About this experience
Florence has many faces, gradually revealing itself to you, with each building in the city center being a vivid testament to a particular historical moment. I will introduce you to the main events and landmarks of the city that gave the world such talented individuals as Dante, Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Leonardo da Vinci. You will learn about the city's development in the Middle Ages and the powerful Medici family, as well as understand why Florence became the capital of the Italian Kingdom in 1865.
What to Expect
Each building embodies one or several historical epochs, and I will tell you about them. Here is our route:
- The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which can accommodate 30,000 people at once, making it one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. Construction started in the 13th century and was completed six centuries later;
- The district of Dante Alighieri - the great Florentine, poet, diplomat, and politician, where the most colorful medieval streets are located;
- The 14th-century Orsanmichele church, resembling an impregnable medieval fortress;
- The oldest bridge Ponte Vecchio, nicknamed the 'golden bridge' by tourists, with its numerous jewelry shops. It has remained unchanged since the 14th century. Let's admire the covered passage, built by the great duke Cosimo to connect two family residences;
- Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of the city, where you will understand why Florence is called an open-air museum. There is Palazzo Vecchio - built on the foundation of a Roman building, serving as the residence of many city rulers and currently functioning as the city hall;
- The Basilica of Santa Croce, the grand interior of which houses the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, and other prominent figures, as well as chapels adorned with exquisite frescoes by Giotto and his students. According to legend, it was started to be built by followers of Francis of Assisi - the patron saint of Italy. Although the church has been rebuilt several times, it is considered the largest pantheon in Tuscany, second only to the Roman one;
- The Arno river embankment, to admire its slowly flowing waters that have threatened the city's existence more than once.
Additionally, I will tell you about contemporary Florence and its residents, guide you to where you can indulge in the most delicious gelato and taste the famous Florentine steak. I will strive to make the history and modernity of the city familiar and understandable to you.
