Oltrarno Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Oltrarno. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour with Eating Europe
• The Other Side of Florence Food Tour with Eating Europe
• Florence Sunset Wine Tour
• Florence Private Tour with a Local - Highlights & Hidden Gems
• Florence Traditional Local Artisan Experience

It’s free to visit the Oltrarno, the neighborhood on the south side of Florence’s Arno River, on your own. To explore the area with a guide, you can book a tour. Prices vary based on group size and inclusions, but Oltrarno food tours typically start at US$120, while sightseeing tour prices start at US$60 and increase if you book a private guide.

Yes, food and wine tours are widely available and a popular way to explore the Oltrarno. These experiences typically include tastings of local specialties such as Tuscan wine, cured meats and cheeses, and gelato, and they often double as walking tours that show you highlights such as Piazza Santo Spirito and Piazzale Michelangelo.

The Oltrarno is best known for the Pitti Palace, the former residence of the Medici family that’s now an art museum connected to the popular Boboli Gardens. Other attractions include the Basilica of Santo Spirito, which houses a crucifix carved by Michelangelo, and the Brancacci Chapel, frescoed by Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio, and Filippino Lippi.

That depends on the tour. Like many parts of Florence, the Oltrarno consists of narrow cobblestone streets that may be hard to navigate with a wheelchair. It’s recommended for travelers with limited mobility to book a golf cart tour, which shows you the Oltrarno’s top attractions without the need to walk up any steps or on uneven streets.

The best way to get to the Oltrarno from central Florence is to walk. You can reach the neighborhood from the Florence Duomo in about 10 minutes by crossing Ponte Vecchio, or, for another scenic option, walk south across Ponte Santa Trinita toward Piazza Santo Spirito. The C3 bus also goes from the north side of the Arno River to several stops in the Oltrarno.