Medici walking tour in Florence art architecture and power

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Palazzo Medici Riccardi

  At Palazzo Medici Riccardi you will meet the Guide and start the tour with an external explanation of the palace, prototype of Renaissance architecture, designed by Michelozzo for Cosimo il Vecchio; this stage represents the ideal starting point to introduce the history of the Medici family.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 2
  Basilica di San Lorenzo

  In front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo the Guide will illustrate, from the outside, one of the places most linked to the Medici family, explaining their relationship with the church and the role they played in financing its development; the story of the Chapel of the Princes and the New Sacristy designed by Michelangelo will be told, highlighting how these spaces represent the power, devotion and dynastic celebration of the Medici, all through an accessible and engaging historical-artistic reading.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 3

  In Piazza del Duomo the Guide will provide an external explanation of one of the main religious centers of the city, connecting it to the wider context of the Florentine spiritual center represented by the Duomo and the Baptistery; you will discover the role of the Medici family in the financing and completion of the cathedral, also deepening Brunelleschi's extraordinary Dome as a symbol of ingenuity, power and Renaissance ambition.

  20 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 4
  Piazza della Repubblica

  In Piazza della Repubblica you will discover the place where Roman Florence was born, the original heart of the city, and you will retrace its evolution through the centuries until the nineteenth-century transformation that gave it its current monumental appearance, understanding how this space has always been central to the political, social and urban life of Florence.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 5
  Church and Museum of Orsanmichele

  In front of the Church of Orsanmichele the Guide will explain, from the outside, this extraordinary building symbol of the Florentine guilds, where art and craft meet; through the tabernacles and statues made by the most important Renaissance artists, you will discover how the Arts (the ancient guilds) represented their prestige and economic power contributing to the artistic development of the city.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 6
  Piazza della Signoria

  In Piazza della Signoria you will experience the political heart of Florence, a true open-air museum where the Guide will tell you, from the outside, the events of power, intrigue and propaganda that have marked the history of the city; between Palazzo Vecchio and the famous sculptures of the Loggia dei Lanzi, you will discover how this space was the ideal stage for the public affirmation of power, in particular that of the Medici family.

  10 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 7
  Uffizi

  In front of the Uffizi Gallery the Guide will explain, from the outside, how this imposing building was commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici to house the administrative offices and the activities of the Florentine arts and corporations; you will discover how from a political and managerial center it has transformed over time into one of the most important museums in the world, symbol of the link between Medici power, art and the organization of the city.

  10 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 8
  Corridoio Vasariano

  In front of the Vasari Corridor the Guide will illustrate, from the outside, this extraordinary elevated passage wanted by Cosimo I de’ Medici and designed by Giorgio Vasari, which connected Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti; you will discover how this route allowed the Medici family to move safely over the city, a concrete symbol of their political control and the separation between power and people.

  10 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 9
  Ponte Vecchio

  On the Ponte Vecchio the Guide will tell, from the outside, the story of one of the most iconic symbols of Florence, famous for its suspended shops; you will discover how, at the behest of the Medici, the ancient activities of butchers were replaced by goldsmiths and jewelers, transforming the bridge into a more decorous and controlled place, closely linked to the passage of the Vasari Corridor above it.

  10 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 10
  Palazzo Pitti

  In front of Palazzo Pitti, the Guide will explain, from the outside, the grandiose residence that became the official residence of the Medici during the period of their maximum power; you will discover how this imposing palace, originally belonged to the Pitti family, was transformed into a symbol of wealth, prestige and Medici authority, marking the transition from influential bankers to real rulers of the city.

  10 minutes • Admission ticket not included

Additional info

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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