The Best Photography Locations in Florence & Tuscany
Where I shoot, when to be there, and exactly how
— by Serge Ramelli
Hello fellow lovers of Florence, Tuscany and the Renaissance light!
Florence packs more beauty per square metre than almost anywhere on earth — and just south of it, the Val d'Orcia gives you the most photogenic countryside in Italy. Below are my favourite spots in both, each with a Google Maps link to the exact place I stood, the camera settings, and the time of day that makes it sing. For more on choosing your light, see my golden hour vs blue hour guide.
One quick tip: Florence rewards the early riser — shoot the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo at dawn before the crowds, save Piazzale Michelangelo and the Arno for sunset and blue hour, and set aside one morning to drive down to the Val d'Orcia for sunrise.
1. Piazzale Michelangelo (the Florence Skyline)
📍 Piazzale Michelangelo (43.7629, 11.265)
The single best view of Florence. From the terrace of Piazzale Michelangelo the whole city spreads out below you — the Duomo, the tower of Palazzo Vecchio, the Arno and its bridges — and at sunset the sky behind the Tuscan hills puts on a show. Bring a wide lens for the panorama and a longer one to pick out the Cathedral.
Best time: Sunset, and stay for blue hour as the city lights come on.
Ready to get 1 on 1 support to master your tools and take photos that have that WOW factor? Apply to become a certified Master of Photography here.
📷 Sony A7R V · 24mm · f/9 · 1/30s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-01
📷 Sony A7R V · 70mm · f/4.5 · 1/6s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-02
2. The Duomo & Piazza del Duomo
📍 Piazza del Duomo (43.7731, 11.256)
Brunelleschi's dome is the heart of Florence. Shoot from one of the narrow streets feeding into Piazza del Duomo so the marble Cathedral and Giotto's bell tower fill the frame, with the warm sunset sky glowing behind the dome.
Best time: Sunset for warm light on the marble; early morning for empty streets.
📷 Leica Q2 · 28mm · f/5 · 1/125s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-03
3. The Ponte Vecchio
📍 Ponte Vecchio (43.768, 11.2531)
The medieval bridge of goldsmiths' shops is magical when it is empty. Get there at dawn and shoot straight down the covered street past the Cellini bust, or frame the Arno through the bridge's stone arches and the windows of the Vasari Corridor above.
Best time: Dawn, before the crowds and the shops open.
Ready to get 1 on 1 support to master your tools and take photos that have that WOW factor? Apply to become a certified Master of Photography here.
📷 Leica Q2 · 28mm · f/3.5 · 1/250s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-04
📷 Leica Q3 · 28mm · f/5 · 1/125s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-05
4. The Arno at Dusk
📍 Lungarno / Ponte alle Grazie (43.7676, 11.2585)
From the bridges and embankments downstream, the Arno mirrors the whole golden skyline with the Ponte Vecchio glowing at its centre. Look for a riverside sculpture or a lamp to anchor the foreground, and use a long exposure to smooth the water at blue hour.
Best time: Blue hour, from Ponte alle Grazie or the Lungarno embankments.
📷 Sony A7R V · 24mm · f/16 · 4s · ISO 100 (tripod) 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-06
📷 Leica Q2 · 28mm · f/7.1 · 3s · ISO 50 (tripod) 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-07
5. The Uffizi Gallery
📍 Uffizi Gallery (43.7678, 11.2553)
The Uffizi is a photograph as well as a museum. Stand in the great colonnaded courtyard and shoot through the end arch to the Arno and the hills beyond, then cross the river to catch the gallery's long façade lit up and reflected in the water at blue hour.
Best time: Dawn for the empty courtyard; blue hour for the river façade.
Ready to get 1 on 1 support to master your tools and take photos that have that WOW factor? Apply to become a certified Master of Photography here.
📷 Leica Q2 · 28mm · f/2.8 · 1/250s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-08
📷 Leica Q2 · 28mm · f/1.7 · 1/50s · ISO 2000 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-09
6. Val d'Orcia: Podere Belvedere
📍 Podere Belvedere, San Quirico d'Orcia (43.0686, 11.6093)
An hour and a half south of Florence lies the Val d'Orcia, the rolling Tuscan dreamscape. The lone farmhouse of Podere Belvedere, crowned with cypress trees on its little hill, is the most photographed house in Tuscany — and at misty sunrise it is pure magic.
Best time: Sunrise, ideally with valley mist. Worth the early drive from Florence.
📷 Sony A7R V · 62mm · f/9 · 6s · ISO 100 (tripod) 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-10
📷 Sony A7R V · 70mm · f/8 · 1.3s · ISO 100 (tripod) 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-11
7. The Winding Cypress Road (Monticchiello)
📍 Cypress road near Monticchiello (43.0906, 11.7)
The S-curve of cypress trees lining a country lane near Monticchiello is one of the iconic images of Tuscany. Shoot it at sunset when the low sun flares through the trees and rakes golden light across the green hills.
Best time: Sunset, with the sun low behind the cypresses.
Ready to get 1 on 1 support to master your tools and take photos that have that WOW factor? Apply to become a certified Master of Photography here.
📷 Sony A7S III · 46mm · f/8 · 1/80s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-12
8. The Cypresses of San Quirico d'Orcia
📍 Cipressi di San Quirico d'Orcia (43.0561, 11.6156)
A simple, perfect composition: a small grove of cypress trees standing alone on a green rise, framed against a big dramatic Tuscan sky. A telephoto compresses the scene into pure minimalism — let the clouds do the work.
Best time: Daytime with dramatic clouds; a telephoto to isolate the grove.
📷 Sony A7R V · 105mm · f/10 · 1/250s · ISO 100 🖼️ Want this as a print, for your website, or for a campaign? License it here — ref. FLO-13
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to photograph the Ponte Vecchio?
Dawn, before the crowds and the shops open — you get the covered street and the stone arches to yourself.
Is the Val d'Orcia worth the drive from Florence?
Yes, especially for the Podere Belvedere farmhouse and the cypress groves near San Quirico d'Orcia. It is about an hour and a half south of Florence, and a misty sunrise there is one of the most photogenic scenes in Italy.
Where is the best skyline view of Florence?
Piazzale Michelangelo, at sunset into blue hour, for the full sweep of the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and the Arno with the Tuscan hills behind.
Explore More Photography Locations
Planning your next photo trip? Here are more of my location guides:
- The Best Photography Locations in New York City
- The Best Photography Locations in Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley
- The Best Photography Locations in Las Vegas
- The Best Photography Locations in Yosemite
- The Best Photography Locations in Iceland
- The Best Photography Locations in San Francisco
- The Best Photography Locations in London
- The Best Photography Locations in Venice
A Few Final Thoughts
Happy shooting! — Serge
Want more? Explore 10 Lightroom secrets to instantly improve your photos and the best photography locations in Paris. Love a shot? You can license my prints here.
Get my FREE Lightroom preset here: https://bit.ly/AIPresets
Serge — Photoserge | Coaching photographers who are serious about getting to the next level.
