• Private Tour
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Discover the highlights of Florence the local way! Enjoy amazing works of art, taste delicious snacks in local grocers and ancient markets, and explore the most exclusive fashion shops on this Florence walking tour.

Destination

Florence, Italy

Category

Shopping Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Italiano

Included

• An Italian gelato or a cup of real Espresso
• Some Italian appetizers to accompany the glass of Chianti

Excluded

• Your personal shopping

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Matteo.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Piazza di San Giovanni - Florence to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Royal Shopping

   Let me introduce you to the ancient market and shops of the Medici Family's district.

4. History Lesson

   Discover the Medici family district and hear all the stories and legends regarding this famous family that shaped the city under their rule.

5. Duomo Square

   Admire the religious center of Florence with its stunning Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore and the Baptistery.

6. Food Boutique

   Visit a very exclusive and very special food boutique. It's a great place to do some shopping for authentic and local produces!

7. Arts & Handcrafts

   Let me show you some of the most typical products made in Florence; leather goods, handmade shoes, and straw hats.

8. Politics At Play

   Visit the political square of the city and learn all about its beautiful buildings and statues.

9. The Old New Market

   Pay a visit to the ancient "new market" and let me tell you the story of its wild boar fountain.

10. The Other Side of the River

    Cross the Bridge of the Goldsmiths over the Arno river and head to a beautiful ancient street with amazing leather shops.

11. Gelato/Coffee Break

    Time for a break! Do you prefer a good Italian ice cream or an espresso full of flavor?

12. Fashion Walk

    Cross the most beautiful bridge of Europe and strut down the catwalk of Florence; the street of the biggest fashion brands!

13. A Glass of Chianti

    Complete this private tour with a wine tasting. Savor a glass of Chianti Classico accompanied by some Italian appetizers.

14. The Heart of Florence

    We will end our walk in Piazza del Duomo, in the heart of Florence historical city center.

15. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Jenny🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 January 2025

Everything about our tour was perfect. The organisational aspects worked perfectly. He was careful of us and courteous at all times. The tour itself was amazing bringing together those people living in modern Florence and running family businesses with the beauty of the city itself. We felt privileged to meet local people and taste their delicious produce. Everyone was welcoming and proud of the things we rated. Pastries, wine, freshly cooked meat and potatoes in the market, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and delicious Icecream. With Matteo we covered areas we would never have been on our own. We saw the little hidden gems of the city. In the Basilica di Santo Spirito we saw the beautiful Christ on the Cross in its planned setting - magnificent!! We will definitely come backPerfect Private Tour

Lynda🇺🇸 United States

26 October 2024

Fantastic Guide

Megan🇦🇺 Australia

20 October 2024

We spent the afternoon with Matteo wandering through Florence. What a beautiful city and having Matteo as our guide gave us a great insight into the history and culture of the city. We kicked off in the local market and enjoyed some amazing local produce. He has a great relationship with a lot of the local vendors and that made for a fun interactive afternoon. He gave us great tips on buying local products such as leather and jewellery. The tour was very well paced and had a great mix of food, shopping and local history. Would 100% recommend Matteo if you are in Florence. Florence with Matteo

Nial🇺🇸 United States

31 July 2024

Had a great experience with Matteo, he is very friendly, a wealth of information and tailored the experience to meet all our needs, ate some wonderful food, tried some incredible wine and learned a lot about Florence and it’s history, would recommend Matteo to show you around Great Experience Lots of Fun Learned Alot

Agueda🇺🇸 United States

29 April 2024

Matteo gave us a shopping tour of Firenze with some historical facts, snacks, and wine along the way! He introduced us to a bunch of local wine sellers, artists, and local producers of our favorite Italian items. He showed us places we would have never encountered on our own as tourists. Highly recommend! Great private tour!

