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The Best Tour in Florence: Renaissance and Medici Tales

Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Florence, Italy
Trending
Booked 5+ times in 12 hours.
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9
·
· Thaddeus_P ·
Aug 2026
Amen, our guide was very insightful and took us to many scenic spots. Also inside one of the churches and around Forence. He shared its long history. Its a great way in the private cart. Highly recomend!
· Grace_B ·
Sep 2026
Brilliant tour. We went on our first full day in Florence; Alberto was engaging and we learned about the Medicis and the history of Florence and its’ palaces, churches and the Duomo. He recommended a book for further reading and helpful tips about things to do and places to eat.

Overview

Discover the best of Florence, learn all about the Medici family and their role in shaping the Renaissance, and see the city’s hidden corners on this immersive, pay-what-you-want tour. Set off on foot to see highlights like the Duomo, Giotto’s Campanile, and Palazzo Vecchio, and learn the stories behind the sights.
  • This budget-friendly tour offers an affordable way to explore the city
  • Discover many of Florence’s top attractions and lesser-known landmarks
  • Learn the stories behind the sights from your guide’s commentary
  • Exploring on foot makes it easy to soak up the city’s ambiance

What's Included

  • Licensed Guide
  • Gratuities
  • Audio devices are REQUIRED by city regulations.
    €1.50 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Piazza di San Lorenzo, 35R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy

    The meeting point is in front of the façade of SAN LORENZO church (main entrance, not the entrance of the Medici chapels) next to the marble statue of Giovanni de' Medici who is sitting on a small throne. Look for a small red flag.

End point

  • Piazza della Signoria
    P.za della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

    The endpoint is only indicative and can vary slightly within the indicated area.

Itinerary

Your walking tour starts in front of San Lorenzo Church in the heart of Florence. Meet your guide next to the statue of Giovanni de' Medici sitting on a throne.

With this wide-ranging introduction to Florence, cover main attractions and hidden gems while you learn about the Medici family and their role in shaping the Renaissance.

After the Basilica di San Lorenzo, your first stops are the Palazzo Medici Riccardi and the Baptistery of St. John, one of Florence’s oldest buildings. See the famous Florence Duomo and the Cupola del Brunelleschi, the Renaissance masterpiece dome sitting atop it.

Next, pass the House of Dante, the museum and birthplace of the Florentine writer. Continue to the Piazza della Signoria and the Palazzo Vecchio. See the copy of Michelangelo’s “David.” Your tour ends in this convenient spot near the Uffizi Gallery.
1

Basilica di San Lorenzo

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

2

Palazzo Medici Riccardi

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

3

Battistero Di San Giovanni

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

4

Duomo

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

5

Campanile di Giotto

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

6

Cupola Del Brunelleschi

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

7

Museo Casa di Dante

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

8

Piazza della Signoria

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

9

Palazzo Vecchio

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

10

Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour is made possible only thanks to your donations. We offer the tour in this way because we are confident in the quality of what we are providing. At the end of the tour, you will decide the appropriate amount to compensate for the expertise and professionalism of the guide who accompanied you. The only form of compensation for the guide is what you choose to donate.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 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

4.9
based on 12,013 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sort by: Most insightful

so fascinating - Manuel is a natural storyteller

christina_c, Sep 2026
Manuel was just amazing … tour was well organized and he was passionate about the subject matter and made the history make so much sense … loved seeing the hidden gems in city & hearing the story behind them!

Not as advertised and rather confusing

Pierina_L, Sep 2026
The meeting point is not easily located. It is a selling point for leather handbags. It is not “hosted” as one might expect. The entry point and wiring system is confusing.

Hidden gems and amazing stories

Moneeta_B, Sep 2026
Manuel our guide was extremely knowledgeable and gave us a lot of history and helped us understand how the city came to be what it is today! Lots of stories and laughs and an overall excellent way to get an overview of this city!!

A great two hour walking...

Susan_U, Sep 2026
A great two hour walking tour around Florence, learning about the Renaissance and the influence of the Medici family on the city. Alberto, our tour guide, was excellent, his knowledge of the subject and the city was very impressive, he encouraged everyone to ask questions, making the tour thoroughly enjoyable and interactive.

This was a great tour!...

Jacqueline_C, Sep 2026
This was a great tour! Unfortunately, we had 2 groups combined together but that happens sometimes. The tour guide have a lot of GREAT information. You could tell that she loved her job and she did a great job giving a Medici history of the city.

Alberto was very...

Derrek_S, Sep 2026
Alberto was very knowledgeable and provided great insight into Florence’s amazing history and architecture.

Don’t miss this if you visit Florence.

Sian_R, Sep 2026
Excellent tour, very informative and enjoyable. Debby is an amazing guide, welcoming, funny engaging and took us around her hometown and shared her extensive knowledge. We loved it!

Brilliant tour. We went...

Grace_B, Sep 2026
Brilliant tour. We went on our first full day in Florence; Alberto was engaging and we learned about the Medicis and the history of Florence and its’ palaces, churches and the Duomo. He recommended a book for further reading and helpful tips about things to do and places to eat.

Best tour guide so far!!

Adam_F, Sep 2026
Our tour guide Deborah was so animated, interesting and informative. Learned a lot and had fun. Highly recommend!

Our guide, Aurora, was...

Ira_F, Sep 2026
Our guide, Aurora, was excellent!! She gave a wonderful review of the history of Florence and the Medici family, all the while saying pointing out the highlights of the city

This was a quick tour of...

