--- title: "The Best Tour in Florence: Renaissance and Medici Tales" lang: en type: tour city: Florence country: Italy price: 3 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.95 reviews: 12046 duration_minutes: 120 languages: [en, it, es] free_cancellation: "true" guidekin_pick: Medici stories, tip based rank_in_category: 2 of 11 (Walking & City Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-03 data_updated: 2026-10-04 canonical: https://guidekin.com/italy/florence/tours/the-best-tour-in-florence-renaissance-and-medici-tales/ --- # The Best Tour in Florence: Renaissance and Medici Tales **Guidekin's take:** A donation based walk through three centuries of Medici stories past the main sights, booked for a symbolic €3 per person and paid at the end with whatever you decide the guide earned. The audio headsets required by city rules are an extra charge; the route is wheelchair accessible. 4.95 from 12046 reviews for 2h. In our comparison: #2 of 11 in Walking & City Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview This tour is the best walking tour that you can ever have in Florence. It is a great introduction to the city for both first-timers as well as returners. It covers the main attractions of the city and also the hidden gems that are well and truly "off the beaten track" and gives you facts you wouldn't know or notice walking around by yourself. While you'll be led through the city you will be even accompanied through three centuries full of thrilling stories about the Medici family who influenced Florence’s history; little by little the Renaissance will become alive in front of you. You will not be involved in a boring, neutral lecture, but in a pleasant stroll through the center of Florence, in a friendly and easy-going atmosphere. ## Before you book - Meeting point: The meeting point is in front of the… - Starts 10:00, 14:00, 16:30: 3 departures a day - Wheelchair accessible: operator-marked - Strollers OK: infants accepted **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €3 per person - Duration: 2h - Rating: 4.95/5 from 12046 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: All Around Florence - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: English, Italian, Spanish - Start times: 10:00, 14:00, 16:30 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-03 ## Reviews 4.95 from 12046 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 99% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 11978 of 12046. - 5 stars: 11538 (96%) - 4 stars: 440 (4%) - 3 stars: 36 (0%) - 2 stars: 11 (0%) - 1 star: 21 (0%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the storytelling and city overview; staying near the guide helps avoid missing commentary. **Praised:** - Engaging stories connecting the Medici family, art and architecture - Major sights mixed with quiet streets and details visitors would otherwise miss - Useful city orientation and historical context early in a Florence visit - Helpful recommendations for places to eat and things to do **Complaints:** - Hearing the commentary can be difficult when farther from the guide on busy streets Written by Guidekin from the 100 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (2026-09-11 to 2026-10-01); last checked 2026-10-04. ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | Tour in English | €3 / person | English | - | | Tour in Italian | €3 / person | Italian | - | ## What's included - Licensed Guide ## Not included - Gratuities - Audio devices are REQUIRED by city regulations. ## Itinerary 1. **Basilica di San Lorenzo** (10m) - The Basilica di San Lorenzo (Basilica of St Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the city’s main market district, and the burial place of all the principal members of the Medici family from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III. 2. **Palazzo Medici Riccardi** (10m) - The Palazzo Medici Riccardi was designed for Cosimo de' Medici, head of the Medici banking family, and was built between 1444 and 1484. 3. **Battistero Di San Giovanni** (10m) - The Florence Baptistery, also known as the Baptistery of Saint John stands in both the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza San Giovanni, across from Florence Cathedral and the Campanile di Giotto. The Baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in the city, constructed between 1059... 4. **Duomo** (10m) - Florence Cathedral, formally the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral of Florence (Italian: Duomo di Firenze). It was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to a design of Arnolfo di Cambio. The cathedral complex, in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and... 5. **Campanile di Giotto** (10m) - Giotto's Campanile is adjacent to the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Baptistry of St. John. This tower is one of the showpieces of Florentine Gothic architecture with its design by Giotto, its rich sculptural decorations and its polychrome marble encrustations. 6. **Cupola Del Brunelleschi** (10m) - This dome is one of the biggest mystery in art and architecture of every time. It was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. 7. **Museo Casa di Dante** (5m) - Dante Alighieri wrote the Divine Comedy. This book is widely considered the most important poem of the Middle Ages and the greatest literary work in the Italian language. 8. **Piazza della Signoria** (10m) - is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. It is the meeting place of Florentines as well as the numerous tourists, located near Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo and gateway to Uffizi Gallery. 9. **Palazzo Vecchio** (10m) - The Palazzo Vecchio ("Old Palace") is the town hall of the city. This massive fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany. Overlooking the square with its copy of Michelangelo's David statue as well the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei... 10. **Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi** (10m) - The Uffizi Gallery is an art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria and it is one of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the largest and best known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from... ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 10:00, 14:00, 16:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-03 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point The meeting point is in front of the façade of SAN LORENZO church (main entrance, not the entrance of the Medici chapels) next to the marble statue of Giovanni de' Medici who is sitting on a small throne. Look for a small red flag. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJm5On_wJUKhMRkwltD0sOVJg Ends: The endpoint is only indicative and can vary slightly within the indicated area. ## Good to know - Wheelchair accessible - Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller - Service animals allowed - Public transportation options are available nearby - Transportation options are wheelchair accessible - All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible - Suitable for all physical fitness levels - This tour is made possible only thanks to your donations. We offer the tour in this way because we are confident in the quality of what we are providing. At the end of the tour, you will decide the appropriate amount to compensate for the expertise and professionalism of the guide who accompanied you. The only form of compensation for the guide is what you choose to donate. ## Compared with other Walking & City Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #2 of 11** | €3 | 2h | 4.95 (12046) | shared | | [The Best tour in Florence: Renaissance & Medici Tales - guided by a STORYTELLER](/italy/florence/tours/the-best-tour-in-florence-renaissance-medici-tales-guided-by-a-storyteller/?format=md) | €3 | 2h 15m | 4.96 (14040) | shared | | [The Best of Florence Walking Tour in a Small Group](/italy/florence/tours/the-best-of-florence-walking-tour-in-a-small-group/?format=md) | €49 | 1h 45m | 4.95 (683) | shared | | [The Dark Side of Florence: Mysteries and Legends](/italy/florence/tours/the-dark-side-of-florence-mysteries-and-legends/?format=md) | €3 | 1h 45m | 4.92 (3533) | shared | Ranked #2 of 11 in Walking & City Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €3 to €127, median €49; typical length 2h 30m. 0 of 11 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/italy/florence/walking-tours-florence/?format=md ## More in Florence - All Florence tours: https://guidekin.com/italy/florence/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/italy/florence/tours/the-best-tour-in-florence-renaissance-and-medici-tales/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/italy/florence/?format=md