Photo spot in Florence

Piazzale Michelangelo.....across the Arno and and a walk up the hill. It's definitely one of my favorite Florence photo op.

This photo is looking up at Piazzale Michelangelo from Ponte Vecchio.

Thank both who replied. Howard

Also check higher up the road, in front of San Miniato al Monte.

Two slightly better spots with the same perspective are Giardino delle Rose (free entrance) and the top of Giardino Bardini (same ticket of Boboli).

By the way, a photographer with time to spend can try a completely new perspective, climbing on the roof of the new Teatro dell'Opera (free access from the piazza in front of it) at Porta a Prato. The building is new and photographers still have to realize the panorama from the top.

The Piazza Michelangelo is on the Hop on Hop Off bus tour - which I do every time I'm in Florence. I highly recommend it.

When you get off the bus, the parking lot is huge, and sometimes crowded. But head to the wall overlooking the edge, and it's "the view." If you look at Jeff's photo above, you'll see a church in the picture. The front steps of that church are a great vantage point for a photo, too: put the Michelangelo statue behind you, facing up the hill. Look up and to the right. That's the church. It's beautiful, and the last time I was there I spent over an hour just in the cemetery - it's that photogenic. Even was able to shoot a stone carver adding a date to a headstone! He loved the photo! (see www.7seasphotos.com/simone for shots of the graveyard).

The church is beautiful, and still a working church. Try to visit when mass isn't on -- it's worth a good photo or two!

Oh, and if you take the Hop on Hop Off bus at the end of the day, you can enjoy a sunset and walk down the steps (lots and lots of steps) down into town. There are some amazing good little cafes as you walk down that hill....

Enjoy!

San Miniato is slightly better for a picture although PM is also great (we have shots of me and my husband with the Duomo in the background taken over 30 years -- it is the classic Christmas card shot. At San Miniato (which is a charming lovely church to visit) you can shoot photo across the very picturesque graveyard. There is a statue of Santa Maria Miserecordia with her robes outstretched that can be put in the foreground of a nice Florence shot. I'd take photos at both spots -- start with San Miniato getting off the bus there and visiting the church and then walk downhill to the Piazzale and then walk back down to the city. You can go right and across the ARno to the Santa Croce area or left and go back over the Ponte Vecchio.

I'll agree with climbing further up from P. Michelangelo to San Miniato as well. It's an old and fascinating church, and the cemetery is a nice bonus. We went to the Piazzale/church on foot and didn't think it was a bad trek at all; good for working off all the pasta and gelato! There a nice little terrace cafe near the piazzale for a drink before heading down.

I've seen some wonderful shots from P. Michelangelo with Florence all lit up at night, too.