• Piazza del Duomo - The Piazza del Duomo is the vibrant center of Florence, showcasing the city’s Renaissance splendor through its stunning architectural ensemble. This magnificent square hosts some of Italy’s most renowned monuments: the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, topped by Brunelleschi’s groundbreaking dome, Giotto’s elegant Bell Tower (Campanile), and the ornate Baptistery of St. John with its famous golden Gates of Paradise. A masterpiece of urban planning, the piazza has been Florence’s religious and social hub since the 14th century. The cathedral complex, with its distinctive white, green, and pink marble facade, attracts millions of visitors annually who come to admire these architectural wonders that perfectly embody the artistic and engineering brilliance of the Renaissance era.
• Campanile di Giotto - The Bell Tower, or Campanile di Giotto, stands gracefully beside Florence’s Duomo as a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Rising 84.7 meters tall, this exquisite tower highlights the genius of its original designer, Giotto di Bondone, who began the project in 1334. The tower’s distinctive facade, adorned with white, green, and pink marble, features 56 relief panels depicting the history of human civilization and the Christian faith. Although Giotto passed away having completed only the first floor, his successors, including Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti, faithfully executed his vision. Visitors who climb the 414 steps to the top are rewarded with breathtaking views of the Duomo’s dome and the Florence skyline. Beyond its architectural beauty, the Campanile represents one of the finest examples of Florentine Gothic art, harmoniously blending sculpture, architecture, and decorative arts.
• The Baptistery of St. John - The Baptistery of San Giovanni is one of Florence’s oldest buildings, an octagonal masterpiece that has witnessed centuries of Florentine history since its completion in 1128. The structure is renowned for its magnificent bronze doors, particularly the eastern “Gates of Paradise” crafted by Lorenzo Ghiberti, whose golden panels depict scenes from the Old Testament with revolutionary perspective and detail. The building’s exterior, clad in geometric patterns of green and white marble, reflects the Romanesque style, while its interior dome dazzles visitors with intricate golden mosaics depicting biblical scenes, including a commanding Christ in Judgment. For centuries, all Catholic Florentines, including Dante Alighieri, were baptized in this sacred space, making it not just an architectural marvel but a cornerstone of Florentine religious and civic life. The Baptistery’s harmonious design and artistic treasures exemplify the seamless blend of faith and art.
• Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore - The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, commonly known as the Duomo, is Florence’s most iconic monument and a masterpiece of Italian Gothic architecture. Its most striking feature, the terracotta-tiled dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, was a revolutionary architectural achievement that remains the largest masonry dome ever constructed. Started in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436, the cathedral’s intricate façade, adorned with pink, green, and white marble, creates a stunning visual symphony. The immense interior, spanning 153 meters in length, features remarkable artworks including Giorgio Vasari’s Last Judgment frescoes inside the dome and beautiful stained-glass windows designed by artists including Donatello. This architectural marvel not only serves as Florence’s principal church but also symbolizes the city’s historic power, artistic innovation, and the ingenuity of Renaissance engineering.
• Church and Museum of Orsanmichele - Orsanmichele is one of Florence’s most unique architectural treasures, embodying the city’s seamless blend of civic pride, religious devotion, and artistic excellence. Originally built as a grain market in the 13th century and later transformed into a church, its distinctive structure showcases an architectural evolution from commercial to sacred space. The building’s exterior is adorned with magnificent sculptural niches housing statues commissioned by Florence’s powerful guilds, including masterpieces by Donatello, Ghiberti, and Verrocchio. Inside, the church’s centerpiece is the elaborate Gothic tabernacle by Andrea Orcagna, which houses the miraculous painting of the Madonna and Child. The building’s dual nature as both a grain market and a church, along with its exquisite decorative program of guild-commissioned statuary, makes Orsanmichele a perfect embodiment of the intersection between commerce, faith, and art in Renaissance Florence.
• Piazza della Signoria - Piazza della Signoria is Florence’s political heart and an open-air sculpture museum that has witnessed centuries of the city’s dramatic history. Dominated by the imposing Palazzo Vecchio with its soaring tower and crenellated walls, this L-shaped square serves as a living testament to Florentine power and artistry. The Loggia dei Lanzi, an elegant open-air gallery, houses masterpieces including Cellini’s Perseus and Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabines, while the square itself features iconic sculptures such as the replica of Michelangelo’s David, the Fountain of Neptune, and the equestrian statue of Cosimo I de’ Medici. This is where Savonarola held his ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ and was later executed, where the Medici wielded their influence, and where today, visitors and locals alike gather to admire the extraordinary fusion of art, architecture, and history that defines Florence’s soul.
