# Florence Hop on & off Bus



## szw130 (Jul 7, 2011)

Hi, 

I'll be traveling with family to Florence, but due to limited time, i will take 1 day tour in Tuscany area and spend another 1 day in Florence *  but would like to go "the mall" outlet half day, back to Florence @2.00PM... 

I looked at this hop on & off bus and i think it's the best way to move around in the city... but my question is when is the last departure for the bus? and for each places mentioned in line A and B, we can stop then hop to the next bus that comes every 30 min? also, how to continue the journey to line B after i'm done with line A ? thanks

Regards,
Stephanie


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## Elena (Jul 7, 2011)

*Florence Sightseeing Bus Tour*

Hello Stephanie!

The Mall in Reggello, featuring many famous and prestigious Italian and international brands, is near Florence.
You can easily reach the Mall either by bus or train from Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station. 
You should take the train to Rignano Sull’Arno station, and once there you can reach the outlet by taxi in 5 minutes.
If you prefer, you can take the SITA bus from Florence, in Via Santa Caterina da Siena; the journey will take about 30 minutes.

Here you can find useful info about Tuscan fashion outlets.

The Hop On Hop Off bus Tour of Florence is actually the best way to move quickly around the city and discover its beautiful attractions 

The last departure for the bus depends on when you are coming to Florence:
from June to September the last tour is at 7:00 pm, in October at 7:00 pm, while from November to February at 4:30 pm.

Once you are done with line A, you can take any bus of the line B at any one of the stops listed here for line B (Florence Fiesole Tour).

Enjoy your tour of Tuscany!

For any other question, do not hesitate to post again

Ciao from Florence


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## szw130 (Jul 11, 2011)

hi Elena,

Thank you for the prompt response... one more question, hope you dont get bored...

to get from palazzo pitti to Piazzale Michelangelo is it reachable by walking? and i heard it's beautiful to see the sunset from there? i'm planning to visit on early september...

Thanks

Regards,
Stephanie


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## Lourdes (Jul 11, 2011)

Ciao Stephanie,

You can definitely walk to Piazzale Michelangelo from Palazzo Pitti - there are two different routes I'd suggest.
First one is easiest - from Palazzo Pitti head toward the Arno river but don't cross the Ponte Vecchio. Turn right and go along the river to Lungarno Serristori. At Piazza Demidoff turn right to Via San Niccolo'. You'll reach a door in the old walls, pass under and head uphill for about a block, to the left you'll find some stairs. Those take you directly to the Piazzale.
The other one is tougher but you get good views of Florence: head back toward Ponte Vecchio then take Costa San Giorgio behind the Palazzo Pitti. Really steep hill takes you to the Forte Belvedere, wonderful view of the fortress and of the old walls that surrounded Florence, the last large piece remaining intact. Go downhill following the wall along the Via del Belvedere, here you'll reach the same door I mention in the other route and then once again you head uphill to reach the stairs that take you up to the Piazzale. Along the stairs you'll pass the entrance into the Rose Garden, if it is open definitely stop and visit it, wonderful views and scents!!

Definitely the best view of the city is from Piazzale Michelangelo - best at sunset AND during the night, since all the monuments downtown are illuminated and you get a beautiful view!


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## szw130 (Jul 11, 2011)

hi Lourdes,

Thanks a lot for your detail routes to Michaelangelo... how long does it take if i take the nice and tough road there by walking? or if there's public bus ? 

also,since i'll be going to "the mall" , do you think it's better to have city tour in FLorence first then going to mall taking 3.00PM bus, or vice versa? 

as for cafe / restaurants, do you have any suggestions? good food and ambiance? thanks!

Regards,
Stephanie


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## Lourdes (Jul 12, 2011)

*expect 20-30 min walk/bus ride to the Piazzale*

Ciao Stephanie, 

There are two bus routes that take you up to Piazzale Michelangelo but they don't pass in front of Palazzo Pitti or into the historical center. These are bus 12 and bus 13, I've drawn a map so that you can see where you can pick up either route, both require a bit of a walk to get to the bus stop.... or both start at the SMN train station, if you're closer to the station you can get on the buses on there.
Here is the map with walking and bus routes to Piazzale Michelangelo.

I've also added the walking routes to the map. The toughest one (#3) probably will take a good half hour, with time to stop and rest at Forte Belvedere. You do get different views of Florence that most don't see as they avoid the hills ;-)
If instead take route 1 or 2, you'll take less time walking but I assure you, as you head up, you'll stop and look back toward the center and keep taking pictures so you'll take longer to get up there ;-) If you can walk up there and the weather is nice, I definitely recommend it. It is a nice walk and then enjoying the view is definitely worth it. If time was really limited, you could always opt for a taxi ride.

If you're planning the trip to the Mall for part of the same day that you're seeing Florence, I'd definitely recommend going to the Mall first thing. I think you'd enjoy getting back into the city and enjoying the walk up to the Piazzale even in the evening after a nice dinner rather than being hurried in the morning to see everything before heading out. Definitely recommend taking some time to not be in a hurry and just seeing and enjoying your surroundings and the views


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## Elena (Jul 12, 2011)

*Good Restaurants in Florence*

Ciao Stephanie!

As to cafe and restaurants in Florence, I’d like to recommend the Birreria Centrale, a small and characteristic local restaurant located in Piazza Cimatori, in the very heart of the city, two steps away from Piazza della Signoria.

You can dine indoor or outdoor, but being rather small you should reserve ahead of time.

The staff is very kind and they serve a very traditional Florentine cuisine with delicious meat and wines. 
Definitely try the Bistecca Fiorentina, il Maiale in Crosta and the Bruschette! The cakes are not to be missed!
The atmosphere is very welcoming and typical of Florence! Of course it can be very crowded but the food is excellent!

Another very good restaurant, again serving many local specialties, is the nice Trattoria i 4 Leoni, located in the charming Florentine quarter of Oltrarno.

Finally you can find other tips and suggestions on this article about eating out in Florence.

Enjoy your meal


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## Lourdes (Jul 12, 2011)

Oh, I forgot to mention - if you're looking into a day tour of the best in Tuscany, I highly recommend this one: Tuscany in One Day. It's great because you get transportation and see Chianti, San Gimignano, Siena and Pisa in one day.

If you're also interested in doing the half day tour of Florence in the company of a guide, this half/full day tour of Florence is recommended.

Hope you have fun in Tuscany and Florence! Even if your time is limited, you can get a lot in those days.


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## dewi (May 14, 2012)

*Re: Florence Sightseeing Bus Tour*

Hi, I can't open the link for the Mall guide. can you help me with the bus to the Mall and Prada outlet. Would like to go on my own, since the tour to the Mall doesn't match to my schedule.

thanks so much in advance....


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## Lourdes (May 15, 2012)

Ciao Dewi,

Here's the link to the Outlet shopping in Tuscany with details on how to get to each one. The Mall and Prada are not at the same place, so you might have to do it on separate days... can definitely be done on your own, just will need to plan ahead of time!


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