Florence - best time of day for Tours

Posted by Drew on 02/02/20 01:13 AM

Hello all -

I had assumed (bad idea, I know) that Florence would be "less busy" first thing in the morning, and that scheduling a 9am tour would be best off. My tour guide is recommending an evening tour and has said that many tourists are leaving the city for their Cruise, buses, etc by 4-5pm and that the evening time (especially in the summer when it's light later) is the best time for a tour and seeing the city.

Do you find this is the case as well - that the evening is a less busy time to be touring the city compared to first thing in the morning?

Posted by Kathy

Minnesota 🎒

02/02/20 01:36 AM

16396 posts

Drew, I'm confused. Are you talking about just an outside walking tour of the city, or tours of the interiors of some of the attractions?

Posted by Drew OP

02/02/20 01:45 AM

61 posts

Outside walking tour. I do realize many of the buildings close by late afternoon or evening if that's what you were confused by:)

I think one of the proposed tours was the Accademia at 5:30 or around closing time, followed by an evening city walk. The other was a Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, and South Side tour also in the early evening.

Posted by Harold

New York, NY, USA

02/02/20 04:32 AM

11294 posts

I haven't been to Florence in many years, but your tour guide's logic makes good sense. These days there are a lot of cruise ships docking at Livorno, 90 minutes away from Florence. A large percentage of the people docking at Livorno are going to see Florence in one day, but, as your tour guide says, have to get back to the ship for the evening. So, it should indeed be less crowded when the daytrippers leave.

If you can't do a late tour, a 9 AM tour would be second best, as that way you should be able to beat some of the crowds (again, because Livorno is 90 minutes from Florence, the bulk of the cruisers probably arrive about 10 AM or later).