• Palazzo Vecchio - The Palazzo Vecchio, crowned by its distinctive crenellated tower, stands as the formidable symbol of Florence’s civic power since the 14th century. Originally designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1299, this fortress-palace served as both the seat of Florentine government and the residence of the powerful Medici family. The palace’s stern medieval exterior belies its sumptuous interior, where visitors discover the magnificent Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of Five Hundred) with its ornate coffered ceiling and Vasari’s dramatic frescoes. The palace’s rooms are a treasure trove of Renaissance art, featuring works by Michelangelo, Donatello, and intricate decorations by Vasari. The building’s 94-meter-high tower, the Torre di Arnolfo, not only served as a lookout point but became an enduring symbol of Florentine authority. Today, while still functioning as Florence’s city hall, the Palazzo Vecchio offers visitors a remarkable journey through the city’s artistic and political heritage.
• Loggia dei Lanzi - The Loggia dei Lanzi, also known as the Loggia della Signoria, is an elegant open-air sculpture gallery on the corner of Piazza della Signoria. Built between 1376 and 1382 in a striking Gothic style, this graceful loggia was originally designed to host public ceremonies of the Florentine Republic. The building’s wide arches and vaulted ceiling showcase the elegant fusion of Gothic and Renaissance architectural elements. Today, it houses an extraordinary collection of ancient and Renaissance sculptures, including Benvenuto Cellini’s dramatic bronze “Perseus with the Head of Medusa,” Giambologna’s masterful “Rape of the Sabines,” and the “Medici Lions.” The loggia’s name derives from the lansquenets (Lanzichenecchi in Italian), the German mercenary pikemen who used it as a guardhouse under Cosimo I de’ Medici. This architectural masterpiece continues to serve as one of Florence’s most accessible museums, offering visitors the rare opportunity to admire Renaissance masterpieces.
• Gallerie Degli Uffizi - The Uffizi Gallery is one of the world’s most prestigious art museums, housed in a magnificent 16th-century palace originally built by Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo I de’ Medici to accommodate Florentine administrative offices (uffizi means “offices” in Italian). This U-shaped building, connecting Palazzo Vecchio to the Arno River, houses an unparalleled collection of Renaissance masterpieces, including Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” and “Primavera,” Leonardo da Vinci’s “Annunciation,” and works by Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian. The museum’s chronologically arranged rooms tell the story of art’s evolution from the Gothic period through the Renaissance and beyond. Its long corridors, adorned with ancient Roman sculptures from the Medici collection, offer stunning views of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio through arched windows. The Uffizi’s collection, largely assembled by the Medici family and later bequeathed to the city of Florence.
• Corridoio Vasariano - The Vasari Corridor, an elevated private passageway commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1565 and designed by Giorgio Vasari, represents one of Florence’s most fascinating architectural features. This nearly one-kilometer-long enclosed walkway connects Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, crossing the Arno River atop the Ponte Vecchio. The corridor was built to allow the Medici family to move safely and privately between their residence and government offices, offering them protection and the luxury of avoiding the crowded streets below. Along its course, the corridor passes through the church of Santa Felicita, where a private balcony allowed the Medici to attend mass without mingling with the public. One of its most intriguing features is its deviation around the Mannelli Tower, whose owners refused to alter their property for the corridor’s construction. While historically housing part of the Uffizi’s self-portrait collection.
• Ponte Vecchio - The Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”) is Florence’s most iconic bridge, a medieval masterpiece spanning the Arno River at its narrowest point. First built in Roman times and reconstructed in 1345, it is the only Florentine bridge that survived World War II. The bridge is distinguished by its unique architecture featuring overhanging shops built along its edges, originally occupied by butchers but replaced by goldsmiths and jewelers in 1593 by Medici decree. Today, these glittering shops continue the centuries-old tradition of jewelry trade. The bridge’s central feature is a series of three segmental arches, with the Vasari Corridor running along its top, built to connect the Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti. Two terraces break the line of shops, offering stunning views of the Arno River, while three central archways frame picturesque vistas of the riverscape. As Florence’s oldest and most photographed bridge.

• Professional Local guide
• Walking tour
• Earphones to hear your guide perfectly

Explore the essence of Renaissance Florence on this engaging walking tour through the city’s historic center. Guided by a knowledgeable local expert, participants will delve into the art, power, and innovation that influenced not only Florence but also the trajectory of European history.

The tour commences at the stunning Piazza del Duomo, where visitors can admire Brunelleschi’s dome, Giotto’s graceful Bell Tower, and the intricate Baptistery with its golden “Gates of Paradise.”

As the group meanders along the picturesque Via Calzaiuoli, the guide will vividly recount tales of the artists, architects, and influential families who turned Florence into the birthplace of the Renaissance.

Discover the political core of Florence at Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, and Loggia dei Lanzi. The journey proceeds past the Uffizi Gallery and the renowned Ponte Vecchio.

Join this remarkable journey through time in one of the world’s most stunning cities.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.