Florence outdoor: pick the best activities

Tourism in Florence Italy is such a competitive market that tour operators are forced to become creative. Most people come to Florence for the Uffizi Gallery, the Duomo and Michelangelo’s David, but it’s nice to see how the demand for guided tours is diversifying to different activities, especially for the travellers who stay for several days. The wine tours and cooking classes, something we didn’t have until few years ago, were a great success, and now we have more brand new categories of tours which are slowly becoming popular. Today I want to speak about one of these new categories, picking the best Florence outdoor activities. It’s a very interesting sector, something new that we missed because a holiday based on art, history, wine and food is certainly good to relax and enhance your knowledge, but definitely won’t help you to keep your good shape. If this is a priority for you, then you will find all you need in this article. I’m going to list the best Florence outdoor activities, and as you’ll see, it’s possible to have a cultural holiday, even including wine and food, without losing your form. Do you prefer hiking, jogging, cycling, horse-riding? Read on and discover how it’s possible to visit Florence and the countryside around combining all of this with your favorite outdoor activity.

Horse riding in the Chianti area

Horse Riding in Chianti Day Trip from Florence

If you are a fan of horse-riding, you can’t miss the chance to ride through the Chianti, one of the most beautiful countryside landscapes in the world. You can choose a morning or afternoon tour, bearing in mind that the duration is around 6 hours. Everybody above 14 years old, even with no horse-riding experience, is allowed in this tour. You will be led to the country estate by a private minivan, with a 45 minutes drive from Florence, and after some safety information and a 30-minutes introductory lesson to evaluate your level, you will start your ride among olive grows, vineyards and forest trails. After a one-hour ride, you will hop off your horse. It’s time to relax: the minivan will drive you to a wine estate where you will enjoy a guided tour of the cellars, being explained the history of Chianti wine and the winemaking process, and then you will reach a beautiful villa for wine tasting and lunch (or dinner if you chose the afternoon option) based on typical Tuscan products. After lunch (or dinner) your minivan will get you back to Florence. For all this tour is offering, a price of € 100/person is a steal.

Book this tour >>

Hiking in the Chianti region

Tuscany Hiking Tour from Florence Including Wine Tasting and Lunch

This is one of my favorite Florence outdoor activities. It involves a 5-mile route in the wonderful Chianti hills, across vineyards, forest paths and olive groves. Starting at 9 am, you will meet your group (up to 16 people) in central Florence, from where a minivan will drive you to your starting point in about 30 minutes. You will be led by an expert environmental guide, explaining in detail the history of this place and you will stop once in a while to take pictures of the landscape. Your walk ends at a wine estate where you will visit the cellars, being explained the process of winemaking, before getting to the wine shop of a renaissance villa, for two samples of fine wine tasting and one sample of olive oil. Lastly, recharge your batteries with a delicious buffet lunch featuring typical Tuscan dishes like salami, cheese, pasta and so on. The minivan will get you back to Florence at around 3 pm. The tour has a price of € 60/person, which is low for what is offered.

Book this tour >>

Tuscan country bike tour

I love cycling, it’s one of our national sports and also one of the more common ways in which Italians keep (or try to keep) their form. Whenever I have a free day, I always get my road bike for a tour of the Tuscan hills, it’s something that’s not just healthy, but gives me peace of mind. This tour starts at 9 am in Florence near Porta Romana and you will immediately get your bike to climb our easy hills heading south in a small group up to 15 people. Your guide will lead you through low traffic country streets, with stops to take pictures and explain the olive oil making. Your destination is a renaissance villa where olive oils and wines are produced. You will be offered samples to taste, along with light typical snacks. Continue your tour to see more hills and villages on your way back to Florence, including the home of Galileo Galilei and a final stop at Piazzale Michelangelo, before reaching again the starting point. This tour has a price of € 74/person, and they require a minimum of two persons per booking.

Book this tour >>

Florence running tour

Fanatic of jogging? Planning not to stop even during your holiday? Why not use your jogging session to visit the city? This tour gives you a chance to see the beautiful monuments of Florence while doing what you like more. Among the Florence outdoor activities, this is the only one I mentioned which takes place inside Florence. Meet your small group of up to eight people in Piazza Duomo at the best time for jogging: 7 am (be there at 6:45) and start your one-hour exercise involving some stretch and warm-up and an eight Km (5.3 miles) route. The pace will be moderate, and there will be four stops (in key places) to allow you to do some sightseeing. The path involves climbing to Piazzale Michelangelo, the beautiful terrace on the city, from where you can enjoy the unique skyline of Florence. After about one hour, the tour ends at the original starting point. You trained your body, admired a beautiful city and it’s just 8 am! The tour has a price of just € 20/person and is aimed at regular joggers in good shape.

Book this tour >>