The Medici: a History of Money and Power
The Medici: a History of Money and Power
TOUR TYPE
Private Tour
DURATION
3 hours
TIMES
morning and afternoon
DIFFICULTY
Average, walking tour
Our story will begin in Palazzo Medici, the family’s first lordly residence, as well as the largest palazzo to be erected in Florence at the time of its construction. A few steps away is the church of San Lorenzo, built according to the family’s taste and sense of scale. We will then walk to the Duomo, where we shall discover the family’s involvement in the construction of what is still today considered a miracle of Renaissance architecture: the dome designed by Brunelleschi. From here we will move towards the heart of the political power of the city, the Palazzo Vecchio and, after crossing the oldest bridge in Florence, we will reach the fulcrum of the Medici’s ambition: Palazzo Pitti.
The history of the Medici would not be truly complete without stopping to taste a delicious homemade gelato, invented –according to tradition – during a wedding celebration for a member of the family. During this walk, we will discover how the history of the Medici consisted of dramatic rises and ruinous falls. Virtuous characters clash with unrepentant sinners, in an epic family tale which intertwines with the destiny of a whole city.