FLORENCE FOR BEGINNERS

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Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence
Private Tours - Florence

Highlights of this tour

  • Piazza del Duomo
  • Piazza della Signoria (with Palazzo Vecchio)
  • Walk into medieval streets
  • Ponte Vecchio
  • San Lorenzo market
  • Michelangelo’s David (on request)

FLORENCE FOR BEGINNERS

Florence for Beginners is an introductory walk to get to know the most famous sites of this museum city, compact enough to be able to walk almost everywhere !

Your guide will meet you at the hotel if you stay downtown or else we will meet at Piazza della Repubblica (we’ll let you know exact location when you book of course).

Florence for Beginners starts ideally with Piazza della Signoria, political and civic center, towered by the huge castle-like Palazzo Vecchio (14th century), still today Florence’s City Hall, recently quoted by Dan Brown in his ‘Inferno’.

By Palazzo Vecchio is the ‘Loggia’, world famous for its impressive collection of sculptures, such as the gigantic ‘Biancone’ (the ‘Big White’, but it actually changed color many times!) and the Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini.

The atmosphere of this square is always very lively and invites to stay long, but we need to continue! In few minutes we reach Piazza del Duomo, where in one single spot you’ll be overwhelmed by three of the most iconic monuments of the city: Giotto’s elegant Bell Tower, the octagonal Baptistery with ts renown ‘Gates of Paradise’ and, propably the most breath taking, Filippo Brunelleschi’s incredible Dome, majestically towering over the polychrome façade of the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore).

Your guide will sketch the basic historical facts and connect the political and economical development of Florence with the genesis of its inestimable artistic patrimony.

Walking along via dei Tornabuoni Florence for Beginners steps into Palazzo Strozzi and admire its courtyard, a masterpiece of the Early Renaissance.

We might also have a coffee here, After that we’ll reach the very heart of Florence: Ponte Vecchio! The Old Bridge is really old (the present dates back to 1345.

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Once occupied mostly by smelly butcheries, it owes its present aspect to Ferdinando I Medici who, in 1595, who decided to kick our the butchers and allowed jewelers instead. It is impossible to cross the bridge without watching at least for few minutes the marvels created by today’s master jewelers.

Your guide will point out the traditional importance of artisans in a city like Florence, not only jewels of course, but also wool, leather, marble , paper and so on.

Walking along the river past the Uffizi Gallery and Galileo’s Museum, and then along narrow medieval alleys we reach another precious gem: Piazza Santa Croce, one of liveliest in Florence (at night it is the center of the local ‘movida’), often used for cultural events (including Calcio Storico Fiorentino, historical soccer in traditional costumes).

The Franciscan Church of Santa Croce (rival to the Dominican Santa Maria Novella) boasts at its interior the funerary monuments of Michelangelo and Galileo (one in front of the other!) and of many other illustrious people.

We can visit, on request, it is certainly worth!

At this point we head towards San Lorenzo (Church, Square and recently renovated food market) .

We’ll stop on the way to admire the austere Palazzo Medci Riccardi, residence of the Medici family for a long time.

During your Florence for beginners tour your guide will introduce the theme of the economical and political rise of the most famous Florentine family of any time, and point out their pivotal importance in the artistic vicissitudes of Florence and Tuscany.

The tour ideally should end by San Lorenzo.

After an intense three hour walk in art and history, a bit overwhelmed by all the beauty you’ve seen, it is time to recharge batteries at ‘Eataly’ (right on top of the covered food maket) or in one of the many traditional trattorias around the square itself.

However, you still have stamina, we can add an extra hour (we need to know in advance, as pre booking is necessary, but don’t worry we’ll take care of it!) and walk to the Academy where Michelangelo’s David is waiting for you !

We advise however, if you have a little time, to include David in a different tour, for instance our ON THE TRACKS OF MICHELANGELO tour or THE GOLDEN AGE OF FLORENTINE SCULPTURE.

If you are interested in our ‘Florence for Beginners’ tour you might also like  our similar tours in Rome and Venice.

Cost of this tour

  • This tour lasts 3 hours – costs 270 euros up to 6 people, for larger parties please inquire at email
  • Admissions: Santa Croce (on request) 10 euros
  • If you wish we can add an extra hour to include Michelangelo’David.
  • In this case the cost of the tour will be 360 euros (up to 6 people)
  • We will take care of prebooking the admission to the Accademia Gallery
  • Admission fee: 24 euro per person
  • The Accademia Gallery is closed on Monday

Dress Code and advice

  • No shorts/miniskirts or sleeveless garments.
  • Knee high and short sleeves are ok!
  • Wear comfortable shoes or sandals and hat in summer.
  • We advise  if you have a little time, to include David in a different tour, for instance our “On the Tracks of Michelangelo” or “The Golden Age of Florentine Sculpture”.

info@walksinsideitaly.com

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