Climb toward Bellosguardo or San Niccolo for olive trees, villas, and views that replace crowds with cypresses. Steep lanes reward with panoramas over terracotta roofs and the Arno's curve. San Niccolo keeps bars and gelaterie at the base; Bellosguardo is more residential and quiet.
Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo sits between, crowded but worth at least one visit. Up here, Florence feels like a painting with better air and fewer scooters. Follow Viale Poggi's ramps, pause at the Rose and Iris gardens when in bloom, and listen to the bells drift upward.
Small ateliers hide behind gates; wine bars pour glasses to locals watching the river glow. Nights are darker, stars more visible, and the city hum becomes background music instead of conversation.