Best Tours in Florence

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Recommended to visit in Florence
Florence: Ancient Echoes Audio Tour
Florence: Ancient Echoes Audio Tour

This guide will accompany you on a journey into the past to discover the ancient magnificence of the Roman Florentia. The tour was carefully planned to allow you to retrace the principal phases of the discovery and the most important findings of the Roman city. Florence hides the memory of its past splendors: the defensive walls, the aqueduct, the theatre and amphitheater, the forum, the remains of paleo-Christian churches. At first, you will learn about one of the Romans’ preferred spots – the Forum and the Capitolium that were situated on the Piazza della Repubblica. Then you'll walk around the one-of-a-kind Pagliazza Tower that rests on the wall of a circular bath of the Roman Florentia and has a unique and fascinating history. On the pavement of Via del Proconsolo, you will see the traces of excavations, where once the remains of the Roman walls were discovered. And from there, the tour will bring you to the Palazzo della Signoria and Palazzo Gondi where once stood the Theater of Florentia and the Thermae Maximae – one of the major structures in the whole Roman Florence. Feel like a real archaeologist and embark on a journey in search of traces of ancient culture in the most amazing city on Earth!

Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Renaissance Icons
Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Rena...

This self-guided audio walking tour introduces first-time visitors to the heart of Florence through its most famous Renaissance landmarks. It will suit travelers who want an easy-to-follow route filled with art, architecture, and lively city scenes you can see all around you. Your route begins at Palazzo Vecchio, the fortress-like town hall that still dominates Piazza della Signoria with its tall crenellated tower and strong stone walls. From there, you head to Ponte Vecchio, where little shop windows cling above the Arno, then continue to Palazzo Pitti, whose vast rusticated facade shows the power of the Medici court. The walk then loops back into the historic center at Piazza della Repubblica, a broad square framed by elegant arcades and cafés. The tour ends at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, where Florence reveals one of its grandest sights: the patterned marble facade, Giotto’s bell tower, and Brunelleschi’s immense red dome rising above the rooftops. Along the way, the most memorable moments include standing beneath Palazzo Vecchio’s massive tower, looking out from the Ponte Vecchio over the river, crossing between grand palaces and open squares, and finally seeing the cathedral fill your view in dazzling white, green, and pink marble.

Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Renaissance Florence
Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Rena...

This self-guided audio walk introduces first-time visitors to the heart of Renaissance Florence. It is ideal for travelers who want famous landmarks, Medici history, and the atmosphere of the old city in a route that is easy to follow on foot. The tour starts in Florence’s historic center and leads you into the city’s political, religious, and artistic core. You begin with the wider story of Florence, then continue to the Basilica di San Lorenzo, where the Medici left their mark, and to the stern stone facade of the Medici Riccardi Palace. From there, you reach the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and focus on Brunelleschi’s dome, the engineering feat that still dominates the skyline with its red tiles and massive brick shell. The route then turns into narrower medieval streets at the House of Dante before opening onto the grand spaces of Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria, where towers, statues, and the Neptune fountain fill your view. The walk ends at Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, with its small shopfronts perched above the water. Along the way, the most memorable moments include standing beneath the cathedral’s marble facade, tracing the power of the Medici through church and palace, stepping into the world of Dante, and finishing with the glow of the river under Florence’s most famous bridge.

Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Medici Power and Art
Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Medi...

This self-guided audio walk explores Florence through the rise of Medici power, Renaissance art, and the lives of figures like Michelangelo and Machiavelli. It suits first-time visitors who want a clear route through the historic center while seeing places that shaped the city’s politics, faith, and culture. Your route begins at the Ex Convento di San Marco, where the quiet cloisters and cells recall the spiritual world of early Renaissance Florence. From there, you head to the Medici Riccardi Palace and the Basilica di San Lorenzo, two key settings for the family that transformed the city. The walk continues into the civic heart of Florence at Piazza della Signoria, then passes Machiavelli Palace, the sculpted arches of the Loggia dei Lanzi, and the fortress-like Bargello. The final stretch leads you east to the Tabernacolo delle Stinche, Casa Buonarroti with Michelangelo’s early works, and Santa Croce, tied to the memory of Machiavelli, before ending at Villa Strozzi Machiavelli. Along the way, you will stand before rusticated stone palaces, open-air statues, chapel facades, and grand public squares. The most memorable moments include tracing the Medici legacy, seeing the settings of Florentine political drama, and walking streets where religion, ambition, and art still feel vividly close.

Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Medici Florence
Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Medi...

This self-guided audio walk explores Florence through the power, art, and daily settings of the Medici city. It is ideal for first-time visitors who want an easy introduction to Renaissance Florence, from grand chapels and palaces to lively squares, bridges, and market spaces. Your route begins at the Cappelle Medicee, where the Medici family turned burial chapels into a statement of wealth and taste, crowned by Michelangelo’s dramatic New Sacristy. From there, you head into Piazza del Duomo, then follow Via dei Calzaiuoli to Piazza della Repubblica, a broad square alive with cafés and the whirl of its carousel. The walk continues to the rusticated stone of Strozzi Palace, across elegant Piazza di Santa Trinita, along antique-lined Via Maggio, and into the Santo Spirito district. Next, you reach Palazzo Pitti, once home to rulers who shaped the city’s image, then pause at Santa Felicita, the church closely tied to the Medici court. After that, you cross the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio, pass the Uffizi and the hidden line of the Corridoio Vasariano, and step into the open-air stage of Piazza della Signoria before ending at the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo. Along the way, the most memorable moments are likely to be Michelangelo’s sculptural tombs, the vast dome and marble of the cathedral area, the glitter of goldsmiths above the Arno, and the feeling of Florence unfolding as a city built for display, devotion, and power.

Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Renaissance Florence
Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Rena...

This self-guided audio walking tour introduces first-time visitors to the heart of Florence through its grand squares, churches, bridges, and palaces. It is ideal for travelers interested in Renaissance art, Medici history, sacred architecture, and the everyday life that still fills the old center. Your route begins in Piazza del Duomo, where the vast cathedral, Giotto’s bell tower, and the Baptistery set the scene with marble facades and centuries of ambition carved in stone. From there, you move to Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza della Signoria, then through the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo to the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio. After crossing the Arno, the walk continues to Palazzo Pitti, into the Santo Spirito quarter, and on to Santa Maria del Carmine and nearby artisan spaces. The second half of the tour brings you back across the river by Ponte Santa Trinita to the church of Santa Trinita, the rusticated power of Strozzi Palace, the striped facade of Santa Maria Novella, and finally Basilica di San Lorenzo, where the route ends. Along the way, the most memorable moments include standing beneath the Duomo, seeing open-air sculpture in Piazza della Signoria, pausing above the Arno on Ponte Vecchio, and tracing Florence’s story from medieval streets to Renaissance masterpieces.

Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Layers of History
Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Laye...

This self-guided audio walking tour explores Florence through the traces of its Roman roots, medieval towers, grand piazzas, and living street life. It is ideal for first-time visitors who want a clear, engaging introduction to the city beyond postcard views. Your route begins in Piazza della Repubblica, where elegant cafés, broad arcades, and a carousel set the scene in one of Florence’s most open urban spaces. From there, you walk to the Baptistery of St. John to admire its octagonal form and patterned marble exterior, then continue to quieter corners where ancient Florence still shows through, including the Fullery of Stephanus, Torre della Pagliazza, remnants of the old Walls of Florence, and the area of the former Roman amphitheater. Along the way, you also pass Osteria del Proconsolo, the Temple of Isis site, the modern Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre, and the civic stage of Piazza della Signoria, where stone facades and statues give the square its dramatic character. The tour ends near Hotel Calimala Florence, back in the historic center. The most memorable moments include standing between Roman and Renaissance Florence, spotting medieval stonework tucked into busy streets, and arriving in grand squares where the city feels both monumental and vividly alive.

Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Renaissance Heart
Florence: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Rena...

This self-guided audio walk introduces first-time visitors to the historic heart of Florence through its grand squares, civic landmarks, and river views. It will especially appeal to travelers who want an easy, vivid introduction to the city’s art, architecture, and everyday atmosphere. Your route begins at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, where green, white, and pink marble, Brunelleschi’s vast red-tiled dome, and Giotto’s tall bell tower create one of Italy’s most recognizable skylines. From there, you continue to Piazza della Repubblica, a broad square alive with cafés, elegant arcades, and the cheerful motion of its carousel. The walk then leads to Piazza della Signoria, Florence’s open-air stage of power and sculpture, watched over by the Palazzo Vecchio and the striking Fountain of Neptune. The tour ends at Ponte Vecchio, the city’s famous medieval bridge, where small shopfronts seem to cling above the Arno. Along the way, you will experience the thrill of stepping from the shadow of the cathedral into busy piazzas, seeing stone, marble, and bronze tell Florence’s story, and reaching the river for that unforgettable view of the bridge and the water below.

Florence: Pitti Palace's Palatine Gallery Audio Tour
Florence: Pitti Palace's Palatine Gallery Aud...

The tour is a personalized path into the enchanting rooms of the main gallery of the Pitti Palace - the Palatine Gallery. Here the history of architecture and art is merged with a Baroque illusion. Note! This audio tour DOES NOT include an entrance ticket to the palace! We provide you with an election of masterpieces because few hours are not enough to understand the development of three centuries captured on the walls of the Pictorial gallery. There are some paintings and statues selected to describe the movement of art through history, crossing different styles. You'll see art masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael, Andrea del Sarto, Caravaggio, Tizian, Canova, Pietro da Cortona, painters of the Dutch and Flemish schools, and many more! The psychological intensity of the portraits is enough to provoke a Stendhal syndrome. Inside each canvas there are a lot of stories, landscapes, feelings called humanity. The narration of the wonder of the Palatine Gallery is a walk through history starting from the Late Renaissance.

Florence: Palazzo Vecchio Audio Tour
Florence: Palazzo Vecchio Audio Tour

Explore one of the most special buildings in Florence at your own pace and guided by an in-app audio tour created by a local guide! Note! This tour DOES NOT include an entrance ticket but may be used anytime during the palazzo's opening hours: Mo-Su 09.00 am - 7 pm. Thu 09.00 am - 02.00 pm. Buy the ticket for €13,50 at the office counter on the main floor of the palazzo. 18-25 years: €10; under 18: free entrance. The tour starts on the square in front of the Palazzo with exploration of architecture & Michelangelo's David and ends in a room full of Renaissance maps on the third floor. As you walk through the Palazzo, you will uncover the stories of amazing Renaissance art and the power of the Medici family. You'll see wonderful things like huge battle frescos in the biggest public room in the world in those days. A special intimate study with a lot of gems and many other connected rooms with all different kinds of moral art messages awaits. Most of them contain fresco cycles, amazing paintings, and Renaissance sculptures. Discover a perfect-sized Eleonora chapel, the Room of the Elements, and the Room of the 500 which is truly one of a kind! Note! This tour is not affiliated with the Palazzo Vecchio but is provided by an independent creator.

About Florence

Insider tips for visiting Florence

Rolf Laimbock

Rolf Laimbock is a local guide who has been publishing tours since 2024 for your discovery of hidden gems and local specialities of Florence on their personal guide page (view profile). Explore their expert tips planning trip to Florence.

I recommend at least three full days in Florence, and four if you like to slow down and really look. When I visit Florence, I keep one day for the historic center, one for the Oltrarno workshops and quieter churches, and one for museums and evening walks along the Arno. In my travel guide Florence notes, I always tell friends not to rush the city: the best things to do in Florence are often small moments, like an early cappuccino near Sant’Ambrogio Market or sunset from San Miniato al Monte. If you plan to visit Florence in summer, add extra time because the heat and crowds slow everything down.

