Florence River Cruise on a Traditional Barchetto
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Florence, Italy
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Glide under the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge and across the Arno River on a Florence river cruise. Hop aboard your barchetto—a small traditional boat that is one of only four still operating in the city. As you see the sights like the famous Uffizi Gallery from the water, toast your fellow mates with glass of chilled Tuscan rosé or white wine.
- See Florence's attractions while giving yourself a break from walking
- Enjoy views of Florence from the water: A perspective most visitors miss
- Enjoy a more personalized experience on a small-group tour
- Get insights into Florence's history from your guide
What's Included
- Mini Cruise on the Arno River aboard a Florentine Gondola (approx. 45 min)
- Cool Wine or Soft drink
- English speaking fully licensed History guide
- Enjoy the unique original Florentine gondola with an expert guide
- Gratuities
- Food
- Hotel pick up and drop off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Via dei Vagellai, 22, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Meet your tour leader at Via dei Vagellai, 22 red, corner with Piazza Mentana (opposite to the Arno River). Please be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the tour starting time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Your tour begins in central Florence, where you meet up with your guide. Travel through the bustling Piazza della Signoria, home to the impressive Palazzo Vecchio, and see the Uffizi Gallery before approaching the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s historic bridge.
Hop aboard your boat and enjoy a cruise down the scenic Arno River. Translating to ‘little boat’ in Italian, the barchetto was used centuries ago to transport building materials down the river for Florence’s city walls.
As you journey across the water, learn the stories behind the architecture and grand palaces that you pass. Cruise under the Ponte Vecchio and get a riverside view of the Uffizi Gallery. While your guide pours you a glass of chilled rosé or white wine, hear about the secret passageway of the Vasari Corridor, connecting the Palazzo Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti so that members of the Medici family could travel stealthily through the city. You also pass the brilliant Baroque design of the Corsini Palace and the Santa Trinita Bridge.
After your Florence river cruise concludes, return to your original departure point.
Hop aboard your boat and enjoy a cruise down the scenic Arno River. Translating to ‘little boat’ in Italian, the barchetto was used centuries ago to transport building materials down the river for Florence’s city walls.
As you journey across the water, learn the stories behind the architecture and grand palaces that you pass. Cruise under the Ponte Vecchio and get a riverside view of the Uffizi Gallery. While your guide pours you a glass of chilled rosé or white wine, hear about the secret passageway of the Vasari Corridor, connecting the Palazzo Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti so that members of the Medici family could travel stealthily through the city. You also pass the brilliant Baroque design of the Corsini Palace and the Santa Trinita Bridge.
After your Florence river cruise concludes, return to your original departure point.
Ponte Vecchio (Pass By)
Palazzo Corsini (Pass By)
Uffizi (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- RAIN POLICY:
- The tour departure might be cancelled due to rain
- We will do our best to proceed with the tour. However rain or adverse weather conditions could prevent us from being able to offer an enjoyable and fully safe experience
- In case we cancel the tour (and only in this case), guest options are:
- Rain check to be used the following day or at any other time, subject to availability. The Rain check is a voucher given to client. The voucher is transferable and may be sold or given to others to use at a future date and lasts up to 1 year from date. It has a value that can be possible used in any other tour provided by our company
- 100% refund for tour cancellation
- Please note that clients' safety and comfort are of utmost priority
- In any case, clients should show up at the meeting point at the scheduled time, or contact the office in advance
- No-shows will not be refunded
- The activity lasts 1 hour
- Please be informed that starting from 2025, the new and only meeting point will be Via dei Vaggellai 22/red, Florence.
- We are sorry to inform you that pets are not permitted on our tours
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.3
based on 411 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Shannon_B, Sep 2026
Angela was a very knowledgeable guide who took good care of us! She guided us through the history of Florence and pointed out important landmarks during the cruise. We had a great view of and sailed right under the Ponte Vecchio bridge. We even had a prosecco toast at the end! Our captain was very good in steering the vessel and kept us safe. A nice 1 hour cruise right before sunset - I highly recommend it!
