Florence: Small Group Uffizi & Accademia Tour

Experience the Finest of Florence in a Single Day: A Walking Tour Featuring the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries.

A full-day guided tour is the best way to fully experience and explore all that Florence has to offer - from its vast historical past to its unique legacy of art, all by way of a walking tour through the city's historical heart.

This immersive experience includes guided entrance to both the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi Gallery, affording you what is, simply put, an extraordinary introduction to how the Renaissance began.

At the start your day you will be near Santa Maria Novella, a beautiful Gothic/Renaissance church, which is an excellent place to begin discovering why Florence has a long-lasting impact.

With a trained and licensed guide, you will wander the cobbled streets and the colourful piazzas to learn about the historical events and legendary characters that have shaped this wonderful city.

As you stroll along the noble palaces and hidden corners, you will end this part of your journey at Piazza della Signoria, an amazing open-air museum filled with masterpieces of sculpture and featuring the imposing Palazzo Vecchio which was once the seat of power of the Medici dynasty.

The traveler continues across the Ponte Vecchio Bridge; noted to be one of the oldest bridges in Florence, but this bridge is mostly known because of its famous goldsmiths and nice views of the Arno River.

The traveler will take breaks along the way, including a stop at the Porcellino fountain located at the Mercado di Porcellino (literally "Market of the Little Pig").

It is a common belief among locals that rubbing the nose of the boar at the fountain will cause the person to return to Florence.

Then, skip waiting in long lineups and go straight into the Uffizi Gallery, one of the world’s great fine art museums.

While inside, your tour guide will lead you through a stunning room full of rare masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance.

You’ll be mesmerized by Botticelli’s most famous paintings, The Birth of Venus and Primavera as well as explore works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffaello and Caravaggio.

Through the tour guide’s explanations, you will develop a greater understanding of both the extraordinary creativity of the artists from this period and how they changed the course of Western Art.

After lunch (not included), the group will visit The Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David - arguably the most well-known sculpture in the world.

At over 5 meters in height, this is much more than just a statue; it represents the beauty and strength of man and the pride of Florence.

Your guide will tell the story and provide an interpretation of the meaning behind this extraordinary artwork, as well as Michelangelo's incomplete works known as The Prisoners, which can be seen to be coming out of the marble and show the struggle of man between form and substance.

The museum houses an incredible array of Renaissance art and a surprise: The Museum of Musical Instruments, with rare violins and historical items made by Stradivari and other master craftsmen! The end of this tour will have you walking in the footsteps of those who impacted significantly throughout time, including artistic, philosophical and leadership figures.

By the end of your journey, your understanding of how important Florence was to the development of modern art and culture and of all of its great works will stay with you long after your visit.