The joys of an electric bike tour of Florence at night
Before I tell you about the awesome electric bike tour of Florence I took on my visit to Italy and the fantastic times I had riding around this great city at night, I have a confession: this is not how I pictured myself cycling in Tuscany.
In my dreams I was grinding up and soaring down undulating hills in the countryside, putting my winter spin class training to use. But dreams don’t always come true. Because sometimes you arrive at your destination and find that there is a heat wave. That the “rolling” hills are a lot steeper than you imagined. And that, frankly, you’d rather see rural Tuscany from inside an air-conditioned Fiat.
Lucky for me, I found an Electric Bike Tour of Florence at night!
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Why you should sign up for a bike tour in Florence
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 tour is also 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.
I took two different bike tours in Florence—one night tour on an ebike, and one day tour on a regular cruising bike. Here’s why the electronic bike tour of Florence at night was one of the best things I did in all of Italy.
An ebike tour to Piazzale Michelangelo
The first reason I signed up for a bike tour in Florence was the heat. My girlfriend and I were finding it a challenge to see as much as we wanted with that August sun beating down on us during the day. So when browsing available bike tours in Florence I spotted a listing for “E-Bike Night Tour with stunning view from Piazzale Michelangelo” and knew that would a lot more comfortable!
Piazzale Michelangelo is a scenic lookout just south of the city centre on the south bank of the Arno River. It’s easy to spot from below—there’s a bronze copy of Michelangelo’s David you can see from afar, plus crowds of people enjoying the views. Most people drive up. Or hike up. But we biked up!
Our electronic bike tour of Florence started in the early evening in a cute alleyway in the heart of the city at a bike rental shop. This was actually my first time getting on an e-bike, so I was relieved that they gave us beginner instructions and time to try out the ebike and get used to it before taking off on the tour. Then zoom-zoom, away we went!
An e-bike tour of Florence is a great option for people travelling together with different physical abilities. Because each person controls the amount of electric “assist” on their own bike. And you can cover more ground — and more hills!
Following our guide along the river using bike paths, then crossing over the Ponte di San Niccolò, we arrived at the bottom of a long and winding tree-lined road. With the ebike, it was an easy climb to the Piazzale Michelangelo and quickly we were looking down at all of Florence.
What a scene! A live band played some Italian songs I do not know but the crowds certainly did—there was singing, and dancing, and such happy good vibes. Our tour stopped long enough to grab a snack or drink from food trucks, or just stand at the edge of the plaza and enjoy the sweeping views.
It was just as fun to ride the ebike back down into the city.
Our guide took us across a different bridge and through the narrow streets of Florence, which are quite flat. I turned off the electric assist and enjoyed the feeling of pedalling past such glorious sites as the Basilica of Santa Croce and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its famous red duomo. Along the way, our guide shared vivid stories of the history of Florence, including its long-time rivalry with Siena.
Taking an electronic bike tour of Florence at night was a really special experience. This is an extremely popular and crowded city, but it didn’t feel that way at night. And doing it on an ebike meant I could save my stamina for the next day’s sightseeing and shopping.
This tour lasts about 2 hours and cost us 55Euro. They have bike helmets for adults and children. And it does include a gelato! It runs nightly from May to September. Check the dates and rates here.
I recommend this electronic bike tour of Florence tour for anyone who: needs or wants a break from the summer heat, wants to try an ebike in a safe environment with an experienced bike guide, is with friends or family who can’t ride a traditional bike, wants to see a lot of Florence at night, or is too busy with activities during the day.
I have no negatives to this tour but if you’re looking for more of a physical challenge or want to visit sites outside the city centre, this might not be the best one 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!
Our Hotel in Florence: Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Florence in the summer is hot! It reached 40 degrees for us. So I knew I wanted a hotel with a pool even if that meant upping our accommodation budget. When I saw the views from the rooftop pool at the Plaza Hotel Lucchesi and how close it was to the city centre it was an easy decision to splurge on a stay here.
The Plaza Hotel Lucchesi is located right on banks of the Arno River, a 15-minute walk from landmarks like the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio and an easy hop to artsy Oltrarno on the south side. Our large room had a balcony with great views of the Arno but we spent most of our time there cooling off in their small pool with 360-degree views of the city. Caveat: I loved staying at this hotel in Florence but we paid about half of what they are charging for an August stay now and for 600 Euro a night I would want a much fancier experience. If you can score a deal, the loccation and views can’t be beat.
Read my full review of the Plaza Hotel Lucchesi.
If you prefer a less expensive hotel or want to stay in the boho Santo Spirito neighbourhood I can also recommend Palazzo Guadagni. Its cozy rooms have antique furnishings and the rooftop bar restaurant Loggia has some of the best sunset views in Florence.
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