Florence Tours
Private Skip-the-Line Florence Highlights and David Walking Tour
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Private Skip-the-Line Florence Highlights and David Walking Tour

By Italian Vista Travel
Recommended by 92% of travellers
92% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Florence is one of Italy’s most stunning cities, but in a city filled with attractions, deciding what to see first can also be overwhelming. Take the strain out of planning and cover key highlights in just half a day on this personalized private tour led by a local art historian guide. With skip-the-line access to Michelangelo’s *David,* it’s perfect for families, couples, or small groups.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99
Duration: 2h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: German, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, English, Italian, French, Dutch, Spanish
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Highlights
  • Discover Florence at a pace that suits you on this intimate private tour
  • Enjoy skip-the-line access to Michelangelo’s original *David* sculpture and traveler pickup
  • Drink in Florence’s art, history, and culture with an art historian guide
  • Explore the historic center, bohemian Oltrarno, and fashionable Tornabuoni

  • Professional art historian guide
  • Private tour
  • Hotel pick-up when this is central located
  • Accademia skip the line tickets
What's not included
  • Private transportation
  • Lunch
  • Bottled water
  • NO REFUND is for flights/trains strikes, delays, illnesses communicated within 24hrs before the tour
  • Entry/Admission - Galleria dell'Accademia

From your central Florence hotel, walk with your guide to your first stop, the Piazza della Repubblica, site of the original Roman forum. From here, walk to the Piazza della Signoria, admire the sculptures, and stroll to the Ponte Vecchio, the city’s most famous bridge. After viewing the splendid Palazzo Pitti, once home to the rulers of Florence, amble through bohemian Oltrarno, with its artists’ workshops and cafés. Cross the river to Via Tornabuoni with its covetable designers, Palazzo Strozzi, and, of course, the Florence Cathedral (Duomo). Skipping the line is not an option here, so decide with your guide whether to visit or not on the day. Finally, stroll to the Accademia Gallery (tickets not included), walk past the long line, and head straight to Michelangelo’s masterpiece, 'David.' Your guide explains the secrets of the sculpture and the master’s unfinished 'Prisoners' before you end your tour outside the gallery.

Start:Traveller pickup offered.
    Pickup details
    • Pick up WILL BE AT YOUR HOTEL if your hotel is in the historical center of Florence. If not, you will be contacted by our staff and define a central meeting point with the guide. Transportation to the meeting point will be at your own expenses
    End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

      • Wheelchair accessible
      • Pushchair accessible
      • Service animals allowed
      • Near public transportation
      • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
      If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 29762P9

      • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
      • Not recommended for travellers with back problems
      • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
      • Most travellers can participate
      • NO REFUND is for flights/trains strikes, delays, illnesses or other circumstances communicated within 24hrs before the tour. For the above reasons please refer to your Travel Insurance company - please verify that it covers the above mentioned circumstances
      • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

      • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

      If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 29762P9

      From
      AU$469.08
      AU$422.17
      per adult (price varies by group size)
      Select date and travellers
      Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

