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Florence Evening Walking Tour: Stories of Power, Love & Betrayal

Badge of Excellence
Florence, Italy
Popular pick
Booked 5+ times last week!
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

See Florence in a whole new light on an evening walking tour. Hear tales of love, scandal, and revenge as your guide leads you past landmarks such as Palazzo Strozzi, Ponte Vecchio, and Piazza della Signoria. Listen to local legends that you'd otherwise miss, soak in ancient architecture, and gain a fresh perspective on the city.
  • Learn about the Medici family who ruled Florence for over 300 years
  • See the sites of medieval scandal like Palazzo di Bianca Cappello and Palazzo Strozzi
  • Discover lesser-known details about top Florence attractions like the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria
  • Audio headsets mean you hear your guide clearly at all times

What's Included

  • Expert English Speaking Guide
  • Group of 20 people or less
  • Audio headsets so you can always hear your guide
  • Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Piazza degli Strozzi, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy

    In front of the Louis Vuitton store in Piazza degli Strozzi. Walking from the Duomo: Facing west with your back to the main facade of Duomo, walk to the southwest corner of Piazza del Duomo (the corner to your left) and continue west on Via dei Pecori. Walk two blocks (after one block, Via dei Pecori will become Via degli Agli) and turn left on Via dei Pescioni. Walk two more blocks to Piazza degli Strozzi. The Louis Vuitton store will be on your left.

End point

  • Ponte Santa Trinita, Firenze FI, Italy

Itinerary

Meet your guide in Piazza degli Strozzi, and kick off your evening in Florence by hearing about key moments in the city's history, which inevitably focuses on the Renaissance. Standing before the grandiose Palazzo Strozzi, you’ll learn of the rivalries between the influential Buondelmonti, Medici, and Strozzi families, and the indelible marks they left on their city.

As you orient yourself around the history-steeped streets, you’ll discover palaces created for mistresses, headquarters for conspiring politicians, and churches with medieval secrets, along with some top Florence attractions, too. Pass the Uffizi Gallery, learning about the Botticelli and Michelangelo masterpieces inside its walls, and see the Pitti Palace, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, and more.

Your tour then comes to an end by Ponte Santa Trinita, close to the many restaurants and bars of Florence’s “centro storico.”
1

Palazzo Strozzi

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

2

Palazzo Buondelmonti

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

3

Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

4

Palazzo di Parte Guelfa

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

5

Torre degli Amidei

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

6

Auditorium Santo Stefano al Ponte Vecchio

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

7

Piazza della Signoria

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

8

Palazzo Vecchio

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

9

Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

10

Ponte Vecchio

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

11

Palazzo Pitti

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

12

Palazzo Bianca Cappello , originally of Corbinelli family

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Not Included

13

Ponte Santa Trinita

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not suggested for strollers or baby carriages
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.4
based on 147 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Very good walking tour...

Wayne_W, Dec 2025
Very good walking tour covering several landmarks in 1.5 hrs. Stefano was very knowledgeable about local history.

Acquired taste

cj_s, Nov 2025
okay tour which gives you a good insight into florence, a little boring to be honest however maybe that’s personal preference, some on the tour really really enjoyed it

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Dear Guest, We apologize that you found the tour a little boring. While some attendees truly enjoyed the experience and the insight into Florence, we understand that preferences for presentation styles and content can be subjective. We regret that we didn't fully meet your expectations on this occasion and appreciate your honest feedback. We hope you give us the opportunity to take another tour in the future.

Great night time tour.

Ann_N, Oct 2025
Really enjoyed this evening history tour. Our guide was Stefano. He had a lot of knowledge about the history of Florence and the ruling families of the Renaissance. The audio devices provided were great. As someone who sometimes has difficulty hearing in crowded places this allowed us to hear every word. We did cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Which may be difficult if you have mobility issues. I would definitely recommend this tour.

get to know Florence

Mary_M, Oct 2025
The guide has lots of info and not so well known facts. He did a good job but not a very animated speaker

Great way to spend an evening in Florence

rchesselink, Sep 2025
Stefano was a wonderful guide and storyteller, and it was such a fun way to spend our evening. We loved seeing some lesser known corners of Florence and hearing all about its history from such a knowledgeable source, and being at night gave it a great ambiance. The pacing was perfect with ample breaks between walking. Highly recommend!

