Ponte Vecchio
Ponte Vecchio
4.5
About
Erected during Roman times, this is the most ancient and photographed bridge in Florence, which is characterized by three arches and two wide arcades on each side housing the famous and unusual "botteghe" or shops.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area
Neighborhood: Florence Historic Center
See what travelers are saying
  • YazdUSA
    22 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Negotiate if you want to buy gold jewelry
    If you go to Florence you should see this bridge and of course it is crowded, it is a known fact. Do not be surprised with the high jewelry prices in the shops. This is a tourist attraction with tourist prices and the gold jewelry is expensive. The only good thing is you get variety of Italian designs. You probably get a better deal at Costco! The stores do not provide the weight of the gold so you have no idea on the actual value of what you are getting. However keep in mind that you can negotiate and you also get taxes back.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 20, 2023
  • Noraatc
    Sudbury, Massachusetts35,558 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    All roads lead to Ponte Vecchio
    As always, Ponte Vecchio was busy with shoppers and selfie takers despite gloomy December weather. I can’t count how many times I was there during my trips to Florence, but this time I found a great spot to admire it from the windows of The Uffizi Gallery. If you like to photograph this iconic image of Florence, Gli Uffizi is the right place to do it.
    Visited December 2022
    Traveled solo
    Written April 6, 2023
  • H4772NMrogerh
    Aberaeron, United Kingdom220 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A real throwback
    Ponte Vecchio is rightly famous. This medieval bridge in the middle of Florence maintains the tradition of having shops over the majority of it. In this case mainly jewelers. In the evenings good quality buskers entertain
    Visited April 2023
    Written April 8, 2023
  • Sarah L
    London, United Kingdom3,054 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A jewellery lover's paradise
    It's one of those things in Florence you really should see, particularly if you're planning on buying jewellery. You will lose count of the amount of jewellery shops you will see and the gems that catch your eye. It's a great walk on a sunny day.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 12, 2023
  • Erico2709
    Singapore, Singapore2,401 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very beautiful surrounding
    This is really a very short bridge and you will be disappointed thinking you can do some shopping in the stores located on the bridge. Reason being they are all selling jewelry and luxury watches. If you want some good pics of the bridge, best to walk further down and take it from afar. On the bridge itself, you can also take some nice shots of the surrounding.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 23, 2023
  • Kenneth E
    Erwin, Tennessee519 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best viewed from uffizi gallery
    The bridge is filled with jewelry shops. The really best view of the bridge is from the top floor of the uffizi gallery. We were on the bridge, and people were asking, "Where's the bridge?". Doesn't really remind you of a bridge until you get to middle and see the river.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written May 12, 2023
  • Lisa S
    Tucson, Arizona19 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Traditional Italian cuisine.
    Attentive staff, excellent food. Delicious Bellini from the bar. My lasagna was going to be too large for me, so they allowed a half portion and only charged me 1/2 price! Jim’s clams and pasta featured small clams ( sweeter) and the mussels for the appetizer were nice and small also.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 27, 2023
  • Alan B
    Newport, United Kingdom1,172 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of those 'must do things'
    I guess everybody has to cross the Arno by the Ponte Vecchio. You can't see much of the river as the bridge is flanked, except in the very middle, by expensive shops. A great place to see and be seen.
    Visited May 2023
    Written June 2, 2023
  • newkstar
    Duncraig, Australia290 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not outstanding but a must do in Florence
    The best views of the Ponte Vecchio are from the river front on either side of the Amo River - its less crowded on the side opposite central Florence. The architecture of the bridge is lovely but the bridge itself is now a sort of high end mini shopping mall; nothing of particular interest. You can also get some good views from the upper floor of the Uffizi Gallery, if you are visiting that.
    Visited May 2023
    Written June 24, 2023
  • Kenosky Hills
    Port Harcourt, Nigeria724 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Historic Bridge - the Bridge of Iuck
    The Bridge of Luck as Ponte vecchio is called was one of the 5 old bridges in Firenze. Legend has it that the bridge was spared from bombardment by Mussolini because he looked at the bridge and marvelled at it's beauty as it sat over the Arno River. People visit the bridge and throw coins in the River to give them luck
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written July 10, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles21,155 reviews
Excellent
10,964
Very good
6,419
Average
3,039
Poor
548
Terrible
186

