Our journey into the past begins with a stroll through Florence’s historic piazzas and winding streets, tracing the stories imprinted on the cityscape by its illustrious and notorious inhabitants. From Piazza della Repubblica we make our way to the magnificent Piazza della Signoria, the Renaissance city’s beating heart, site of Palazzo Vecchio and witness to bloody feuds and controversial burnings over the centuries. 

Duration: around 9 hours.

Crossing Ponte Vecchio, we arrive on the “other side of the Arno River” for the artisan workshops of the Oltrarno district and the imposing façade of Palazzo Pitti, home to the Medici grand dukes. 

Energized after a coffee break, we learn about the remarkable story behind the Duomo, Florence’s famous cathedral. From the golden mosaics inside the Baptistery to the top of Brunelleschi’s famous Dome: our route takes us along the original passages used by masons and laborers during construction, including a bird’s-eye view of the world’s largest painted surface, and rewards us with unparalleled views over Florence. 

Back down in the city we come face-to-face with one of the true icons of the Renaissance: Michelangelo’s David, a symbol of Florence and the most famous sculpture in the world. 

It’s time for food — a typical Tuscan lunch and a glass of wine. 

With our energy renewed and an art appetite whetted, we spend the afternoon exploring the world’s biggest collection of Renaissance paintings at the Uffizi Gallery, unlocking the secrets to reading Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus" and “Primavera," and discovering just what it was that made Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings some of the most enigmatic works of art in the world.