The Rampe del Poggi connect the banks of the Arno to Piazzale Michelangelo with a pleasant walk among grottoes, water features, and a breathtaking panorama.

To prepare for the transfer of the capital from Turin to Florence (while waiting for Rome…), the Florentine architect and engineer Giuseppe Poggi was commissioned to design a city expansion plan to make Florence resemble the great European capitals.

Poggi’s ambitious plan involved the demolition of the medieval walls and the construction of ring roads in the style of Parisian boulevards, large circular squares at the “city gates,” and many other works such as Viale dei Colli, which crossed the hills from Porta Romana to descend back to the Arno. The creation of “the most beautiful walk in the world,” as the architect himself defined it, culminated with the monumental terrace featuring the David at its center and a splendid view of the entire city: Piazzale Michelangelo.

To solve the problem of ground stability, it was necessary to build retaining walls on the slopes of the piazzale. At the same time, stairways were created to connect the Lungarno to the terrace. With the collaboration of the head gardener of the Botanical Garden, Attilio Pucci, the Rampe were built in the manner of a vertical garden articulated on three levels and enriched with scenic spaces, such as the Giardino delle Rose. Additionally, fountains, grottoes, and niches carved into the walls and decorated with stalactites and shells, like the Grotta Grande del Buontalenti in the Boboli Gardens, were included.

Reaching Piazzale Michelangelo by climbing the “Rampe del Poggi” (restored with fountains now gushing again) is a very pleasant walk that not only avoids crossing paths with tourist buses but also allows for admiring the panorama of Florence from new and unusual perspectives, which becomes increasingly exciting as one ascends.

And if that’s not enough, during the summer months on the terrace with the pool, above the San Niccolò tower, there is often a man making large soap bubbles that disperse over the panorama (and are chased by both adults and children), making the view even more magical.