Combo Ticket Great Museum Cathedral of Florence
€ 18,00
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Your first visit to Florence was most likely a case of love at first sight. Indeed, what’s not to love about our enchanted city? Your second visit will bewitch you even more! Now you can dig deeper and enjoy getting to know more about the art, history, folklore, and culture that made you fall in love the first time around. Discover new museums, streets, squares, and taste treats. Follow our itineraries, and you will not be disappointed!
Did you visit the magnificent Uffizi, Michelangelo's David at the Accademia, and the Duomo during your first time in Florence? If you didn't, be sure to see them this time.
You'll certainly have passed through the Piazza della Signoria, known as the “living room” of the city. A great choice to start your new route is to go immediately to the Palazzo Vecchio, past and present seat of the city government, but also one of the most visited museums in the city, with various activities (including recreational pastimes for children).
The mighty and severe stone façade, dominated by the Tower of Arnolfo, conceals centuries of stories and intrigues but also great halls and magnificent works of art. The intriguing Secret Passages Tour takes you into the hidden and most beautiful parts of the Palace. There is also the Visit to the Quartieri Monumentali, which will reveal striking works of art (including pieces by Michelangelo and Donatello) and spectacular rooms, such as the Sala delle Antiche Mappe (with antique maps). You'll also see the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundred), imposing for its size (177' x 75' and 59' high) and adorned with a ceiling of 42 frames designed by Vasari. For an unusual and entertaining tour, discover the Palace led by characters in period costume. We recommend that you plan on spending half a day to visit the must-see complex of the Palazzo Vecchio without hurrying. Plan on at least three hours.
If you've dedicated your morning to the Palazzo Vecchio, it'll be lunchtime now. For a quick meal, we recommend I Fratellini (take Via Calzaiuoli and turn right into Via dei Cimatori). I Fratellini prepares amazing sandwiches since 1875: try the finocchiona and pecorino cheese, we're sure you won't regret it! If you feel like pizza, a little further on is O Vesuvio, serving a fast and affordable meal.
If you prefer to spend your morning with a full immersion into the folklore of Florence combined with tasting the culinary traditions, try the Cooking Lesson with Market Shopping we call Wanna be Italiano! Start by shopping with our famous local chef at the Central Market at 10:00am, picking up the ingredients for your lunch. Taste some of the local foods and wines in the generous atmosphere of the Central Market. After this fun experience you will take your shopping to a home-like professional location. Under Chef Giovanni's expert guidance, you will prepare your own meal. Of course, you'll enjoy the delicious food you created. If you choose this way to start your day, you can visit the Palazzo Vecchio in the afternoon, booking your tickets for your preferred time.
If you have visited the Palazzo Vecchio in the morning, take a five minute walk to your next point of interest: pass through the picturesque Via dell'Anguillara (filled with artisan workshops) to the liveliest square in Florence, Santa Croce, which hosts the “historical soccer” in the summer. The square is dominated by the magnificent Basilica of Santa Croce. Its beautiful frescoed chapels, cloisters, and especially the tombs of the great Italians, such as Michelangelo, Rossini, Galileo make it well worth the 90 minute visit. After your visit, take a refreshing break at one of the many excellent bars, cafes, and restaurants. Once rested, take advantage of being in the area: there are many great shops, perfect for getting those special souvenirs and gifts made in Florence!
How about one last visit for the day? Discover the Casa Buonarroti, just 200 meters from Piazza Santa Croce (Via Ghibellina 70). The museum is a celebration of the genius of Michelangelo, with beautiful early works of the artist, as well as his family's rich collection of art.
If you want to end the evening in the area, we recommend the traditional dish par excellence bistecca alla Fiorentina (a rare and tender steak the Florentine way) at Dino's at number 47 Via Ghibellina. In addition, try the "sformatino con funghi, tartufo e salsa di pecorino,” a kind of savory flan with mushrooms, truffle, and Pecorino sauce, all in a rustic ambiance with fair prices!
There is a lot to see in Florence - but don't forget that Tuscany is one of the most beautiful and varied regions in the world! The landscapes are legendary, and there are many other towns with rich cultural treasures. An easy way to discover Tuscany from Florence with one of these “Out of Townn” tours.
Above all, don't miss Pisa, famous for its leaning tower; discover all the highlights of Pisa, the beautiful Piazza dei Miracoli, the Duomo, the Baptistery, and the Tower. Add a little wine tasting to the day with the tour to Pisa & Lucca: a side trip to charming Lucca, which is only a few miles from Pisa and offers a mix of medieval and nineteenth century architecture. On this tour, you'll visit beautiful churches and antique shops tucked between ancient walls; you'll end the day at a farmhouse in the countryside of Lucca where you will have the opportunity to taste some of the best wines and oils of the region.
If you love the medieval heart of Florence, the southernmost part of Tuscany will win you over! A tour of Siena, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, and Chianti will make it easy. The itinerary will take you back in time, through the rolling hills of the Chianti region with its high quality vineyards, olive groves, cypresses. Step into fairytale places like San Gimignano ("the New York of the Middle Ages" because of its many towers), and Monteriggioni (a tiny traditional hamlet). And get to know Siena, a city where time seems to have stopped in 1400, with the beautiful Cathedral and Piazza del Campo, unique in the world for its shape. It will be an unforgettable day!
