City Florence Tours welcomes you to explore Palazzo Vecchio, a remarkable memento of Florentine history and the Medici dynasty, alongside a knowledgeable local guide. This intimate group journey allows a thorough appreciation of the Renaissance period as you enter the site via a priority access point, bypassing tedious queues. The building you’ll be viewing was constructed towards the end of the 1200s and later served as the Florentine Republic’s secondary base. By the 1500s, Palazzo Vecchio became home to Grand Duke Cosimo I de Medici, and by the 1800s, it also functioned as the Parliament’s base. Within its grandeur, you’ll encounter the Government of the Republic’s halls, the Grand Ducal family’s quarters, the Sala dei Gigli, the Sala delle Geografiche, and the last Republic Chancellor’s room. The highlight, however, is the Salone dei 500, entirely decorated with frescoes by Giorgio Vasari. Today, the structure also operates as the Florence Municipality’s headquarters.