The strategic placement over the river meant that butchers could simply toss any waste directly down into the river.
In 1565, the Vasari Corridor was built for Cosimo I to connect his private residence, Palazzo Pitti, with the seat of government located in Palazzo Vecchio. In 1594, his successor Ferdinand I decided to kick out all the butchers and other market vendors from Ponte Vecchio and replace them with lots of sparkly jewelry and gold stores to bring a more noble look (and a lot fewer odors!) to the bridge.
According to historians, the bridge was so beautiful and important that during World War II the Germans decided to spare it. In fact, it was the only bridge left standing in Florence, but was rendered unusable by the German army nonetheless and later brought back to its former glory through renovation works.
When is the best time to visit the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence?
Now that you are excited about seeing this amazing bridge for yourself, let us share our expert tips for when to visit. The best time to visit the Ponte Vecchio in Florence depends on what you want to see and do there. Here are some ideas about the best times to visit Ponte Vecchio:
Ponte Vecchio without tourists before 7am
If you are staying in the historic city center of Florence, take advantage of your prime location and set the alarm clock early one morning so you can have the Ponte Vecchio bridge all to yourself. Anytime before 7am, the only people you’ll encounter on the bridge will be local Italians making their way to work or school.
The Arno River is spectacular at this time, and you can see the rowers gliding along the river in the early morning silence. This is also a great time to get photos without a hoard of people around you. Then you can go enjoy a cappuccino and croissant at a local bakery and head to an early booking at the Uffizi to beat the crowds there as well - it’s a win-win!
Ponte Vecchio for bling shopping between 10 am - 1pm and 4pm - 8pm
All that glitters on the Ponte Vecchio is actually gold! These tiny little jewelry shops filled with gold and other precious metals and jewels are filled to the brim with incredible pieces of jewelry, much of it handmade in Florence. Some of our favorite pieces are the ones that are made to look like the Etruscan and Roman jewelry or coins from thousands of years ago.
To get in some serious gold shopping on your trip to Florence, you will need to visit the bridge during Italian store hours, so either morning from 10am to 1pm or afternoon from 4pm to 8pm. A few stores open a little earlier or later and some have continuous hours during the summer, meaning that they don’t close for lunch but are open 10am to 8pm.
Ponte Vecchio for an aperitivo after 6pm
Late afternoon or early evening is aperitivo hour (happy hour!) in Florence. Make your way across the majestic Ponte Vecchio bridge anytime after 6pm (the shops should still be open, so leave time to shop as you walk across), snap some photos in the golden afternoon light and then head to one of the charming bars on either side of the Arno with a view of the bridge as the sun gets lower in the sky or sets (depending on the time of year).
Some of our favorite places to sip a cocktail and enjoy some light snacks with a view of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio are Sesto on Arno at the Westin Excelsior Hotel, The Golden View Cantina and Restaurant and Picteau Bistro & Bar of the Lungarno Collection.
Gelato and Ponte Vecchio for an evening stroll after 9pm
One night during your stay in Florence, be sure to choose a restaurant on the other side of the Arno River (called Oltrarno) for dinner, perhaps in Piazza Santo Spirito, a lively area with lots of restaurants and bars. On the way back to the historic city center you can stop for a gelato on either side of the Ponte Vecchio bridge and then make your way across the bridge by night, when the lights from the buildings reflect like twinkling stars in the Arno River.
At this time of night you will see local teenagers hanging out and Italian couples and families taking their evening passeggiata (stroll) and of course plenty of other tourists enjoying the enchanting Italian atmosphere created by this beautiful landmark that has stood the test of time.
