City Sightseeing operates two bus routes that run a comprehensive route around all the principal Florentine attractions, giving passengers a general overview of the city. Tickets are valid for two days, and passengers can hop on/hop off as often as they like at pre-designated stops. Recorded commentary comes in eight languages and gives the history of Florence, its sites, and its famous residents. The bus drives around the historic center and the major churches and museums and also traverses the Po River to make stops on the other side including the Pitti Palace, Santo Spirito, and the suburb of Fiesole. The ticket includes free travel the same day public transportation. The tour does not include admission inside the sites.
City Sightseeing Worldwide
Purfleet Industrial Park
Juliette Close
Purfleet, Essex RM15 4YF
UK
+44-1708-866000 (UK head office)
+39-055-290451 (Italy contact number)
city-sightseeing.com
Rick Steves, host of the PBS "Travels with Rick Steves" series and guide book author, has created audio tours that can be downloaded at no charge from iTunes or his website. There are walking tours of the city of Florence, the Accademia & Michelangelo's David, and the Uffizi Gallery. Downloadable and printable maps to accompany the walking tours are available on the same website.
Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door Podcasts
ricksteves.com/news/podcast_menu.htm
ArtViva offers five different walking tours in the city of Florence. The classic one is "The Original Florence Walk," a three-hour tour covering more than 2,000 years of history and all the major attractions in the historic center. "The Original Evening Walk" combines a murder mystery with tastings of wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and chocolate. Guided tours of the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Museum are also available.
Art Viva
Via de' Sassetti 1
50123 Florence
Italy
+39-55-2645033
Context Florence takes a maximum of just six travelers on each of its scholarly walking tours. Their extensive, in-depth tour offerings include a "Brunelleschi Seminar," which explores the artist/architect's engineering talents and the marvels of the dome of the Duomo, the Ospedale degli Innocenti, and the church of San Lorenzo. The "Daily Life of Renaissance Florentines" tour includes visits to the medieval church of Orsanmichele and the Palazzo Davanzati, the home of a noble family of the era. The "Santa Croce Neighborhood Walk" venture beyond the church itself to explore artisan shops and cafes. There are also food and market tours teaching the traditions of Tuscan cuisine.
Context Florence
800-691-6036
contexttravel.com
Florentia's tours are private, customized walks whose itineraries are individually tailored to the customer's personal interests. The guides are local scholars with broad knowledge of the city, its art and history. Themes include the Medici Family, which can include a tour of the elaborate Medici tombs, and a walk through back roads of the Oltrarno quarter, including the Boboli Gardens. Family tours geared towards children can be created.
Florentia
+39-338-8908625
510-759-5059 (U.S. number)
florentia.org
Florence is flat, so it is well-suited for a Segway, an individually-ridden electric vehicle. The "Segway Experience Tour" hits city highlights on a three hour ride. It is available with a recorded audio-guide and tour leader or with a personal guide speaking through headphones. The same route can alternatively be covered on the "Florence Bike Tour," either self guided or taken with a personal guide for a minimum of two people. There is also a two and a half hour "Sunset Biking Tour" with an optional post-tour wine and cheese tasting.
Italy Segway Tours
Via dei Cimatori 9R
50122 Florence
Italy
+39-55-2398855
italysegwaytours.com
