Firenze Rafting
Two hours on the Arno, launching from the beach under Torre di San Niccolo and passing beneath the bridge everybody else is standing on.
- Area
- San Niccolo
- Meeting point
- Spiaggia sull'Arno, under Torre di San Niccolo
- Season
- March to November, daily
- Duration
- Two hours
- Checked
- August 2026
- Price
- €
- Go for
- Seeing the centre of Florence from the one angle almost nobody has, with no experience needed and children from four allowed.
- Skip if
- You want an adrenaline trip. There is one rapid at the start and the rest is flat water, and the point is the view.
What everybody agrees on
Drawn from public reviews on Google and TripAdvisor plus the operator's own information, read September 2026. A thinner sample than a restaurant.
- Nearly all
The view is the whole thing. Passing under Ponte Vecchio at water level is what people describe afterwards.
- Most
Everyone paddles. It is an active trip rather than a boat ride, though not physically hard, and the guide steers.
- Often
There is one rapid near the start. It is short and it is the part children talk about.
- Often
Guides read the group and adjust: more history for people who want it, more splashing for people who do not.
- Often
It works with children perfectly. Four is the stated minimum and the activity is very safe.
What to order
Take the late departure in summer. At half past six the weather is cooler and you see the golden hour from the water. Florentine sunsets are incredible.
Before you go
- Getting there
- Twelve minutes on foot east of Ponte Vecchio along the south bank.
- March to May
- Departures at 10:00 and 15:00.
- June to August
- Departures at 9:00 and 18:30.
- September
- Departures at 9:00 and 17:30.
- October to November
- One departure at 11:00.
- Children
- From four years old. Under twelves pay less.
- Bring
- Comfortable clothes, and slippers or shoes that can get a little wet from splashes.
A quiet stretch of river through the middle of the city, which sounds unlikely until you are on it. Suitable for beginners and for families, with no whitewater involved. The stretch runs through the historic centre, so the whole thing is a view of Florence that almost nobody has. Seasonal, roughly March to November.