Lina_B, Sep 2026
This was a quick tour of Florence that gave enough information to whet one’s appetite for more. Giacamo, our guide, was very knowledgeable and very witty.

Fantastic Tour!

Judy_N, Sep 2026
Excellent tour to book! Aurora was so kind and very knowledgeable about the history of Florence. Worth mentioning is her clear instruction and communication while leading a large group - you can tell she has experience! Anytime the group stopped, she was mindful of noting for the group where we can stand, sit, and most of the time lead us to shade (much appreciated!!). She also shared a Google Maps list of recommendations which is above and beyond what we expected. Thank you!!

Great tour of Florence!’

Hemant_P, Sep 2026
Great tour and wonderful experience! Highly recommended! Our tour guide was very experienced and had tons of information!!

Good length of tour with...

Sean_F, Sep 2026
Good length of tour with lots of examples of local history. Local tour guide who came across as very knowledgable with some good anecdotes. It was a pity, when the tour finished, that there was not a chance to ask any questions or get advice on what else to see or do in Florence from a locals perspective.

Doyle / Medici Family Tour

Tom_D, Sep 2026
We learned about the area and the history of the Medici family and legacy. Aurora (our guide) went above and beyond answering all of our questions and helped us decide our next adventure.

Highly recommended on your first day

Michael_K, Aug 2026
Our guide Deborah did an amazing job at telling the exciting story of Firenze and the Medici family, while also highlighting other people of significance and giving general good tips about the city.

Just do it!

Emma_S, Aug 2026
Samona is just the best, you can just feel her love for her city. She spoke clearly and showed us some really marvellous things!

It was a great way to...

Melanie_D, Aug 2026
It was a great way to begin our stay in Florence! There is so much history and the stories were fun to hear. My family loved it!

The best tour guide ever booked!

Umar_M, Aug 2026
Elisabetta has a real talent for story telling and so much knowledge about Italy. My children hate tours but we're intrigued by Elisabetta's words and information and asked her lots of questions and were so happy they offered to help carry the flag to lead the tour. My 9 year especially said she was the best tour guide ever. Really kind and answered all our questions and gave honest information about local area. The best tour. Book it, you wont be disappointed. Tour on 13 Aug 2026

Great value!

Ben_S, Aug 2026
Great way to understand the history of Florence and the influence of the Medici family. Really great value and we had a great tour guide!

Great Tour and Guide!

Thaddeus_P, Aug 2026
Amen, our guide was very insightful and took us to many scenic spots. Also inside one of the churches and around Forence. He shared its long history. Its a great way in the private cart. Highly recomend!

A good experience

Parastoo_S, Aug 2026
Jacobo , our tour guide was very knowledgeable. Nice English accent that made it easy for us to understand him .

Fabulous tour. Must go tour if you’re seeing florence

Timothy_V, Aug 2026
Informative, with a little exercise. Walking is very leisurely, plenty of opportunities to sit during the history/stories. Fun to hear the stories and stand in the spots where they happened and see the structures that were created.

Debbie is an excellent Tour guide

Elizabeth_F, Aug 2026
Debbie is very pleasant and polite person. Very knowledgeable about the medici and the history of Florence. She took us around the back roads and showed us the historical buildings. I would highly recommend this tour as its very informative and well worth the money. At the end of the tour we gave some donation as we were very satisfied with the tour.

Great walking tour about...

Sarah_L, Aug 2026
Great walking tour about some of the history of Florence. Our guide Deb was excellent and a great story-teller.

Fabulous Tour!

Shanaal_G, Aug 2026
Our tour guide was excellent! Aurora was knowledgeable, funny and did a great job making sure that we all stayed hydrated (it was early August 2026 during a heatwave). We walked all over Firenze (Florence), learning the stories behind the architecture, art, and culture of the city. I also really loved that this tour started in the evening (rather than only having options in the morning). We arrived in the city just after lunchtime, so it was great getting to explore the city just after we arrived rather than having to wait until the next day. I highly recommend this tour. For a phenomenal price (the Viator free is just a processing fee; you can tip your guide whatever you think the tour was worth), this tour is accessible to most everyone (regardless of your budget), and if you take the tour when you first arrive in the city, it will help to orient you, so you can get around the city more efficiently during your stay.

Great tour!

Heather_A, Aug 2026
Our tour guide was a beautiful, small woman with a big personality. She was funny and sarcastic as well as very knowledgeable and easy to listen to. The tour was more than expected for the price and I was very disappointed that their electric payment system was not working so I was unable to tip. Bring cash and tip her well because you will truly enjoy the experience.

Greta tour, is better if done during day 1

Carla_M, Aug 2026
I recommend this tour. We had a very dedicated guide...even at over 100F he found a way to deliver jokes and make connections about the wonderful history of Florence. He stopped always at shaded spots for explanations and nothing felt rushed.

Great tour

Katherine_M, Aug 2026
Unfortunately my daughter didn’t feel well and we had to cut the tour short, which was a real shame as we were really enjoying it. Giacomo was a very interesting and engaging guide who brought historic Florence to life for us.

An AMAZING way to get the...

Leah_B, Aug 2026
An AMAZING way to get the outdoor highlights of Florence and then decide what you want to see further. Francesca was a native of Florence and gave a great tour with local insights and fun flare. Highly recommend for a 1st time visitor!
Member Pricing
From

$3.29

per person
Was $3.47(-5%)

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

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 27 days in advance.

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