DURATION: | 3 hours | |
PRICE: |
According to the number of participants | |
AVAILABILITY: |
All-year-round | |
INCLUDED IN THE PRICE: |
Expert Guide in English language for 3-hour visit on foot of Florence’s historic centre
THE ENTRANCE FEES ARE NOT INCLUDED |
This Tour will follow special paths for disabled people in wheelchair inside both Santa Maria del Fiore and Basilica di Santa Croce, so that you can enjoy in full the beauty of Florence.
As same as some other cities in Italy, also Florence thrived from its ninth-century beginnings, but in medieval times, when it grew to be a great banking centre, dominating the European credit market, the city truly reached its apogee. Florence’s riches enabled the flourishing of the arts: Dante was born here in 1265, and so was the painter Cimabue (Giotto’s teacher). The Renaissance blossomed in the 1300s, despite a flood, the Black Plague, and political upheaval. The 15th century brought the rule of Lorenzo the Magnificant, head of the powerful Medici clan, and then a brief restoration of the Republic. In this, Florence’s greatest period, the artists Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael were producing amazing works. In 1537, the Medici Family returned to power in the person of Cosimo I.
Florence has remained a centre of intellectual life into the modern period; in fact, it was the capital of Italy from 1865 to 1870. By that time, it had become one of the paramount stops of the Grand Tour (the cultural trip that educated people took through Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries), and its past has been transformed into its most important asset.
Meeting with the tour guide in the prearranged meeting-point, which can be changed according to guests requirements:
In this tour you will explore the historic district. This is the heart of the Medieval Florence. Packed with monuments and museums, it’s where you will find the best of the best in terms of attractions. At the beginning of this tour in the middle of this rough square You’ll admire the famous Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore (internal visit), Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery (external visits), a fantastic example for the Romanesque style from the eleventh and the twelfth centuries. Further south you can find the most famous square of Florence Piazza della Signoria with the Fountain of Neptune (built in 1575 by the architect Ammannati and mocked by many Florentines as the Big Whitey) and Ponte Vecchio (The Old Bridge), which was the only remained of the nice medieval bridges in Florence. From there you can enjoy a fantastic view of this marvellous city of art and architecture. At the end of this tour You’ll visit inside the Basilica of Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross).
Take water, camera & sun cream; wear comfortable shoes. In low season warmer clothing may be required!