If you love wine, head south of Florence into the landscapes of rolling hills immortalized in the most beautiful postcards of Tuscany, into the magical Val d'Orcia. A tour Around Brunello will take you into the heart of this valley. Walk through the vineyards and wineries, taste some of the best Brunello wines, have an unforgettable lunch at Castello Banfi. To learn the basics of wine tasting, we recommend the Tuscany Wine Trail. It will take you into the center of the Chianti region of Tuscany, the “Chianti Classico.” Guided by an expert guide and sommelier, you'll visit some of the leading wineries in the world of the Chianti. Taste the wine and olive oil made here, visit the medieval town nearby, and enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch – a perfect day for wine & food lovers!
Another option is to tour Cortona and Arezzo. In less than an hour you will be in Arezzo, an originally Etruscan city with many archaeological finds and the beautiful Piazza del Duomo, home to an antiques market. In Arezzo, you'll also find the most beautiful jewelry shops, since Arezzo is home to the oldest Italian goldsmithing school. Your other stop will be picturesque Cortona, perched at 600 m altitude, with spectacular views over the Val di Chiana and Lake Trasimeno. The town has changed little since the Middle Ages, and was more recently depicted in the Oscar winning film "La Vita è Bella" and described by American novelist Frances Mayes in "Under the Tuscan Sun."
If you'd rather stay close to Florence, choose a tour of Medici Villas. Enjoy an afternoon out of town - discovering the residences once owned by the Medici family. Removed from the bustle of busy Florence, these elegant country houses still attest to the beauty and comforts of villa life. Seeking to escape from the stress and strain of life in the city, the Medici princes fled to their luxurious country villas. Back in town, join an exclusive Wine & Cheese Tasting in one of the best wine bars located in the heart of Florence. The event starts at 5:00pm, and a detailed explanation of the various flavors and historical background will accompany your sensory experience. Enjoy some of the many delicious tastes of the Tuscany region!
The choice of itineraries for your third day leads you to what made Florence unique in the world: the Florentine's constant search for beauty. Everything in Florence tends toward beauty: the art, the architecture, the fashion and accessories, the gardens.
Let's start with fashion, one of the icons of Italy. Again, we recommend tours to make things easy for you. For example, the Florence Fashion Addicted outing will reveal to you how Florentine creations have influenced the ancient courts of Europe since the Middle Ages, creating the legendary "Made in Italy". The visit also includes the Costume Gallery, the famous Ferragamo footwear collection, and the Gucci Museum.
A unique way to learn about the history of Florence is a visit to Florence Cathedral Restoration Workshop: join this fascinating guided tour through the ancient, but still active workshop of the Cathedral, where the greatest artists of the past worked, where Michelangelo carved the famous statue of David. See how dedicated craftsmen work with passion and professionalism to restore and maintain the great monumental and sculptural heritage of the Cathedral complex. These sculptors and stonemasons use the same tools as Michelangelo, dedicated to preserving not only the art but also the traditions of the trade. The tour includes a visit to the Baptistery and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore to appreciate the works in their context.
Another option to experience one of the most lively and unique aspects of Florence: take a look behind the scenes of the Florentine artisanal tradition, and see the masters at work – take the exclusive excursions called Meet the Artisans! Since medieval times, Florence has been a city of "botteghe," small artisan workshops. This tradition continues today especially on the left bank of the Arno River in what Florentines call the “artisans’ quarter.” Take a relaxed walk along the narrow streets of the Oltrarno District, the less crowded and less visited side of the historic center of Florence. You'll pass through Borgo San Frediano, as far as Piazza del Carmine, dominated by the church of the same name. It houses the masterpiece of the Brancacci Chapel, with frescoes of exceptional historical and artistic value. Your expert guide will take you along the streets filled with boutique artisan bottegas, where you will stop and watch the experts working on their unique masterpieces. Silver and gold, perfumes, leather… let all your senses be stimulated as you enter the fascinating world of the Florentine master artisans at work.
As you stand in front of Santa Maria del Carmine with your back to the church, take Via Santa Monaca, and then Via St. Augustine. You will arrive in less than 10 minutes in front of the Pitti Palace, residence of the Medici, the Lorena in the 1700s, and the King of Italy at the end of the 1800s. A visit to the Palazzo Pitti is essential to your itinerary, as it is the Medici's patronage and vivid interest for art and science that attracted the greatest minds and hands in the world to the city, laying the foundation for the search for beauty in Florence. Immerse yourself in the ancient residence: you'll find that the Palatine Art Gallery is a beautiful museum (with famous masterpieces by Raphael, Titian, and many others). And of course the rich and refined Royal Apartments are well worth a visit, too!
The love for beauty is also evident in the care and refinement of Florentine gardens, such as the Boboli in the back of the Pitti Palace, and the nearby Bardini Garden, which are the ideal complement to your day in the Oltrarno district. The Boboli Garden will capture you with the geometry and harmony of the landscape, with statues, fountains, and views of the center of Florence. The Bardini Garden, about 300 meters from the Boboli and included in the same admission ticket, will amaze you with its caves and the Baroque staircase with a terrace that offers a stunning panoramic view onto Florence and the Tuscan hills.