Kristin🇺🇸 United States

28 April 2024

Matteo was an excellent guide in every way. He had planned ahead to ensure we missed the crowds on a very busy feast day holiday. He showed us hidden gems as well as shared interesting facts about well-known historical sights. He took us to an incredible wine bar and then gelato stop. We expressed interest in the area of San Spirito so he took us there and showed us around. We had a lovely morning and left with wonderful suggestions of other sites/shops/restaurants to visit on our own. We highly recommend Matteo!Incredibly well-informed; Tailored to us!

Karen🇺🇸 United States

15 October 2023

I arrived late because I got lost. Matteo waited patiently. Then we started off on our tour. He showed me Florence from a native point of view. We had a continuous conversation full of information and insight throughout the tour. We met up with neighbors and they were so lovely and forthcoming. I highly recommend this tour with Matteo. Matteo is your best Florence guide

Kelly🇺🇸 United States

26 May 2023

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Matteo. We did the Sights, Food and shopping tour which was fantastic. Matteo is so knowledgeable about Florence and shared such interesting stories and facts. We have 2 teenage sons and they loved this tour (not always the case!). Even after the tour, Matteo sent me suggestions for shopping which was very appreciated. I recommend Matteo for any tour. He is so personable and knowledgeable. Great tour woth Matteo

thewrightstuff🇨🇦 Canada

12 May 2023

I had my walking tour with Matteto yesterday and was very impressed He is extremely knowledgeable, and showed so many things I would never have discovered on my own He was also so very kind I loved my tour and highly recommend him Grazie The Best

Amanda🇬🇧 United Kingdom

4 May 2023

We took the Art Food and Shopping tour with Matteo. Although we had all been to Florence before, it was some years ago, so it was great to get a refresher from someone so knowledgeable. He took us to the workshop of a goldsmith, and a historic perfumery, neither of which we would have known about ourselves, gave many recommendations of places to eat, rooftop bars (which we followed up, fantastic) gave insights into the history and art of Florence etc. We queued for a delicious ice-cream and later went to a wine store where we were able to share a beautiful bottle of Chianti riserva, and meet the wine grower. Thank you Matteo, highly recommended!Really interesting tour with Matteo

Natalie 🇺🇸 United States

20 April 2023

My teen daughter and I had a wonderful time touring Florence with Matteo, enjoying shopping, tastings and taking in the sights and history of the city. Matteo was friendly, knowledgeable, patient and accommodating. Matteo was a great fit for us because he has experience providing tours to teens/students. You just cannot go wrong with a private guide willing to personalize your experience! We knew we wanted to visit the Gucci flagship store, which we accomplished, and Matteo took us to a couple of other truly special spots to shop that perfectly suited our tastes. We enjoyed a few food stops at fantastic spots we would not have known to try. This tour covered so much ground in the city, but in an efficient way that minimized the miles that we could have wandered around lost had we not had Matteo to guide us. We simply could not have seen so much and learned so much on our own. I highly recommend booking this tour with Matteo!Fantastic experience with Matteo!

Jan🇺🇸 United States

18 April 2023

Thank you Matteo for an informative and interesting tour of Florence. The food and wine tastings were delicious . Definitely recommend this tour with Matteo.

xmqsmccpng🇺🇸 United States

27 March 2023

Matteo was a highlight of our trip. He took us off the beaten path and showed us how locals live, eat & shop. Amazing experience. Amazing

Sandra🇺🇸 United States

10 June 2022

When my husband and I first came across the Withlocals website many months ago, we knew that we would want to take advantage of that program during our time in Florence. After considering three different tours, we decided on the Art, Shopping, and Food of Florence walking tour. Once the tour was booked, Matteo was in touch with us very soon after. Because I am a person who tries to troubleshoot any possible scenarios and to know pretty specifically what to expect, I had a number of questions. Matteo was patient and thorough in his replies. I could tell from our correspondence that he was going to be the perfect guide for us. Our time with Matteo was a delight. He had tailored our itinerary to our preferences, and we covered a lot of ground without becoming exhausted. I do believe that he knows every street, alley, and shortcut in the area! Matteo is a wealth of information, and he shares it in an interesting and relatable manner. He is very attentive and considerate, and he makes every effort to provide the absolute best experience possible. I wholeheartedly recommend Matteo for this or any other tour.Matteo is simply the best!

