Florence: Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: 24, 48 or 72-Hour Ticket

Florence’s hop-on hop-off bus is most useful for its trip up to Piazzale Michelangelo and Fiesole, where you get the city’s best wide views without tackling steep hills on foot. You can ride the open-top bus through central Florence, then switch to the longer route for hillside neighborhoods and the old Etruscan town above the city.

I like the freedom to use the bus as both a sightseeing ride and practical transport. I also like the choice of a 24, 48, or 72-hour ticket, especially if you want to spread Florence’s sights across several days. The main drawback is that the two routes overlap in places, and buses on the Fiesole route run far less often than the city route.

Key points to know before you ride

• Piazzale Michelangelo gives you the big Florence view: Get off here for sweeping views over the Arno, domes, bridges, and red roofs.
• Fiesole adds a worthwhile half-day option: Line B reaches this hillside town, known for Etruscan remains and views over Florence.
• Line A is the practical city loop: Its full circuit takes about one hour and links central Florence with southern and western areas.
• Line B requires patience: The complete route takes about two hours, with service every 120 minutes under the listed timetable.
• The app helps with confusing stops: Use the Sightseeing Experience app for route information and real-time bus locations.
• The audio guide is useful but uneven: It is offered in eight languages, though timing can sometimes lag behind the sights outside.

What this Florence bus tour actually covers

This is not a guided walking tour of the Duomo or a ticket to the Uffizi. It is a broad city overview from an open-top double-decker bus, with unlimited rides during your selected ticket period.

That distinction matters. Florence’s historic center is compact enough to explore on foot, but the city’s hills, gardens, and outer neighborhoods take time and effort. The bus gives you a quick look at those areas and lets you save your legs for museums, churches, and market streets.

You can sit upstairs for the best views and photographs, or stay below if the sun, wind, or rain turns unpleasant. The bus has free Wi-Fi, and headphones connect to the multilingual audio commentary.

The ticket is available for 24, 48, or 72 hours. I would choose 24 hours if you mainly want one city circuit and the Michelangelo viewpoint. The longer tickets make more sense if you plan to use the bus for transport between several outlying stops, or if you want to wait for Line B without sacrificing a large part of your day.

Line A: the one-hour circuit through Florence

Line A is the easier route to fit into a short visit. Its full circuit takes about one hour, though traffic and stop time can affect the actual ride.

The route includes Santa Maria Novella Train Station at Largo Alinari, a useful starting point if you arrive by rail. From there it passes Piazza della Libertà, Via Bernardo Segni, Santa Croce, Lungarno Serristori, Piazza Ferrucci, and Piazzale Michelangelo before continuing through the southern and western parts of the city.

The stop at Santa Croce puts you near one of Florence’s important church squares. The area is good for combining a bus ride with a walk through the surrounding streets, though you will need separate admission if you want to enter any attraction.

At Lungarno Serristori and Piazza Ferrucci, the route follows the Arno and gives you a different view of Florence than you get from the dense center. These stops are useful if you want to see the river from a less crowded stretch.

The main prize is Piazzale Michelangelo. Get off rather than simply photographing it through the bus window. The terrace looks across the Arno toward Florence’s historic center, and it is one of the clearest places to understand how the city fits together.

Line A then reaches Galileo, Viale Machiavelli near Villa Cora, Porta Romana, Piazza Tasso, Leopolda and Parco della Musica, and Piazza Indipendenza. These stops broaden the tour beyond the postcard center.

Porta Romana is a useful gateway to the southern side of Florence, while the Viale Machiavelli section takes you through greener streets near the former city walls and the Boboli Gardens area. You do not receive attraction admission with this ticket, so plan separate entry if Boboli or another site is on your list.

Piazza Tasso and Leopolda show a more everyday side of Florence. They are less essential if you have only a few hours, but they help you see how quickly the city changes once you leave the central monuments.

Line B: the long ride to Fiesole

Line B is the more scenic route and the one I would not skip if your schedule allows. It links Galileo, Piazzale Michelangelo, Lungarno Serristori, Grazie, Lungo l’Affrico, Museo del Calcio, San Domenico, Fiesole, Viale Fratelli Rosselli near Porta al Prato, Viale Vasco Pratolini, and Piazzale di Porta Romana.

