Best of Florence Walking Tour with David and the Duomo

On this jam-packed Florence tour, we've packed all the top attractions into an engrossing three-hour stroll through the city. Your experience begins in the Florence Accademia, where you'll skip the lines to take in Michelangelo's masterpiece, the jaw-dropping David.

 As you gape at this larger-than-life statue, your expert guide will explain what makes it one of the greatest sculptures ever, and why Michelangelo was more proud of this than his work in the Sistine Chapel.[readmore]Before you leave, you'll also see some of Michelangelo's unfinished work in his Slaves. These half-formed men and women, dramatically emerging from stone, are the perfect tool to learn about Michelangelo's sculpting methods - and your expert art historian guide is the perfect person to teach you. 

Your Florence Tour continues to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly known as Florence Duomo. This incredible church was built in 1436 and still boasts one of the largest domes in the entire world. The story of how the dome was built is one of the greatest epics of the Italian Renaissance. You'll hear the whole thing as you take in the church from the jaw-dropping Piazza del Duomo. You'll also stop off at the Baptistery to see a set of bronze doors cast by Lorenzo Ghiberti that Michelangelo dubbed the 'Gates of Paradise'. 

Having visited its top two attractions, you'll explore the third great wonder of Florence: its streets. Your guided walking tour takes you first to Piazza della Signoria, an open-air art gallery where Michelangelo's David was originally supposed to stand. He was quickly relocated, but you can still see a replica at the entrance to the titanic Palazzo Vecchio. 

Standing in the shadow of this fortress-like palace, your guide will teach you about the Medici; the family of bankers who underwrote the Renaissance - it wasn't all sweetness and patronage with them though. Your guide has some shocking tales to tell. 

From Piazza Signoria you'll pass by the Uffizi Gallery and a handful of wonderful hidden sights, like Il Porcellino, the pig whose snout promises luck; Orsanmichele Church; and of course, the Ponte Vecchio, Florence's most picturesque bridge. As you walk, your guide will tell you the stories that bring the city to life around you. And with headsets for every guest, you'll be able to hear them crystal clear.