Diane_B, Sep 2026
Lovely way to spend an hour on the Arno,
but overpriced. We did the sunset ride and it came with a glass of sparking. We had a total of 8 guests on the boat and they were all fun. It was not worth almost $200, tho!
Kent_D, Sep 2026
The whole experience was exceptional. The knowledge of the guide made the experience so interesting. The guide was fun, light hearted and energetic. She was attentive to the smaller details and this made the ride special and it showed the guide giving genuine focus and concern for our well-being.
Johnathan_W, Aug 2026
One of my favorite tours. Relaxing, away from the crowds, and the history was so interesting. Our tour guide was great and the wine was a lovely touch.
Anne_M, Jul 2026
Fun boat ride but the tour guide provided limited information and only for half the boat ride. The remaining 30 minutes were spent taking photos and talking to other travelers. Overall a missed opportunity to learn more about Florence.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We are very sorry to hear that the guided commentary did not meet your expectations. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us, as it helps us identify areas for improvement and ensure a more engaging and informative experience for our future guests. Thank you for taking the time to share your comments.
Michelle_W, Jul 2026
We’ve just been on this trip. Recommended. We had a lovely guide who was informative & engaging. Loved the bridges and the history. The weather was perfect. Big thank you to our punt driver as this lovely trip was all down to his hard work. Florence is an amazing city and this trip is a lovely part of our holiday memories. Thank you.
Karen_A, Jun 2026
What a beautiful way to start your Florence trip. Went w 19 year old daughter. Easy to find and easy on/off canal boat. Water/wine supplied. Vanessa was a knowledgeable tour guide and loves Italy! Thank you!!!
wendy_m, Jun 2026
Such an amazing experience and way to enjoy the river without the walking and hustle and bustle. So calm and relaxing. The views are exceptional
Jodi_C, Jun 2026
Excellent history lesson and smooth ride offering a unique view of Florence. We four adult women enjoyed it, except for the others who were on the tour apparently solely for a free glass of wine and to chat up anyone who would listen or talk on their phones. This was not only rude to those actually wanting this experience but we also felt badly for our guide. Felt like junior high. Greta, our guide was absolutely brilliant and possesses the patience of a saint. Big shout out to her and thank you for the Midwest ladies!
James_D, Jun 2026
We had a wonderful hour ride on the Arno River with Francesca. She did a wonderful job of explaining the history of the river & the areas around it. We would recommend this short excursion to all. At 6pm , it was a beautiful time of day to go for a boat ride! Grazie Francesca!
Erika_G, Jun 2026
Excellent pre-tour communication, guide was on time, small group of 6 was perfect. Wine + soft drinks included — a nice surprise. The guide is impressively knowledgeable and takes his role seriously — great if you want Florence history, less ideal if you just want to relax and watch the sunset. One significant issue: the guide stood at the front of the boat blocking the setting sun for much of the cruise — a major miss on a sunset tour. The boat driver took great photos of us towards the end which was a bonus. Best time of day to be on the Arno. Read the tour description before booking — this is an educational cruise, not just a scenic float. I still recommend. Kudos for the information shared.
Carrie_M, Jun 2026
We had a fun trip down the river with Gia and the boat driver was hilarious with two Scottish lads on our 35th wedding anniversary
abby_r, Jun 2026
Francesca was amazing. Her knowledge and storytelling were entertaining and the boat ride was our favorite part of our Florence trip.
Thomas_B, May 2026
Very relaxing water trip on the river under the bridges of Florence with wine and very interesting stories. great photo opportunity!!
Donna_S, May 2026
Really enjoyable and relaxing. Our guides Francesca & Massimo were wonderful. Great historical view of Florence. So glad we did this.
Garth_M, May 2026
Very informative, lovely scenery, great photos and Francesca was very excellent as a guide and we had a nice glass of wine.
Crista_P, May 2026
They cancelled last minute due to weather and it was the prettiest day we were there. They charged out card and we still have not received a refund. Not cool!
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us.