When I visit Florence, I always start with the dishes locals actually order: bistecca alla fiorentina, pappa al pomodoro, ribollita, and crostini with chicken liver pâté. If you visit Florence in cooler months, ribollita tastes especially right after a damp morning walk. In my travel guide Florence notes, I also point people to schiacciata sandwiches and cantucci with vin santo, because they show the city’s simpler side. One of my favorite things to do in Florence is to step into Sant’Ambrogio Market around lunchtime and see what’s selling out first. Florence is at its best when you eat seasonally, not just famously.

For a first stay, I recommend balancing big sights with the Florence that locals still use every day. My favorite things to do in Florence begin early: walk from Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Signoria before the streets fill, then cross to Oltrarno for artisan workshops and a long lunch. Among the essential attractions in Florence, I’d choose one major museum and one church, then leave room for wandering. When friends ask me what to see in Florence, I often say San Miniato al Monte at dusk tells you more than a rushed checklist. Even if you book tours in Florence, keep an unscheduled evening for the Arno and small wine bars.

When I’m in Florence, I usually divide my time between the historic center, Santa Croce, San Niccolò, and the Oltrarno. For classic attractions in Florence, the center gives you the grand façades and civic history, but I find Santa Croce more lived-in, especially in the morning around its cafés and leather workshops. If friends ask me what to see in Florence beyond the obvious, I send them to San Niccolò for quieter streets and the climb toward Piazzale Michelangelo. Oltrarno is where Florence feels most human to me—craft studios, small trattorias, and evening light on worn stone. Even with tours in Florence, I always leave time to simply wander there.

I recommend late April to early June or September into mid-October. In my travel guide Florence notes, those weeks give you the best balance: warm light, longer evenings, and fewer punishing crowds than peak summer. When I visit Florence in May, I can still linger in cloisters or cross the Arno at sunset without feeling wrung out by heat. Autumn is wonderful too, especially when the first cooler evenings make ribollita and red wine feel right again. If you plan to visit Florence in July or August, start early and rest in the afternoon. Many of the best things to do in Florence are far more enjoyable outside the hottest months.

When I visit Florence, I shop by neighborhood, not by souvenir street. For artisan goods, I always head to Oltrarno, especially around Santo Spirito and Via Maggio, where Florence still has bookbinders, leatherworkers, and small design studios. If you visit Florence for fashion and polished storefronts, the area around Via de’ Tornabuoni is the elegant answer, but I prefer mixing it with quieter side streets where the window displays feel less staged. In my travel guide Florence notes, I also flag Sant’Ambrogio for food shopping—olive oil, pecorino, and seasonal produce. One of the most rewarding things to do in Florence is to buy something made by hand, directly from the maker.

When families ask me, I usually recommend Boboli Gardens first. Of all the things to do in Florence, it gives children space to move while adults still get beauty, views, and Medici history. Florence can feel dense indoors, so the gardens are a relief, especially in the morning before the stone paths get too hot. Among the classic attractions in Florence, this is one of the easiest with kids because you can turn it into a treasure hunt for fountains, statues, and hidden corners. If you’re wondering what to see in Florence beyond museums, pair it with nearby Oltrarno for lunch. Even families who book tours in Florence often enjoy this more relaxed rhythm.

When I need a break from the main attractions in Florence, I head into the hills or to smaller towns that still feel tied to the city’s rhythm. Fiesole is my easiest recommendation: a short ride up, cooler air, Roman ruins, and a view that helps you understand Florence in its landscape. If friends ask me what to see in Florence and nearby, I often pair central Florence with a half-day in Chianti for vineyards and stone villages, or with Settignano for quiet lanes and old villas. Even if you book tours in Florence, leave room for these smaller places; they reveal the city’s softer, rural edge.

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