Milan🇺🇸 United States

6 May 2022

We walked through the narrow streets of room, through the famous street markets and marble statues, and ate yummy food and delicious wine along the way. Matteo was a perfect tour guide, introducing us to the city and giving us the hidden details easily missed. Would definitely recommend this tour to others.Perfect introduce to Florence.

Teresa🇺🇸 United States

2 May 2022

Matteo met us on time at the specified location and was charming from that moment on. He is so knowledgeable about Florence but was willing to tailor the tour to our specific desires. We wanted off the beaten path shopping with historical facts thrown in. We were not disappointed! We have booked him again for a Uffizzi tour. Can’t say enough good about our new friend Matteo!Matteo is the best!

Cassandra🇺🇸 United States

29 April 2022

My sister, two nieces and I scheduled a 3 hour walking tour with Matteo. It rained the entire time, but Matteo did a masterful job of weaving in inside spots and sheltered outside passages during the heaviest rains. And he still showed us many of Firenze’s highlights, as well as hidden gems, while accommodating our specific requests. Matteo took us to some of his favorite spots and also gave us many recommendations to visit on our own. He even answered some follow up questions after the tour. Thank you, Matteo, for making Firenze even more magical for us!Matteo brought sunshine to our rainy day!

Unknown

26 April 2022

Mateo’s tour was so informative. He checked in several times with us to make sure he was fulfilling our expectations and made it clear he was willing to change the tour to our specifications. He was also fun!Mateo eas fantastic!

Lyle🇺🇸 United States

20 April 2022

We had a superb time with Matteo, walking around Florence, hearing of the history and the importance of locations and buildings, along with interesting tidbits of knowledge that will stick with me. And all while on a tour about places for shopping! It was a multifaceted experience. Plus we are non-Italian speakers, for whom Matteo’s English was plenty good. Lastly, Matteo is very nice! Matteo, thank you for a great tour of Florence. Matteo Means Marvelous

nrpwz5js2z🇺🇸 United States

20 April 2022

We had a wonderful time with Matteo. He treated us as friends visiting from out of town and he shared his city with us. Beforehand we had customized our tour for our specific desires and he met them well. Making arrangements and meeting was easy. A very pleasant experience from start to finish. Excellent guide

Julie🇺🇸 United States

19 April 2022

Our tour with Matteo was one of the main highlights of our entire trip! Not only was he so knowledgeable, patient, and flexible, he was also just fun to hang out with! We picked the Art, Shopping and Food tour in hopes that it would be interesting for our teenage daughter as well. She loved it too! Matteo gave us more background and history than we expected, and showed us things I don’t think we would have gotten on a typical, larger tour — some of our favorite parts! Being in a private tour was great because it gave us the flexibility we needed, and Matteo also did a great job “reading the room” for when it was time to move on, we were hungry, etc. He also volunteered lots of tips about the area we were staying in (not related to our tour) beforehand, which was very helpful and thoughtful. We are so glad we did this tour with him, definitely recommend Matteo, and will absolutely do another Withlocals tour on our next trip!Highlight of our Trip!

Tim🇺🇸 United States

17 March 2022

Thanks Matteo for giving us an authentic tour of Florence. We learned not just about the great history and quirky facts about mid century life, but we also found where to get the best Gelato, leather products and jewelry without getting stuck in a tourist trap. He's truly a great city navigator and a wealth of information for your whole trip.We Covered a lot of ground!

Karen🇺🇸 United States

25 February 2020

Matteo is a very knowledgeable guide. He took us to the Medici palace and chapel and toured the market with us. He helped us bargain at the market for leather goods. I would highly recommend Matteo for a walking tour in Florence.Excellent tour of museums and market!

