Is Florence’s landmark. In the Medieval period, instead of those nowadays standing jewerly shops there were butcheries, fishmongers and greengrocers stands (since XIV century), easy for them to throw the waste into the river so can keep the city out of those market odors. The top floor that lines the bridge is part of the Vasari corridor, a pedestrian passageway built in 1565 to provide privacy for the Medicis to avoid commoners; then in 1593 they passed a law expelling them (because of the odors) and replacing those stands for goldsmiths. Since then, the bridge always housed jewelry shops. Check the only surviving tower corner (Mannelli) with the passageway swerved round it on brackets. Is highly touristy, very expensive jewelry/watch shops, when walking on it seems a normal street but this is a bridge with buildings on it. Beware where you step, watch out for scammers. Best pictures when taken from river banks.

A bustling bridge of gold shops and steeped in history. Too many tourists but that's normal whenever you visit a popular tourist spot. You'll spot one gold dealer after another as you walk across this Medieval stone closed bridge. If you walk to the middle you'll find a spot on both sides where you can look down the river for some great images.

...notwithstanding the fact you need to come here if you ever visit Florence, it is just a bridge, it is overcrowded, it is full of people selling "tat", some of it cheap, some of it overpriced, no doubt plenty of pickpocketers and a few dodgy or weird people, all mixed in with a blend of every language and nationality you can imagine. I mean, this is the heart of Florence, one of the busiest crossings over the pretty River Arno...and in spite of the crazy number of people, please don't forget it does make for some beautiful photos, it is a wonderfully unique design with shops and homes built into a busy bridge over a city river...that in itself is a bonkers concept and I doubt you'd get much sleep if you work or live there, but it's certainly unique and as far as attractions in Florence go, it is a must-see! If you want quiet, perhaps try to find one of the less well known museums in Florence or a pretty cafe down a side street and enjoy an Aperol Spritz instead!

A trip to Florence would not be complete without a visit to the world famous Ponte Vecchio which spans the river Arno. Above jewellery shops on the eastern side, the Corridoio Vasariano is a 16th-century passageway between the Uffizi and Palazzo Pitti that runs around, rather than through, the medieval Torre dei Mannelli at the bridge's southern end. The bridge houses an interesting mix of shops selling jewellery, high end watches, artwork and the usual tourist fare. Plenty of photo/Insta opportunities abound here with the bridge looking equally impressive at night as well as first thing in the morning.

The Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”) is a medieval stone arched pedestrian bridge, built in 1345, that goes over the Arno River at its narrowest point in Florence. It is believed that the very first bridge near this point was first built in Roman times. It’s unusual in that it was built with small two-story shops on the outer edges of both sides of the bridge. I learned that at one time this was a common practice for bridges. Initially, they had blacksmiths and shops that sold meat and farm produce, but today it’s lined with jeweler and souvenir shops. It was very crowded on the day we were there, not only with tourists looking at the bridge and browsing in the shops, but with locals just crossing from one side of the river to the other. Find the plaque above the Rolex jewelry shop dedicated to the German officer who blew up every bridge crossing the Arno except the Ponte Vecchio as the German army was retreating from Florence during WWII. You also have a great view of the river both ways when you reach the middle of the bridge.

Ponte Vecchio is one of the most easily recognisable bridges in the world. Crossing the Arno in the city centre of Florence, this arched stone bridge dates back to the Middle Ages but is famous these days because of the cluster of small buildings and shops, beautifully fitted atop Ponte Vecchio, creating a must charming scene for photographs when visiting the city. You can walk over Ponte Vecchio as well. Most of the shops these days are goldsmiths and jewellery dealers. There is a monument 16th-century Italian sculptor Benvenuto Cellini in the middle of the bridge as well. You can take nice pictures from this centre area of Ponte Vecchio which opens up to the Arno River on both sides. For good pictures of Ponte Vecchio, just walk the sides of the Arno or make way to Ponte Santa Trinta (northwest), Ponte alle Grazie (southeast) or all the way up to Pizzale Michelangelo where you can spot the bridge amongst other city landmarks from these elevated grounds on the Oltrarno side of the river.

While casually strolling through the city, we came across this bridge. It’s over 30 meters in length and crosses the Arno River. This is a very picturesque area. A little history I learned about it was it was opened in 1345, while construction lasted from 1335 to 1345. I admit that this might not be on everyone’s list of things to see, but I’m glad I saw it while in Florence.

A must see in Florence - this bridge has changed purpose over the years so has so much history. The shops are great to browse. It gets busy during the day so take care with bags and belongings. You can get the best pictures of the bridge from the next bridge along.

Obviously worth the visit! I crossed this bridge many times, and I must say I prefer the night. I was overwhelmed in the day, by the number of tourists, and won’t realistically wake up early to see it. Night is wonderful; you can really see and understand where you are, without other tourists overwhelming the experience. Don’t miss the statue of the Nazi commander, who decided it was too incredible to bomb in the war!

Very nice old bridge that's worth a visit. It gets a bit busy here but it's easy enough to amble across and appreciate the views, architecture and ambiance. Built during Roman times over the Arno River, this bridge was swept away and rebuilt several times. The current bridge has stood the test of time since 1345. There are a few little cafes around and some good photo opportunities.