Art, architecture, food, culture, history: few cities have as much to offer as Florence. So make the most of your precious time with a private, day-long exploration of the city. You’ll be able to not just “see” everything, but experience it—not to mention get every one of your burning questions answered by your expert guide. 

Your guide, a local passionate about Florence, makes the sites come alive with tales of power, political intrigue, and treachery. Discover why the Duomo marks the real birth of the Renaissance, learn how to really look at architecture, and appreciate just how daring Brunelleschi’s dome really was. Learn about the shocking rivalry behind the Gates of Paradise at the Baptistery (hint: an all-but-unknown 21-year-old won the contest for its design… over Brunelleschi himself!). Explore the Piazza della Signoria and see the Palazzo Vecchio, a symbol of the city’s political dominance… and where one all-important Florentine citizen was once imprisoned.

So that you can get the most out of your Florence experience, your guide also lets you in on Florence’s most stubborn secrets. At the famed Ponte Vecchio, with its jewelers and art dealers, and the leather market, learn how to find the best wares and how to bargain over prices. And on your food break (we’ve built an hour of “break time” into the day’s itinerary, so you can either relax over a long meal or have multiple snack and coffee stops—it’s your choice!), your guide will direct you right to the most local, authentic Tuscan eateries in Florence. 

Thanks to our privileged entrance, you’ll get to sail right past the longest lines at the Accademia and the Uffizi and get to the real reason why you’re there: the incredible art! At the Accademia Gallery, admire Michelangelo's statues of the Slaves and the David. Feel the statues come alive through the stories of their eccentric, and difficult, creator… and learn why he never was able to finish the Slaves, which remain imprisoned within their marble blocks!

At the Uffizi, feel like you’re traveling through time with the help of your expert guide: Walk from the Renaissance’s earliest stages (masterpieces by greats like Cimabue, Duccio and Giotto) to the later classics, including—perhaps most famous of all!—Botticelli’s Primavera and Birth of Venus. Learn about the legacy these Renaissance painters left by exploring later pieces by world-famous Venetian Titian and Baroque bad-boy Caravaggio. At the Loggia dei Lanzi, meanwhile, stand face-to-face with some of Florence’s most moving sculptures. It’s hard not to feel terrified—and electrified—by Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabines, a groundbreaking High Renaissance piece.

The best part? Even though you have only one day, you can do it all at your own pace, and have an experience that reflects your interests, thanks to picking a private tour. Lots of one-on-one interaction with your guide means two things: education and enjoyment. Just don’t blame us if, by the end of the tour, you can’t wait to rub the snout of “Il Porcellino” to ensure your return trip to Florence… a treasure trove whose secrets your guide has unlocked!