Noëmi🇨🇭 Switzerland

7 January 2020

Do yourself a favour and book a tour with Matteo. He has an incredible knowledge about Florence, its history, customs and practices. He took us also to the Uffizi Gallery, where he really shines in bringing you the master's of the Italian art closer. Top, top, top

Marla🇺🇸 United States

1 January 2020

We made a last minute decision to explore Florence and sought some guidance. When we discovered the withlocals website, we were lucky enough to find Matteo available on short notice. It was like seeing Florence through the eyes of along lost local cousin. His knowledge of history and art contributed greatly to our enjoyment as he pointed out architecture and shared stories and little details that we would never have known. He kept us out of tourist traps, told us how best to bargain in the markets, and shared the most delicious gelato spot with us. Along with many more suggestions for shopping and dining. We were so lucky to find him. Grazie and Felice Anno Nuovo, Matteo!Tour with a long lost Florentine cousin!

Kriss🇺🇸 United States

27 November 2019

I’m so pleased I happened upon With Locals and found Matteo! I urge anyone looking for a tour in Florence to arrange it with him. From our first communication to our good bye at the train station, it’s been an absolute pleasure working with Matteo. Going above and beyond doesn’t even cover it. We were in Florence to celebrate and landmark birthday and Matteo even found us a mystery guest to join us and sing to us! As we exchanged emails setting up the tour he was very receptive to what I was hoping our group could experience. He truly delivered on the request of art, music and off the beaten path exploration of Florence. It was fun, informative, absolutely lovely, the weather was perfect and we had a wonderful time. Matteo and Ferruccio (our special guest) made our late afternoon in Florence memorable. THANK YOU!A Fabulous Afternoon In Florence!

Jennifer

27 November 2019

We really enjoyed our visit around Florence with Matteo. We learned interesting things we wouldn’t have learned otherwise, and he took us off the beaten path. It was like spending three hours with a friend. He even walked us back to the train station and made sure we knew which train to catch!Matteo is wonderful!

DAVID🇺🇸 United States

13 November 2019

Matteo is a cool guy. It was the right choice to visit Florence in this way. Matteo was friendly polite funny and even a bit of a body guard. We would suggest Matteo and of course we would use Matteo again. Awesome Florence visit

Benette🇺🇸 United States

30 October 2019

We really enjoyed the Art, Shopping, and Food of Florence Walking Tour with Matteo because we saw several things that we had not seen before in Florence. Matteo made the effort to coordinate with another host, Fabio to minimize any redundancy from a previous tour. We loved the gelato and truffle places so much that we revisited them a few days later. He took us to the View on Art rooftop which had an unobstructed and close up view of the Duomo. Matteo was well-informed and exhibited a keen eye for quality.Exciting and New Things in Florence

Jane🇺🇸 United States

22 October 2019

Matteo was a fun and informative guide on this tour of Florence and its food fashion and shopping. We went through so many different areas of the city, including the mercato centrale and south of the Arno where he showed us cute gelato and other stores. This was a great tour for finding shops and restaurants we might not otherwise have found!Food fashion fun

Inger🇩🇰 Denmark

18 October 2019

My family and I had some interesting hours in the company of Matteo where we learnt a lot about Florences history, architecture and food. We couldn’t have had a better introduction to FlorenceGreat tour

Nichole🇦🇺 Australia

13 October 2019

What a wonderful experience it was to have Matteo take us around Florence. His knowledge of local history, culture and art is fantastic. Matteo was a terrific guide and this tour is highly recommended! Town Walk

Diane🇺🇸 United States

29 September 2019

So glad we took the tour with Matteo! It’s clear that he’s passionate about all there is to experience in Florence. It was so much more than we expected!So fabulous