Be ready to walk! Wear...

Alzada_M, Jul 2025
Be ready to walk! Wear good shoes. This was a great way to orient ourselves on our first night. We enjoyed the tour but found ourselves losing focus amidst the details after an hour. Still, we recommend it as it introduced us to many places that we were able to revisit in following days.

Well meaning but poorly executed tour

Zev_B, Jun 2025
It's hard to know what to make of this tour. It was like someone turned on a fire hydrant full of historical facts that were all about Florence but otherwise unrelated to one another. The tour guide kept jumping from one thing to the next, it wasn't clear if the items were supposed to be related or not. It was really just confusing and frustrating.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Hi Zev_B, Thank you for your honest feedback. We're sorry to hear that the storytelling on this tour felt disjointed. While our guides are encouraged to bring Florence's rich and layered history to life, it sounds like the narrative flow could have been improved in this instance. We’ll follow up internally to ensure future tours feel more cohesive and engaging. We’d love another chance to show you the magic of Florence, with a guide and pace better suited to your expectations. Warmly, The City Wonders Team

Great tour and perfect pre dinner

Elena_F, Dec 2022
I loved this so much. Ok it was 4 years ago but was booking another and saw I could review. This was the maiden “tour” for me on Viator and now I do them all over the world. Don’t forget to tip your operator. This was chanting at sunset and full of amazing facts about fashion houses, medieval events and incredible secrets. Loved it !

Another side of the city

AnaMaria7401, Oct 2019
Valentina led us through history with unheard stories from distant or more recent past which made us discover a different city. The gelato at the end was delicious

Terrible

Patricia_H, Oct 2019
Tour Guide does not have the type of voice to be a speaker. A lot of mumbling, a lot of chatter about unimportant things to the tour. We left the tour after about 15-20 minutes.

Very interesting

Rachel_W, Jul 2019
On a very hot day, an evening tour is a great choice. Our guide was very knowledgeable and had interesting stories at each stop. Having gelato at the end was a nice treat as well:

Great way to spend an evening

RaeLee_K, Oct 2018
This is a nice little tour that takes you around quite a bit of the old city, with lots of interesting tales about its most important medieval families. It gives you a nice glimpse of how life was at the time and it's a great way to learn where some of the key sites are and see them when they're not surrounded by tourists.

Beautiful Florence at night!

Giovanna_M, Oct 2018
We have visited Florence before and wanted to experience a different perspective of the city. Our guide showed us places we would have not seen otherwise. The gelato we had is by far the best gelato. This place has had many rewards. Santa Maria Gelateria.

A great evening walk with Francesca...

B J I, Sep 2018
A great evening walk with Francesca - the insider stories which make these tours worthwhile - Francesca had a great knack of making the stories come alive. And finishing up with a lesson on how to select top quality gelato and then enjoying one. Great time had by all...

Angelo A. yes, with an A gives a...

Sara_U, Jul 2018
Angelo A. yes, with an A gives a great tour for people who enjoy mystery, history, and humor. You start at the Palazzo Strozzi with an introduction to the power players of Florence. Angelo A is a captivating storyteller and it's easy to travel back in time with him. You'll snake through Florence with Angelo's stories of the Medicis and the rise and fall of Florence. He will show you where Florence was re-built after World War II. You won't be able to tell until you know. You'll cross the river and wander through the Oltranro with more stories about the legends of Florence. Angelo A. is irreverent, subversively funny, and fiercely passionate about his city. Great tour that ends with good, cheap gelato.

