A classic bike tour of Florence
I already wrote about having just two days in Florence. But what if you only have one? I recommend signing up for a bike tour to see a lot of the city in a short time.
Florence is so popular with tourists, there are many, many group tours covering the highlights. But on a bike tour of Florence you can get off the crowded sidewalks and cover a lot more ground in just a few hours. You don’t need to be an experienced cyclist, either.
It was crazy hot when I visited in August and I really questioned my sanity to do any physical activity in the daytime. But I also love exploring cities by bike. And I found one that started in the morning so it seemed like the perfect way to let someone take me around and teach me more about the history of Florence. Read on for my honest experience of a three-hour bike tour of Florence in the summertime.
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What to expect on a bike tour
Bikes are such a great way to get around a new city. You can see way more in less time than on foot, get closer to the place than from a bus or cab, and of course the physical exercise is a healthy way to work off all that gelato and pizza. With a small group bike tour, you can also meet others staying in the same city at the same time, which is especially great when you are travelling solo.
In Florence, a bike is one way to avoid the intense crowds on the sidewalks. (Sometimes, see below.) And a bike ride along the Arno River is one of life’s pleasures.
Most of the bike tours in Florence are between 2 and 3 hours long and follow a similar route around the city, taking you to the main sights — the piazzas, the bridges, e.g., but using hidden alleyways and stopping at unusual historical spots. Many include pitstops for gelato! The main difference between them is the time of day they are leaving, the type of bike and what’s included.
A classic bike tour of Florence
This review is of Florencetown’s I Bike Florence Original Bike Tour. It took us to major sights including Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Strozzi, the Duomo, Santa Maria Novella, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Santa Croce and more.
This tour uses a classic cruiser bike. These comfortable upright rides sometimes called Dutch Bikes have just one gear, and are meant for leisurely cycling on mostly flat terrain. They also have a cute vintage style, with a front basket.
Because of the heat situation, I chose the earliest tour, leaving at 10am. I joined a group of several couples from different European countries. We were all cycling enthusiasts, but you don’t need a lot of experience you just need the basics to enjoy this tour—be comfortable riding a bicycle slowly, and near city traffic. Florence has many useful bike lanes along the river, and across the bridges, but in the narrow streets of the core, I was thankful for our tour guide, to navigate us safely using less busy areas.
Our tour guide had great storytelling abilities. Even though we passed by monuments I’d already visited on the ebike tour, or with my friend, I enjoyed learning new details from this guide, and seeing things from a different perspective.
This bike tour of Florence also took us to the south side of the Arno, into Oltrarno. This neighbourhood has its own historic sites, like Palazzo Pitti, but is best known today as the “cool” part of the city, with small boutiques and bohemian bars. We stopped here for one of the best features of this tour: gelato! This sweet treat is included in the price, and the guide helped us choose from the many traditional flavours. So good!
Unfortunately for me, the icy gelato was not enough to combat the sickness I was feeling from what was already by noon a punishing heat. I had to cut my ride short. They were kind and supportive of my situation. Because I was confident in the route back to the tour operator’s shop I took my leave and quickly returned the bike before retreating indoors to my hotel.
It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, considering how easy this ride is, but I mention it to explain that Florencetown (and most tour operators) do have procedures and options if for any reason you can’t continue with your bike ride.
This bike tour of Florence lasts 2.5 hours and costs 45Euros. They run up to three times per day in high season, but also offer tours all year-round.
I recommend this tour for anyone who: just arrived in Florence and wants a good orientation of the major areas and sites, loves riding a cruiser bike, is visiting in the off season, or travelling with children (they provide child seats for kids up to 3 for free, and provide discounts for kids aged 4 to 12).
One caveat to my high recommendation is that we did encounter some crowded areas, including crossing the famous Ponte Vecchio and a few of the side streets. I ride in Toronto traffic regularly so this didn’t bother me but if you are uncomfortable riding a bike through crowds, consider if that’s right for you.
Some general tips for bike tours
Small group guided bike tours are a fun and convenient way to see great cities. But there are some things to look out for to make sure you pick a good one.
- You want the right bike, and a good quality bike. Look for tour operators that specify what kind of bike you’ll be riding.
- If you’re going to be out for any length of time they should also ask you for your height, to make sure they have the right size set aside for you.
- Arrive on time, or even early, to test out the bike they give you before taking off on the ride. Just a few seconds ride will tell you that the brakes are working, the seat is properly adjusted, the tires are pumped, etc. Do not be shy to ask for these things to be fixed. The guides can do this quickly.
- One reality of the business is that they get new bikes at the start of the season. So the further away you are from that, the more likely the bikes may be a bit beat up. I took a city bike tour once in November and we left 15 minutes late because it took a while to locate functioning bikes for everyone. It wasn’t the worst problem, but be aware.
- Your guide should be carrying basic repair supplies. I took a tour once where two different bikes got flat tires, while we were away from the city centre in a park. Our guide was carrying replacement tubes and and a repair kit, so we weren’t delayed too badly. That said…
- Don’t book something immediately after your bike tour. Delays like those mentioned above can happen and you may find yourself running short. If you do have a reservation or ticket for something, do let the guide know at the start of the tour.
Personally, I book these at the last minute, so that I can pick the right day and time based on the weather. In a big city, there are many bike tour options so the risk of not finding one is low, especially if you’re travelling alone.
Finally, be aware that these city sightseeing bike tours do not enter any of the sights. And that they don’t involve a lot of actual cycling. Ha. These are more like a walking tour—you bike from one stop to another, take some pictures, hear some stories, have a snack, then bike to the next one. If that sounds like a very nice time, be sure to book a bike tour on your next city adventure!
Happy riding!
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