Florence: Guided Walking Tour with Entry to Santa Croce – Florence, Italy

EXPERIENCE:

The tour starts in the main square, where the famous soccer game in medieval costumes, the Calcio Storico Florentino, takes place every year in June. On this tour, you will learn a lot about history and Michelangelo’s life. Your guide will describe in detail all the immense artistic wealth in Santa Croce; frescoes (1380) by Gaddi in the Cappella Maggiore tell the story of “Santa Croce”, and beautiful frescoes by Giotto in the Bardi and Peruzzi Chapels show scenes from the life of St. Francis and St. John the Evangelist.

On your way to the left of the entrance, you’ll see the memorial of the 19th-century playwright Giovanni Battista Niccolini built as an inspiration for the Statue of Liberty. As you walk through the hallowed walls, learn the art of Donatello and his crucifix, one of the jewels of the Renaissance, as well as the art of Brunelleschi and the perfect architectural harmony of his Chapel of Fools.

The Church also bears the marks of history, including those left by the tragic flood of 1966 that damaged several paintings and destroyed the monumental cemetery, which was subsequently restored and is part of this tour.
After visiting the interior, the guide will explain the exterior, which is covered with a polychrome marble façade. Finally, the guide will tour the Bell Tower, Crypt, and the 16 Chapels. The tour takes about an hour, and you can also return to anything you want to see again after the tour ends.

Later in the afternoon, meet the guide in front of the Hard Rock Cafe to start the walking tour. Receive insight into the history of this Renaissance city and how this incredible cultural movement of the Renaissance transformed not only Florence but eventually the rest of Europe. Begin with Piazza Della Republica, the main square of Florence, before heading straight to the Piazza Della Duomo.

Whilst passing the Duomo Square, the guide will lead you straight through the old buildings and some of the historical landmarks of Florence to Palazzo Vecchio, where you will see the Sculpture of David by Michelangelo.

Afterward, as you walk past the Palazzo Vecchio, the guide will talk you through the Uffizi Gallery, one of the greatest museums in the world, before you reach the most famous old bridge of Florence known as Ponte Vecchio.

Your next stop is at Palazzo Pitti, the enormous palace of Florence’s largest architectural monuments of Filippo Brunelleschi. As you walk through the narrow roads of this ancient city with lots of hidden treasures, the guide will answer all the curious secrets of the city.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

Burial place of several Florentine and Italian masters such as Michelangelo.
Admire the works by Donatello and the monument dedicated to Dante Alighieri.
Temple of the Italian Glories ( Tempio dell’Itale Glorie)
Find frescos by Giotto and a chapel designed by Brunelleschi
Learn from a professional guide who will show you the city’s hidden treasures

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