Florence off the beaten path tours and experiences

In such a modern and touristy city like Florence, you’ll be spoiled for choice as far as guided city tours are concerned. But sometimes it’s nice to take a leap into the past and discover (or rediscover) the city aboard vintage vehicles, which in addition to having an undeniable retro charm, are also very entertaining. In this article I suggest you 5 off the beaten path tours in Florence with vintage vehicles, to make a journey through time, to live an extraordinary experience and bring home unique memories and photos.

I am a licensed tour guide in Florence with over 10 years of experience. Learn more about me and my private tours of Florence!

Off the beaten path tours and experiences in Florence

Those that you will find below are tours offered by qualified professionals. I don’t personally give those tours, but in most cases I have personally taken them, and experienced the services of the companies providing them. You can confidently book them on Viator, which is super safe and is guaranteeing you free cancelation. Ready to go?

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Fiat 500 tour from Florence to Chianti

An Italian timeless classic, the old Fiat 500, becomes the ideal transportation to explore the rolling hills around Florence and to taste wines and local cuisine. This Fiat 500 tour lasts about 6 hours, is accompanied by a tour guide and also includes a wine tasting and lunch in a Renaissance villa in Chianti.

It’s a self drive tour: you’ll drive your own Fiat 500 car, and the tour guide will drive his/her own car.

Of course, in order to drive the 500 you need a driver’s license and a certain familiarity with the manual transmission. It is an great romantic tour for couples.

Vintage Vespa tour and experience

The Vespa is still loved by millions of people and represents the true essence of Italian lifestyle all over the world. Even today, taking a Vespa ride on the hills of Tuscany is an exciting and unforgettable experience. Especially if you are riding an original vintage Vespa PX, like those provided on this guided tour for small groups: starting from Florence, you’ll visit Piazzale Michelangelo and the church of San Miniato al Monte, then climb the hills and enjoy a typical lunch in the Tuscan countryside.

This is one of my favorite alternative tours to Florence, especially in spring. It is particularly suitable for small groups of friends.

Are you a Vespa lover? Here you’ll find more Vespa tours in Tuscany.

Florence off the beaten path: sidecar tours

A very original vehicle to experience a special day in Florence, discovering hidden corners with a guide, and making unique videos and photographs. The sidecar is driven by an experienced pilot and tour guide, and can accommodate one or two people in the passenger compartment. It is therefore a private tour suitable only for couples.

The sidecar tour lasts 2 hours, crosses Florence and then reaches Fiesole and Piazzale Michelangelo. There is also a 5 hours sidecar tour that takes you to Chianti for lunch and a wine tasting experience!

Boat cruise in Florence on the Arno river

The small barges that glide over the Arno, pushed by a rower with a pole, were once very common. Then they almost disappeared, but in recent years the barchini, traditional boats of Renaioli, have returned to sail the waters of the river. They now take tourists on the Arno river, to see the city of Florence and the Ponte Vecchio from an unusual and privileged point of view.

The boat tours are accompanied by a tour guide, they last about 2 hours and at the end a toast with a glass of prosecco is offered. Best time is during the sunset, when the sun goes down in the middle of the river, enlightening the Ponte Vecchio with golden light.

Hot air balloon tour over the rolling hills of Tuscany

Finally I suggest you a wonderful emotion that I experienced in the first person. And until I got on a hot air balloon and flew over the Chianti rolling hills, I would never have imagined how much I would have loved it. A hot air balloon ride is one of those things to do at least once in a lifetime!

This is the tour I did, with professional and expert pilots: the experience lasts about 2 hours and includes a toast with sparkling wine in the air. They can also arrange pick up on request from Florence or Siena.

Read more about my hot air balloon flight in Tuscany!

I hope I have made you want to visit Tuscany and maybe take part in one of these unusual tours and experiences off the beaten path in Florence. You can’t really imagine how engaging and fun vintage vehicles are until you try them. And if you decide to follow my advice then let me know how did you liked it leaving a comment!