Art, crafts and food tour of Florence
Florentine places, unmissable for history, crafts and food lovers!
Guided by your expert guide, you will discover the traditions of Florence in craftmanship, art and gastronomy.
The Florentine tradition of producing artisanal goods has been in existence for centuries and remains one of the cornerstones of Florence’s creative and social history. Florence is a perfect blend of craftsmanship, art and food traditions.
Our tour starts in Piazza Santa Maria Novella (Santa Maria Novella Square). We visit the famous Santa Maria Novella Church, a medieval Domenican church that houses stunning family chapels painted by the most renowned Florentine painters. Here we admire amazing frescoes by Nardo di Cione and Andrea Bonaiuti Florentine masters of 14th century, as well as the Renaissance masters Masaccio, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Filippino Lippi, also admiring the Crucifixion painted by Giotto and the Crucifix carved in wood by Brunelleschi.
The world’s oldest Perfumery is in Florence!
You will enjoy the intoxicating scents when you step into the ancient Farmacia where the Dominican monks in the 13 C started making soaps, perfumes, moisturizers and where you can still sample some of their famous fragrances and products. You will visit the oldest pharmacy in Europe originally run by the monks of Santa Maria Novella monastery , known for its refined perfumes and beauty products. As you visit the pharmacy, you will smell and look at a large variety of products. Your knowledgeable guide will tell you how the monks changed history in the 16th century by creating a new kind of perfume: the famous Water of the Queen (Acqua della Regina) made of a blend of citrus-based cologne water and bergamot and conceived especially for Catherine de Medici. During your visit to the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy, you will also have the opportunity to know about elixirs still produced in the pharmacy. The distinctive blends, whose ingredients include the Rosa gallica elixir (“the mother of all roses”) and crushed ladybug wings, have been created on site for centuries and are still lauded for their medicinal properties.
The unique Florentine wine windows (“buchette da vino”)
During the tour you will discover what the famous “wine holes of Florence” are. did you know that in Florence there are hidden tiny doors that have more than 400 years of history and that some of these have recently been reused to avoid contagion from Covid? These are the so-called Florentine wine windows, small openings present on many noble palaces, once used for the sale of retail wine flasks and today reopened by some business owners to serve wines, cocktails and gelato
The amazing and fascinating world of the Florentine crafts
The tour continues through the city’s narrow alleys surrounded by towers and Renaissance palaces. Along these streets, artisans sell their precious goods, like marbleized papers, jewelries, fabrics, leather goods and your guide will take you to visit some of these workshops. Afterwards, passing by famous monuments such as the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore , the Giotto’s Belltower (Campanile), Baptistery and Orsanmichele for a deep immersion in the Florentine and Italian art and history, we reach one of the most genuine neighbourhoods of Florence, the Sant’Ambrogio district.
The most traditional and delicious Florentine food at the ancient Central Market
At the Mercato Centrale (Central Market) located in a in a 19th-century building you will discover the world of Florentine gastronomy and the most traditional Florentine food.
This is an historical local market where you can taste unforgettable authentic Florentine flavors! This market, built in 1873 after the destruction of the “Old market” in Piazza della Repubblica, is daily visited by many Florentines searching for good food and Tuscan specialities. In the market we can try the most traditional food of Florence like schiacciata (our focaccia), Tuscan salami and prosciutto. We can taste pecorino cheese with a little honey and balsamic vinegar. And you can’t miss to taste the famous Tuscan olive oil and a even truffle oil. Then it’s impossible to resist to a good artisanal gelato! Do you know that gelato was invented in Florence? Let your guide tell you the story while tasting your favorite flavours! Cup or cone? That’s your choice…
Tour Details
- TOUR TYPE: PRIVATE
- AVAILABLE IN DAYS: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- DURATION: 3 and 1/2 hours
- TOUR PRICE: € 200
- EXTRA : €25 PER PERSON FOR ARTISANS WORKSHOPS AND FOOD TASTING EXPERIENCE - NOT INCLUDED: ticket for Santa Maria Novella Church
- DIFFICULTY No difficulties, suitable for children and perfect for foodies!
- MEETING POINT In front of the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence
What you will see
- Santa Maria Novella Church and Museum with Cloisters and the Spanish Chapel (internal visit)
- The Ancient Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy
- The famous Florentine wine holes (buchette dal vino)
- Orsanmichele
- The leather master in his workshop
- The paper master in his workshop
- The Dante’s house and a medieval district of Florence with artisans workshops
- The Duomo, Baptistery and Giotto’s Belltowe
