Ponte Vecchio

A bridge has crossed here since Roman times; the present one dates from 1345 after floods destroyed its predecessors. Butchers and tanners worked on it until 1593, when Ferdinando I expelled them for the smell and gave the shops to goldsmiths, who are still there. Above the shops runs the Vasari Corridor, built in 1565 so the Medici could walk from the Palazzo Vecchio to the Pitti Palace without mixing with the city. In August 1944 the retreating German army destroyed every bridge in Florence except this one, blowing up the medieval buildings at each end instead to block the approaches.

What you actually see

• The goldsmiths' shops - jewellers on the bridge since 1593.
• The Vasari Corridor - the Medici's private passage running above.
• The 1944 survival - the only Florence bridge left standing.
• The overhanging backs - shop rooms propped out over the Arno.

When to go

April to June and September to October; the bridge is jammed from mid-morning to evening year-round. Early morning and after dark are far quieter.

Honest expectations

It is extremely crowded and pickpocketing is common. Shops are high-end jewellery, not general shopping. The best view of the bridge is from other bridges, not on it.

Nearby

The Uffizi is at the north end; the Pitti Palace lies south.