The full route takes about two hours. It covers some of the same ground as Line A, so do not expect two completely separate tours. The payoff is the change in setting as the bus leaves the central streets and climbs toward Fiesole.

The stop at Fiesole is the highlight. This hillside town is associated with Etruscan remains and offers broad views back toward Florence. You can get off and spend time there, but plan carefully because the buses are infrequent.

Allow enough time to see the town at a relaxed pace, visit the monastery area, and stop for a drink with a view if that suits your day. The bus ticket does not include attraction admission, so any archaeological or cultural site entry is separate.

San Domenico is another useful stop on the way to Fiesole. The route through the hills gives you a welcome contrast to Florence’s tightly packed center, and the elevated roads provide repeated photo opportunities.

The downside is the timetable. Under the listed schedule from November 3, 2025 to March 27, 2026, Line B departs from Stop 1 at 11:15 a.m. and makes its last departure at 3:15 p.m. With buses every 120 minutes, missing one can cost you a long wait.

Line B is suspended Monday through Friday from November 3, 2025 to March 31, 2026, except for limited daily service from December 20 through January 6. Check the current operating dates before building your day around Fiesole.

Piazzale Michelangelo is the must-do stop

If you use the bus only once, make that ride the one that takes you to Piazzale Michelangelo. The viewpoint sits above Florence and gives you the classic view of the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce, the Arno, and the city’s bridges.

The stop is also helpful for anyone who cannot manage Florence’s hills comfortably. You can reach the viewpoint by bus rather than spending energy on a steep walk, then return when the next suitable bus arrives.

Give yourself time for photographs and for simply looking across the city. Several parts of the route offer good views, but this is the place where the scale of Florence makes sense.

Do watch your timing. A short stop is not always enough if you want photographs, and the next bus may not arrive quickly on the less frequent route. The app and printed route information can help you judge the wait.

Audio commentary: useful, with a few rough edges

The audio guide is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Portuguese. It gives you background as you ride and is especially helpful on a first visit, when you are still learning the city’s layout.

The commentary works best when you treat it as an introduction rather than a full history lesson. It points out major places and gives context while you look around, but it does not replace a museum guide or a focused walking tour.

There is one practical issue: the narration does not always match the view perfectly. At times it may describe a sight just before or after you pass it. Some riders also find that the commentary pauses for stretches or includes more music than expected.

I suggest keeping the route map open and watching the stops yourself. This is particularly important if you want to get off for Piazzale Michelangelo, Fiesole, Santa Croce, or Porta Romana.

The headphone sockets generally work well, but a few can be faulty. If your audio is silent, test another socket or ask a staff member rather than assuming the recording has stopped.

Using the bus as transport around Florence

The greatest value here is not the narration. It is the ability to cover awkward distances without arranging taxis or learning the local public transport system.

Florence’s main pedestrian areas are easy to reach on foot, but walking from one end of the central area to the hills can take time. The bus gives you a break in the middle of a busy sightseeing day, and the open top lets you keep looking around while you ride.

It also works well for families. A bus ride offers a low-pressure pause when children need a rest, and you can get a general sense of the city before deciding where to spend more time.

The service is less useful if you expect rapid point-to-point transport. Frequency changes by route and season, and Line B can involve a long wait. The city center route is the better choice when you want flexibility.

Stops can also be hard to spot. Some are not marked as clearly as you might expect, and it is possible to wait on the wrong side of the road. Check the app, confirm the direction, and look carefully for the official stop sign.

The activity provider offers assistance at its visitor center in the ticketing area of Santa Maria Novella Train Station. That is a useful place to clarify routes, stops, and current schedules before setting out.

How to get the best value from a 24, 48, or 72-hour ticket

At $24 per person, the 24-hour ticket can be good value if you complete both routes or use the bus several times as transport. A single loop gives you an overview, but it may not justify the ticket if you are comfortable walking and have little interest in the outer areas.

I would use a 24-hour ticket like this:

• Start with one full Line A circuit to learn the city’s shape.
• Get off at Piazzale Michelangelo and spend time at the viewpoint.
• Use the bus later for a stop near Santa Croce, Porta Romana, or the Arno.
• Take Line B only if its schedule fits your day.