Sonja M
Hove, UK715 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
Once you can get passed all the selfie stick tourist , you begin to see the beauty and majesty of this bridge. Take time to enjoy the atmosphere the hustle and bustle of the shops , although sadly nearly all are catering to the tourist mass market. There are some stunning view to be had from the centre where you watching the Arno following below as it had done for years.
There are far less crowded areas of Florence with far more original charm but it is one of those must see places.
Written April 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rome
Philadelphia, PA93 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Family
As an iconic structure and as a social gathering venue, while in Florence, it is a must see.

The views are great and the atmosphere is special, especially at Christmas time. After the copious number of jewelry stores close for the night, the street musicians come out and the party begins.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leslie
5 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Ponte Vecchio is the iconic bridge over the Arno River. It is very picturesque. And if you are shopping for gold, the entire bridge is lined with jewelry stores. There are also restaurants but they tend to be pricey. The bridge links the old city with some famous sites on the other side (such as the Pitti Palace of the Medici’s) and picturesque neighborhoods. There are also artisans living and working on the opposite side and you can find shops with pottery, leather, handmade paper and other nice gifts. It is worth a visit.
Written February 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Timzorrr
Edmonds, WA1,542 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Ponte Vecchio is a bridge with many jewelry shops on it. Originally, it was a bridge that had many butchers on it. Their continual dumping of the left over animal scraps into the river led to them being removed and replaced by high end jewelry shops.
It gets very busy but early in the morning it is a magical place to stroll and take pictures.
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Manos M
Glyka Nera, Greece90 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
I visited this very old bridge two days before Christmas and it was magnificent. Along the bridge there are a lot of shops shelling gold mostly. The view of Arno river and all the houses along look very romantic. Than evening was an event where a giant projector was placing pictures of the moon on the bridge.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jmichel01
Myrtle Beach, SC445 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
When you look at all the buildings, etc more then 600 years old it makes you realize that we aren't that much smarter than people back then, just have more tools to use. This bridge to still be standing over 600 years when many of our own bridges fail after 30 years is a great example of the engineering done back then. It's a work of engineering, a work of art, and a site not to miss, plus surrounded by other things to see and do.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

swetamodi
Mumbai, India228 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019
The bridge is beautiful - has an Old World Charm to it with wooden shops lining both sides on the bridge, mainly jewellery shops.
It really takes you back in time.

Views on both sides are nice too
Written March 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GAN L
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia8,776 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Is a medieval stone closed-spandel segmental arch bridge over the Arno river in Florence. There are many shops built along and nowadays the tenants are jewelers,art dealers and souvenir sellers. In 1900, to honor and mark the fourth century of the birth of the great Florentine sculptor and master goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini, the leading goldsmiths of the bridge decided to create a bronze bust of Cellini to stand atop a fountain in the middle of the Eastern side of the bridge, where it stands to this day.
Written March 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

EllisShuman
Jerusalem, Israel64 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Of course we had to walk across Ponte Vecchio on our visit to Florence, but the bridge was very crowded. The stores on either side offered over-priced jewelry, and there was no real place to stop and get good photos of the river.

What I did the next morning was to get up at sunrise and gaze at the bridge from the Uffizi Galleries. That view, with the early sun lighting up the bridge, was incredible, and this made for the best photos.
Written November 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael and V
New York City, NY16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022
The historical bridge is lined with jewelry shops on both sides with a fantastic view of the Arno River when you reach the middle of the bridge where a bust of 'CELLINI's statue is located. Turn around to the other side for a view of the Arno River & Uffizi Gallery. Look above the Rolex jewelry shop and find a white marble plaque dedication to German Army Officer Gerard Wolf who blew up every bridge crossing the Arno River but spared the Ponte Vecchio Bride as the Allies advanced from Normandy to to liberate Florence.
Written February 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Ponte Vecchio - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Ponte Vecchio

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