Stephano shared his incredible...

Chales_B, Apr 2018
Stephano shared his incredible knowledge of Florence. The nighttime tour was one to remember.

A terrific way to see Florence and...

Paula T, Nov 2017
A terrific way to see Florence and learn some of the more intriguing stories in the city's history. Our guide was excellent - knowledgeable and entertaining.

Medieval Florence walking tour was...

Susan S, Oct 2017
Medieval Florence walking tour was great. Our tour guide knew all the ins and outs of Florence proper and kept everyone interested. She was knowledgeable and it was fun to hear her individual stories about the sights.

A truly enjoyable experience led by...

Liz F, Oct 2017
A truly enjoyable experience led by our guide who gave a lot of information in the most compelling manner.

Angelo made this tour come alive and...

Mary_G, Oct 2017
Angelo made this tour come alive and kept us all engaged in the mysterious side of Florence! He's a great story teller with a wonderful sense of humor, going above and beyond our expectations. We appreciated the little known facts and their link to the 'great' families that established Florence as a power. We highly recommend this tour!!

Interesting tour of the back streets...

John_N, Oct 2017
Interesting tour of the back streets of Florence with stories of Medici intrigue along the way and ended superbly with a ver good gelato. Tour was a little too long to do on an empty stomach. I should have had an early dinner.

Very informative, took us to some...

Michael_R, Oct 2017
Very informative, took us to some extremely interesting places that we could never find again in daylight. Small group and all were issued with headsets which was a professional touch. Good pace walking around Florence and guide welcomed questions. Would recommend to all visiting Florence

Stefano was a knowlegeable historian...

Christina_F, Sep 2017
Stefano was a knowlegeable historian and guide to the lesser known areas of Florence. Highly recommended tour.

Great tour and stories. Our guide...

Danielle H, Sep 2017
Great tour and stories. Our guide was knowledge and relaxed and we walked through little side streets you probably would not notice by yourself. And you finished with gelato!!

Fabulous tour for an education of...

Jamie_S, Sep 2017
Fabulous tour for an education of the not so widely known history of Florence. Great tour around back streets that tourists wouldn't necessarily visit. Annette was informative and entertaining. Loved the tour!

Mel was our guide and after I had...

Mary Z, Aug 2017
Mel was our guide and after I had spent 5 weeks in Florence studying and touring, she was able to make the tour interesting and connected places with stories of intrigue and romance.

Very knowledgeable tour guide- but I...

Gina G, Jun 2017
Very knowledgeable tour guide- but I felt like we were living in a history lesson. She talked and talked and talked and talked... it really was not the tour I wa hoping for. I wanted to see the big sights at night to get photos. This was a story telling adventure 4 miles of walking mind you that was about one of the families who got caught in betrayal and adultury and murder. If you are into that kind of thing, this is for you. If not, then walk on your own. Only good thing was the gelato. But, we could have done that at one of the 1500 gelato shops in the area.

Not enough building /architecture...

Joseph B, Jun 2017
Not enough building /architecture content and too many long stories. We covered very little ground in 2 hours. The guide was very nice but long winded. Stood about quite a lot. No where to sit while he rambled on. What we did see was interesting and the gelato at the end was delicious.

The explanation of perspective in...

teriknuese, Jun 2017
The explanation of perspective in the Stozzi palace was fantastic. Gelato was equally awesome.

We have always enjoyed Viator tours...

Monica, Jun 2017
We have always enjoyed Viator tours, however, this time was a disappointment. The Medieval Florence Evening Walking Tour was posted as a VIATOR tour and subcontracted to an organization called City Wonders. The guide told everyone that it was the first time he was doing the tour. He repeatedly commented that we would be hearing about the dark/evil side of Florence and would launch into various tales about violence. If you are looking for the history of Florence and a lovely evening stroll with your children, don't bother.
Likely to Sell Out

From $21.52

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up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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On average, this is booked 32 days in advance.

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