A Day in Florence: An Immersive Experience

The Uffizi Gallery is one of Florence’s essential sights, home to some of the greatest achievements of Italian art. On this private visit, you trace the story of the Renaissance from its origins to its triumphs. Beginning with Cimabue and Giotto, you see the first steps toward naturalism, before Masaccio’s bold experiments with perspective place humanity at the centre of a newly imagined world.

The journey continues into the heart of the Medici court with Botticelli’s Spring and Birth of Venus, paintings shaped by humanist thought and a belief in beauty as a civilising force. Along the way, works by Fra Angelico, Filippino Lippi, and others enrich the story. You then encounter the giants of the High Renaissance: Leonardo da Vinci’s endlessly inquisitive mind, Raphael’s insight into power and politics, Titian’s sensuous Venus of Urbino, and Michelangelo’s striking Doni Tondo, a glimpse of the new Mannerist age. With your expert guide, these masterpieces become a vivid story of artists who reshaped how we see the world.

The Accademia is another unmissable gallery, with a collection of some of the finest works by Michelangelo. On your private visit to the Accademia you will come face-to-face with David, perhaps the most famous statue in the world, and understand why Michelangelo’s contemporaries were in awe, believing that he was guided by the hand of God. You will also admire his series of unfinished Slaves, a moving collection of figures who struggle to free themselves from their marble prisons.

Brunelleschi’s magnificent Duomo dominates the skyline of Florence. It is an amazing feat of engineering, and as you learn about its construction and the fiery personality of its architect, you will gain an even deeper appreciation for this wonder of the Renaissance. Your guide will also show you the beautiful Baptistery, with its famous bronze doors designed by Ghiberti. The extraordinary detail of the Biblical scenes on the doors even impressed Michelangelo, who thought they were so beautiful “they would grace the entrance to Paradise”, will be well discussed by our guide during your Florence Tour.

Another fascinating chapter of Florence’s history is its mercantile past, the story of the city’s guilds and merchants. You will explore the beautiful Orsanmichele, the granary transformed into a market, and finally a church. The statues on its ornate facade, including Donatello’s splendid St George, symbolise the powerful guilds of Florence, whose influence extended far beyond the city. After learning about the lives of the merchants and the world of Renaissance trade, you will pass by Palazzo Davanzati. This exquisitely decorated palace, bright and spacious compared to the medieval buildings across the street, gives a valuable insight into the private lives of the city’s powerful merchant dynasties.

Piazza della Signoria was the political heart of the Renaissance Florence. Standing in front of imposing Palazzo Vecchio, you will learn of the power and corruption of Florence. The story of Palazzo Vecchio is also the story of the irrepressible Medici dynasty, the banking family that ruled the city and provided invaluable patronage for Florence’s greatest scientists and artists, from Galileo to Da Vinci. In the piazza you will see the sculptures of the Loggia dei Lanzi and discover the darker side of the square’s history. A plaque marks the spot where the extremist preacher Savonarola, famous for his apocalyptic sermons, was hanged and burned at the stake in 1498.