pontevecchioinflorence.com

Just few steps from Ponte vecchio bridge there are some of the best Restaurants in Florence. Some days ago I have been to BSJ (Borgo San Jacopo) the restaurant inside of Lungarno hotels, owned by Ferragamo.

The chef is a woman: Beatrice Segoni. She has got talent and passion to create some of the best dishes of meat and fish. I have tasted an appetizers with ricotta cheese, alici fishes and caponata (a sort of mixed vegetable salad), then a fish soup that was excellent! The cake with strawberries and chantilly cream was very delicate.

The view on river Arno in marvellous: ask for the seats on the terrace. Very romantic!
Also the suites of the hotel are enchanting.

BSJ - Borgo San Jacopo 62r, Firenze tel. 055 281661

In Florence there are 2 clubs for those who love Canoeing in Arno river. The most famous and oldest one is the “Canottieri Canoe Club” founded in 1886. The location is incredible! It is located on the banks of the river Arno, just in front of Ponte Vecchio. There are canoes, kayaks. “dragon boats”. Activities are both for young people and adults. There are also women!

Inside the club (just under Uffizi Gallery) there’s a clubroom, the changing rooms (with showers and sauna) and a bar. During the summer there’s a restaurant in the garden outside. The restaurant with view on Ponte Vecchio is only open to Canottieri club members and friends.
A friend of mine some weeks ago invited me for a coffee… I felt like a VIP!
Once or twice a year the club organizes tours on the Arno river in Florence with ancient boats.

SOCIETÀ CANOTTIERI FIRENZE Fondata nel 1886 - Stella d’oro al Merito Sportivo
Lungarno Anna Maria Luisa de Medici, 8 50122 Firenze Tel. +39 (0)55.2381010

Parking in Florence is not easy.
San Niccolò is a residential area where you can easily leave your car. So you’ll be in the historical centre of Florence, few steps from your apartment.
No need to pay for the parking!

How to reach Ponte Vecchio:

By bus:
You will arrive at Santa Maria Novella Station, you can take an electric bus (the small bus with the letter “D”) or take a taxi. In both cases it will take 10 minutes to get to the apartment.

By car:
Arriving from the south you should leave the highway “A1″ at Firenze Sud tollhouse, follow the signs for the city centre, when you arrive at Piazza Ferrucci follow the ones for Piazzale Michelangelo.
At the first traffic light turn right and then left. Follow the road until you get to the ancient gate of the city (Porta San Niccolò). You can park along the leafy Via dell’Erta Canina (free parking).

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

By airplane:
The Florence airport offers a shuttle to reach the Santa Maria Novella train station. You can even rent a car or take a taxi. It will take 20 minutes.

This is the view of the street named San Niccolò. You can see the San Niccolo’ tower at the end of the street, that gives the name to all the quarter. It’s close to Ponte Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s parallel to Lungarno.

You can see it also on Google Maps thanks to Street viewer:

View Larger Map

No, people don’t live anymore on Ponte Vecchio. The houses have been transformed to jewelries and stores.
Above the stores you can see the “Corridoio Vasariano”: it’s a gallery that departes from Uffizi Gallery. It contains famous portraits. But it’s close most of the time.

Yes the main train station (Firenze Santa Maria Novella) is quite close to the old bridge and to the Arno river.

You can take the bus “D” or you can walk if you prefer: it takes 15 minutes by foot.

Do you have any question about Florence? please ask me, I will answer you!