Drinking water in Florence: public water points
The centre of Florence is small, but a sightseeing day stretches out with museum queues and shadeless walks. Drinking enough quickly becomes a topic, and it helps to know that tap water is safe. The city has public refill points, locally called «fontanelli», where you can fill a bottle, along with a few historic fountains in the squares.
Do not assume every monumental fountain is meant for drinking. The ones in Piazza della Signoria or near the Duomo are historical and decorative, so look for an actual dispenser first. If in doubt, ask a shop or café whether they will top up your bottle.
Public toilets: few, but plannable
Free restrooms in Florence are even rarer than free water. The most useful ones are near Santa Maria Novella station, in gardens such as Boboli and the Rose Garden, inside the major museums and at a few paid tourist points. If you visit the Uffizi or the Accademia, use the bathroom before entering: routes are long and exits are not instant.
The practical advice is to take a break in a café with accessible facilities and buy something. In summer, schedule your breaks for the hottest hours, when the city quiets down for a while and venues are calmer.
From the Duomo to Piazzale Michelangelo
The classic route runs through Piazza del Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio, then crosses the Arno to Oltrarno. Here the atmosphere is more local and there are more places to sit: the Santo Spirito neighbourhood is full of small squares. The climb up to Piazzale Michelangelo is a demanding walk in the sun, so bring water and a hat because refill points along the way are few.
If you have time, the Cascine park along the Arno is ideal for a run or a picnic. Facilities exist, but hours change with the season.
- Start early: the centre is far nicer in the cool morning hours.
- Mark water points before heading up towards the hills.
- Keep a few coins for paid toilets.
- With strollers or wheelchairs, watch out for cobbles and narrow pavements.
OpenStreetMap data and the PitSpot app
The figures on this page come from OpenStreetMap, where volunteers map water points and restrooms. The municipality of Florence is small, so the totals are lower than in big capitals; that is normal and does not mean essential services are missing.
To bring it all to your phone map we are building PitSpot, a free Android app. If you would like a note at launch, join the waitlist from the homepage.