Florence: Guided Walking Tour with Accademia Gallery Visit

Join a walking tour of Florence to see where the Renaissance began.

This will take you to the city’s most famous spots like the Accademia Gallery and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, plus many more.

It starts at beautiful Piazza della Signoria, which has been at the heart of Florentine political power since the 14th century.

You will stand in front of the mighty Palazzo Vecchio with its 94-meter tower that has watched over Florence for years.

See Michelangelo's David replica here; this is where the original stood until 1873, symbolizing the strength and independence of a republic.

Just a few steps away is Loggia dei Lanzi, an extraordinary open-air gallery filled with sculptures where works from the Renaissance come leaping off their feet.

The skill of Giambologna can be seen in his Rape of the Sabine Women done in one piece of marble.

Dynamic poses and fluid lines give the stone the illusion of weightlessness.

Continue along Via Calzaiuoli, Florence's historic main street, and you will soon come to Orsanmichele, one of the few churches in Christendom to tell you about guilds.

Your walk ends at Piazza del Duomo, dominated by the splendid Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore; above all Brunelleschi's dome spectacularly soars as an extraordinary feat of engineering—the largest masonry dome ever built—emerging above city skyline.

To complete this architectural marvel, nearby are the Baptistery with Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise and Giotto's Campanile—a showpiece of refined beauty—forming here a triad most remarkable as medieval meets Renaissance.

One can see how harmonious relations fostered by marble adornments between these three separate edifices stand.

After having been through this open-air museum that is Florence's historical heart, make your way to Accademia Gallery for hour two of your tour.

At the heart of it all is Michelangelo's David, a masterwork that has never failed to win over its beholders with impeccable proportion and deep expression.

Made when Michelangelo was just 26 years old, this monumental statue was chiseled out of a single block of marble which other artists had rejected as flawed.

Take the chance to view David from different angles, each one revealing new details and aspects of this iconic work.

A visit to the Accademia will also include Michelangelo's series of Prisoners or Slaves , unfinished works that provide fascinating insights into his creative process.

These powerful figures seem to struggle with the very idea of breaking out from their marble prison — exactly what Michelangelo believed that sculpture was about: the actualization through stone of imprisoned life-forms.

Explore the museum's fine collection of Gothic and Early Renaissance paintings, featuring masterpieces by such celebrated artists as Botticelli and Ghirlandaio.

Also, try to see the unique Musical Instruments Museum that has valuable Stradivari violins and old pianos.

After your guided tour ends, take the chance to stay in the Accademia Gallery to look at your favorite artworks again or explore further collections at a relaxed pace.