We are truly sorry for the disappointment caused by the cancellation of your tour. We completely understand how frustrating it must have felt, especially considering the beautiful weather conditions you experienced that day.
However, please allow us to clarify that the decision to cancel the tour was made exclusively for safety reasons and was not directly under our control. Our boat providers, who are responsible for maritime operations and passenger safety, informed us that the tour could not operate under the conditions assessed that day. Whenever safety is involved, we must follow the instructions and regulations provided by the authorized operators.
Regarding the refund, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and waiting time. Refunds can sometimes require a few business days to be processed depending on the banking system and payment provider, but we assure you that the procedure has been initiated.
We truly appreciate your feedback, as it helps us improve both our communication and our guests’ overall experience.
Kind regards,
The Towns of Italy Team
Jerold_B, Sep 2025
Excellent tour guide and great trip. Once in a lifetime opportunity to travel on the Arno River, away from the crowds
Jennifer_T, Sep 2025
Our guide was amazing and it was informative. There were other guests were rowdy which was unfortunate for our guide but we still enjoyed the experience.
Stephanie_S, Sep 2025
Everything about this experience was lovely. Directions to the meeting point were spot on and our gondola guide Gloria was very personable and knowledgeable, I highly recommend for an enjoyable experience. We booked the same day and had no issues!
Emma_R, Sep 2025
Very highly recommended . Lorenzo was very informative and made the trip very informative I would recommend anyone visiting Florence to book the 8 pm trip , I did this for my husband and he thoroughly enjoyed it as part as his birthday treat
Angelina_R, Sep 2025
Guide was friendly, pleasant and very knowledgeable!! Guide was also funny and sweet. Made the trip feel very intimate
Jennifer_L, Sep 2025
It was a good your. The guide is knowledgeable. I recommend to anyone who wants to know history of Florence.
Sue_H, Sep 2025
Weird meeting place started after sunset, couldn’t hear much of what the guide was saying as she was very softly spoken. It was nice to travel down the river but as this was part of by 60th Birthday trip it was not a great start!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Guest,
We are very sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations, especially on such a special occasion as your 60th birthday. We truly regret the timing and audio difficulties and appreciate your feedback. Please know that we will do our utmost to improve, so future guests can enjoy this tour at its best. Thank you sincerely.
Towns of Italy Customer Care
CYNTHIA_B, Sep 2025
This was a delightful little 1-hour small boat tour that we took down the Arno, about 30 mins up, with lively discussion about the historical buildings along both sides, and 30 mins back after turning around. Our young guide was very informative and kind, and those who wanted it were served chilled white wine along the way and offered umbrellas for the sun if desired (we didn't need it). Breezy and sunny, the weather was just perfect, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time on the boat and afterward our guide was on hand to offer transportation and other tips for around the city that we asked him. The meeting and ending point was a small tour office near Ponte alle Grazie that was slightly difficult to find, but allow yourself a few extra minutes to find it, and eventually other tour participants showed up (also a bit unsure) and we knew we were in the right place. Then our guide came out on time and greeted us and walked us a few feet down to the boat dock. Couldn't have been happier!
Lynette_B, Sep 2025
Unforgettable and beautiful way to learn the history of Florence while drifting down the Arno at sunset
Praveena_P, Sep 2025
This was a fabulous short cruise on Arno river. It reminded us of the gondola ride in Venice, very romantic. Our tour operator Vanessa was very informative and told us all about the history of the countess , the uffizi, the Capricorn in the bridge , the slowing down of river Arno .. a very good history lesson. We will definitely recommend this tour❤️
John_B, Sep 2025
Not for mobility limited persons. Very interesting stories about sites along the river. Served wine during ride
Teresa_A, Sep 2025
The address given was accurate but there was no signage and no one was early to let us know we were in the right place. Luckily we found our way to the river but were turned back to the address. Now the locked gate was open and we were able to check in.
Kimberly_I, Aug 2025
Beautiful cruise, so glad we did it! Nice relaxing way to enjoy the sites from the river. Gia was a wonderful tour guide!
From $69.80
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Florence River Cruise on a Traditional Barchetto
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