22. September 2026
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Places & Sights

Ponte Vecchio (Pictured Story)

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Florence is one of the most iconic travel destinations in Italy. Among so many interesting palaces and museums, Ponte Vecchio is definitely one of spots you “have to” visit as a tourist. The “Old Bridge”, what is the literal translation, spans over the Arno River in the heart of the city. I take you there in my Pictured Story.

 

Ponte Vecchio – Location

The Ponte Vecchio is located in the heart of the Old Town of Florence. It connects the Via Por Santa Maria in the North with the Via de’ Guicciardini in the South. Especially the North side of the Arno River is popular among tourists. Some key attractions there are the Uffizi Gallery, the Galileo Museum, or the Piazza della Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio, which are all just a few steps away. On both sides, there are numerous stores, restaurants and hotels. I stayed at the Hotel Continentale on my trip in December 2025, which is having a view of the bridge from its terrace.

Having public transport to the North end of the bridge is tricky. You may get there by taxi, which might take a while on peak days just as the city is packed with pedestrians. On the South side, though, city buses are operating. Borgo San Iacopo stop is just at the end of the bridge, served by lines C1, C3, and C4. There is a driving restricted zone, so that I generally don’t recommend getting too close to the bridge by car. If you stay at a hotel in the area, you may ask the hotel for a driving permission beforehand, though.

 

Visiting Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio spans the Arno at its narrowest point. In fact, there has been a bridge in the 10th century at that location already. Former bridges have been destroyed, but the stone bridge as it is still existing has been completed in 1345. It has a length of 95 meters and a maximum span of 30 meters. Apart from being one of the oldest segmental arch bridges of the world and the oldest bridge in Florence, a key factor for its popularity is that there are stores on both sides of the bridge.

Nowadays, most of the stores on Ponte Vecchio feature luxury items like jewelry and watches. As you see, I visited the place during the Christmas season, at which seasonal illuminations give an additional lovely touch.  On both sides in the middle of the bridge, you can watch the old town and the river. These spots are extremely popular for social media pictures nowadays, which may be very strenuous. I was comparably lucky that my hotel was close to the landmark, so that I could take pictures very early in the morning. On weekend late afternoons, it may be extremely packed there.

xxx

 

Flyctory.com in Florence

Here are all my posts related to Florence in Italy:

 

Pictured Stories 2026

Here are all my Pictured Stories I released in 2026:

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