      Similar experiences

      Itinerary
      • Pass by
        Piazza della Repubblica
        Ponte Vecchio
        Palazzo Vecchio
        Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
      • 1
      • 2
        Pass by
        Battistero Di San Giovanni
        Ponte Santa Trinita
        Palazzo Strozzi
        Via de' Tornabuoni
        Palazzo Pitti
        Oltrarno
      About the operator
      Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
      • Italian Vista Travel
        278
        Florence, Tuscany, Italy
        Joined in April 2013
      • David C
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Well worth it!
        Francesco was very good. Very calm walk though some of Florence’s must see’s. Nothing he doesn’t know about the city. Highly recommended to get your bearings, particularly at the start of the trip. The skip the line option which comes with the guide is worth the money as queues still large even out of season.
        Written 1 February 2025
      • andyk670
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great tour of Florence.
        Our tour guide Brian was fantastic! So much information on the history, cluture and art of Florence. Highly recommend this tour!
        Written 30 November 2024
      • K7006AKpauld
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Francesca is one of the best guides in the business! Highly recommend scheduling a tour with her.
        Francesca Messina did an excellent job as our guide. She was knowledgeable, professional and engaging. I highly recommend this tour.
        Written 13 October 2024
      • MilesTedder
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Worth the Time
        Even though we visited at the end of September Saint Mark Square, The Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Basilica were all very crowded. Our skip the line access was excellent, but still a very crowded experience. The beauty of Saint Marks Basilica cannot be described in photos. It is best experienced in person.
        Written 30 September 2024
      • Denise R
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great Value Experience
        We had an amazing experience doing this tour with Brian. He met us at our hotel, and as a bonus we learned the history of the Ponte Vecchio as we crossed it to walk to Pitti Palace. Given the size and scope of the Palace and the “museums” within it, it was certainly a benefit to have a guide to understand the families who had owned it and their acquisition of so much art and artefacts. The walls and ceilings are a virtual feast for the senses. Would certainly recommend the tour, and you may be lucky enough to go with Brian, whose wonderful manner and storytelling ability made it an unforgettable experience
        Written 26 September 2024
      • _D4735KK
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great tour, great Francesca
        Amazing, Interesting and informative tour with wonderful FRANCESCA. We enjoyed every minute with her and highly recommend this tour with her!
        Written 3 September 2024
      • benochan
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        First time in Florence.
        Brenda our guide is very knowledgeable and told us all the history for Florence. She took us to all the "must see" spots and of course took us to see "David" with "skip-the-line" service. We enjoyed this walking tour and would recommend it if it's your first time in Florence.
        Written 24 August 2024
      • 459ferns
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great walking tour!!
        Our guide was friendly and her information was informative but not excessive which was nice! Really enjoyed the walk and saw lots of Florence. Definitely worth every cent! Thank you.
        Written 29 July 2024
      • adrianem2018
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Florence highlights & David walking tour
        Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and provided great insight into the city. My husband and I enjoyed his in-depth knowledge and passion for the city.
        Written 23 July 2024
      • johncP4799CE
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        This is a Very Enjoyable Tour
        This is a great option in Florence if you have about 2 hours and 30 minutes of time you want to spend learning about tons of important and valuable Tuscan and Italian history, while also burning 500 calories while walking in the blazing hot Italian sun. Our tour guide, Jessica, was very knowledgable in the history of Florence. Her stories were entertaining and loaded with information. She also recommended local restaurants and Florentine classics. She also warned us and gave details about pickpockets. Very interesting experience and I highly recommend.
        Written 10 July 2024
      • Pioneer16869274844
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        An excellent tour with an outstanding guide
        This was an excellent tour and Brian's knowledge and personality contributed hugely to the enjoyment. I have learnt so much of the history of Florence, something I did not expect to do.
        Written 11 June 2024
      • AliLucy04
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great tour!!!
        Great tour! The tour guide was informative and very amiable. We enjoyed learning about the city’s main attractions and the David exhibit area. It turned out to be a rainy day but that didn’t stop the tour guide from unveiling a wonderful experience. We highly recommend the tour.
        Written 31 May 2024
      • D7368WNdeannad
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Bryan is the best !
        Bryan was the BEST tour guide. We learned so much. He had the answer to all of the groups questions and even had a bunch of recommendations for things to do in Florence along with places to eat! Highly recommend!
        Written 25 May 2024
      • jessicafR239WY
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        tour of David statue and florence
        Brian was great! super helpful and smart definitely recommend:) tour took about three hours and ended at the David. fun and educational
        Written 25 May 2024
      • 345athenaw
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        we walked around the city, visited the shops with beautiful leather bags and things. we went to the museum
        the tour was wonderful it was a little hot but our tour guide Bryan made sure we were as comfortable as possible. He made sure to tell us all about the history but not give us a lesson. This made it much more enjoyable and interactive, Bryan answered all of our questions and gave us a good laugh. Wonderful tour and guide!
        Written 24 May 2024
      See all 278 reviews
      These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

      Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


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      5.0
      5.0 of 5 bubbles28 reviews
      Excellent
      25
      Very good
      1
      Average
      0
      Poor
      2
      Terrible
      0