The 48-hour ticket gives you more breathing room. Use one day for the city center and viewpoint, then reserve another morning or afternoon for Fiesole. This is the best balance for many visitors because it reduces the pressure caused by Line B’s long intervals.

The 72-hour ticket suits a slower visit, but only if you expect to ride on all three days. It is not automatically the best bargain simply because it lasts longer. Florence is walkable, and many central sights are close together.

Children under five ride free. Buses are wheelchair accessible, which makes the elevated viewpoints and outer neighborhoods easier to reach for anyone who cannot walk long distances.

The best time to ride

An open-top bus is most enjoyable in fair weather. You get clear views, better photographs, and a much stronger sense of the city’s hills and river.

Rain changes the experience. The bus can still provide transport, but visibility suffers and sitting upstairs becomes less pleasant. If the weather improves, use the remaining ticket time for another circuit. The ticket’s flexibility is useful here.

For the winter timetable listed, Line A has its first departure from Stop 6 at 9:20 a.m. and its last departure at 4:40 p.m. Frequency is every 40 minutes on weekends and every 75 minutes on weekdays.

That weekday gap is long enough to affect your plans. If you get off for lunch or sightseeing, check the next departure before leaving the bus.

Line B has a much tighter operating window, with departures from Stop 1 between 11:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. during the listed winter schedule. In winter, confirm that the route is running at all.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I recommend this bus for first-time visitors who want a quick overview before choosing where to spend their time. It is also a good fit for families, older visitors, and anyone with limited mobility.

You will get the most from it if you want to see Florence beyond the central pedestrian zone. Piazzale Michelangelo and Fiesole are the strongest reasons to book.

The tour is less suitable if you want detailed art commentary, direct entry to attractions, or a tightly timed schedule. The bus does not take you inside the Duomo, Uffizi, Boboli Gardens, or other sights, and traffic can affect the timetable.

It is also not the best choice for a visitor who plans to walk everywhere in the historic center. In that case, a focused walking tour may give you more detail for the same amount of time.

Practical booking details

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option keeps your plans flexible.

Bring headphones if you prefer your own, though the tour provides audio access. Keep the app ready for route details and real-time bus information, especially when you are waiting at a stop.

The best suggested boarding points include Line A Blue Stop 1 at Galileo and Line B Red Stop 4 at Grazie. Santa Maria Novella is especially convenient if you arrive by train or want help from the visitor center.

Should you book Florence’s hop-on hop-off bus?

Book it if you want easy access to Florence’s viewpoints and outer neighborhoods, or if walking uphill is difficult. Make time for Piazzale Michelangelo, and choose Line B for Fiesole only after checking its operating days and departure times.

Choose the 24-hour ticket for a quick orientation and a few rides. Choose 48 hours if you want a calmer schedule with time for Fiesole. The 72-hour option is worthwhile only when you plan to use the bus repeatedly.

I would not book this as your only Florence experience. Use it as a practical overview, then explore the historic center on foot and visit the museums or churches separately. At $24, it earns its keep when you use both routes and treat the bus as transport, not just a one-hour sightseeing loop.

FAQ

How long does Line A take?

Line A takes approximately one hour to complete.

How long does Line B take?

Line B takes approximately two hours to complete.

Does Line B go to Fiesole?

Yes. Line B includes a stop in Fiesole, the hillside town known for Etruscan remains and views over Florence.

How long are the tickets valid?

You can choose a ticket valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours.

What languages are available for the audio guide?

The audio guide is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Portuguese.

Is Wi-Fi available on the bus?

Yes. Free Wi-Fi is included on the bus.

Are attraction entry tickets included?

No. The bus ticket does not include admission to attractions.

Are the buses wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The buses are wheelchair accessible.

Do children under five need a ticket?

Children under five can participate free of charge.

Does Line B run every day?

Not throughout the listed winter period. From November 3, 2025 to March 31, 2026, Line B is suspended Monday through Friday. It operates daily with limited service from December 20 to January 6. Check the current schedule before booking.