Shiloh🇨🇦 Canada

24 September 2019

Matteo exceeded all of our expectation! Experiencing Florence with Matteo gave in insight we never would have had even with a regular tour guide. The exceptional knowledge about city's historical sites along with the political turmoil reflected through the art and architecture of this beautiful city. His local insight with living in the city his whole life he know all the local footballers and the best good quality shopping. He’s gave us great recommendations on the highest quality leather. Teaching us how to barter with locals and to the best hidden gems for cappuccino, wine and Italiano foods. Matteo, is easy going and a great conversationalist. He is wonderfully kind throughout our tour it rained we were delayed, he still took us to all the best places extending the tour time to ensure we were able to see everything. He even took us back to the train station so we did get lost and helped us buy our tickets to make sure we got back to our cruise ship in time to sail. Thank you for making our short time in Florence unforgettable! Phenomenal way to experience Florence

Katrina 🇦🇺 Australia

17 September 2019

A great couple of hours walking the streets and soaking in the sights with an informative Matteo who pointed out the history this town has to offer. We stumbled across eateries and unique shops we would not have found. Matteo was very genuine and generous with this time. Well worth the effort if your time is limited. Thanks for a wonderful experience. Excellent value

Lise🇩🇰 Denmark

16 September 2019

I can definitely recommend a guided tour of Florence with Matteo. His knowledge of the city's history, art and architecture is impressive. At the same time we visited small local shops and tasted local delicacies. Thank you Matteo 😀Very nice way to discover Florence

Kati🇺🇸 United States

11 September 2019

Matteo is phenomenal. I don't understand how he is charging so little for the experience he provides! Matteo has lived in Florence all of his life and is also an expert on the history, so it was a great combination. He knows all of the facts, plus a bunch of fun rumor and drama about the history (Secret tunnels! Love affairs!) I was just 1:1 with him for a fabulous 3+ hour long tour that included gelato (the absolute best I had in Italy), wine and ravioli. I feel like he covered all of the highlights from art and history, to food and shopping. It was the perfect way to see Florence when I only had 1 day and I wasn't sure what to focus on. Skip all of the other expensive tours and book with Matteo - just be prepared to come with enough cash to give him a generous tip because you'll definitely want to when you're done with this tour!The only way to see Florence!

Shiva🇺🇸 United States

9 September 2019

Matteo was amazing, He took me to all the must see places in Florence and all the extra places that were of interest to me and I had requested. I feel like I did enough for a few days in the 5 hours I spent with him and The 5 hours went by so quickly!! I highly highly recommend him. I feel like I was able enjoy the true Florence and all the customs thanks to him. Definitely money well spent. So knowledgable about Florence!

Menno🇳🇱 Netherlands

19 August 2019

We had a wonderful time in Florence thanks to Matteo. He gave us a great overview of the highlights, always adding a few stories as we went through the city. 2,5 hours flew by! Matteo was also very attentive to our kids, who managed the time very well and enjoyed the tour as well. Can definitely recommend the tour and Matteo as your guide. Thanks for great tips, the ice-cream, the refreshing secret garden, the Toscana bites & wine, Matteo! :)Great tour!

Sheri🇨🇦 Canada

13 August 2019

On a extraordinarily hot day, Matteo kept us moving but was considerate of our need for breaks and shade. He worked around other obstacles too, such as the holidays being taken by many vendors and restaurants right now, and the hoardes of people. We were never bored, saw things we had not and would not be able to see on our own, and thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon. Thanks again Matteo!

annie🇬🇧 United Kingdom

7 August 2019

Matteo was amazing! Do one thing in Florence, book a tour with him. He is so knowledgable and passionate about his city and really receptive in responding to what we wanted to see. He took us slightly off the beaten track and gave us some great ideas for places to go and good restaurants which have turned out to be 5 star! He really gave us an amazing start to exploring this wonderful city. Thank you Matteo!Brilliant!