      Vicki S
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      July 2024 • Family
      This tour was really fantastic! Our tour guide, Brian, did a great job of explaining the history of Florence through the sights and art we saw. He also helped all of us appreciate Michelangelo’s David more than we had before. A truly memorable experience!
      Written 31 July 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Renee G
      London, UK2 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      May 2024 • Family
      Danielz F was an outstanding guide who provided insightful knowledge of Florence's history from the 1100's through WWll. My wife and I were able to get a vivid picture of exactly what happened in Florence over time and how it shows up in today's Florence. Danielz's knowledge of Michelangelo's life, his art and place in history was unbelievable. This tour was a great use of 4 hours when visiting Florence!
      Written 28 May 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      jenlikesbeaches
      Calgary, Canada147 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      July 2022 • Family
      We had a wonderful walking tour with Scilla! She was funny, kind and knowledgeable. After taking us to see all of the gorgeous highlights of old Florence, we “skipped the line” and within minutes we were standing in front of David in the Accademia museum. What a treat. I would highly recommend booking with Italian Vista. If you can walk a few kilometres, a walking tour is the way to go. An excellent day!
      Written 30 July 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Robbobristol
      Ischgl, Austria59 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aug 2023 • Family
      Francesca was a superb guide. Very friendly and knowledgeable - a true Florentine. The tour was very interesting, great architecture, artwork, history - and we also enjoyed some gelato! Highly recommended. Thank you.
      Written 30 August 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Larissa V
      2 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Sept 2024 • Friends
      Our guide, Brian, was amazing! He was friendly, punctual, knowledgeable, open to all questions, and overall a delight! We were lucky enough to be in a small group of only 3 of us for the tour. He would point out shops, restaurants, gelaterias, and more along the way. He would let us stop to take a picture of these locations to come back to later. He also gave us lots of great advice on how to pick out real leather, how to keep safe from pickpockets, and how to pick out the tourist traps vs the good spots that locals go to. As well, Brian’s knowledge of art history and Florence history was outstanding. We learned a lot. I am so glad we did this tour especially on our first day of Florence - it gave us a lot to go back to and enjoy for the next few days! Highly recommend!
      Written 6 September 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      kris20172017
      Tenafly, New Jersey5 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      June 2024 • Family
      Our guide Francesca was amazing! My husband joked that having her as our guide was like renting a best friend to show you around her hometown. She was extremely knowledgeable about everything from the history of Florence to the different buildings and art pieces, and our tweens had so much fun listening to her explanations and joking with her.

      I highly recommend the Florence Highlights tour!
      Written 26 June 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Laura046
      Tupper Lake, NY42 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Sept 2018 • Friends
      I have traveled fairly extensively and enjoyed many great tours but this half day tour in Florence was my favorite. The reason for this highest compliment is because of our tour guide Paola. We were traveling in a group of nine and on 9/29 and Paola made this tour fun for everyone in our group. She was super personable, very knowledgeable, articulate, and she had a great sense of humor. We will be talking about this tour and Paola for some time. Thanks Paola.
      Written 15 October 2018
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Dear Laura, I am so glad that you enjoyed our guide Paola, I agree having some great sense of humor can make the difference. I am happy you'll have a great memory of Florence and of your guide here! Thanks so much and have a great winter! Elena
      Written 16 October 2018
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      mwoodler
      Newport Beach, CA7 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aug 2018 • Couples
      From a fairly discerning customer, I give an A+!

      We did an all-day, skip the line tour with Barbara. I imagine that in a tour, the guide could really make or break a customer's experience of a city. Barbara was excellent-- very friendly, extremely knowledgeable and highly enthusiastic! We enjoyed learning not just about the art in the Uffizi or Academia, but of the various fixtures, buildings and history in and of Florence. Also, she gave some wonderful food and drink suggestions, not just during our tour, but for the remainder of our stay in Florence (they were amazing--ask for them).

      Elena, the owner of Italian Vista Travel, was very professional and quick to communicate via email and WhatsApp. She went above and beyond by setting up a last minute (requested the day of) evening tour for us on a stop-over in Rome, which was also excellent! I highly recommend Italian Vista Travel and look forward to using them in future travel to Italy.

      Thank you very much, Italian Vista Travel Team!
      Written 29 August 2018
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you Megan! I am happy your enjoyed both of our guides in Florence and Rome! We at IVT are always available 24/7 and glad to arrange very last minute requests. All my best Elena
      Written 2 September 2018
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Mike K
      Kanata, Canada3,027 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Oct 2017 • Couples
      Elena Calissi, our tour guide from Italian Vista Travel took us to the plaza Santo Spirito where we visited the church, the Basilica di Santo Spirito ("Basilica of the Holy Spirit") in the Oltrarno quarter, facing the square with the same name. The interior of the building - internal length 97 meters - is one of the preeminent examples of Renaissance architecture.

