Wanderlust World Wanderlust World For those interested in learning more about the art and architecture of this great city, Context Travel offers a series of tours "for the intellectually curious." These highly specialized tours are led by scholars (all guides are PhD's in their respective fields) who are renown as experts in the subject matter.
Some of the most interesting and unique tours offered are:
Colors of Florence - Learn the significance and reasons for the building materials and decor of the city's great buildings.
Daily Life of Renaissance Florentines - A look into the past.
Dante's Florence - A period glimpse into Italy's greatest writer.
Fresco Workshop - Learn the techniques and uses of this art form.
Florence Evening Transec t- A post-dinner walk through the city.
Florence Food Experiences - Sample the cuisine of the region with an expert.
Context Travel
800-691-6036
http://www.contexttravel.com/
Associated with the famous Paris-Walks and London-Walks, Art Viva Tours of Italy is a great, low cost, walking tour company which features no-nonsense walks geared to the most popular Florentine sites and themes. Although lacking the pedigree of the higher priced options, these tours provide a great experience for the less well-heeled.
Tours Featured:
The Original Florence Walk
Masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery Tour
The Original David Tour
The Original Evening Walk
My Prestigious Original Florence Walk
Art Viva Walking Tours
+39-055-264-5033
http://www.italy.artviva.com/
Today there are many options for the traveler wishing to explore a city as popular as Florence. Should you wish to embark on a walking tour but don't want to follow the umbrella and haven't got the means to book a high-end guide, there are an increasing number of self-guide walks available in your local bookstore.
Perhaps the most famous of these is the series "Walks in Florence" written by Susan Horner and dating back to the late 19th century (but still in print) in which Florence is expertly dissected and no detail is spared. With two volumes of Florence walks, and two more volumes of Florence and its environs, there is enough information for any curious traveler.