Florence Golf Cart Tour, Fiat 500 and Vespa Sidecar Rides

Where the rides start

Because of the ban, carts meet you on the edge of the centre rather than in front of the cathedral. The Luxurbe Express Highlights tour, for example, leaves from Piazza della Calza. From the edge, the carts climb the Viale dei Colli, the road that links the viewpoints above the river.

What to do with the centre instead

See the Duomo area on foot, before or after the ride. Then give the cart the part of Florence that is hard to walk: the hills of the Oltrarno and the viewpoints above them.

The three rides side by side

Read the price column with its unit. Two rides are counted per person and one per group, so the cheapest option depends on how many of you are going.

Reviews and operators

The golf cart tour is run by Velotourflorence and rated 5 from 689 reviews, the largest review count of the three. The Fiat 500 tour is run by FPT SRL and rated 4.9 from 97 reviews. The Vespa sidecar tour is run by Vespa sidecar Florence and rated 5 from 34 reviews.

For context, the six golf cart tours compared on Florence Golf Cart Tour hold ratings from 4.3 (Panoramic Views, 1,013 reviews) to 4.8.

The usual stops

Florence Golf Cart Tour lists this route: Villa del Poggio Imperiale, Arcetri, San Miniato al Monte, Piazzale Michelangelo and Bellosguardo. The Roman Guy runs a private 1.5-hour electric cart tour with stops at Piazzale Michelangelo, San Miniato al Monte, Arcetri and Monteripaldi. The Visit Tuscany ride follows the Viale dei Colli and takes in the Rampe del Poggi, San Miniato al Monte, Piazzale Michelangelo and Porta San Niccolò.

How much walking is involved?

Very little. The Roman Guy describes its cart tour as low-effort with short stops. On routes that touch the centre, Visit Tuscany warns of short walking sections where carts cannot go.

Wear shoes you can stand and climb a few steps in.

What the price covers

The Private Panoramic Golf Cart Tour with Local Guide includes a local guide on a private cart for 1.5 hours. The Florence Vintage Electric Fiat 500 - Private City Tour puts your party in its own electric Fiat 500 for 1.5-3 hours. The Private Vespa Sidecar Tour of Florence with Panoramic Views covers the whole group for 1.5 hours.

All three allow free cancellation 24h before the start.

Pickup, audio guides and food

Hotel pickup is not standard. Viator lists a private golf cart tour in Florence with hotel pickup and 811 reviews, but most rides start from a fixed meeting point, so check yours when you book.

Some tours replace the live guide with a recording. Visit Tuscany sells a 75-minute ride with an MP3 audio guide in Italian, English, French, Spanish, German and Portuguese.

Food is an add-on on other listings. GetYourGuide lists a private 2-hour electric golf cart experience that combines scenic roads with Tuscan flavors.

Pick by traveller

Family with kids: the golf cart. The Roman Guy runs its cart tour as family-friendly with no age restrictions, and the Private Panoramic Golf Cart Tour with Local Guide is the lowest per-person price of the three.

Wheelchair user or limited mobility: the golf cart again. A comparable private cart tour is wheelchair accessible, with some uneven streets and small bridges on the route.

Cruise stopover or a tight day: any of the 1.5-hour rides. The golf cart and the Vespa sidecar both fit a short window.

Sunset photographer or couple: the Vespa sidecar for the ride itself, or the Fiat 500 if you want up to 3 hours in a classic car.

Who should skip it

Skip the cart if your day is about the interiors of the centre. Carts cannot enter the historic centre, so a ride adds nothing to a museum plan. Also skip the Vespa sidecar if riding in a sidecar worries you.

The Fiat 500 is the calmer choice.

When it pays off

Piazzale Michelangelo, San Miniato al Monte and Arcetri sit on the slopes south of the river. A cart links them in one ride with a guide explaining what you see. The Private Panoramic Golf Cart Tour with Local Guide does this at $72 per person and is rated 5 from 689 reviews, which says most riders felt it was worth the money.

When to pay more

Pay more only for a vehicle you actually want. The Florence Vintage Electric Fiat 500 - Private City Tour at $161 per person buys a classic car and up to 3 hours. The Private Vespa Sidecar Tour of Florence with Panoramic Views at $395.10 per group buys the most memorable ride.

If neither matters to you, the golf cart is the sensible pick.

What to expect

The Roman Guy runs its electric cart tour in light rain and reschedules or offers an alternative in severe weather. If the forecast looks bad, use the free cancellation 24h before the start that all three rides on this page allow.

Three picks

For views with little effort, book the Private Panoramic Golf Cart Tour with Local Guide. For a longer and more stylish ride, book the Florence Vintage Electric Fiat 500 - Private City Tour, rated 4.9 from 97 reviews. For a ride a pair will talk about later, book the Private Vespa Sidecar Tour of Florence with Panoramic Views, rated 5 from 34 reviews.

For walks and museum visits, browse the other private tours in florence italy.

The three

First, the Duomo area, on foot, since carts cannot enter the historic centre. Second, Piazzale Michelangelo, the terrace every hill route stops at, with the whole old town below. Third, San Miniato al Monte, the church just above the terrace.

A golf cart reaches the second and third in one 1.5-hour ride.

A one-day list

- Walk the Duomo area early, before it fills up. - Cross the river into the Oltrarno. - Eat lunch on the south bank. - Meet your ride at the edge of the centre. - Ride the Viale dei Colli. - Stop at Villa del Poggio Imperiale. - Pass through Arcetri. - Visit San Miniato al Monte. - Take in the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. - End at Bellosguardo or Porta San Niccolò.

The last seven are the ones a one-day visitor usually drops because of the climb. A 1.5-hour ride covers most of them.