best guided tours in florence

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The 13 best florence tours: wine, museums & more.

Enjoy delicious pasta, historic landmarks and the Tuscan countryside on these immersive experiences.

The Best Florence Tours

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Beloved for its food, wine, art, rich history and alluring landscape, Florence, Italy, consistently draws travelers throughout the year. Seeing all of Florence's attractions by yourself can be daunting, so having a knowledgeable local guide show you around will help you make the most of your trip. U.S. News identified the following tours as the best available by analyzing both expert and traveler opinion. Whether you want a broad overview of Firenze  or a deep dive into a particular facet of the city (like its food), these tours have you covered.

Caf Tour & Travel – Chianti Authentic Experience

Price: Adults from 49 euros (about $52); kids from 21.50 euros (about $23) Duration: 5 hours

This daylong bus tour takes you to two Chianti wineries with views of the world-famous Tuscan countryside , where vineyards, olive groves, churches and castles pepper the landscape. Patrons laud the guides and drivers for their professionalism and insights. However, others note that the trip seems a bit rushed at times.

Tours depart the Piazzale Montelungo once or twice daily, year-round. (It runs on an abbreviated schedule in the winter.) If you want more privacy, you can also book semiprivate and private tours of the region with Caf Tour.

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CityWonders – Uffizi Gallery Semi-Private Renaissance Art Tour

Price: Adults from $68; kids from $63 Duration: 1.5 hours

No visit to Florence would be complete without a trip to the Uffizi Gallery to see works by masters like Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci. Taking CityWonders' guided tour of the museum allows you to bypass the entrance line and gain insights from experts as they lead you through the collection. Another bonus? You're welcome to stay in the gallery until closing after the tour concludes. Audio headsets are provided so you don't miss a word of the commentary. Tour-takers consistently praise the English-speaking guides for their passion and knowledge.

Tours depart at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Ticket prices vary depending on the season. Groups are limited to nine participants. CityWonders runs other tours in Florence, including a skip-the-line tour of the Duomo.

Fat Tire Tours – E-Scooter: Panoramic Tour of Florence

Price: From 65 euros (about $70) Duration: 2 hours

Highlights of this electric scooter tour include Piazzale Michelangelo, Piazza della Signoria , the Arno River and Santa Croce. Tour-takers describe this as a fun way to see the sights and say the guides are friendly and informative. What's more, reviewers appreciate that groups are capped at eight participants.

Tickets include use of an e-scooter and a helmet, as well as instruction for using the vehicle. Participants must be at least 14 years old. Tours depart at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday to Monday as well as Wednesday. Fat Tire also offers biking and walking tours.

Courtesy of Taste Florence Food Tour

Taste Florence Food Tour

Price: From $119 Duration: 3.5 hours

These food-focused walks take participants around the city to sample local specialties like wine, cheese, bread and olive oil. Over the course of the tour, you'll stop at six or more locales, including the Mercato Centrale , for delectable bites. Food connoisseurs tend to appreciate both the quality of the fare provided and the knowledge and humor of the guides.

Tours depart at 9:45 a.m. nearly every day (except Sundays) during peak months. The company offers a limited schedule in the offseason. Tickets include food and beverage samples. If you're an oenophile, check out the sommelier-led wine tasting offered by Taste Florence.

Tuscany Bike Tours – Tuscany Bike Tour

Price: From 95 euros (about $102) Duration: 6 hours

Before climbing on a bike for a guided tour of Chianti, you'll depart Florence via van and view enchanting scenery. Then, you'll get a safety orientation followed by a bike ride. You'll also enjoy an olive oil tasting and a glass of wine, plus a light lunch (which takes place in a villa). Cyclists enthuse about both the glorious views as well as the helpful, personable guides.

Tours occur almost every day at 8:30 a.m. from March through November. The cost includes lunch and a glass of wine, as well as use of a bicycle and helmet. Vespa and e-bike tours of the Tuscany region are also available, as are private bike tours of Florence.

Walks of Italy – Florence in a Day with David, Duomo, Uffizi & Walking Tour

Price: From $126 Duration: 5 hours

If you only have a day to see Florence's top sights, consider this walking tour, which combines visits to Florence's must-see artistic and religious landmarks all in one outing. In between stops at the tour's main highlights, you'll see other top spots in the city like the Ponte Vecchio . You'll also get a break for lunch (at your own expense). Along the way, guides offer insights regarding the art and architecture on view. According to reviewers, the tour leaders are informative and personable.

Tour departure times and ticket fees will vary by season and day. Fees include skip-the-line access to the Galleria dell'Accademia (home of Michelangelo's David) and the Uffizi. Walks of Italy also offers food tours and a tour to Tuscany, among others.

Florencetown/Towns of Italy – Wanna Be Italiano: Florence Cooking Class & Market Tour

Price: Adults from 119 euros (about $128); kids from 101 euros (around $108) Duration: 5 hours

Travelers rave about this class, saying the recipes are spectacular and the teachers are capable and attentive. The experience starts with a trip to the Mercato Centrale, Florence's principal food market, to gather provisions for your meal. Once you've bought food, you'll make your way to the kitchen where a chef teaches you to make traditional Italian fare. Menus vary, but you'll likely prepare bruschetta, fresh pasta, sauces and a dessert during the class.

Experiences are offered daily, starting at 9 a.m. (Note: Mercato Centrale is closed Sundays and bank holidays, so classes on those days include additional instruction and food tasting instead.) The cost of class covers the food that will be your lunch as well as two glasses of wine per person. Keep in mind that fees are slightly higher during peak season. Still hungry? Florencetown offers a wine tour of Tuscany, as well as other cooking classes.

La Bussola Free Tours – Morning Free Walking Tour

Price: Free Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours

While La Bussola's morning walking tour does feature some of Florence's major landmarks, it mainly focuses on the Medici family's influence and rise to power (it was the Medici family, after all, who owned, financed or commissioned many of Florence's landmarks). You'll also hear about Michelangelo and his works. Over the course of the 1 1/2-mile outing, guides share details of local history and tips for making the most of your Florence visit. Guides are regarded as informative, friendly and helpful.

Tours depart daily at 10:30 a.m. Tours are free, though tips for your guide are appreciated. La Bussola also conducts a slightly shorter evening tour, focusing on artistic greats like Donatello and Da Vinci.

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Grape Tours – Wine Time

Price: From 170 euros (about $182) Duration: 5.5 hours

Grape Tours' Wine Time excursion departs at 10:15 a.m. from Florence and proceeds to Chianti for visits to two family-owned wineries. You'll learn about the history of the region and the process of making Tuscan wine. At each stop, you'll taste three or four different wines; at the second winery you'll also enjoy lunch. Tour-takers report learning a great deal about the wine-making process from entertaining guides. They also say lunch is delicious.

Participants must be at least 16 years old to join. Tours take place year-round daily. If you like to pair cheese with your wine, try Grape Tours' Chianti and Cheese tour.

Tuscany Cycle – Tuscany Vespa Tour

Price: Drivers from 169 euros (about $181); passengers from 99 euros (around $106) Duration: 5 to 6 hours

Explore the Tuscan countryside in quintessentially Italian fashion with this Vespa tour, which earns enthusiastic reviews from travelers. Tuscany Cycle's tour departs Florence (via van) at 10 a.m. daily for an excursion through the Chianti region. After reaching Chianti, you'll be taught how to ride a Vespa and follow your guide through the region before stopping at a winery for lunch and wine. You'll also have plenty of photo opportunities along the way, according to reviewers.

The fee includes lunch, wine, use of a Vespa and round-trip transportation from Florence. You must have a valid driver's license, but no prior experience operating a Vespa is necessary. Tourgoers applaud the driving lessons from the guides and the overall safety of the experience. Tuscany Cycle offers a variety of Vespa tours in Tuscany, as well as bicycle tours.

Walkabout – The Best of Tuscany Tour

Price: Adults from 135 euros (around $145); kids from 120 euros (about $129) Duration: 12 hours

After getting your fill of Florence attractions, take some time to explore the surrounding region of Tuscany. This tour combines a bus trip with walks through places like the medieval city of Siena and its art-filled Duomo, the hilltop town of San Gimignano and the Leaning Tower of Pisa . Guides, generally considered equally insightful and entertaining, provide information regarding the architectural, artistic and historical points of interest seen along the way.

Tickets include lunch and wine at a Chianti vineyard; if you'd like the tour without lunch and wine, you can get a discounted ticket. The tour departs Florence at 8 a.m. Walkabout offers a variety of other tours in and around Tuscany as well as day trips to Cinque Terre .

Italy on a Budget Tours – Pisa & Cinque Terre Day Trip

Price: From 139 euros (about $150) Duration: 13 hours

Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa and three of the five villages comprising Cinque Terre on this tour. After a 90-minute stop in Pisa, the tour proceeds to Riomaggiore (where travelers may opt to buy lunch). The next stops are the seaside villages of Manarola and Vernazza, where, weather permitting, participants can swim or lounge on the beach. Tour-takers find this guided experience a great way to pack a lot of sightseeing in to a single day.

Travel between the destinations is by train. Tours depart Florence at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (and on Sunday from June through September). Know that Italy on a Budget gears its tours to participants ages 18 to 39, and is therefore not suitable for children. The company also runs various other tours in Florence.

Curious Appetite – Progressive Tuscan Dining Crawl of Florence

Price: From $149.50 Duration: 4 hours

Handmade pasta, Tuscan wines, gelato and the city's take on porterhouse steak, bistecca alla Fiorentina , are the focus of this leisurely culinary walk, which visits four eateries. Throughout the evening, experts offer commentary on regional cuisine, which participants describe as insightful and helpful. Some past patrons acknowledge that they wouldn't have found the visited restaurants on their own.

Tours depart Thursday and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Sunday crawls are slightly more expensive than Thursday outings. Group size is limited to eight diners. In addition to its dinner crawl, Curious Appetite operates several other wine- and food-related tours in Florence.

Frequently Asked Questions

A guided tour can be a great way to orient yourself around Florence, especially if it's your first time visiting. A tour can also be helpful if you want to see areas around Florence without the hassle of having to drive yourself.

You might also be interested in:

• The Best Places to Visit in Italy
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Tags: Tours , Travel , Italy , Vacations

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Fearlessly Italy

16 Best Florence Tours for an Unforgettable Tuscany Trip

One of the favorite travel destinations in Italy and Europe, Florence has a huge amount of things to see and do. Even though the city center is pretty compact and easy to wander, the best way to delve deep into its heritage and culture is with one of the best Florence tours.

Skip the line in many of the most popular landmarks, learn about the history of the places that made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance, drink in the narrow streets and alleys, and explore the old quarter of the city’s traditional workshops. With one of the best Florence private tours, you can experience the city more than with a stroll along the Arno River.

These tours are great especially if you are short in time and you have only two days in Florence . Or even only one day and arriving with a train from Rome to Florence to get off at Santa Maria Novella train station.

Table of Contents

The best Florence tours picked by us

Welcome to florence tour: evening city stroll & gelato.

In about 2 hours and a half, this Welcome to Florence Walking Tour will introduce you to the wonders of one of Italy’s most famous cities. Your expert guide will give you a broad knowledge of the city’s history as well as precious tips on where to eat, what to visit and practical information to enjoy the rest of your stay.

This Florence walking tour will start in the most touristy square, Piazza del Duomo, and will take you to other famous spots such as Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio bridge and Palazzo Pitti, as well as more local neighborhoods like Santa Croce and Oltrarno, the old quarter of traditional workshops and restaurants.

