Travel in style with this exciting new Italian experience. Florence, the cradle of Renaissance, is renowned worldwide for its timeless architecture, culture and arts and for its charming river Arno, crossed by famous bridges in the most central areas of the city centre. It’s also known, however, for its swarms of tourists keen to see the city.
Not everyone knows that in ancient times, the Arno River was not only used for fishing, but also for transportation and especially as a supplier of sand and water. It was essential to the city – although nowadays, is filled with beautiful drifting boats instead.
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze has customised the most ancient boat on the river, dated from 1850, with pillows and carpets to offer guests a unique perspective on the most beautiful buildings of the city. The perfect way to escape the crowds, you’ll embark with a one-of-a-kind guide: a real renaiolo ready to answer all curiosities and questions about this ancestral tradition.
The boat even moves just as it used to 200 years ago, thanks to the push that the renaiolo exerts on the bottom of the river with long-sweeping wooden-oars. It’s an entirely authentic, leisurely way to experience this charming city.
Slowly floating from the right side of the river, next to Palazzo della Borsa, admire the magnificent Uffizi Museums crossed by the hidden Vasari Corridor, the world-famous Ponte Vecchio bridge with its characteristic jewellery shops and swarms of visitors, the Sant’Jacopo Sopr’Arno Church, where it’s said that Brunelleschi studied how to build the famous Dome of the Duomo, until arriving under Ponte Santa Trinita to see the spectacular Palazzo Corsini.
This experience is even more spectacular at sunset, with a quiet atmosphere, nearly surreal, and the sun giving both the sky and the river a pastel pink colour. Talk about dreamy.
The customised renaioli boat experience is available through Four Seasons Hotel Firenze from April to September from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, at EUR 100 for up to 5 people.