Derin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

17 June 2019

Matteo is one if the best guides I've had. The whole tour was a delight. Pre tour he was very good in following up with me. He met me on time and took me on the most interesting tour, providing really funny and interesting anecdotes on the various spots in Florence that made the tour just that more colourful. In addition Matteo is one of the funniest and lovely guides I've had. He's definitely one to book if you can get him. I will definitely be booking him when next I'm back in Florence. Thank you Matteo for a wonderful day. Best afternoon in Florence

Patricia🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 June 2019

We had the pleasure of having Matteo as our guide of Florence for a 3 hour walking tour of food, shopping and historical/art neighbourhood sights. He was so attentive, so considerate and so knowledge of all the statues, the historical sights and above all, since he grew up in Florence, he shared with us his favourites pastry shops where we shared a coffee and a pastry and hidden restaurants. He also introduced us to a metal artist who has supplies some of the famous stores with very expensive jewelry products. This was a real treat not only to have a demonstration of how this metal jewelry is created by the artist but also we were able to purchase this wonderful jewellery at a substantial price that in any store so be sure to have some cash on you. At the end of our tour, Matteo demanded in a nice way to share a glass of wine. If you travel to Florence, be sure to arrange a tour with Matteo. You will not be sorry...!!A Wonderful Tour of Florence by Matteo - June 2019

Bob

5 February 2025

Mateo is very knowledgeable and very pleasant. Showed us some key sites. Went over some of the key histories and answered a lot of questions. Very worthwhile. Was also very helpful with restaurants and other sites we should see.Good Introduction

Michelle🇺🇸 United States

5 November 2024

Our tour with Mateo was truly unforgettable! He guided us through Florence’s enchanting streets, revealing hidden gems and immersing us in the city’s rich culture. Mateo’s passion for Florence was infectious—he gave us fantastic food recommendations, must-visit spots, and insider tips on where to shop like a local. His knowledge and enthusiasm made us feel like we were discovering the heart of Florence alongside a friend. Mateo is a gem himself, and we couldn’t recommend him more highly!Florence’s Hidden Gems Uncovered w/Mateo!

Jill

3 November 2024

Matteo is a wealth of knowledge, and a fun person to be with. He was very tuned in and present with us throughout the tour. I highly recommend him and will definitely book him again for future tours. Excellent!

John🇬🇧 United Kingdom

24 October 2024

This was our first withlocals tour and we were blessed to have the inestimable Matteo as our guide. He showed us the well known & lesser known gems of Florence, interspersed with fascinating historical (Game of Thrones are amateurs!) & personal stories, all weaving Florentine history together. There were so many highlights - a few would be Michelangelo’s crucifixion made when he was 17yo, that art & politics aren’t separate (we see the Piazza della signoria with new eyes), and Matteo himself. Excellent recommendations for coffee, an enoteca, and an aperitivo were acted upon. We can’t recommend the knowledgeable, friendly & personable Matteo enough - if you were at a dinner party, you’d want to be sat beside Matteo. Exceptional

ALLISON🇺🇸 United States

18 October 2024

This was a wonderful way to explore Florence on our first morning there. Matteo was a great host who provided a fun combo of historical facts and details as well as recommendations for local hot spots. Really enjoyed and would recommend!Wonderful intro to Florence with Matteo!

Tim

11 October 2024

The History of Florence Tour by Matteo exceeded our expectations! Matteo provides a wonderful balance of historical context, intriguing stories and fine details of artwork, architecture and culture. Matteo listened carefully to our interests and prior experiences and customized the tour to make the most of our time together. In addition to the tour, Matteo mixed in timely stops for a coffee, delicious gelato and various hidden shops which matched our interests. We could not more strongly recommend Matteo’s History of Florence Tour! Exceptional Tour by Matteo

L.A.🇬🇧 United Kingdom

6 October 2024

Matteo is a great guide with a lot of knowledge of the period and place. We toured all around the historic area and got a great overview. Extremely personable and even went over time as we lingered a bit too long in some places. Would highly recommend touring with Matteo. Above and beyond