The whole walking tour in Florence will be enriched by historical anecdotes linked to the places you will walk by, the life of artists and writers like Michelangelo and Dante Alighieri and tips on where to eat and shop.

You will also sample free gelato at one of the best gelaterias, but as the walking tour in Florence ends around dinner time, you can directly stop at one of the best restaurants to round off your first day in Florence in the best way. This Florence guided tour will last 2.5 hours and the group is no more than people.

⇒ Click here for more info and to check the price

VIP David & Florence Duomo Tour

One of the favorite Florence walking tours, the VIP David & Duomo Tour takes you to visit Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia before the crowds and to climb the Duomo with a skip-the-line entrance.

This VIP Florence tour will also give you special access to the Baptistery where all Florence residents were once baptized and the Duomo’s museum to admire the original facade and artworks from Donatello and Michelangelo.

Your expert guide will also take you on a special tour of the Duomo where usually visitors aren’t allowed and to the Duomo Terrace to best admire the wonderful dome by Filippo Brunelleschi. This Florence private tour lasts around 3 hours and the group is a maximum of 15 people.

Best of Florence Walking Tour With David & The Duomo

With this 3 hours and a half best Florence walking tour, you will walk to the top Florence attractions such as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore , Michelangelo’s David at the Florence Accademia and Piazza della Signoria, you will learn the history linked to the powerful Medici family and of Ponte Vecchio bridge.

An expert art and historian Florence private guide will reveal to you the working methods of the great Michelangelo, the stories behind the building of the Duomo and of the doors of the Baptistery in the same piazza.

A big part of this Florence walking tour is precisely to wander around its streets and gape at the city’s wonders, squares, and palaces that made its history.

Skip-the-line Uffizi Tour in Florence

Any art lover on a trip to Florence can’t leave without visiting the Uffizi Gallery, and this tour by Take Walks is perfect if you want to see the main masterpieces of this huge museum without wasting time looking for them and going straight to the paintings you’ve always wanted to see.

This is a 3-hour art tour of Florence with the important Palazzo Vecchio included. So if you have a limited time, you can still afford to visit this important and gorgeous gallery to see the paintings of world-famous artists such as Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, Giotto, Caravaggio, and Michelangelo among others. Very importantly, included in the walking tour of Florence is also a fast-track entrance to the Uffizi.

Florence in a Day with David, Duomo, Uffizi & Walking Tour

This 1-day tour will show you all the main highlights of Florence in a day. It lasts a little more than 7 hours and it’s perfect if you are in Florence for very little time or if you want to have a broad glimpse of the art and history sights and spend the rest of the time enjoying the local food, shopping or just walking around the palaces and the streets that have made the city the birthplace of the Renaissance.

With the help of an expert Florence local guide, you can visit the compact center of the city and learn about the main landmarks in a day. Included in the Florence one-day tour, are the skip-the-line tickets to some of the most important places such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia for Michelangelo’s David.

Among the sites you will visit are also Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), and obviously Ponte Vecchio bridge. This is a favorite among the best Florence tours and is especially recommended if you are short on time but still don’t want to miss out on the world-famous works of art and historical places the city has to offer. Overall it’s one of the best day tours in Florence Italy.

Half-Day Florence Tour with Uffizi & Accademia Tickets

In this half a day tour, Take Walks will take to two of the most popular highlights of Florence. With a skip-the-line entrance to the Uffizi Gallery, you will have plenty of time to see the masterpieces of artists such as Botticelli, Giotto, Cimabue, Leonard, Tiziano, and Michelangelo, while at the Accademia you can admire Michelangelo’s famous David, the masterpiece that was originally in Piazza della Signoria.

From outside, you will also walk by places such as the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore and its gorgeous piazza which also include the Baptistery and Palazzo Vecchio.

You will start your tour quite early in the morning, so before the crowds fill the first two galleries you are going to visit. As this tour is only for half a day, you can ask your local guide for tips on what else to visit, how to enjoy the city, where to eat and where to shop. If you can’t see Florence on a day tour, this half-day guided Florence tour is an excellent alternative.

Early Entry Skip-the-line Uffizi Tour & Palazzo Vecchio

In little less than three hours, you will visit the Uffizi Gallery to admire the masterpieces of artists such as Botticelli with its famous Primavera and Birth of Venus, Michelangelo, Tiziano, Leonardo, and many others, and learn how the history of art developed in the centuries.

Your expert Florence guide will also take you to Palazzo Vecchio to learn about the powerful Medici family that ruled Florence for centuries and that counts among its members Lorenzo Il Magnifico, a clan that played a crucial role in the world of art and in the Florentine and Italian history.

Hop-on Hop-off Florence Bus Tour

Explore Florence comfortably sitting on a double-decker bus on your terms and pace in this Florence bus tour. You can enjoy the city from the bus as much as you like, get off wherever you want, and use both routes of the bus for unlimited travel.

You can purchase a 24, 48, or 72-hour ticket depending on how long you are staying in Florence and see the places you want along the routes. Included in the tickets are multilingual audio and free WIFI on board. These bus tours in Florence are wheelchair accessible and have an easy full refund cancellation policy.

Three-hour Segway Tour of Florence

Instead of walking to Florence’s main landmarks, with this tour, you will be traveling across the city center by riding a segway. One of the favorite Florence tours, you will save much time to go from one place to the other so you will likely manage to see many of the city’s highlights.

Some of the places you will visit with your Florence tour guide are the Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Repubblica, Brunelleschi’s Dome, and Santa Croce.

⇒ Tip: If you’d rather book online only the entrance tickets to skip the line instead of a whole tour, click here for the Uffizi Gallery and here for the Accademia with Michelangelo’s David .

Food Tours in Florence

Dine around florence wine and food tour – an authentic evening.

Just like every other place in Italy, also Florence and Tuscany are famous for their food and especially wines. One of the very favorite food and wine tours in Florence is Dine Around Florence by Walks of Italy. You will discover the best bars and restaurants where you can taste the delicacies of each place with a local Florence city guide.

In some 3 and a half hours you will tuck into the best local specialties like cheese, olive oil, focaccia, meat, and the delicious Tuscan truffles in the most popular as well as lesser-known neighborhoods and you will experience them in the Florence way, with aperitif and dinner in the places where local residents go, but only after a tour to a wine cellar. Round off a great dinner in the best and only way, with gelato.

This Florence food and wine tour will not only give you the chance to sample the local food but also learn about the history and the tradition of such dishes.

The Other Side of Florence Food Tour

In this 4-hour Florence food tour organized by Eating Europe Food Tour, you will discover the Florentine and Tuscan cuisine through plenty of tastings, including their typical cold cuts, and many stops at authentic local eateries in the traditional Oltrarno neighborhood.

Visiting families that have run restaurants for several generations, you will learn how to make the typical Tuscan cookies “cantucci” and what are the secrets of this delicious and old culinary tradition.

Authentic Florence Cooking Class Tour

One of the very best food tours in Florence and one of the most popular too with high-rated customer reviews is the Authentic Florence Cooking Class run by Eating Europe Food Tours.

In this food tour of Florence, not only you will learn how to make some easy Italian dishes with a professional chef, but you will also go grocery shopping with the chef and buy herbs and all the ingredients necessary to prepare your delicacies from local shops and markets.

You will be learning and cooking at the chef’s own home and after the home-cooking class, you will enjoy lunch and wine to round off a perfectly authentic Italian experience.

Sunset Florence Food Tour

In this Florence food tour, you will experience an evening fully Italian style. How? Wandering the cobblestone streets of the Oltrarno traditional quarter in the lookout for the perfect place for an aperitif among some of Florence’s best restaurants and bars.

You will sample some tempting traditional treats like truffle cheese and cold cuts all paired with a glass of the right wine and you will also observe a live demonstration on how to make the perfect “bistecca alla Fiorentina”, the famous, huge, Florentine steak, which you can then taste.

Alongside plenty of food tastings, you will also explore the quaint neighborhood, visit some great deli shops and learn where to find proper artisan food, enjoy a great Negroni cocktail after watching its making, and learn the history of the place as well as bits of the local food culture.

Florence Artisan Food Tour

Booking this food tour in Florence will take you to explore the Oltrarno quarter, traditionally the neighborhood of Florentine artisans, and this involves both handicrafts and food. Historically, it’s in the “botteghe”, workshops, of Oltrarno that many of Florence’s famous artists learned their craft.

And in fact, in this Florence tour, you will also discover the local crafts of leather smiths, carpenters, tailors, and printmakers as well as look at their creations famous all over the world.

Food-wise, you will sample plenty of savory and sweet delicacies as well as taste local wines. You will try Florence street food and make your own Italian sandwich, enjoy an Italian breakfast with coffee and pastry, visit some workshops, and even see how the famous cantucci cookies are made.

Best day tours from Florence

There are several day trips from Florence you can take to explore more of the beautiful Tuscany region both in its towns and countryside, as well as other regions in central Italy. Some of the most popular are a day trip from Florence to Siena , to Chianti or a day tour to Pisa from Florence .

Here are some other great expeditions.

Tuscany Day Tours From Florence With Chianti, Siena and San Gimignano

Without diminishing the historical and artistic overload Florence has been carrying for centuries, we should also admit that Tuscany has many other wonderful places to visit.

In this 10-hour Tuscany day tour, you will explore the lovely medieval walled city of Siena where you will visit the stunning cathedral and the piazza where the famous Palio takes place twice a year, you will stare in awe at the views of the Tuscan countryside, you will enjoy a local meal in the Chianti region that includes also a tasting of their famous wines, and you will have the chance to visit the little gem of San Gimignano.

After exploring new towns, sightseeing, enjoying a delicious meal and also having some free time to enjoy on your own, you will get back to Florence just in time for dinner.

Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano full-day wine tour from Florence

Another great day tour from Florence including plenty of food and wine is this one on “Get Your Guide” to Montalcino, Pienza and the famous Montepulciano wine region.

On this pretty cheap tour from Florence, you will explore the gorgeous Tuscan countryside, you will taste the famous wines Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Montepulciano, will visit Val D’Orcia and stare at its wonderful landscape, and obviously sample some traditional foods.

Why You Should Visit Florence With A Tour

Visiting Florence on a private tour is more interesting than wandering by yourself. While you are going to be able to see most of the Florence sights independently, you might miss the history and interesting historical events that took place. If you are still not sure whether to visit Florence with a private tour or not, keep reading these top Florence tour reviews.

It’s time-saving

Regardless of when you visit Florence, it will be packed with tourists. This causes queues to buy the tickets as well as queueing to enter Florence’s historical sights. Without guided Florence tours you can expect to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours waiting in the lines to get a ticket for Florence sights such as the Accademia Duomo, Uffizi, and Palazzo Vecchio.

But going with a skip-the-line private Florence tour, your ticket would be already taken care of and you will have private entrance access to cut out the crowds. Therefore, you won’t be wasting time waiting outside in the heat or cold and you can see more especially if you are spending only one day in Florence .

But that’s not all. Booking a private Florence tour will eliminate the confusion on where to start or where the most important art masterpieces are kept. So, again, you will be saving time and avoiding headaches. Even if you plan your trip independently with our Italy travel guide , you can still book one of the best Florence tours for a day or a couple of hours.

It’s more interesting

Walking for an hour inside a 3 or 4-store building can get frustrating and boring if you don’t know what you are looking at, where to start and where the popular artwork is kept. Going without an expert Florence city tour guide, you also wouldn’t know the interesting facts about most works of art preserved in the galleries.

