• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Curious to know more about Florence’s history? Join a local history expert on an insightful tour that will show you a side of the city that can’t be found in any book. This experience will open your eyes to the past and origins of Florence from a local perspective as you learn about The Renaissance.

Destination

Florence, Italy

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

Español, English, Italiano, Deutsch, 日本語, Français, Português, Türkçe, 中文

Included

• Private Guide
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance ticket to the Medici Chapels - (Tuesdays the Medici Chapels are closed and the Church of San Lorenzo will be visited instead)

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 24 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

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 the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In front of the Church in the Santa Maria Novella square - 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. The Renaissance

   Your history tour in Florence will focus on The Renaissance. Learn the impacts, insights and hear stories related to this historic event from your knowledgeable host. Discover the city as you retrace history and go in-depth on the effects this part of history has on Florence

4. Historical Highlights

   Check out main landmarks related to the theme of your history tour and connect their relevance through fantastic stories and facts from your expert local host

5. Hidden Treasures

   During your tour, you’ll also uncover hidden gems that will show you a different perspective of history as you know it, something you can’t easily find in a history book!

6. Storytelling Journey

   As you discover the historical side of Florence, you’ll be able to go back in time thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time

7. 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.

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

Larry🇺🇸 United States

(About local Dina)

12 January 2025

We had a great tour that covered the history of Florence during the renaissance period with Dina. She was knowledgeable and interesting. The pace was perfect. We would highly recommend this tour.Excellent Walking Tour of Florence

Julia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Martina)

29 December 2024

We had a wonderful tour with Martina. She was very knowledgeable and did a great job giving us context and antidotes about the medieval and renaissance Florence. Incredibly personable and flexible with organizing the tour for us. My kiddo really likes pedestrian bridges and Martina arranged for us to finish up at Ponte Vecchio with a discussion of it so that when we parted ways we could further explore that area. She also gave us suggestions for lunch restaurants with good vegan options. Honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better tour or guide. Martina was Fabulous

Elana🇺🇸 United States

(About local Martina)

24 December 2024

We had a great time with Martina learning about the Medicis and little things around the city that we wouldn't have noticed.Informative experience

Bonnie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Martina)

4 November 2024

Martina was a delightful and accommodating guide! We particularly appreciated her knowledge of Renaissance art and architecture. We warmly recommend her!Delightful and knowledgeable host!

Pedro Juan🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

(About local Maja)

1 November 2024

Our time with Maja was great. We walked through the most important and beautiful streets of Florence. While gaining great insight and information from Maja. We highly recommend this tour as the first things you do in Florence to learn how to move around and where to spend your time. Great Walking City Tour

Barbara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Vesela)

20 October 2024

We were very happy with our decision to have a private guide for our first visit to Florence. Vesela is delightful, very knowledgeable of the era and area and focused the tour on our interests. Despite the rainy weather we managed to see a lot in our 3-hour Renaissance Tour, as Florence is a very walkable city. Having Vesela alongside to provide both an overview of the city's history and to point out small details along the way made for an excellent experience. We were late for our meeting time (we overslept!) but Vesela greeted us with a smile and made us feel like we were spending time with a friend. Like Being with a Friend!

Carl

(About local Virginia)

18 October 2024

Virginia was so ver knowledgeable about Florence and the Renaissance. She was easy to understand and we learned a lot about the sights!Great Experience

Jay🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

15 October 2024

Laura was super knowledgeable and very passionate about Florence. We really appreciate all the little details and hidden gems she pointed out. I recommend her to anyone who really wants to know about the history of Florence from a world class host. Fiorentine Excellence

Tim

(About local Matteo)

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

(About local Matteo)

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

Whitson🇺🇸 United States

(About local Andrea)

27 September 2024

Andrea speaks to the history of Florence very well and knows how to engage with his customers. Highly recommend. Spectacular

Jason

(About local Federica)

3 September 2024

We did the History of Florence - Renaissance Tour with Federica and it was fantastic. She showed us sights we would never have thought to seek out on our own, but that were well worth the time to see. Federica had an incredible knowledge of Florence and you can tell she had a real passion for the city and it's history. The experience we had on this tour really added to our enjoyment of the cityand would highly recommend Federica for your guide. Florence - History and the Renaissance

Unknown

(About local Manuel)

7 August 2024

The Florence history tour with Manuel was amazing. He was extremely knowledgeable and engaging, lots of historical contexts and hidden gems everywhere we would have never seen on our own. Highly recommend, 10/10 all around!Florence history tour - amazing!

