The masterpieces of Renaissance art at the Uffizi Gallery It is also to the Medicis that we owe the Uffizi Gallery, the world's greatest museum of Renaissance art. Originally built to house the magistrates after their eviction from Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi soon became a showcase for the family's fantastic art collection. On your Uffizi tour the fascinating story of Renaissance art will be revealed through its finest masterpieces, from the pioneering works of Giotto and Masaccio to the superlative mythological canvasses of Sandro Botticelli. You will learn of the humanist philosophies that dominated the intellectual climate of the Medici court, and discover the lives and works of the three greatest geniuses of the High Renaissance - Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo. Raphael and Michelangelo would leave for Rome at the height of their powers, drawn by the patronage of a series of fabulously wealthy popes intent on glorifying the Eternal City. The political pre-eminence of Florence on the Italian stage was at an end.

A visit to Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio is an opportunity to learn about political intrigue and networks of power while admiring some of the most beautiful parts of the city. Piazza della Signoria resembles an open-air art gallery, with a replica of Michelangelo’s David and Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa, as well as countless other statues. The interior of Palazzo Vecchio is one of the surprises of our Florence private tour, with many sumptuously decorated rooms containing masterpieces by Vasari, Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio and Bronzino, among others. Palazzo Vecchio also offers impressive panoramic views of the city centre, including the Duomo and the surrounding rooftops.

Burgeoning merchant class also built grand new residences to show off their wealth, as you’ll see when you visit Palazzo Davanzati. In contrast to the heavily fortified medieval buildings that surround it the palazzo is light and spacious, reflecting the new priorities of the powerful family that lived there. As you walk through the streets and admire these beautiful buildings, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss Florentine society with your personal guide, and learn why Florence was once one of the most important cities in Europe.

The city's powerful mercantile past is today a distant memory, but the history of Florence's guilds is an essential part of the city's rich tapestry of palaces, churches and piazzas, which you’ll explore on your exclusive Florence tour. The guilds were keen to promote their self-image in Florence and beyond by commissioning lavish artistic projects such as the statues that ornament the façade of Orsanmichele, including Donatello's remarkable St. George. This burgeoning merchant class also built grand new residences to show off their wealth, as you’ll see when you visit Palazzo Davanzati. In contrast to the heavily fortified medieval buildings that surround it the palazzo is light and spacious, reflecting the new priorities of the powerful family that lived there. As you walk through the streets and admire these beautiful buildings, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss Florentine society with your guide, and learn why Florence was once one of the most important cities in Europe.