It’s even worse when the art information board is occupied by other tourists. Booking one of the Florence Italy tours will speed up the process, eliminate any confusion, and make it way more interesting than walking on your own.

You can see and learn more

As you wander through Florence’s streets and piazzas, you’ll discover masterpieces on every corner. And if you want to see as many places as possible, you will need experienced Florence tour guides who know every inch of the city.

They know which road to take and what to see first, second, and so on. Although you can walk around without a Florence tour, you might miss many interesting facts on the road. Each building has a history and interesting facts which are only possible to know if you are led by top Florence tour guides.

Final Word on Private Tours of Florence, Italy

We recommend you join one of these tours in Florence to experience the city of your dreams. These top Florence guided tours are designed completely around your requirements.

They include the best wine tours in Florence Italy, Florence food walking tours, day tours from Florence and more. All you need to take care of is a charged camera with plenty of empty space to take pictures because those landmarks are breathtaking.

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Florence Tours

Florence is home to countless treasures: the magnificent Duomo, Michelangelo's David, and incredible...

Our tours in Florence

Best of Florence Walking Tour with David & the Duomo

Alone in the Duomo: VIP After-Hours Tour with Dome Climb & Private Terrace Access

Florence in a Day with David, Duomo, Uffizi & Walking Tour

Tuscany Day Trip from Florence with Chianti, Siena & San Gimignano

VIP David & Duomo Tour: Early Accademia Tour & Skip the Line Dome Climb with Exclusive Terrace Access

Oltrarno at Sunset: Florence Food & Wine Tour

Tastes & Traditions of Florence: Food Tour with Sant'Ambrogio Market Visit

The Chianti Experience: Small Group Half-Day Wine Tour from Florence

What to know about florence from our local guides.

Florence offers a multitude of iconic must-visit spots and hidden gems alike, guaranteeing that you’ll never be bored no matter how long you spend in this enchanting city. Here are a few of our guide team’s recommendations to get you started:

• Check Florence’s top sights off your bucket list by visiting David and the Duomo —and, if you dare, take things one step further by climbing the dome
• Delve into the countless artistic treasures housed within the Uffizi Gallery
• Explore the sprawling Pitti Palace and bask in the tranquility of the Boboli gardens
• Wander through the picturesque Oltrarno neighborhood and take part in the time-honored Italian aperitivo tradition at its lively bars
• Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Sant’Ambrogio Market

Florence is well-positioned within Tuscany to allow easy access to some of the most beautiful and historic corners of the region. Consider an excursion to Pisa to see the iconic Leaning Tower in person, an afternoon sipping wine in Chianti , or an all-encompassing Tuscany day trip covering some of the region's most picturesque towns.

First things first: There’s no such thing as “Italian food”—not when each of Italy’s 20 regions has its own distinct culinary traditions! And Tuscany is no different. When visiting Florence, be sure to seek out the regional delicacies that are at their best on their home turf.

If you’re visiting Italy, you probably (understandably) plan on eating all the pasta you possibly can. Here in Florence, try the local wild boar ragu served with wide, flat noodles ( pappardelle al cinghiale ) or any type of pasta graced with Tuscany’s prized local truffles.

But pasta is far from the end-all-be-all of Florentine food. Traditionally, Tuscan cuisine was characterized as cucina povera , or “food of the poor,” and many dishes that are still enjoyed today have roots in this humble gastronomic tradition. Foods like ribollita , a hearty bread and kale soup, and the famous lampredotto (tripe) sandwich were born out of efforts to reduce waste and make the most of every scrap of meat and vegetables.

Last but not least, Florence’s most famous typical food is just about as far from cucina povera as it gets: the legendary bistecca alla fiorentina , or Florentine steak. If you’re looking to splurge on an unforgettable meal while in the Tuscan capital, don’t miss it!

If you want to eat the best Florentine food at the spots real locals love, join us on one of our Florence food tours. Our Tastes & Traditions of Florence Food Tour is a fantastic daytime option featuring a visit to the Sant'Ambrogio Market. In the evening, head across the river for aperitivo and dinner on our Oltrarno at Sunset Tour . Either way, you're guaranteed a fun, relaxing, and delicious few hours.

In addition to the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s larger-than-life David statue, and the iconic Uffizi, here are a few more can’t-miss museums in Florence:

• Palazzo Pitti, a former Medici palace-turned-cultural complex housing four museums
• Museo Nazionale del Bargello, known for its collection of Renaissance sculptures by masters including Michelangelo, Bernini, and more
• Palazzo Vecchio, the centerpiece of Piazza della Signoria, housing everything from ancient Roman ruins to Renaissance masterpieces
• The Galileo Museum, home to an unrivaled collection of scientific equipment and an excellent option for families
• Gucci Garden, a living tribute to the century-old luxury fashion house based in Florence

Florence is sure to delight no matter when you decide to visit. Each season has its benefits, and it all comes down to the kind of experience you’re looking to have.

Many international visitors flock to Italy for summer vacation, making Florence a popular draw in the warmest months of the year. While this means the city can get quite crowded (and the temperatures are no joke), there’s nothing better than enjoying an al fresco meal on a gorgeous summer evening. (And, worst case scenario, the nearest beaches are just 90 minutes away.

Spring and fall boast the best temperatures all year: pleasantly warm, but not too hot, with refreshingly crisp evenings. Winter temperatures can be quite chilly (although snow is rare)—but if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option with fewer crowds, it’s an excellent choice.

Florence is an excellent city for families, with plenty of sights and activities that will keep even the littlest travelers entertained. A spin on the famous carousel in Piazza della Reppublica is a magical experience for all ages, and kids will love getting hands-on at the Leonardo da Vinci Interactive Museum. If you need a break from walking around (and the heat!), the Oblate Library (Biblioteca delle Oblate) offers a wonderful children’s section with kids’ books and even a small garden.

Another fantastic option for families is a kid-friendly food tour! Our Tastes & Traditions of Florence Tour is centered around the vibrant and colorful Sant’Ambrogio Market—a fun and exciting stop for little ones—and features plenty of kid-approved local tastes along the way.

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Florence Tours & Trips

115 florence tour packages with 1,374 reviews.

In-depth Cultural Explorer Christmas & New Year Wine tasting +2

Florence City Break - 3 Days/2 Nights

"It was a bit rainy when we went to San Gimignano, but we still had enough time I believe to tour the town." Averil, traveled in November 2016

• €100 deposit on some dates

In-depth Cultural Local Living Explorer Christmas & New Year Wine tasting +4

The Best of Tuscany - 4Days/3Nights

"The tour was very good and gave me the great opportunity to know more about Florence and the Toscany region." Cristina, traveled in October 2019

In-depth Cultural Food & Culinary Local Living Explorer +3

Best of Tuscany in 3-days

"This was an amazing tour! Matteo had put together a great itinerary of Toscana, which included good food and a lot of good wine." Elena, traveled in June 2019

Explorer Historical Wine tasting +1

Tuscany to Cinque Terre: Wines, Villages & Unforgettable Walks

"The tour was lovely. Everyone was nice and considerate and happy." Laura, traveled in May 2024

Explorer Wine tasting

Tuscany Wine Tour -3 days with the locals

"The villa was very comfortable and relaxing. The wine tours were great and served delicious wine and food." Donna, traveled in September 2019

In-depth Cultural Family Christmas & New Year +1

3 Day Highlights of Florence & Tuscany Tour Package

Explorer Family Christmas & New Year +1

5 Day Florence Food and Wine Tour Package

In-depth Cultural Wine tasting +1

Private Gourmet Wine Tour in Tuscany, Italy

"We enjoyed touring so many vineyards and their 'cantinas'. Great for those Tuscany first timers." David, traveled in October 2021

Explorer Family Historical Christmas & New Year +1

Classical Italy

"We saw so much of Italy during this relatively short tour. I'd have preferred hotels a little closer to the city(s)." Kathryn, traveled in April 2024

The best of Tuscany - 5 days private tour

• 10% deposit on some dates

What people love about Florence Tours

This was an amazing tour, Great to see Tuscany and taste amazing wine

Amazing time, amazing people, amazing places. I would highly recommend this tour. The tour guide was exceptional and everything was so gorgeous. It's a great way to see such a grand area in a short time without missing anything.

This was an amazing tour! Matteo had put together a great itinerary of Toscana, which included good food and a lot of good wine. During the first day we visited the medieval town San Gimignano, as well as the hill town Siena. We also visited the Fattoria San Donato winery – the owner himself gave us a quick tour and showed us the types of wine they make there, including their specialty white wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano, considered one of Italy's finest white wines. We had a plentiful lunch at this winery, with fresh pasta, charcuterie board, cheeses, and a lot of wine on the table of course. Matteo and his wife Laura were a great company and had many interesting stories to tell. We had a lovely dinner with them at Matteo’s favourite restaurant, an authentic Tuscan “osteria” and a pillar of the local community’s cuisine. We trusted Matteo to order for us and the culinary experience was outstanding – we had two types of local made pasta, and a large T-bone steak. For the second and third days we had a different tour guide named Paolo. He is very knowledgeable about all the different wines made in Toscana, but also about local history. The drive was very comfortable and we enjoyed his explanations about traditional and freestyle wines, as well as his interesting stories about the various towns we passed through. On the second day, we visited wineries in the Chianti Classico area. We started with Castello di Verrazzano, an old medieval castle of over 1000 years old, with a longstanding tradition of winemaking. Then, at the Casaloste winery, beside the wine tasting we also got to pet a big fluffy friendly dog! And finally, we visited Lamole di Lamole, where we had a tour of the vineyards, we saw the wine production equipment, and their cellar. On the third day, Paolo took us to take a bath at Fosso Bianco – the gorgeous natural hot springs just outside the small town of Bagni San Filippo. With Paolo, we visited several wineries in the Chianti Classico area and then in Moltancino, and we took a bath at Fosso Bianco – gorgeous natural hot springs just outside the small town of Bagni San Filippo. We had lunch in this town and we then visited an all-women run winery, called Solaria, in the area of Montalcino. During this tour, we were hosted at Agriturismo Borgo La Capraia, a lovely farmhouse with several stone guesthouses, a swimming pool, and good food. I thoroughly recommend this tour with either Matteo, Paolo, or others from their company. They were willing to allow us to customize our tour, in case we wanted to see some specific things, but we decided to go with their recommendations and that worked out great!

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Guided tours in Florence

Irina Willmer, qualified tour guide in Florence

• TripAdvisor

Uffizi, Duomo, Ponte Vecchio – wonderful places with great past

Thematic guided tours and individual guided visits.

Florence delights and gives endless surprises, here each single corner is a new discovery, another piece of living history… Visit Florence with an official tour guide is an exiting experience which will make your trip unique!

My name is Irina Willmer, and I am a qualified tour guide for Florence. I am pleased to welcome you to my website! I work as a tour guide since 2014, leading tours in museums, walking tours in the historical centre of Florence, thematic guided visits about the history of the Renaissance, of the Medici family, guided tours of temporary exibitions both for organised groups, families with children and individual tralellers.

After all these years I can tell that I know each corner of Florence, but this job continues to inspire me. With the same enthusiam of the first time, every time I accompany you, I explore my city!

Do you know which guided tour or programme suits your requests?

