FLORENC&
“You take delight not in a city’s seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours. Or the question it asks you, forcing you to answer...”
Classic Tours
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Learn about the Florence Cathedral project and the guilds and artists who made it possible.
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Who was David? Why was he a recurring subject in Renaissance art and how did artists depict the biblical hero? Explore the iconic works of Donatello and Michelangelo with visits to the Bargello Museum and the Accademia Gallery.
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The Uffizi Galleries is a veritable “who’s who” of Italian art, featuring Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael, Bronzino and other masters of the Florentine Renaissance alongside Venetian colorists, Baroque drama, and pioneering women artists like Artemisia Gentileschi.
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Renaissance Florence came alive through civic ambition, Medici patronage, and artistic innovation. These thematic experiences explore the people, places, and projects that shaped the city.
Explore the historical center through tours such as:
Faith, Fame & Florins: Step into the sites where Florentines asserted civic pride, displayed their wealth, and shaped their legacy, from guild-sponsored projects to Renaissance innovations and masterful contributions to tombs and memorials.
The Medici Family: Discover the residences, chapels, and burial sites of Florence’s most powerful family, from Cosimo the Elder and Lorenzo the Magnificent to Cosimo I and Duchess Eleonora of Toledo, and discover how their ambition shaped the city’s art, architecture, and legacy.
Giorgio Vasari & the Grand Duchy: Enter the world of Vasari, the “grandfather of art history,” and uncover how his art, architecture, and vision transformed Florence under Duke Cosimo I.
Monastic Life in Florence: Wander cloisters, refectories, and private chapels to experience the extraordinary artistry and devotion of Florence’s early Renaissance painters, from stunning Last Supper frescoes to the enchanting Chapel of the Magi.
Matrons, Patrons, and Muses: Step into the lives and legacies of Florence’s Renaissance women, from inspiring muses to influential Medici matrons, as you explore their impact on art, patronage, and the city itself.
Discover the Oltrarno
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Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Filippino Lippi, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Bronzino, Allori, Artemisia Gentilleschi... These artists and more await you "across the Arno River" in the Oltrarno neighborhood, home to the Brancacci Chapel, the Basilica of Santo Spirito and the Palazzo Pitti with its beautiful Boboli Gardens.
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Florence emerged in the Medieval period as an important center for wool production, and maintained its economic prosperity throughout the Renaissance due to the thriving market for its artisanal excellence. But what about Florence today? Are there still artisans in this city? You bet! This tour will bring you face to face with some of Italy's best craftspeople as we visit their workshops and atelier, going behind the scenes to discover the singular quality of "made in Italy" while learning how these artisans keep centuries-old artistic practices alive.
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Climb the historic Poggi ramps to Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato, where early Romanesque architecture, nature, and sweeping views come together in Florence’s most contemplative setting, offering a rare stillness high above the city.