Craig🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Zeynep Arzu)

5 August 2024

We had a great tour with Zeynep who is an excellent guide. She was entertaining, knowledgable, and provided a very good introduction to Florence for our family. Highly recommended!Great tour

Shreyasi

(About local Matteo)

31 July 2024

Matteo provided a great tour of Firenze, focusing on history, art and culture. He was super flexible and although we walked a lot, there were regular stops. He was full of details and little stories as well as several 'hidden' gems in Firenze. Highly recommended!Very interesting tour with Matteo

Nina🇺🇸 United States

(About local Andrea)

11 July 2024

Andrea was an excellent tour guide! He knows Florence so well… from the history, museums, gelato, food, to even knowing where the closest pharmacy was located. (Needed medicine). Even though it was so hot outside, Andrea kept it interesting and fun! I highly recommend Andrea!Great time with Andrea!

JEREMY

(About local Laura)

3 July 2024

Laura combined deep historical and artistic knowledge with genuine enthusiasm as a florentine for the city. Her recommendation for lunch was also off the clock and local and she was good fun. Can’t recommend her highly enough to anyone wanting to get under the skin of this amazing place. Highly recommended

Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Manuel)

23 June 2024

The Renaissance in Florence came to life with Manuel! He showed us many details hidden in plain sight that brought new meaning to the city. His stories explained the tie between the history of this city and what we see today. Off the beaten path alleys, intersections, and piazzas all filled with fragments of history. Manuel provided an exceptional experience of the city and its history.

Li Ming🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Maja)

21 June 2024

Susanna🇺🇸 United States

(About local Matteo)

19 June 2024

Matteo was a great tour guide, he brought us to some amazing places, away from the crowds, and helped us gain a greater appreciation of Florentine history, art and culture. Thank you Matteo!Great tour of Florence

Katharina

(About local Matteo)

17 June 2024

Matteo was a great city guide; he explained the various sights to us in great detail and answered our questions completely; He has a very in-depth (historical) knowledge and you can see his love for Florence. The tour was really good and I can recommend Matteo. His manner is friendly and relaxed at the same time. On my next trip to Florence I could imagine booking him again.We had a great time with Matteo

Jules

(About local Matteo)

14 June 2024

Matteo was so knowledgeable and passionate about his city, we saw so much and had a great time.Brilliant!

Elaine 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federica)

27 May 2024

We had a great time with Federica. She’s very sweet and considerate. Her knowledge about Florence and the history here is vast. Even after we left her, she text us information We asked her about. Thank you to her for being such a great guide.Very knowledgeable

Lauren🇺🇸 United States

(About local Michele)

24 May 2024

Michele was professional, engaging, upbeat and so informed. We enjoyed every minute while with him. Michele’s theater background makes his knowledge shine. He was able to keep two tired children focused and was able to “read the crowd” with precision. We HIGHLY recommend spending time with Michele, he was a 10/10! 10!

christian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Virginia)

8 May 2024

we visited Florence for the first time and selected the renaissance tour with Virginia. It was an exceptional experience. She was extremely knowledgeable, personable, and made us feel like locals for the time. If you are considering a tour in Florence, take one here and it will be a hilight of your trip. Best First Visit to Florence

Jeremy🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Vesela)

1 May 2024

My family and I had a really great time exploring Florence with Vesela. She patiently answered our questions (many) and warmly shared her knowledge. At the end of our tour we felt like we had made a new friend! We highly recommend Vesela!!Wonderful time with Vesela!

John🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chiara)

26 April 2024

My wife and I were very please with our tour. Chiara was our guide and we could not be more happy with the job she did. Chiara was very receptive to our wants and adapted to make a tour of Florence and its history just what we asked for. Chiara is knowledgeable about the history of Florence and adds those extras you don’t always find in a book. I would highly recommend this service. An informatuve stroll around Florence

Unknown

(About local Matteo)

24 November 2023

Matteo was prompt, patient, flexible, knowledgeable, generous, and professional. We had a wonderful time and he showed us the highlights which saved us a lot of time. I’ll definitely contact him for another tour the next time we go to Florence. Really a great guide!Best tour guide I’ve ever had.

Madison

(About local Matteo)

24 November 2023

Matteo was fabulous! We are so glad we picked him as our guide, we kept saying afterwards how that was the best think we’ve done in Italy. Matteo was flexible and willing to change plans, he suggested new sights and kept us informed about the things we were seeing as we were walking around. Instead of visiting the Riccardi palace he suggested the Pitti palace, and we’re so glad he did! We spent almost the whole tour inside, observing the artwork and learning about the history and background. He spent much more time with us than the tour allotted, and even took us to a local sand which shop he loves and a great gelato place nearby. We would highly highly highly recommend Matteo!! Excellent Historical Art Tour!

Sheri

(About local Laura)

15 October 2023

Laura was an excellent guide. She is very professional and knowledgeable. We learned so much about the city of Florence. She was even kind enough to bring us to meet our friend at a local restaurant. We would highly recommend Laura to anyone wanting to learn more about the beautiful city of Florence.Guided Tour of Florence

Susan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chiara)

4 October 2023

My husband and I had a great tour of Florence with Chiara. We learned a lot about the history of Florence's famous families (The Medici), who they were and why they were important to Florence. We also learned a lot about the architecture from different time periods. Chiara was interesting, personable and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend taking a tour with Chiara.Tour of Florence with Chiara

Julie

(About local Laura)

2 October 2023

Laura is amazing!!! She is incredibly knowledgeable about Florence history (and others, I am sure) and answered all of our questions about it so thoroughly. She’s also very personable. We wanted to walk around with her all day! The tour provided invaluable information about things we would have walked right past otherwise. If you want to learn about history, this tour with Laura is the way to go.Amazing! A must do for history buffs!

Chad🇺🇸 United States

(About local Dina)

21 September 2023

During our recent trip to Florence, we had the privilege of exploring this captivating city with Nina…an extraordinary guide. Her warmth and genuine enthusiasm for Florence made the experience truly personable. Every step of the way, she kept us engaged with fascinating stories and insights about Florence's rich history and culture. We really appreciated that she customized the tour to our interests and what we had already toured before hand and would be doing later, ensuring every moment was well spent. If you're looking for an informative, engaging, and customized tour, Nina is an absolute must! Florence came alive in ways we could never have imagined, all thanks to this her!Unforgettable: An Exceptional Guide!

Jeff🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Matteo)

5 September 2023

Very much enjoyed our day with Matteo. He was extremely knowledgeable about Florence and was able to share his understanding of the various cultural attitudes, competition, and drivers surrounding the various decision makers (Medici and the church), architecture, artists and the times in which they were created. He is very friendly and open to answer any and all questions patiently. He provided a great deal of information even after the tour regarding places to go and see outside of Florence. Very much appreciated. Great guide. Wealth of City and Art History knowledge

Zach🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federica)

3 September 2023

Federica was an incredible tour guide for both the city of Florence and the museums it has. She helped coordinate the tickets into the museums and was very enthusiastic the whole time! Would recommend anyone visiting Florence to consider a tour with her!An Awesome Day

Dorla🇺🇸 United States

(About local Zeynep Arzu)

3 August 2023

This tour was an amazing time, with a knowledgeable and kind guide! Would recommend this to anyone looking to know the history of Florence and see its beautiful architecture. I can’t emphasize enough how amazing our tour guide was, she put a smile on our faces and set a good start to out Florence trip!The best Florence experience

Carol🇺🇸 United States

(About local Zeynep Arzu)

22 June 2023

It was so wonderful to have Zeynep Arzu as our guide...her deep love of the city and it's history comes out during the tour and it adds a wonderful depth to the tour. Highly recommend.Clearly loves her job

Bob🇵🇦 Panama

(About local Zeynep Arzu)

16 June 2023

Zeynep’s tour was an interesting and pleasant experience. Very knowledgeable in the history of both people and sites of the Renaissance period tour we booked. We all enjoyed everything about the tour. Our day in Florence

Amy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Matteo)

9 June 2023

Matteo customized a perfect introduction to Florence walking tour. He was very knowledgeable, personable and showed us some very unique spots. He kept the pace suitable for my mother, while also making it a great learning experience for us all. And made great recommendations for places to eat as well. Highly recommend!

