Off the Beaten Path Florence Tour
Discover the hidden jewels of Florence in three sumptuous antique palaces
Palazzo Davanzati
Off the Beaten Path Florence Tour: with Palazzo Vecchio
Discover the hidden treasures of Italy’s most beautiful Renaissance city on this Florence tour. You’ll have the total attention of your expert, private guide, as you explore three beautiful Renaissance Palazzos; full of wonders that many visitors miss.
Off The Beaten Path Florence Tour
Discover the hidden treasures in Florence’s less explored wonders
Florence is the most elegant Italian city; all orange and gold, under the Tuscan sun. If you’re an avid lover of Renaissance culture and want to discover Florence’s hidden wonders, this Off the Beaten Path Florence Tour is for you.
Enjoy skip-the-line access to three Renaissance Palaces; positively brimming with treasures. Discover the dramatic ascension of the Medici, Florence’s former ruling family, in the Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Medici Riccardi. Then, experience the luxurious lives of Florence’s aristocratic elite in Palazzo Davanti.
Once, Florence’s was the world’s wealthiest city. On this Florence private tour, you’ll see the wealth of art and culture that remains.
Palazzo Davanzati
After meeting your guide in central Florence, you’ll join them for a private tour of Palazzo Davanzati. Locals call it the Florentine House, because of the remarkable interior. Palazzo Davanzati has a luxurious interior, adorned in chandeliers, artwork, gold-quilted wallpaper; all typical features of an aristocratic home, when Florence was its most influential. When you walk into Palazzo Davanzati, its like you step back in time to Renaissance Florence.
Your guide will explain the history of this remarkable Palace, and the true story of the family who owned it, the Davanzati, who made their wealth in Florence’s lucrative cloth trade. You’ll get to discover the luxurious lifestyle of the city’s elite, at the height of Florence’s power.
It’s a wonder that Palazzo Davanzati survived the ages. By the 1800s, the Palace was in a bad state of disrepair. It was only the decision of an antiques dealer to restore the palace at personal expense and open it to the public which preserved this architectural treasure.
Palazzo Medici-Riccardi
Next stop on your Florence private tour is the incomparable Palazzo Medici-Riccardi. In 1445, the Medici family were on the ascension. Cosimo de’ Medici had become the de facto ruler of Florence which ended the Florentine Republic for good. For the next 300 years, the Medici would rule Florence.
Cosimo decided to celebrate his new leadership with a grand new Palace. He rejected the first design, by Brunelleschi, the genius behind the Duomo, for being too luxurious. In the end, Cosimo opted for a palace which combined a traditional mediaeval style with new Renaissance concepts — and reserved the luxury for the interior.
Palazzo Medici-Riccardi is resplendent in beautiful artwork, as is entirely appropriate for the home of the first great patron of the Italian Renaissance. Experience the beauty of refined frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli and Filippo Lippi.
Palazzo Vecchio
Your Florence tour will end in the incomparable Palazzo Vecchio: last but certainly not least. Palazzo Vecchio was built in 1299, after Florence’s Republic decided the city needed a town-hall worthy of its importance. The iconic mediaeval facade was enhanced during the Renaissance period by architect Michelozzo, who added the Florentine fleur-de-lys to the exterior.
When the Florentine Republic came to a close with the rise of the Medici family, it became one of the family’s palaces. Because of their enthusiastic patronage of the arts, the interior is a sight to behold. Within, you’ll find a beautiful sculpture by Michelangelo, portraits by Bronzino and monumental rooms, adorned with frescoes.
Join this Off the Beaten Path Florence Tour…
And discover the magnificent luxury hiding behind closed doors in Florence. Get an insight into the glamorous lives of Florence’s aristocracy when the city was the world’s wealthiest. Peel back the curtain on the extravagant lives of Florence’s rulers as your expert guide reveals the real histories of these amazing abodes. Discover amazing art, astonishing architecture and beautiful interiors on this special private tour of Florence.
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