In this three-and-a-half-hour walk with an art historian, we will follow the career of Michelangelo, discussing his early years and career under the patronage of the Medici family while viewing key works in the Bargello Museum and Accademia Gallery.

This tour is designed to give us a chance to explore in-depth the work and artistic legacy of Michelangelo, whose impact on the Florentine Renaissance and art history in general cannot be overstated. We’ll begin at the Casa Buonarroti, built by the artist's nephew on the land that previously belonged to Michelangelo, now converted into a small museum of drawings and early sculptures. Here, in this relatively unknown museum, we will spend some time laying out the important themes that resonate through his work. Next, we'll move to the Bargello Museum, a government office building and prison in Medieval times, which now hosts one of the most important sculpture collections in the world. We’ll explore the vast holdings and view several of Michelangelo's works, including the Bacchus. We will also spend some time with the works of other related artists, in order to try to develop the context that surrounded Michelangelo's work.

Lastly, we will move on to the Galleria dell'Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's masterpiece and consummate symbol of the Florentine Renaissance, the Statue of David. As we bask in its aura, we’ll examine this important statue and related works and wrap up our tour by discussing Michelangelo's later career in Rome, culminating in the painting of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

Please be informed that from October 18 until January 26, 2025, there will be an exhibition dedicated to Michelangelo at Palazzo Vecchio. The itinerary for this tour may vary slightly from what is outlined on this page due to the sculptures being temporarily loaned for the exhibition. Michelangelo's David at the Accademia will remain in its current location, so you will have the opportunity to see it during this tour. While this tour will not include a visit to the exhibition, we encourage you to visit it on your own during your stay in Florence.

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We meet at Casa Buonarroti and end at the Galleria dell'Accademia. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point details along with a map.

Both tours include a visit to the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David.  Introduction to Florence is a more general tour touching on all aspects of the Renaissance, while the Michelangelo Tour is a deep dive into the artist and his life. 

Although admission is free for those under 18, you would have to wait in a separate line upon arrival to prove your child’s age. We typically purchase tickets for everyone on the tour, so that we may bypass this line, which can be quite long, and have more time in the museum.

No, it’s not included. If you’re interested in the Uffizi Gallery, we highly recommend you book our Uffizi Gallery Tour: Crash Course. 

For this tour, your tickets are pre-purchased which allows you to skip the ticket office line upon arrival at the museum. You may still have to wait in a security line or in a line to have your pre-purchased ticket scanned.