Are you a first time traveller and don’t know the city yet? Or you are coming for a 2nd or 3rd time, and don’t want to miss the must-sees of Florence? See the guided tours I can offer:

All about the Duomo

San Lorenzo and Medici Chapels

Panoramic Florence and San Miniato al Monte church

Santa Croce – Temple of Italic Glories

Pitti Palace: the Florence’s royal palace

Academy Gallery

Uffizi Gallery

Walking tours: treasures of Florence

Or have you been to Florence before and you’ve seen the most important sights / monuments, but did not manage to explore everything that this magnificent city has to offer? Would you like to see and to know more? See some more guided tours:

Treasures of the Oltrarno: Santo Spirito and the Brancacci Chapel

Palazzo Vecchio – the Old Palace

Boboli and Bardini gardens

The Bargello: the best of Renaissance sculpture

The Medici tour and the Medici Palace

Why visit florence with a local guide.

• Florence is a very busy city: world-known monuments, masterpieces of art, Renaissance, Medici family, culture, thousands of years of history… It’s a whole world of information, and it’s the official tour guide who will help you to deal with it.
• Probably you will need to know the opening times of different monuments, how long you need for this or that visit, where and how to book tickets and if it’s necessary, where and which cafés and restaurants are, and a whole lot of other details. A licensed tour guide will help you to get the most from your visit, to concentrate on impressions and emotions instead of planning, and to use your time in a better way.
• A qualified tour guide will help you to save time in preparing your visit, not to get lost in information from books, websites and guide books – their study is a job that takes a lot of energy, and it’s not guaranteed that all of the sources are up to date.
• Private guided tours help you to explore Florence at your time and pace, accordingly to your wishes. You do not need to follow the group, you don’t need to hurry, and you don’t need to miss wonderful places which somehow are not a part of a “standard programme”.

The guided tours I placed on my website were chosen based on the most common expectations of travellers. These are only some programmes from a multitude of possibilities which this wonderful city offers us.

That’s why I will be glad to meet your wishes and to organise for you individual thematic visits, guided tours or programmes which suit your requests for the time available, for your age, your intersts and pace.

The Original & Best Tours and Events

Florence Tours

Florence tour highlights-the best guides, florence tours and experiences in florence, the uffizi galleries of florence.

The original Birth of Venus – need we say more? (Actually, two floors more of artworks!)

You can find the famous Uffizi museum just in the city center of Florence

Brunelleschi's Dome

The pride of Florence!

Santa Maria del Fiore

See the Florence Cathedral and Brunelleschi’s Dome, one of the greatest wonders of the Renaissance on our Original Florence Walk.

Ponte Vecchio

Take in Florence’s stunning Old Bridge and its calm mirror-like waters.

Also known for the  Vasari Corridor .

Now famous for the jewelers of Florence that have a shop on the Ponte Vecc hio

Statue of David

Get up close and (very) personal with Michelangelo’s original Statue of David.

Top 10 list of the Best Florence Tours

Join highly acclaimed guides to lead you on the most unique Florentine journey. Be guided through the Uffizi Gallery; Vasari’s Corridor; or on an overview of the city.

Experience the best Florence sightseeing tours, Florence guided tours and Florence excursions.

The Best of Florence Tours in One Glorious Day (or two)

Make the most of our guides’ expert knowledge with three of our most popular excursions in one excellent package! Get a feel for the real Florence in intimate groups as you explore the city’s world-famous art and architecture.

Tour Package Includes:

The Original Florence Walking Tour Masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery The Original David – Accademia Museum Visit

The Best of Florence and Tuscany Package One special price opens to door to this iconic city and its romantic surroundings. Our unsurpassed guides will share the secrets of its refined culture, as well as whisking you away for a full-day visit to three Tuscan hilltop towns, including lunch and wine tasting at a regional villa.

The Original Florence Walking Tour The Best of Tuscany Tour-Small Group Masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery Tour The Original David Tour – Accademia Museum Visit

The Original Florence Walking Tour Join the fun – we offer the chance to experience the entertaining walking adventure featured on numerous TV documentaries. Highly recommended by just about every major travel guide, our exploration of the city’s streets is a great way to learn about its fascinating past.

Masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery Tour Ours is the only guided visit that covers both levels of the iconic Uffizi Gallery, giving you the best view of art’s greatest masterpieces. As featured in a BBC World documentary with Michael Palin, it offers easy access to the world-famous art museum.

The Original David Tour – Accademia Museum Visit Visit the Accademia and watch art and history be brought to life by our guides. Ours is the only tour that focuses solely on Michelangelo and his statue of David, allowing you to marvel at the masterpiece and discover its story in an intimate group.

Sex, Drugs & Renaissance Tour: Adults Only From the shocking lifestyles of the rich and famous to the seedy underbelly of the city’s past, this absolute first for Florence tours invites you to hear about the scandals that rocked the Renaissance.

An Evening Walk – Murders, Mystery & Wine! The charming medieval Oltrarno quarter hides a dark and mysterious past. Let our experts lead you through its intriguing history on this unique twilight adventure, before taking the edge off with a glass of Italian wine.

Italian Passions Food & Wine Tour Shop not just like a local, but actually with a local! Delve into Italy’s gastronomic culture on this sumptuous experience of food, including more tastings than any other package of its kind.

Monumental Marvels: Duomo Museum & Baptistery Tour Our unparalleled guides will unveil the secrets of one of the oldest monuments in the city, the Baptistery, plus the newly-renovated Opera del Duomo Museum. Don’t miss the chance to access the crypt of the cathedral, Brunelleschi’s Dome and climb Giotto’s Bell Tower at your own leisure.

Original Florence Walk & David Tour

Sites & Statues – Florentine Stories & Michelangelo’s David If you’re short on time, we have the ideal excursion for you. Our good-humoured guide will accompany you on a walking tour around the city to take in its sites and stories, as well as giving you pre-reserved access to the Accademia museum.

Other must-sees include:

Palazzo vecchio, pitti palace, piazza della signoria, basilica of santa croce in florence, the boboli gardens, piazzale michelangelo, about florence.

Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region in Italy. Approximately 380,000 people call Florence home, with more than 1.5 million living in the surrounds.

Founded in 59 BC, Florence was established by Julius Caesar’s solders who named the area “Florentia”, in honour of the Goddess Flora – the symbol of spring and fertility.

A bridge was built where now stands the current Ponte Vecchio (which translates, correctly, to “Old Bridge”), at the narrowest part of the Arno River that runs from the Apennines, through Florence and out to the Tyrrhenian Sea.  

The Roman Forum was set up where now stands the Piazza della Repubblica, whilst a theatre was built in today’s Piazza della Signora and Roman baths where now sits the Florence Cathedral, Il Duomo.

After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD, a market was established selling international wares where traders would pass through, establish Florence from this time on as a European hub of finance and trade.

Florence is known as the birthplace of the Renaissance, where many of the biggest characters earned their name in history. Florence was home to the important Medici family as well as writers and political, social and religious figures including Galileo, Machiavelli, Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio and Savonarola. Numerous master artists also hail from or at least lived out most of their lives in Florence (think Michelangelo, Giotto, Botticelli, Vasari, Donatello, Ghiberti, Masaccio, Rafael, da Vinci and more).

The wealth of the Renaissance also fostered the establishment of Florence as a fashion capital, giving rise to a range of artisan crafts and markets such as the fabric trade, fashion designers, cobblers, leather artisans, jewelers, milliners and the like.

Italy then went through a period of turbulence lasting for two centuries after the Renaissance, culminating with the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, seeing the unification of the various regions to form the Italy we know today.

From 1865-1871, Florence was the capital of this Italy, during which time the city was given a little bit of a facelift, including the remodeling of the central Piazza della Repubblica.

Florence then had its own renaissance in world fashion after the end of the Second World War, giving rise to names such as Roberto Cavalli, Enrico Coveri, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci and Guccio Gucci.

Today, the city of Florence is a great mix of medieval, Renaissance and early modern architecture. It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. There are also a great number of exceptional artworks, many housed in the Uffizi Gallery, plus Michelangelo’s David standing in the Academia Gallery.

The city has never lost its artistic and creative spirit, to this day attracting many art and artisan students to the various art schools and studios in Florence.

As the capital of the gastronomically-rich Tuscan region, Florence has also developed a world-class cuisine that today blends the quality foods of the well-to-do (such as Florentine Beefsteak) with the delicious slow-cooked lower class recipes such as Ribollita, Trippa (tripe), Zuppa di Cipolla (Onion Soup) and a range of delicious sweets.

Visiting Florence today thus gives visitors a chance to see some of the world’s best art by master artists, visit historic palaces and piazzas, enjoy some fabulous shopping for designer and bespoke fashion items, plus to dine on delicious traditional Florentine and Tuscan food (gratefully paired with excellent Tuscan wine).

Now a day there are a lot of Florence Tours , but which Florence Tours would be best if you visit Florence? This, of course, depends on your personal interest. Do you like a cooking class? a tour of the countryside around Florence? a tour with all the must-sees of Florence?  or a museum tour? If you are not able to find the perfect Florence Tours for you we are there to help you find the perfect Florence Tours. Just visit our Get in Touch page and we will help you.

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10 Best Florence Duomo Tours – Which One to Choose?

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Are you looking for things to do in Florence ? How about visiting the city’s number 1 attraction, the Florence Duomo?

Look no further than this article, in which we will cover some of the best ways to explore the historic Duomo, and break down the different types of tours and ticket passes available that will help you see the most while working with your travel plans.

Everything from group tours, private tours, skip-the-line options, early access tours, and tours that require all the climbing and some tours that don’t require much strenuous effort – all explained in this post.

Ready to see which tour options match your interests? Let’s dive right in.

Florence Duomo tours – Are they worth it?

What are the best florence duomo guided tours, are there any florence duomo combined tour tickets, which florence duomo tour is best for me, what will i see on a florence duomo tour, how much does it cost to visit the duomo in florence, are there any florence duomo discounted tickets, how to book a florence duomo tour, florence duomo information, useful tips.

Don’t feel like reading ahead? Check our full catalog of Florence Duomo tours .

• Florence Duomo tours

Florence is filled with endless beauty and charm, and sometimes, it can be easy to look past a special building, or in this case, the Florence Duomo, and not truly appreciate it the way it deserves simply because you may lack some knowledge of its history.

Though it happens to everyone at one point, it doesn’t have to happen to you. You can learn so much more, and appreciate beyond the average traveler if you take a tour of the Florence Duomo.

A local guide will offer everything from insight into its exterior Renaissance architecture to the crypts that are hidden from typical self-guided visits.

Aside from learning about the impressive mosaics in its interior, the thousand years old clock inside, and stunning frescoes and their meanings, you’ll be able to ask all the questions you have.

The best Florence Duomo guided tours are going to be the ones that best cater to what you want to get out of touring the Florence Duomo.

Though each tour will offer a great explanation of the vast history and fascinating stories and legends that surround this monumental Florence cathedral, with a professional guide, the best Florence Duomo tours will depend on what you’d like to get out of it, and what piques your interest the most.

Let’s explore a few options that can help start to inspire you to get clear on how you want to experience the grand Florence Duomo.

1 – Early Access Duomo tours

Early access Duomo tours are incredible opportunities for those travelers who want to not only get the tour experience with a guide but those who want to experience what it would be like to “open up” the church along with the key-bearer of the Duomo.

Requiring a bit of an early wake-up call, an early-access Duomo tour will reward you with something that few get to see, like being inside the cathedral when the Duomo light up inside and climbing up to the Cupola del Brunelleschi to see the morning light start to wake up the city, before the crowds of people flood the iconic square.

Part of the experience includes enjoying a local breakfast, further enriching the experience uniquely.

