It can be reached along 200mt of road on foot One of the most popular stops on the tour is Piazzale Michelangelo, the panoramic point par excellence of Florence. From here you can admire a breathtaking view of the entire city: the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio and the Arno are revealed in an unforgettable glance. It’s the perfect time to take postcard photos and enjoy a moment of relaxation. The Guide will tell you curiosities about the square, its nineteenth-century architecture and the iconic bronze copy of Michelangelo’s David overlooking the terrace.

From the highest point of the route, an enchanting panorama opens up before us: the rolling hills of Arcetri, dotted with cypresses, historic villas and vineyards. Among these stands out the Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, one of the symbolic places of Italian science, built near the house where Galileo Galilei lived in the last years of his life. The gaze is lost among olive groves, silent villages and dirt roads that wind through the hills: it is the most authentic Tuscan countryside, just a few minutes from the Renaissance heart of Florence. A fascinating contrast between heaven and earth, art and nature, perfect to capture in a photo or simply breathe in silence.

Continuing towards the hills of Arcetri, we arrive in one of the most fascinating and less known places in Florence. In front of us stands the Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, surrounded by greenery and symbol of the Florentine scientific tradition. Just below, among cypresses and olive trees, is Villa Il Gioiello, where Galileo Galilei spent the last years of his life under house arrest. Here, surrounded by silence and nature, he continued to study the stars and write his most important works. The view sweeps over harmonious hills, dotted with villas, vineyards and farmhouses: it is the most authentic Tuscany, where history, science and landscape blend in perfect balance. An ideal stop to breathe beauty away from the chaos and feel part of something eternal.

Overlooking the hills south of Florence, Villa del Poggio Imperiale is a majestic historic residence that was the home of the Grand Duchesses of Tuscany and, later, the Lorraine princesses. Surrounded by an elegant park and stunning views of the city, it is one of the finest examples of late Renaissance and neoclassical architecture. Since 2013 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site as an extension of the historic center of Florence, thanks to its cultural and scenic value. Today it houses the prestigious state high school “Internazionale Machiavelli” but retains its royal charm. A place little beaten by mass tourism, but full of history, art and nobility, ideal for a scenic and cultural stop off the traditional circuits.

Porta Romana is one of the ancient gateways to the city of Florence, located along the road that led to Rome. Built in 1326, it is the only Florentine door that still retains the impressive original wooden sashes, witnesses of the medieval defenses of the city. Here you can still see a long stretch of the fourteenth-century walls, which once surrounded and protected the entire historic center. Walking – or riding a golf cart – along this area is like stepping back in time, between towers, ramparts and ancient entrance roads. Today, Porta Romana is also a hub between the urban center and the hills: from here, tree-lined avenues lead to Boboli, Poggio Imperiale and the Chianti countryside. A place on the border between city and nature, where history embraces the landscape.

Florence's Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is the city's most iconic monument — and even from afar, it completely dominates the landscape. From this hill you can perfectly admire Brunelleschi's Dome, the largest masonry dome ever built, which soars above all the roofs of Florence. It is incredible to think that it was built in the fifteenth century without the use of internal scaffolding, thanks to an innovative “herringbone” brick system. Next to it are Giotto's Bell Tower and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, which together form one of the most beautiful religious complexes in the world.

Fiesole is one of the most fascinating stops of the panoramic tour: a small village in the hills overlooking Florence from above, just ten minutes away but with a completely different atmosphere. Founded by the Etruscans long before Florence, Fiesole is considered the ancient mother of the city. Walking through its alleys you can breathe a quiet air, almost suspended in time. From the main square and the nearby belvedere, the view of the Arno Valley and Brunelleschi’s Dome is simply spectacular — you can see all of Florence stretching out at the foot of the hills. Here the pace slows down: you can smell the cypress trees, the sound of the bells, and you can understand how close the link between Renaissance Florence and its Etruscan and Roman origins is. It is the ideal place for a stop, a few photos and to tell how it all began: before Florence, there was Fiesole.