20 August 2026
Florence
Seen from fifty metres above the ground, Florence is a different city. The red rooftops become an unbroken mosaic, the Arno a silver line cutting the medieval plan in two, and the surrounding hills reveal both their distance and their closeness. Climbing a tower, a dome or a city gate is one of those experiences that restores a dimension of Florence that is hard to grasp from street level: its scale, its geography and its proportions.
July is one of the best months to do it. The evenings grow longer, the views are bathed in golden light and, above all, the summer visits to towers, gates and fortresses begin, with a special calendar promoted by the Florence Civic Museums and Fondazione MUS.E. On 26 July, this is joined by one of the most fascinating events in Florence's civic calendar: the feast of Saint Anne, with its historic procession in period costume. Here is how to choose among the different possibilities and how to reach them all from Palazzo Castri.
Florence's historic towers: the summer calendar
Florence's medieval defensive system - towers, gates and fortresses - is often a quiet presence in the urban fabric, but in summer it returns to centre stage thanks to a programme of special openings. The highlight is the Tower of San Niccolò, the only one of Florence's ancient towers to have retained its original height and one of the most spectacular viewpoints over the city.
- Tower of San Niccolò: open every day from 24 June to 31 August, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (in September from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.). Guided tours every 30 minutes, by reservation, for groups of no more than 18 people.
- Forte Belvedere: open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with tours at 5 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.
- Bastion of San Giorgio, Porta Romana and Torre della Zecca: rotating Saturday openings, according to a specific calendar running from July to September.
- Fortezza da Basso: special openings during the summer, with dates to be checked as they are announced.
Reservations are made through Fondazione MUS.E, and we recommend booking a few days in advance: places are limited and summer is the time of year when demand is highest.
Climbing the Duomo: the Dome and Giotto's Bell Tower
Alongside the civic towers, the city's two most iconic climbs are, of course, those in the Duomo complex. Brunelleschi's Dome, with its 463 steps, is an unmissable experience during a stay in Florence: on the way up you pass close to Vasari's frescoes of the Last Judgement, and the view from the terrace will take your breath away.
Giotto's Bell Tower, with 414 steps, is the perfect 'plan B' - and in many ways a complementary experience. From there, you see the Dome from the outside in all its grandeur and can truly appreciate the structure of its octagonal drum.
A few useful details:
- Summer opening hours: both monuments are open every day, generally from 8.15 a.m. until late afternoon (times vary at weekends and on public holidays).
- The Dome requires a compulsory timed reservation and sells out well in advance, especially in July. It is advisable to book two to three weeks ahead on the official Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore website.
- There is no lift: both climbs are entirely on foot. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water and allow for a little patience with the July heat.
Our advice, as your neighbours: choose the early morning, shortly after opening, or the final time slot in the afternoon. The heat is easier to manage, the light is more beautiful and the crowds begin to thin out.
The Tower of Arnolfo: Palazzo Vecchio from above
Often overlooked in guidebooks, the Tower of Arnolfo above Palazzo Vecchio offers a privileged view of Piazza della Signoria and the political heart of the city. The climb is less demanding - the tower is 94 metres high, but the route is shorter than the one inside the Dome - and the experience has a different character: you are inside the palace, you pass through its rooms and finally reach the top of Florence's quintessential civic tower.
Access is included in the Palazzo Vecchio ticket, but depends on weather conditions and must be booked either on site or online.
26 July: the feast of Saint Anne and the historic procession
26 July holds special significance in Florence. Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary, is considered the protector of Florentine freedom. Tradition traces this connection back to 26 July 1343, when the citizens drove the tyrannical Angevin ruler Walter VI of Brienne, Duke of Athens, out of the city. The popular uprising took place on Saint Anne's feast day, and from then on she was regarded as the author of Florence's liberation and celebrated as a civic symbol of the Florentine Republic.
Revived in 1999 by the Rotary Club Firenze Bisenzio, the celebration now features a varied annual programme culminating in the historic procession in period costume. On the evening of 26 July:
8.45 p.m.: a delegation from the Historic Procession of the Florentine Republic leaves the Palagio di Parte Guelfa and heads towards Piazza della Signoria.
9 p.m.: from the steps of Palazzo Vecchio, the procession joins the Rotary Club group and proceeds along Via Calzaiuoli towards the Duomo.
9.30 p.m.: on the parvis of Santa Maria del Fiore, the religious authorities join the procession, which continues along Via Roma and Via Calimala.
10 p.m.: the blessing and presentation of the ceremonial candle take place in the Church of Orsanmichele.
From 26 July onwards, the event is accompanied by the special reopening of the Mezzanine Room in Palazzo Vecchio, normally closed to the public. It houses a fourteenth-century fresco attributed to Orcagna, allegorically depicting the expulsion of the Duke of Athens under Saint Anne's protection. It is a small gem for anyone who loves medieval Florentine art.
It is one of those evenings when Florence rediscovers its identity as an ancient republic: historic costumes, the banners of the guilds decorating Orsanmichele and voices echoing through the streets of the city centre. For guests staying in Florence at this time, it is an occasion well worth adding to the diary.
From Palazzo Castri to the heart of the city
Our location at Piazza dell'Indipendenza 7 is one of the practical advantages for anyone wishing to enjoy these experiences without complications. The Duomo is about a ten-minute walk away, Palazzo Vecchio around fifteen minutes, and the entire historic centre can be reached easily on foot. To reach the Tower of San Niccolò, on the other side of the Arno, you can take a bus or enjoy a walk of about half an hour across Ponte alle Grazie and along Lungarno Serristori.
After a day of steps and panoramic views, returning to the hotel has a very precise meaning: a quiet room in which to rest, the spa and swimming pool to relax the body, and dinner in the garden. Guests planning their stay around the feast of Saint Anne or the summer openings of the towers are invited to explore our seasonal offers and check availability through the booking engine.
For direct information or personalised requests - advice on the best visiting times, a restaurant reservation or a special accommodation arrangement - our staff are always available through the contact page. For those who have not yet discovered us, our welcome page explains what it means to us to be a boutique hotel in Florence since 1874.
Climbing above the city in July is one of the most beautiful ways to understand Florence. We look forward to helping you experience it.
