Any one have any experience at Fort Belvedere for sunsets?
We have heard it is a lot less crowded and almost the same views as Michelangelo Plaza
I'm not sure if this is a pro or con but if it was good enough for Kim and Kanye's wedding.. .it can't be too bad right?
Kim and Kanye
who?
My experience at Forte Belvedere has been at all times of the day, and all times of the year. Forte Belvedere and Boboli was the place where we would hide when we cut school in my youth growing up in Florence. Since I used to cut school a lot in spring, I have extensive experience of the place.
The BEST views of Florence are actually from Forte Belvedere, not Piazzale Michelangelo. That is because Forte Belvedere is closer to the city center therefore the monuments and the skyline is so close to you that you can almost touch them. And yes, it is also less crowded (don't go in the spring mornings when Florentine high school students cut school though).
The only advantage of Piazzale Michelangelo is that from there you can see the Ponte Vecchio (if you are interested in photographing the bridge). From Forte Belvedere the bridge is not visible, since it's below you hidden by buildings. Other than that, Forte Belvedere wins hands down.
Excellent. Thank you for your first hand report
Now hopefully it is open to the public still. I have seen some websites that say it is closed
And we'll try to avoid the Florence school kids
The Forte Belvedere was closed for a few years for some restorations of some sort following the fatal fall from the walls of a couple of kids (probably cutting school). I don't know what kind of work they did to prevent future falls of people, but if you ask me it was probably those kids' fault since they were probably leaning on top of the walls, which are rather high (and the ground in Florence is hard, especially when you hit it with your head).
However the Fort has been reopened with much fanfare in July last year (I was in Florence then actually) at the presence of then Mayor of Florence and now Prime Minister of Italy, Matteo Renzi. If it was closed again after that and opened only for special exhibits I don't know.
The Forte is in fact often used as a venue for Art or other Exhibitions as well. So check the schedule. Right now the Pitti Uomo Fashion Exhibit is taking place there.