• Early Access Duomo tours

2 – Duomo Complex tours

Exploring the Duomo Complex on a tour simply means that as part of the tour, you would experience visiting the cathedral, dome, and other attractions within the Duomo Complex.

Tour times can vary from 1.5 hours in duration to up to 3 hours, and the difference lies in the few extra places that are included in the tours.

For instance, the 3-hour long tour may include a stop inside the Museum of the Opera del Duomo, brimming with famous pieces of artwork, and the Baptistery.

Not to mention, the depth at which the local historians share is worth the time and cost of the tours. The longer the tour, the more the guides are able to share and answer more questions.

• Duomo Complex tours

3 – Cathedral tours

If you’re just looking to explore the Cathedral itself, a Cathedral tour is just what you may want to consider, as it is a tour that usually lasts up to 1 hour, and offers a local historian sharing eye-opening stories, historical facts about the construction of the cathedral, and the magnificent frescoes inside.

There are options that include skip-the-line, which is a great thing to consider especially when visiting the cathedral, as it’s usually the number 1 attraction to have the longest line in Florence.

Something to keep in mind is that the cathedral tours only include a tour and entry into the cathedral, and not into any other parts of the complex, including the tower and dome.

• Cathedral tours

4 – Duomo’s Dome tours

Want to explore only the cathedral’s dome?

Consider booking the Duomo’s dome tour, which only focuses on the dome, from its history, architectural details, and inspiration, as well as climbing up to it to be greeted with the best view of Florence from above.

Climb up the 463 steps, until reaching the top of the dome, taking in the spectacular views of the city, as well as the detailed Renaissance etchings and engravings on the famed cathedral, up close while you’re up there.

From there, you’ll also be able to see wide enough into the famous Tuscan countryside and learn about the inspiration from the same sights you’re viewing for many of Florence’s painters throughout time.

• Duomo’s Dome tours

5 – Duomo’s Terraces tours

In addition to the stunning views from the Duomo itself, you can also get a tour of the Duomo’s Terraces, which offer a close-up look at the cupola, as well as pass by secret chambers, and rooms that not many other visitors get to experience.

Many of the Terrace tours offer skip-the-line, as well as access to other parts of the cathedral, from the cathedral itself to the museum inside, a few crypts, and Giotto’s Bell Tower.

The terrace tours usually last around 1.5-2 hours long.

• Duomo’s Terraces tours

6 – Florence Duomo private tours

If you’re traveling with a small group of friends or family, and prefer to have a guide all to yourself, as well as a bit more customization, then consider booking a Florence Duomo private tour.

A private tour will take you and your group through the cathedral, offering insight, historical findings, stories, and local legends that you may not get anywhere else.

In addition, some private tours offer a private walk through the cathedral, museum, and Baptistery, without climbing up to the bell tower or the Duomo.

Other private tours offer priority entrance and skip-the-line options, with access to all the important areas of the cathedral including the Duomo, with all expenses included in the ticket price.

• Florence Duomo private tours

7 – Express Duomo tours

If you’re short on time, or simply would like a short and sweet tour of the Duomo, then consider an express Duomo tour, which usually takes around 45 minutes at most, in comparison to a normal tour which lasts between 2-3 hours.

A local guide will take you through the most important parts of the cathedral, and share only important facts to give you a deeper knowledge of the cathedral’s significance, without going too much into detail.

Most of the time, the express tours will include skip-the-line, no-fuss entry into the cathedral and the Museo della Misericordia, and more.

• Express Duomo tours

Yes! Florence Duomo combined tour tickets are available and perfect for those travelers who may want to see more than what a standard tour will grant them.

If you’re looking for a ticket that can grant you access to more than one attraction in the Duomo, with a guide, then let’s see below the different types of combined tour tickets that you can pick from based on what you’d like to see in Florence.

8 – Florence Duomo + Baptistery of San Giovanni

If you’d like to see the intricacy of the Florence Duomo complex and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, consider booking the Florence Duomo + Baptistery of San Giovanni combined tour.

With this experience, you’ll also enjoy skip-the-line and get priority entrance into the cathedral, the Baptistery, the Gate of Paradise at the Baptistery, and the museum of the Opera del Duomo where you’ll have access to artwork from Florentine artists like Michaelangelo, and more.

• Baptistery tours

9 – Florence Duomo + Uffizi Gallery

Combine the Florence Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery into one tour, with a combination tour experience that will take you through the cathedral, climbing up to the Brunelleschi’s dome, as well as stopping for a while at the Uffizi Gallery, housing some of the most beautiful sculptures and paintings, alongside with a professional art historian.

You can save around 5% when you book a combination tour, saving you money and time in the long run.

• Florence Duomo + Uffizi Gallery tours

10 – Florence Duomo + Accademia Gallery

Visit Michaelangelo’s David at the Accademia Gallery as well as get an all-inclusive tour of the Florence Duomo with one ticket.

Skip the line, and gain access to the cathedral, with access to the Duomo terraces, museum, and of course, the dome itself boasts incredible sights of the city and countryside from one of the most iconic Florentine landmarks.

Some tours may take place in the morning, offering an extra special moment of quiet and peace while most tourists are not out yet.

• Florence Duomo + Accademia Gallery tours

It wholly depends on your travel style, availability, budget, and season in which you travel which could influence which Florence Duomo tour you decide to select for your trip.

Many tours offer the same basic essentials like a professional tour guide, and entrance into the cathedral, while other more inclusive tours may offer skip-the-line options, and entrance into special parts of the cathedral-like the Baptistery, the Giotto Belltower, and the Opera del Duomo Museum.

If you’re traveling solo, you may want to go all out and selfishly spend as much time as you can exploring and learning the true meaning and hidden mysteries of the Duomo on a small group tour or a skip-the-line Duomo climb.

If you’re traveling with your family, a skip-the-line guided express access to the Duomo may be your choice, if you’re looking to get close to the historical emblem of Florence, without boring your kids too much.

Those who are traveling on a budget may want to consider a simple yet concise 1-hour guided tour to get the basics, plus more and the opportunity to ask any and all questions that pop up throughout the tour.

Make sure to assess your interests, and pick a tour option according to what they are.

When you book a Florence Duomo tour, you are unlocking thousands of years’ worth of Florentine history, which will come across as more interesting and will come alive to you as you take a tour versus learning about it anywhere else.

See with your eyes the sights inside, and learn straight from professional art historians, and guides as you experience with your own senses the 3rd largest cathedral in the world.

Let’s break down some of the highlights awaiting you at the Duomo Complex.

Discover the Florence Cathedral, also known as the Duomo, a church that dates back to 1296 and was built to honor, Santa Maria del Fiore (Saint Mary of the Flower), paying homage to the flower of Florence, a lily.

Walk inside its 2 doors to discover the gray-blue marble coating the interiors of the holy space, as your eyes scan the art inside from the Ascension of the Virgin, to the relief work on the doors, the religious sculptures towering columns, and more.

A tour guide will share interesting facts from the architects who built the cathedral, the struggles that went into the creation of the cathedral, and the role of the cathedral today.

Brunelleschi’s Dome

Adorning the Florentine cityscape is the undeniable Brunelleschi’s Dome, built between 1420 and 1436 by the architect, Filippo Brunelleschi, hence the name of the Dome.

Look up the magnificent frescoes painted on the inside of the dome featuring imagery of the Last Judgment, as you notice the oculus situated in the middle of the dome.

Step up an estimated 463 steps to reach the opulent views, feeling like an old-world King or Queen, taking impressive sights of the city, usually taking around 30 minutes- 1 hour to reach the privileged views.

Listen as the guide shares important facts about the construction of the dome, known as the largest masonry vault in the world, as well as learn about the recent renovations done to maintain the grandeur of the dome.

Duomo Terraces

Don’t just reach the dome, but also walk the Duomo Terraces, taking you up 32 meters high, and walking a path of 70 feet on either the north or south side of the cathedral.

The Duomo Terraces offer not only stunning sights of the city and countryside, but also an up-close look at the construction of the cathedral, the marble coating, and the rose window- the main window sitting above the entrance of the cathedral.

Walk with a tour guide to share with you the history and alternative uses of the terrace when it comes to rain, as well as safety precautions when walking through yourself.

Giotto’s Bell Tower

Built in 1334 by sculptor and architect Giotto, Giotto’s Bell Tower is said to be possibly the most beautiful bell tower in Italy.

Decorated with colors of white, green, and red, the square and rectangular shapes that embellish the bell tower tell a story of humanity, the universe, and religion, worth a moment of contemplation.

Take the advice and insight from the guides, offering a deeper appreciation for Giotto and other artists’ input, and work on the beautiful bell tower, which is detailed with intentional pieces and design.

Climb up the 398 steps bell tower to get astonishing views of the city from above.

Baptistery of San Giovanni

Appearing in a form of a hexagon is the Baptistry of San Giovanni, which dates back to the 4th or 5th century.

Historically, there were many believed uses of the Baptistery, many of which you will learn on a guided tour, but one of those uses was to store art sculptures and paintings.

Inside, marvel at the intricate details of the mosaic imagery, featuring scenes of the Last Judgment and St. John, the patron saint of Florence.

Take a look at the north and south doors inside, engraved with other religious carvings, and Renaissance Gates of Paradise.

Ancient Basilica of Santa Reparata

Step inside to view the remnants of early Christianity in Florence at the Ancient Basilica of Santa Reparata, which was excavated between 1965 to 1973, and sits across from the Baptistery.

Scan the floor of the Santa Reparata, donning a magnificent mosaic of various geometric shapes, with imagery of a peacock, said to be a symbol in Christianity of immortality.

Be guided by an art historian, as they share more details and insight into the interior’s decoration, colors, and engravings, all symbolic of the early foundations of Florence.

Also learn about the souls that rest within the Santa Reparata, and why it is so important to Florentines.

Opera del Duomo Museum

Walk into one of the most important museums in Florence and in the whole world, housing masterpieces dating back to the Renaissance, that were part of some of Florence’s most important and historical points of interest.

Inside, you can expect to find masterpieces including David’s Michaelangelo, as well as other pieces created by the same architects and sculptors that designed the Duomo.

A guide will surely help you understand at a larger scale every piece inside the museum, to help you truly understand the grandeur of these pieces not only in Florence but the world.

There are various different passes and Florence Duomo tickets  that you can purchase in order to see the monuments within the Piazza del Duomo and the complex of Santa Maria del Fiore.

There are 3 passes that you can consider, each combining several different monuments to see while visiting the complex. They are the Brunelleschi Pass, Giotto Pass, Ghiberti Passes.

• The Brunelleschi Pass includes an entrance into all the monuments in the Piazza del Duomo, including the dome, bell tower, Baptistery, the museum, and Santa Reparata. The price for adult tickets is 30 euros, for children 7-14 years old it is 12 euros, and free for children 6 and under.
• The Giotto Pass allows access to Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery, Opera del Duomo museum, and the Santa Reparata. The price for adult tickets is 20 euros, for children 7-14 it is 7 euros, and free for children 6 and under.
• The Ghiberti Passes allows access to the Baptistery, Opera del Duomo museum, and the Santa Reparata. The price for adult tickets is 15 euros, for children 7-14 years old it is 5 euros, and free for children 6 and under.

The benefit of these passes is that with a single ticket, you can enter various monuments, and your passes have a validity period of 3 days to see all the monuments that your pass has access to.

Keep in mind these passes are entrance only, they are not tours nor are tour guides part of the passes.

