A charming visit to two of Florence’s most ancient and important landmarks, intimately bound to the city’s heart and soul, to its history and rich artistic heritage : the splendid Church of Santa Maria Novella and the ancient Dominican Pharmacy.
Your specialized guide will lead you to dicover the magnificent Church, which boasts innumerabile architectural and artistic treasures; the visit will then proceed to the nearby “Officina Profumo Farmaceutica”, the ancient pharmacy founded by Dominican Friars in 1612 and still hosted within the ancient preciously decorated and furnished monumental headquarters in Via della Scala.
Info & Booking
A charming visit to two of Florence’s most ancient and important landmarks, intimately bound to the city’s heart and soul, to its history and rich artistic heritage : the splendid Church of Santa Maria Novella and the ancient Dominican Pharmacy.
Your specialized guide will lead you to discover the magnificent Church, which boasts innumerabile architectural and artistic treasures; the visit will then proceed to the nearby “Officina Profumo Farmaceutica”, the ancient pharmacy founded by Dominican Friars in 1612 and still hosted within the ancient preciously decorated and furnished monumental headquarters in Via della Scala.
Availability: every Friday afternoon starting from September 7th 2012
Timing: 3:00pm
Duration: 2 hours
Meeting Point: In front of main entrance to Santa Maria Novella Church, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Florence 15 minutes before confirmed time.
Languages: English, Italian, French
Participants: minimum 2 people to be confirmed, maximum 15 per group
Includes:
- Guided visit by licensed professional guide specialized in art history
- Entrance fee to Church
- Visit to the Ancient Pharmacy (free of charge as per its policy)
Cancellation Policy:
There will be no penalty for cancellations of excursion bookings communicated in writing to the organization at least two (2) days prior to the booked date.
For cancellations between two and one day prior to the date, 50% of the fare will have to be paid; from one day prior to the date, the payment of the entire amount will be due and no reimbursement will be granted.
No reimbursement will be granted to any client who is not at the place of meeting at the time established; similarly, no reimbursement will be granted to clients who do not complete the visit.
PLEASE NOTE: Immediately after submitting an order, you will receive an email with your order summary plus a second email confirming your successful payment. A confirmation email with links to the vouchers will be sent one business day after you place your order (Monday afternoon for orders submitted on Friday and during the weekend). Please make sure that your anti-spam filter does not block automatic emails from [email protected]
Cancellation Policy
- Once a confirmation code has been assigned to the reservation we can refund the cost of unused tickets minus a service fee (reservation fee and online booking fee) up to 2 business days before the visit.
- No refund is possible for a cancellation less than 48 hours before the visit, and for no-shows.
The Heart of Florence: Santa Maria Novella and the Historical Pharmacy
Santa Maria Novella, which dates back to the 13th century, hosts such an array of spell binding treasures that it is hard to name them all…from the very first approach, visitors are struck by the magnificence of its glowing white and green marble facade, designed by the great architect Leon Battisti Alberti. Inside, your guide will lead you to discover the most precious masterpieces among which Giotto’s Crucifix, Masaccio’s Trinity and the celebrated wooden crucifix by Brunelleschi.
The Ancient Dominican Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella, “Antica Officina Profumo Farmaceutica,” located just a few steps away from the church, was founded by the Dominican Friars in 1612. The Dominican friars - who specialized in the growing of medicinal and aromatic herbs, as well as in the preparation of essences, oils and pharmaceutical remedies with these - founded the pharmacy in order to provide for Florence’s people. This institution has been active ever since (over 400 years!) - it is Europe’s most ancient pharmacy. Famous the world over for the excellence of its pharmaceutical and cosmetic products – among these the “Anti-Hysterical Water” and the Alkermes liqueur – the Pharmacy’s shop-museum is still located within the original premises, sumptuously decorated by frescoes and original 18th century furnishings. A vast and precious collection of pharmaceutical equipment, objects, and porcelain vases is also on display.
At the end of the visit each participant will receive an “Antica Officina Profumo Farmaceutica” product as a gift.