Evelyn🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Chiara)

4 June 2023

Had this tour one hour after arriving to Florence and was a great idea. Chiara met us near by and walked us by the most important buildings in Florence, she interacted well with my 11 year old and also switched to Spanish when explaining paintings and art to my mother who doesn’t speak English. Overall the Renaissance tour was more informative than other city tours, as she explained the different families and their history. After walking by Ponte Vecchio she had tickets and fast pass to the Medici Palace, just as started to rain which was great. Chiara was wonderful, definitely recommending this tour as soon as you arrive, so you know where to go after. Thanks Chiara!Great tour arriving to Florence

Rob🇺🇸 United States

(About local Martina)

8 May 2023

With only a few hours for us to spend in Florence, Martina put together a customized tour that included a mix of key sites and some incredible, lesser-known locations in Florence. Her wealth of knowledge and clear love of her city was matched by her sense of humor and cheerful, upbeat attitude. I will absolutely recommend her!Wonderful tour of Florence with Martina!

peterrollings🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Dina)

5 May 2023

Dina was wonderful! Enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable she made the (sometimes complicated) history of the Medici’s fairly easy to understand and to follow and gave a sense of bringing that part of the history of Florence and Italy to life. You certainly don’t have to be a history nut to enjoy this tour.Interesting and easy to understand

Leif🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Marco)

28 April 2023

Marco is a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. He brings the information over in a very nice way. He has a great knowledge in art and history. One of the best guides we ever met!Excellent!

Merith🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Maja)

12 April 2023

Maja hat sich sehr viel Mühe gegeben, uns Florenz und die Höhepunkte, näher zu bringen. Auch das Erlebnis im Medici Palast, hat uns sehr gefallen. Mit Kopfhörern, hätten wir die h die Lautstärke und vielen Menschen noch mehr profitiert.

Cecilia🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Marco)

10 April 2023

Me and my family did the 3-hour Renaissance tour with Marco in Florence and we had a great time. Marco was very knowledgeable and showed us all the key/major points of interest along with their history. 10/10Informative and interesting tour!

Juliana🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Zeynep Arzu)

4 April 2023

We - two adults and two teenagers (!) - had a great time exploring Florence with Zeynep! Her knowledge of history is exhaustive, and she is able to share lots of interesting details along the way from one sightseeing highlight to another. Probably one of the best tours we have had so far. :-)3 hiurs were flying by!

Wei🇺🇸 United States

(About local Zeynep Arzu)

30 March 2023

We were travelling through northern Italy for a wine tour, and had a few hours stop at Florence. It turned out to be a good decision to book a walking tour with Zeynep. She’s very knowledgeable, full of interesting stories about the history of the city. Her enthusiasm are infectious. We thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with her. A perfect afternoon in Florence

Rosemarie🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Maja)

22 March 2023

A great walk of Florence's streets, lots of history, architecture, lifestyles over the centuries. Our interest to delve deeper into Florence's history has been strengthened We enjoyed every minute and would wholeheartedly recommend Maja as a guide.Excellent afternoon with Maja

Michel🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chiara)

26 February 2023

It was one of the greatest moment of our tourism life, Chiara was able to give her passion through Stories and History of Firenze, we did not see the time going. She was flexible for making some stop and enjoy the caffe place. We were 4 people of different characters, all are impressed by Chiara commitment. It is already a wonderful memory. We love Firenze! Thank you for that! MichelHow to enjoy the best of Firenze

Jaime🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federica)

22 January 2023

Federica was an amazing guide! She is very knowledgeable about Florence, past and present, and her English was flawless. Friendly and fun as well. Would highly recommend. Amazing Guide!