If your goal is to visit multiple other monuments in the city of Florence during your visit, consider booking the Florence Pass.

The Florence Pass allows you to access a couple of the best museums in the city including the Uffizi Museum and the Accademia Gallery, priority entrance into the Brunelleschi’s dome, as well as with bonuses like skip-the-line options at the Duomo, and an audio guide, for the price of $99 USD.

Another great discounted ticket option at an even lower price is the Uffizi + Accademia Pass. This pass includes access to priority entrance into both the Uffizi Museum and the Accademia Museum, as well as gaining access to using the Vox audio guide app on your phone for a self-guided walking tour, for the price of $50.96 USD.

The Florence Duomo is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Florence , and as a result, has some of the longest lines to get into which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to view as much as you can, in the days that you’re in Florence.

No matter where you buy your pass, buying your tickets ahead of time will ensure that you will get to the sites you want to see both easily and effortlessly and oftentimes saves you money and time.

When choosing which pass suits your interests, make sure to compare prices with TourScanner, as we bring you all the best tour options that best suit your interests, budget, and time availability, all in one place.

Let us do the searching for you, all you have to do is select the best one for you.

Opening hours

The opening hours for the Florence Duomo are as follows:

• The Cathedral: 10:15 – 16:45
• The Dome: 8:15 – 19:30
• The Baptistery: 9:00 – 19:45
• Giotto’s Bell Tower: 8:15 – 19:45
• Opera del Duomo Museum: 9:00 – 19:45
• The Church of Santa Reparata: 10:15 – 16:45

A quick tip is to always check the opening and closing times on the days that you will visit, as times and opening days are subject to change without much notice.

Also make sure to keep in mind that on days on which there is a mass held inside the cathedral, it will not be open to visitors.

How to get there?

The Florence Duomo is located in the Piazza del Duomo, within the Historical Center of District 1 known as the heart of Florence.

The Duomo is fairly easy to get to by walking, or taking public transportation, either the bus or tram.

The address of the Duomo is: Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI

• If you want to climb up the Brunelleschi Dome, make sure to purchase your ticket ahead of time, as this is a highlight for many other travelers to see as well, and the number of tickets for the day may sell out if you try to buy in person, on the day of.
• For women, make sure to cover up the shoulder, legs, and chest if you’re wearing something a bit too revealing. Be sure to pack a light scarf to wear while inside.
• If you want to avoid large crowds try to plan your visit to the Duomo either very early or later in the day.
• Make sure to bring a small bag that doesn’t weigh too much, as you will be asked to open it during security check, and then carry it around the cathedral, and possibly in a few tight spaces.

For thousands of years, The Florence Duomo has adorned the city’s skyline, and the iconic sights and symbolism of the Duomo Complex have been immortalized in the minds of multiple generations.  Now, it’s your turn to experience it yourself.

We hope that you have a better understanding of the various types of ways to explore the Florence Duomo for yourself and that you have been able to get an idea of the type of tickets and access that will best suit your travel plans with our list of the 10 best Florence Duomo tours.

Happy travels!

Best things to do and see in Florence

Get to know Florence in a new and exciting way by doing a free walking tour at one of the most iconic places in the city. You don’t always get the same impression of a city, since each time you go is different and there are different aspects to the culture, language and the customs of the people who live there, which always makes the trip unique and one of a kind. Discover all the hidden secrets of the Tuscan capital with GuruWalk. That’s no easy task, nor one you can expect to do in a day. Florence is the highest populated city in the region and it could be considered as a museum in and of itself: art, history, science, and philosophy flood its streets which are commonly filled with tourists from all around the world. 

You can find a large variety of free walking tours that will take you around the different neighborhoods and winding streets of Florence. Like one tour, that visits the Saint María del Fiore Cathedral or walks around the Piazza del Duomo (The Cathedral Square) and over the Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) and around the Old Palace. While others may visit the Pitti Palace, or the Republic Square, Michelangelo’s Square, and Signoria Square, or check out the Central Market. You can also choose to visit Boboli Gardens or stroll through the Squares and Gardens of the Santa Cruz Cathedral and the beautiful Saint Maria Novella Church. Among the options, the tour that takes walkers to visit  Michelangelo’s “David” is another unforgettable experience. 

Choose from a variety of the pay-what-you-want tours in Florence that take place every morning and afternoon and which are available in several languages, like English, Italian and many more. You can find other walkers' opinions and reviews about the tours on the Gurus profiles and decide which guided tour you would most like to do. You can book any of the tours at no cost on the GuruWalk page and you can do as many as you would like so that you can really get to know this beautiful Italian city. After, you may be interested in visiting other places like Naples, Palermo, Genoa or Turin to really get the most out of your Italian holidays!

Free walking tour near Florence

Others cities to visit after florence, find other guruwalks in florence, where are you traveling to.

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• Walking Itineraries in Florence

Exploring Florence on Foot

Florence's historical center is small and thus perfect for exploring on foot!

Following a suggested itinerary is a great way to pass by specific monuments, experiencing the best of each area to save you time (and energy) while allowing you to discover things you may have never noticed... particularly as Florence is so rich in details, architecture and monuments that you might not know where to look given the many choices!

Here are the three self-guided itinerary routes you can follow, divided geographically by areas of the city:

• The  Centro Storico : The historical area around the Duomo
• The Oltrarno , the left bank of the Arno river
• A climb up to Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato

Traveling on foot, as opposed to a bicycle or bus (most of the center is closed off to cars), provides for a pace that opens your eyes to various hidden treasures that you would have not have seen otherwise.  I always love learning about a city and seeing the sights by walking from one place to the next (when they are in a reasonable distance) while making short detours down intriguing streets that catch my attention. 

In Florence, this is often!

Guided Tours

If you're instead interested in a guided walking tour, take a look at this selection.

Walking Tours of Florence

I always stumble upon small shops, stores, and unexpected treasures of the city that I would have never seen.  And these are exactly the small things that make a city special and beautiful...by simply following one of the proposed walking tours below , you can explore Florence in a fun and active way without missing any of the top sights!

If you have several days to see the city, consider taking the time to visit the inside of some of the main sights and using a whole day’s time to complete the tour. I like to get started early when walking in the city center because it is clear of tourist crowds, AND it is much cooler AND the morning light is stunning ( great for photos)!

The "Centro Storico" or Historical Center around the Duomo

This walking itinerary allows you to see all of the main sights and some of the smaller hidden places in between what is considered the heart of the historical center. Consider just talking the walk and admiring everything from the outside if you are short on time . 

Start in Piazza del Duomo and continue on the right hand side, passing Giotto’s bell tower  where you will find the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo , where many important and original artifacts and artworks are held such as the original golden doors of the Baptistry.  I love this museum because it is usually much less crowded than some of the others but nonetheless holds some of the most important pieces.  

You will next want to turn right (when facing the museum) onto Via del Proconsolo and then take your second right onto Via del Corso.  To arrive at the Casa Museo di Dante where Dante lived, you will need to take Via del Presto di San Martino and then take your first right and then your next left onto Via Santa Margherita. At the next crossroad, take a left onto Via Dante Alighieri, which will bring you back to Via Proconsolo.

On your left at the corner with Via Ghibellina, you will find yourself in front of Florence’s famous sculpture museum, The Bargello .

A few blocks further down, you will want to turn right onto Via dei Gondi, which will take you up to Piazza Signoria , Palazzo Vecchio and The Uffizi , both of which can be truly admired and appreciated just from the outside! When you come to the end of the piazza and you are facing the Rivoire Cafe (which serves the best hot chocolate during the winter months!)

You will want to contine to your right onto Via Calzaiuoli where you will come to the Church of Orsanmichele , best known for its external niches and in particular, The Christ and Saint Thomas by Andrea del Verrocchio , dating back to the second half of the 15th century.  

Continue straight and turn right back onto Via del Corso where you will want to take your first left onto Via Sant’Elisabetta, a typical florentina street : narrow, dark and lined with small independently-owned businesses.  When you come to the end, you will see Grom , a famous gelateria just down to the left, if you need a small pick-me-up and a detour.

If not, turn right onto Via del Oche, which will run into Via dello Studio.  Just to the right you will see a small grocery store Pegna dal 1860, which sells specialty food items and makes for great gifts to bring home and the very well known and historical art supply store, Zecchi Colori e Belle Arti.  Taking a left will bring you back up to the Duomo, ending this walking tour of the historic center around the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria.  

You can do a similar itineray with a licensed guide with this tour called the Heart of Florence .

Oltrarno, Literally, the other side of the Arno River

This walk will give you a pretty good idea of what the other side of the river has to offer without going too far off the beaten path and without taking too much time.  Start at Ponte Vecchio and continue straight on Via Dè Guicciardini which will lead you all the way to Pitti Palace.  Right on your left  you will see the Chiesa di San Felicita , a gothic church housing a crucifix attributed to Giotto, frescoes by Pontormo and other works worth seeing - and through which runs the Vasari Corridor !

As you continue along, be sure to take some time to stop into the many leather and clothing shops along this street.  Upon arriving in the Pitti Palace piazza , you will notice a large open area to your left where you are free to sit down and bask in the sun.  

Continue along a bit further until you reach Piazza di S. Felice, where you will notice a small tower.  Turn around this to the right onto Via Mazzetta, which will bring you to Santo Spirito , a beautiful, green square which is best known to the locals.  Here, you will find several wonderful bars and restaurants such as Volume and Gusta Panino, all of which have seating outside and serve up anything from a brioche and cappuccino to a glass or wine and a pizza.  If you are there in the morning, poke around the market and don’t miss the Renaissance era Basilica of Santa Maria of Santo Spirito, most famous for the frescos by Botticelli and Filippino Lippi .  

At the Church’s facade, turn right onto Via de Michelozzi.  If you have planned your walk around lunch, you must stop at the Trattoria la Casalinga for lunch, a local favorite serving up reasonably priced Tuscan dishes of all kinds.  To finish the walk, head left on Via Maggio, which will take you all the way to Arno and the bridge Santa Trinita.  On the way, keep your eyes up and open on the left for the Palazzo di Bianca Cappella, a beautifully decorated building from the 16th century .  We finish our walk at the Santa Trinita bridge, where you will also conveniently find the Gelateria Santa Trinita.

Interested in a small group tasting tour through the Oltrarno? Take a look at this flavorful tasting experience tour !

Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato

This is a wonderful walk that will simply blow you away by the views and quaint, small streets, typical of Florence.  This is, however, a long walk, which can take anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 hours depending on how much you stop and rest but it is well worth the 2 miles just to get off the beaten path, away from the crowds and to see the city from a view you will never forget.   (There is also a bus that will take you to the top and you can just walk it down ... just as nice.)

Starting with your back at Ponte Vecchio from Oltrarno, you will want to head left down Via dei Bardi and continue along here for quite some time.  You will pass the Bardini Museum on your right, which also allows access to the Bardini Gardens . This road will eventually turn into Via di San Niccolò and will take you all the way to the door of San Niccolò in piazza Giuseppe Poggi , which was once one of the many doors granting access beyond the city walls during Medieval times.  

Here you will see staircases and paths leading up behind the old door, which in reality resembles more of a tower than a door.  You will want to make your way up these steps, crossing the road and a fountain until you reach the top, where you will greeted by reproduction of Michelangelo’s David and the most beautiful view of Florence you have ever seen.

