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Florence Self Guided Arno River Historical Walking Tour
Florence Self Guided Arno River Historical Walking Tour
Florence Self Guided Arno River Historical Walking Tour
Florence Self Guided Arno River Historical Walking Tour
Florence Self Guided Arno River Historical Walking Tour

Bridging Florence’s History: Arno River Self-Guided Walking Tour

By VoiceMap Audio Tours
Free cancellation available
Price is €17 per adult
See tickets
Features
  • Free cancellation available
  • 2h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation
Overview

Explore Florence's history on this self-guided audio tour produced by art historian Cornelia Danielson. Stroll along the Arno river and cross ancient bridges including the magnificent Ponte Vecchio, seeing a side of the city most visitors miss. This 90-minute journey reveals how the Arno determined Florence's location, powered its medieval wool industry, and connected the city to the wider world. Marvel at architectural treasures like Michelangelo's Ponte Santa Trinita and elegant Renaissance palaces including Palazzo Corsini, while exploring the fascinating Oltrarno area where dyers and weavers once lived in the shadow of noble residences. Learn about the devastating 1966 flood that damaged the National Central Library, where “Mud Angels” worked to save precious books, before ending at the impressive Porta San Frediano gateway with a deeper understanding of how humble wool workers and powerful merchant families like the Medici shaped one of Europe's greatest cities.

Activity location

  • Piazza Nicola Demidoff
    • 50125, Firenze, Toscana, Italy

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • Piazza Nicola Demidoff
    • 50125, Firenze, Toscana, Italy

Check availability

Florence Self Guided Arno River Historical Walking Tour in English
  • Activity duration is 2 hours2h
    2h
  • Opening hours: Tue 00:00-23:59
  • English
Language options: English
Price details
€17.24 x 1 Adult€17.24
Total
Price is €17.24

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's includedLifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
  • What's includedWhat's includedOffline access to audio, maps, and geodata
  • What's includedWhat's includedApp for Android and iOS
  • What's includedWhat's includedFlexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
  • What's includedWhat's includedDirections to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedSmartphone and headphones
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedTickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedFood and drink
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedTransport

Know before you book

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transport options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • While the route can accommodate strollers, be prepared for cobblestone streets, narrow pavements, and occasional steps that might require lifting the stroller.
  • In accordance with EU regulations about consumer rights, activities services are not subject to the right of withdrawal. Supplier cancellation policy will apply.

Activity itinerary

Piazza Nicola Demidoff (Pass by)
Our tour starts in this charming riverside square. Stroll through this peaceful square while learning about Florence's historical connection to the Arno River.
Ponte alle Grazie (Pass by)
Cross this ancient bridge offering spectacular views of the Arno and surrounding architecture. Experience one of Florence's oldest river crossings, rebuilt after WWII but dating back to the 13th century.
Florence National Central Library (Pass by)
Marvel at Italy's largest library, an impressive neoclassical building housing over 6 million volumes. Discover how "Mud Angels" saved countless precious books when the devastating 1966 flood submerged a third of the collection.
Ponte Vecchio (Pass by)
Walk across Florence's most famous bridge, lined with glittering jewellery shops housed in medieval buildings. Enjoy the unique experience of this 14th-century structure where Medici decree transformed former butcher shops into the goldsmith district you see today.
Ponte Santa Trinita (Pass by)
Cross this elegant Renaissance bridge with its distinctive elliptical arches designed by Michelangelo. Marvel at its remarkable history, having been meticulously reconstructed stone by stone after being destroyed during WWII.
Palazzo Corsini (Pass by)
Gaze upon this magnificent Baroque palace with its distinctive top-floor loggia overlooking the river. Imagine the noble women who once observed street life from these elegant porches, a common feature of Renaissance Florentine palaces.
Ponte alla Carraia (Pass by)
Marvel at one of Florence's oldest bridges, offering breathtaking views of the Arno and city skyline. Experience this historic crossing point, repeatedly rebuilt after floods and war damage, now connecting the historic centre to the Oltrarno district.
Piazza Ognissanti (Pass by)
Relax in this elegant square dominated by the Church of San Salvatore and the luxurious St. Regis Hotel. Take in the aristocratic atmosphere of this piazza that was once home to powerful Florentine merchant families.
Chiesa di San Salvatore in Ognissanti (Pass by)
Admire the simple Renaissance façade of this church hiding artistic treasures inside, including works by Botticelli and Ghirlandaio. Explore this spiritual centre of the Humiliati religious order, who were closely associated with Florence's wool industry.
Oltrarno (Pass by)
Wander through the authentic "other side of the Arno" where artisans still practice traditional crafts in historic workshops. Experience the contrast between the working-class history of dyers and weavers and the magnificent palaces of wealthy merchants who shaped this district.
Torrino di Santa Rosa (Pass by)
Spot this distinctive medieval tower once used to monitor river traffic entering the city. Imagine the customs officials who once collected taxes here on goods arriving by boat, a reminder of the Arno's importance to Florence's economy.
Porta di San Frediano (Pass by)
End your tour at this impressive 14th-century gateway in Florence's ancient city walls. Marvel at one of the city's best-preserved medieval gates, once the main entrance for goods arriving from the port of Pisa and the Mediterranean.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIESPiazza Nicola Demidoff
    • 50125, Firenze, Toscana, Italy

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLEPiazza Nicola Demidoff
    • 50125, Firenze, Toscana, Italy

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