      At 18-years old, Michelangelo carved a wooden cross (which we saw) in thanks to the Augustinian monks who allowed him to examine and even dissect cadavers of people with no heirs or relatives to be buried in the adjacent cemetery. She told us that Michelangelo was gay and that he eventually started to over-size his creations in his art. He was a wealthy man without heirs and they found a chest under his death bed full of cash.

      She took us to all of the side chapels each purchased by notable local families for internment of their dead. The church has 38 of these side chapels, which contain artworks. The most significant is the Bini-Capponi Chapel, housing the St. Monica Establishing the Rule of the Augustinian Nuns painting by Francesco Botticini. The Corbinelli chapels works are by Andrea Sansovino, Cosimo Rosselli and Donnino and Agnolo del Mazziere. In the chapels of the transept are altarpieces by Filippino Lippi. Also in the transept is a choir from which the Frescobaldi Marquisses could participate to the rites without being seen by the crowd. The sacristy, accessed through a doorway in what would have been the left sixth chapel preceded by a monumental vestibule by Simone del Pollaiolo, was designed by Giuliano da Sangallo in 1489, and has an octagonal plan. It is home to a devotional painting of St. Fiacre curing the Sick (1597) by Alessandro Allori (1596) commissioned by Christine of Lorraine, Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici's wife. No photography is allowed inside.

      Elena then walked us to the Accademia Gallery where I was shocked to see the extent of the long line of tourists waiting to get in. No worries. The wonderful aspect of a professional guide was our ability to skip the queue and immediately enter the Gallery, which was quite crowded. The Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze is an art museum best known as the home of Michelangelo's sculpture, David. It has other sculptures by Michelangelo and a large collection of paintings by Florentine artists, mostly from 1300-1600. It is much smaller and more specialized than the Uffizi and after the Uffizi, the second most visited art museum in Italy.

      As I walk inside amidst the crowd, I turn a corner and then I see it at the end of a corridor, people gathered all around it. An involuntary “wow” escapes my lips. I think it’s the most beautiful work of art that I have ever seen. The closer I get, the more detail I perceive. It’s truly a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture created between 1501 and 1504 by Michelangelo.

      David is a 5.17-metre (17 foot) marble statue of a standing male nude, the Biblical hero, a favoured subject in the art of Florence. David is depicted as ready to fight Goliath. Brow drawn, neck tense, the veins bulge out of his lowered right hand. His left hand holds a sling, draped over his shoulder and down to his right hand, which holds a rock. He looks beautiful yet strong and prepared. For me, this represents the high point of my trip to Italy. I would readily return to Florence just to see Michelangelo’s David again.

      The original David has been housed here since 1873, its previous outdoor location on Piazza della Signoria where there is a replica. The gallery's small collection of Michelangelo's work includes his four unfinished Prisoners, intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II, and a statue of Saint Matthew, also unfinished. In 1939, these were joined by a Pietà discovered in the Barberini chapel in Palestrina, but experts consider its attribution to Michelangelo to be dubious.

      Other works on display are Florentine paintings from the 13th and 16th centuries, including works by Paolo Uccello, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Sandro Botticelli and Andrea del Sarto; and, from the High Renaissance, Giambologna's original full-size plaster modello for the Rape of the Sabine Women. As well as a number of Florentine Gothic paintings, the gallery houses the collection of Russian icons assembled by the Grand Dukes of the House of Lorraine, of which Leopoldo was one.

      Elena, our guide, works for Italian Vista Travel, a licensed Tour operator that arranges high quality tours, activities and excursions for travelers who want to explore Italian cities through the eyes of a local guide. She was terrific. She met us at the apartment where we were staying, saves us lots of time at the Accademia Gallery and also helped us get timed tickets for easy access to the Uffizi the next day. Her background knowledge enriched our tour and she was someone who was pleasant with a good sense of humor. I highly recommend this tour company.
      Written 19 December 2017
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Susie1249
      Springfield, MA22 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Oct 2019 • Family
      If you want to make the most of a short time in Florence this is the way to go. Tour was comprehensive and tailored to our interests and energy.
      Our guide Flavia was articulate and knowledgeable. We all learned and enjoyed the afternoon.

      Gratzie Mille!!
      Written 12 October 2019
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you Susie, we also love Flavia and her ability to tailor the tour on our customers interests! All the best Elena
      Written 23 October 2019
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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      *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

      Private Skip-the-Line Florence Highlights and David Walking Tour provided by Italian Vista Travel

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