There is a cafe you can sit down at or you can simply admire the view from the steps as you catch your breath and take in the fresh air.  You will notice the main road that runs by the piazza - you will want to take Viale Galileo up to San Miniato (to the right with your back at the view).  Take the opportunity and use the restroom located on the left, if need be, and continue to the tall staircase leading up to the church, San Miniato al Monte .  This church is considered one of the most elaborate and most beautiful examples of Romanesque architecture in the Tuscan region .  Take the time to enter and admire the frescoes, sinopia, terra cotta decoration, mosaics, and crypt.

The walk now leads us back down into town by returning back onto the Viale Galileo and taking a left down the steps, which you will find before you reach the piazza again.  This is a beautiful walkway that will take you downhill where you will come upon the  Rose Garden on your right, which is worth a stop.

You will continue straight, passing Fuori Porta on your left, a wonderful restaurant with outdoor seating best known for their ‘ crostoni’, which are large crostini topped with a variety of combinations from prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato to ham, pecorino and porcini mushrooms.  Before entering through the old walls, turn left onto Via Belvedere, one of the most beautiful roads in Florence and home to some of the oldest Florentine families.

Head uphill until you come to the intersection of Costa di San Giorgio, where Porta San Giorgio is, the oldest of the city gates dating back to 1260 .  Follow this road all the way down back to the Church of Santa Felicità, just past Ponte Vecchio, where you started.  In this piazza you will find a wonderful little wine bar called Le Volpi e l’Uva which is a great place to taste a variety of wines and cheeses .  You may also consider following this itinerary backwards, as it makes for a different experience, but either way you will be starting with an uphill and finishing with a downhill in the same spot.

If you want to do this tour with a licensed guide, go on this panoramic tour of Florence !

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• Itineraries in Florence
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Author: Lourdes Flores

I'm from California but have called Florence my home for over a decade. I love to explore Italy; it is a lot of fun to try to see everything like I'm seeing it for the first time, keeping you, our readers, always in mind. I enjoy sharing what I know and helping others as they make their travel plans for Tuscany through our Forum . If you have itinerary-related questions, please post them there!

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Our Travel Guides

Best Walking Tours in Florence

Top walking tours in florence.

Florence is easily one of the most recognizable places in Italy for tourists . The capital of the picturesque region of Tuscany , Florence has been important as early as the medieval times. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a highly touristy place with millions of visitors a year! And the throngs of tourists have a good reason, too.

At each turn, Florence offers an interesting piece of art and architecture that represents its deep history. As a haven of the arts, Florence is best explored on foot. This guide puts together some of the best walking tours in Florence you can have in the city. It’ll allow you an easy route to some of the greatest sights Florence has to offer.

Florence: Walking Tour

This tour’s unassuming name belies its perfect introduction to the tourist hive that is Florence. This takes tourists through some of the city’s most iconic sights, starting with the cathedral (Duomo) and the Baptistery of St. John. This side of Florence also includes the Sta. Maria del Fiore and its adjacent Giotto Bell Tower.

Another famous landmark (and influential art piece) the tour visits is the David sculpture by Michelangelo. Located at the Piazza della Signoria , this is also in the neighborhood of the Ponte Vecchio bridge.

The two-hour tour also takes you to the hidden side of Florence. With your professional guide giving you the lowdown on hidden places and other interesting nuggets most tourists don’t even have an idea of! The tour also includes a free scoop of traditional gelato as you pass by the La Strega Nocciola. 

Book this Florence walking tour here . 

Florence: Small Group History Walking Tour with an Aperitivo

This walking tour expands upon the idea set by the previous one. The three hour walk focuses not on the touristy places, but on the places instrumental to the birth not just of Florence of but of Italy in general. This history-buff-perfect tour starts at the Piazza della Repubblica, where Caesar first founded the city. You will also get a crash course in everything Florentian, from its architecture to its early politics.

Of course, you will also get a lot of eye candy. You will make your way to Ponte Vecchio, see part of the Vasari Corridor, stroll through the Piazzale degli Uffizi, enter the Palazzo Vecchio, and head to the Duomo, among others. You will also be treated to a cup of espresso and an aperitivo (plus a snack) during different points of the tour.

Book this Florence small group tour here .

Ultimate Uffizi: 2-Hour Priority Entrance Tour

If walking around a crowded city isn’t really your thing, this GetYourGuide Original tour will hit the spot. The Uffizi Gallery is famous for being the epicenter of Florence art, housing some of the most priceless art pieces in the world. Because of this, the queues here are often impossibly long, as hundreds of tourists clamor to get around the two-storey museum.

You can forget about the lines on this tour, though, which gives you priority access and a guide that will walk you through not just the museum’s highlights but also its secrets. Not only will you see masterpieces by da Vinci and Botticelli, but you will also know the history behind them. You can also gain access to all open exhibitions on the day you visit.

Book this Ultimate Uffizi tour here . 

Florence Dome Climb: 1-Hour Priority Entrance Tour

Another GetYourGuide Original, this takes you behind the scenes of one of the most famous cupolas in the world. Skip the lines and the crowds, and reward yourself with a breath-taking view of Florence as you reach the top! This is perfect for those who wish to have a rare bird’s eye view of the city.

Of course, the tour isn’t just about the climb. Hear the remarkable story behind the dome which took two centuries to complete. Marvel at both the artwork on the ceiling and the richness of materials used for the floors and pillars. The tour comes with a ticket to the rest of the Duomo, so you can explore the museum, the cathedral itself, the crypt, and the baptistry. It’s valid for three days, so if you have other plans you can skip and come back later!

Book this Dome Climb tour here .

Academia Gallery: Reserved Entrance and Guided Tour

The beauty of Florence art and culture is that it’s just as interesting whether you choose a widespread or a focused approach. The Academia Gallery tour is an example of the latter, with the famous David statue being the focal point.

The tour gives you an in-depth look at the life and times of Michelangelo, the immortal artist of the Renaissance. The 1-hour tour unfolds as you visit the collection of his masterpieces, along with that of other illustrious painters of the time. And if you think that museum tours are boring academic sessions (the museum’s name can be misleading, after all), the tour’s licensed and professional guides will prove you wrong!

Book Academia Gallery tour here .

Florence: Private Customized Walking Tour with a Local Guide

This is another way to look at Florence, and perhaps this is the one that will have the most impact. Anyone can look at the sights and absorb all the trivia, but only a few will be able to truly look at Florence with the eyes of a local! This guide gets one of Florence’s passionate locals as your tour guide, and shows you their way of life which is just as interesting (or even more so) than the tourist attractions.

The tour can last anywhere from two to six hours and takes you around the neighborhood of your choice. This is perfect if you’ll be staying in Florence for an extended vacation. Know all the ins and outs, like the best places to dine in or to shop from. Get insider tips and tricks, and a complete picture of Florentian life!

All the walking tour itineraries mentioned here are just snapshots of the infinite wonder that Florence has to offer. Don’t be afraid to take a sudden turn, to look close or to stand back, to veer off from the beaten path. That’s the surest way to find something new!

Book this Private Tour here .

Florence Food Tours

Italy is known for its delicious food and people often try to remake it at home. However, while in Italy it’s best to get the real thing to experience those amazing flavors in person. What better way to do that than to go on a food tour in the lovely Florence, Italy. 

Florence Italy Sunset Food Tour  

When you’re spending your time in this town, you want to do as much as you can in your allotted time. During the day, you can take a culture tour and soak in the history. When the sun starts to set, I recommend this food tour. You are led around the city to the best restaurants and bars in town. For 3 and a half hours, you’re in a food and wine paradise. Not only do you get to taste the expertly cured meat straight from the local deli, you also get to see a live demonstration at the famous Bistecca alla Fiorentina. This is a tour you won’t soon forget. 

Book this food tour here .

The Other Side of Florence  

This morning tour varies with the type of tour you want. If you bring along your family, there’s a tour for all ages. If it’s just you and your partner, the adult tour is for you. This 4 hour tour takes you behind the scenes of the well-known desserts and lets you sample Italian delicacies like fennel-spiced salami and the infamous Chianti wine. You really explore the other side of Florence on this awesome tours.

Book this eccentric food tour here .

Authentic Florence Home-Cooking Class

We all want to be able to show off our cooking skills at parties and holiday get-togethers. What’s even better is to be able to show off the cooking skills and recipes you picked up in Italy. Not only do you visit the local markets to pick up ingredients, you make an array of pastas and sauces from scratch while sipping on wine and making life long friends. In this 4 hour class, you cook, wine, and dine in a beautiful Florence home complete with a rooftop terrace. It’ll be a life enhancing experience.

Book this cooking class here .

Best Walking Tours in Tuscany was written by Karina Angela Ramos. She is a former preschool teacher turned travel blogger/ travel consultant and social media manager. She writes at Karla Around the World  and  Hungry Travel Duo . People call her an energizer bunny, a never-ending source of energy and laughter, who is a lover of adventure. She was bitten by the travel bug early on and enjoys talking about my action packed and adrenaline filled experience. While traveling, Karla loves to experience local culture, trying out local cuisine, meeting new people, most of all adventure. Follow her Instagram  karlaroundtheworld and Facebook  karlaroundtheworld .

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Tour de France 2024 contenders: the Big Favourites form guide

With the start in Florence almost upon us, we assess where the favourites are ahead the year's biggest race

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Cycling can be the cruellest mistress – or indeed master – and never was that better demonstrated than by the topsy-turvy early season experienced by some of the biggest favourties on the 2024 Tour de France start list . 

There was a crash taking three out at once to varying degrees in April; there was a Grand Tour that went superbly for one of them but left us wondering how it would affect his July form – and then of course there are the guys outside the much-talked about 'Big Four', who could be feeling glad, or resentful, that it's not at least a 'Big Five' or 'Big Six'.

Here's our pre-race form guide to some of the biggest GC names you can expect to see in action from Saturday onwards.

Early-season on the way to winning Tirreno-Adriatico

JONAS VINGEGAARD (Visma-Lease a bike, 27) Days raced in 2024: 14 Best result in 2024: 1st overall, Tirreno-Adriatico CW rating: ***

By now we know the story. The defending Tour de France champion came down in an awful crash in April's Itzulia Basque Country stage race, broke several ribs, punctured a lung, broke his collarbone, and hasn't raced since.

The superb condition that had brought him overall wins at O Gran Camiño and Tirreno-Adriatico suddenly counted for very little.

As Tour preparation goes, you could call it sub-optimal.

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But Visma-Lease a bike team boss Richard Plugge himself said that unless the Dane was ready to fight for the win, he would not go to the Tour. He has completed an altitude training camp at Tignes in the Alps too, so it's fair to assume he isn't far off.

In recent days though, team coach Mathieu Heijboer told Cycling Weekly that there were too many question marks over Vingegaard "to say that he is ready to win".

One of the issues, Heijboer said, was that training on the time trial bike had been significantly limited by his injuries. The Dane was, however, "very motivated", he said.

It's likely we'll see Vingegaard improve throughout the race – but given how hard the first week is, will that be too little, too late?

Pogačar winning his fifth stage at the Giro d'Italia

TADEJ POGAČAR (UAE Team Emirates, 25) Days raced in 2024: 31 Best result in 2024: 1st overall, Giro d'Italia CW rating: *****

If there had been any question marks over the zing left in Tadej Pogačar's legs after a raucous Giro d'Italia campaign that saw him win six stages and the overall by nearly 10 minutes, they were – tentatively – crossed out by the Slovenian's claims that he has "never felt better on the bike".

He had taken a step up since the Giro, he said, and was in even better shape than he expected.

Pogačar – who won the Tour de France in 2020-21 but has lost out to Jonas Vingegaard the past two seasons – has not raced since winning the Giro but it sounds like training has been going rather well.

