Piazzale Michelangelo is a wide terrace on a hill south of the Arno, purpose-built in the 19th century specifically for the view — the whole historic centre laid out below, Duomo and all, with the hills of Fiesole behind. A bronze copy of the David stands at its centre, one of several replicas around the city.
Getting there
On foot, it's a steady uphill walk of 25–30 minutes from Ponte Vecchio, partly via the scenic Via di San Niccolò and a set of garden staircases — genuinely pleasant if you're not in a hurry and go in the cooler part of the day. Bus 12 or 13 covers the same route in about 15 minutes if you'd rather save the climb, or want to walk down instead of up.
When to go
Sunset is famous for a reason — the whole terrace fills with a mix of visitors and locals watching the light turn the Duomo gold — but that popularity is exactly the trade-off: it's crowded, and finding a clear spot at the railing takes some patience. Sunrise offers nearly the same light with a fraction of the people, and midday is quiet but the flattest light of the day. Choose your priority: atmosphere (sunset) or solitude (sunrise or a weekday midday).
What's nearby
The Rose Garden (Giardino delle Rose) sits just below the piazzale and is free to enter, with fewer crowds and its own good angle on the view. San Miniato al Monte, a Romanesque church a further short climb above the piazzale, is one of the most beautiful and least-visited major churches in Florence — genuinely worth the extra ten minutes.