However, great condition in the week before the Tour can fade by the crucial third week. Pogačar and his team will know this of course, and do all they can do to preserve it. But it may also prompt him to strike while the iron is hot and go for an early GC lead.

For now, he is the favourite by a stretch.

Returning from injury to win the Critérium du Dauphiné

PRIMOŽ ROGLIČ (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, 34) Days raced in 2024: 19 Best result in 2024: 1st overall, Critérium du Dauphiné CW rating: ****

Having only just begun to get his teeth into his first season with the newly christened Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, having transferred from Jumbo-Visma, Primož Roglič got caught up in that same big Itzulia crash as Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.

He didn't break any bones but suffered "extensive" injuries, and didn't race for two months.

However, his form upon his return might give those rooting for Vingegaard – so far untested in a race since the crash – cause for optimism.

Roglič won the Critérium du Dauphiné – a key Tour de France warm-up race, along with two mountains stages, plus a third in the time trial.

"To be able to win the Dauphiné with all of the things that happened in between, it’s beautiful," he said afterwards.

It's promising for the Slovenian, and will surely buoy him up mentally ahead of the big one. With Vingegaard and Evenepoel likely to be sub-par, 34-year-old Roglič ranks as the man most likely to challenge Pogačar, and may consider this the best chance he'll get to finally win the race.

Wearing the white jersey – temporarily – in the Dauphiné

REMCO EVENEPOEL (Soudal-Quick Step, 24) Days raced in 2024: 25 Best result in 2024: 1st overall, Volta ao Algarve CW rating: ***

Just as with Jonas Vingegaard, things were going so well for Remco Evenepoel up to Itzulia Basque Country. He'd won the Volta as Algarve and come second at Paris-Nice, winning stages in each.

It all went wrong after that, of course, and that crash at Itzulia left him with a broken scapula and collarbone to come back from.

Like Roglič, he did not race again until the Critérium du Dauphiné earlier this month, at which he showed very promising signs, beating Josh Tarling into second place by 17sec on stage four's lumpy, 34km time trial.

He performed passably well in the mountains, though lost small chunks of time to main rivals Roglič and Matteo Jorgenson – 40 seconds here, a minute-and-a-half there – when it came to the tough final few stages.

It's likely he will have improved his form still further by the time the riders line up in Florence on Saturday, but for now he is, wisely, not putting too much pressure on himself .

"Of course, I would like to have a good Tour and get some nice results," he said, but pointed out that it was a hard race, and his debut, "so the plan is to discover the race, take it one day at a time and see where this leads us."

Rodríguez wins stage 8 of 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné

CARLOS RODRÍGUEZ (Ineos Grenadiers, 23) Days raced in 2024: 32 Best result in 2024: 1st overall, Tour de Romandie CW rating: ****

Outside the Big Four (like Pello Bilbao below), the young Spaniard may have just squeezed under the radar of some – though his fifth-place ride at last year's Tour de France was impressive. His year began steadily but he quickly hit his stride with second overall in that fateful Itzulia Basque Country and followed that in short order by winning the Tour de Romandie.

His Critérium du Dauphiné was also a success, netting him a mountains stage win on the way to fourth overall – ahead, notably, of Remco Evenepoel.

He will lead the team alongside a resurgent Egan Bernal at the Tour and, we think, has a good chance of reprising at least his fifth place last year, with a podium not out of reach.

Climbing to ninth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious, 34) Days raced in 2024: 34 Best result in 2024: 2nd overall, Tour of Slovenia CW rating: ***

A perennial botherer of the top GC echelons in the Grand Tours, Bilbao recorded his best Tour de France finish last year with sixth place, and was the winner of the hilly 10th stage to Issoire.

This year, his Tour build-up has gone well, with sixth overall at the lumpy – but reduced field – Itzulia Basque Country, followed by top-10 rides in both Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Most recently, he went to what was once Tadej Pogačar's favourite Tour warm-up race – the Tour of Slovenia, where he took home a stage and second overall.

That is arguably his best result this season and perfectly timed as the Tour approaches – expect another strong GC challenge from Bilbao this year.

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After cutting his teeth on local and national newspapers, James began at Cycling Weekly as a sub-editor in 2000 when the current office was literally all fields. 

Eventually becoming chief sub-editor, in 2016 he switched to the job of full-time writer, and covers news, racing and features.

A lifelong cyclist and cycling fan, James's racing days (and most of his fitness) are now behind him. But he still rides regularly, both on the road and on the gravelly stuff.

British rider hopes to play starring role in Italian Grand Départ

By Tom Thewlis Published 26 June 24

Former yellow jersey winner says this year's race "could be my last"

By Tom Davidson Published 26 June 24

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BEST of Tours Accademia and David Tours

Accademia is a very small museum but it is home to Italy's most iconic statue; Michelangelo's David. The statue was carved out of an impossible piece of marble that many other famous sculptors try to use and failed. Michelangelo famously looked at the stone and imaged David trapped inside waiting to be freed. The result was what is widely considered his masterpiece. Many of our guided tours of Accademia include other attractions throughout Florence since a visit to Accademia only takes about 40 minutes. This makes these tours very light and enjoyable. A balance of major attractions and a stroll through Florence with a passionate guide. The tour guides in Florence are among the most passionate about their home city in the whole of Europe. There is something about a city so small being so beautiful and attracting so many visitors. This makes guided tours a real treat! See our below tours, activities, and experience but don't delay as they do sell out in high seasons.

Book Skip the tours and see Michaelangelo's David with Free Cancellation

7 Tours Found

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Florence Walking Tour with Statue of David

Uncover the best of Florence at the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio, and skip the line at Accademia

Florence in a Day Combo Tour with David and Uffizi

Explore Accademia Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Florence Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, and so much more

Statue of David Evening Tour

Skip the line to see Michelangelo's David on a later tour of the Accademia Gallery with fewer crowds

Florence Private Walking Tour with Michelangelo's David

Explore the famous sites of Florence, with Ponte Vecchio, Duomo, and skip-the-line Accademia entry

Livorno Shore Excursion: Florence & Pisa

Maximize your day ashore on this jam-packed private tour with Leaning Tower, David, and more!

Kid-Friendly Private Florence Walking Tour: David & Gelato

Bring the fun to Florence on this family walking tour that includes a merry-go-round and papermaking

Florence Accademia Gallery Express Guided Tour

Skip the line, marvel at renowned masterpieces and see Michelangelo’s iconic David statue!

What day is Accademia closed?

The Accademia gallery in Florence is closed Mondays as well as January 1st and December 25th.

What is the best day to visit Accademia?

Like most museums, Accademia is most busy on the weekends. It is also busy on Tuesdays since it is closed Mondays. If you have a choice, we recommend visiting Wednesday through Friday.

Does Accademia have a long line to enter?

Yes, it can be very long most days of the year. By purchasing a tour you are also purchasing a ticket reservation which takes the guesswork out of visiting.

Can you visit the Uffizi and Accademia in one day?

You most certainly can. We have a tour that includes both museums as well as a stroll through Florence including Ponte Sisto and the Florence Cathedral from the outside.

Is Accademia in the center of Florence?

Yes, it is located less than 15 mins walking from Santa Maria Novella train station and less than 10 from the "Duomo" or Cathedral of Florence. Read our blog article for more information about visiting Accademia .

Is there more to see in Accademia than Michelangelo's David?

Yes, but it is a relatively small gallery. That said, you can see masters of the 15th century including Filippino Lippi, Perugino, and Botticelli! Read the top things to see at Accademia to get excited and brush up for you tour!

Do your tours stay in Accademia a long time?

No, not really, but you should read each tour description for specific information. That said, tours often visit for 45 mins to 1 hour which is plenty of time to get a taste of this smaller gallery.

Which Accademia tours do we recommend?

These are some of our favorites:

Florence in a day combo with David and Uffizi (full day)

Florence walking tour with Statue of David

Statue of David evening tour

Florence private walking tour with Michelangelo's David

Is there a lot of walking during Accademia tours?

Accademia is small so not much walking there, but Accademia tours almost always include other monuments and you'll be mostly on your feet. In general, there will be a lot of walking on tours in Florence. If you're looking for less walking, check out our tours that include vehicles in Florence .

What is the best part about Visiting Accademia?

Without a doubt the David. It is arguably one of the greatest works of art ever composed and very likely the greatest statue ever made by hand.

Is a tour of Accademia worth it?

Yes, of course. Tours have changed--they're fun now! Look for a small group between 15 and 20 and you'll find your time enjoyable and you'll learn a lot. For more, read our article on " are Accademia tours worth it? "

Will it be hot in Florence?

If you are coming in the summer, and most people do, then yes. Prepare to be hot. For men, a linen shirt and shorts in the summer or a dress for women. Mentally prepare for heat and you'll find it bothering you less. Bring a bottle of water and fill it up as you go!

Things to do in Florence

Florence Tours | Accademia Tours | Tuscany Tours | Florence Food Tours | Florence Wine Tours | Florence Full Day Tours | Florence Half Day Tours | Day Trips from Florence | Florence Duomo Tours (Santa Maria Del Fiore) | Florence Cooking Classes | Florence Food Tours | Ponte Vecchio | Private Accademia Tours | Private Uffizi | Statue of David Tours | Pisa Tours from Florence | Florence Dome Climb Tours | Florence Tours with Transportation | Florence Museum Tours | Florence Tours Likely to Sell Out | Florence Shore Excursions

Cities to Visit Near Florence

Rome Tours | Milan Tours | Venice Tours | Pisa Tours | Tuscany Tours | Cinque Terre | Siena | San Gimignano

Top Attractions in Italy

Doge's Palace Tours | Rome Tours | Colosseum Tours | Vatican Tours | Colosseum Underground Tours | Colosseum Arena Floor Tours | St. Peter's Basilica Dome Tours | Pompeii Tours from Rome | Rome Catacombs Tours | Palatine Hill Tours Rome | Rome Forum Tours | Trevi Fountain Tours | St Mark's Square Tours | St Mark's Basilica Tours | Murano & Burano Island Tours | Trastevere Rome Tours | Pompeii Tours | Capri Tours | Amalfi Coast Tours & Activities | Cinque Terre Tours | Accademia Tours | Florence Duomo Tours (Santa Maria Del Fiore) | Statue of David Tours | Pisa Tours | Florence Dome Climb Tours | Uffizi Gallery Tours | The Last Supper Tours | Milan Duomo Tours | Lake Como Tours | Florence Cooking Classes | Florence Food Tours | Mt Etna Tours | Sicily Tours | Raphael Rooms Tours | Sistine Chapel Tours | Golf Cart Tours Rome |

OUR BEST SELLING TOURS AT A GLANCE

Most Popular Tours

Ultimate palace of versailles tour from paris.

Breeze past the lines for the palace and gardens with a friendly English speaking guide

Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

Skip the line and gain direct access to the Raphael Rooms, Creation of Man, and St. Peter's Basilica

Rome in a Day Tour with Colosseum and Vatican Museums

Explore the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and more!

Special Access Colosseum Arena Floor Tour through the Gladiator's Gate

Walk in the footsteps of gladiators on the Colosseum floor and see the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Semi-Private Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

Enjoy a premium and exclusive tour of the Raphael Rooms, St.Peter's Basilica, and more!

Privileged Entrance Colosseum Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Skip the line at the Colosseum, plus Arch of Titus, Temple of Julius Caesar, and more!

Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa

Get to know Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People, and Napoleon's Coronation like never before

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