Florence History Tours: Our 9 Picks

1.Guided Medici Tour Florence: Discover Mysteries & History

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,077 reviews · 1h 30m · from $57Our pick

Walk through Florence’s Medici story with an English-speaking guide, visiting palaces, squares, churches, and the Medici Chapel when admission is selected. Learn how money, politics, Michelangelo, and family rivalries shaped the city. Tours run in several languages, last 90 minutes, and can be booked privately or as a shared group.

“Eduardo was great! Very knowledgeable and pleasant person. I would highly recommend!”

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2.Tipsy Tour: Guided Bar Crawl In Florence with Dark History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 271 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $78Top rated

Spend three hours walking Florence after dark with a local guide, four included drinks, and stories about Medici scandals, brothels, and wine windows. You will begin by the river at 8 pm, visit bars around Via de’ Neri and Santa Croce, and finish near Piazza di Santa Croce. Guides include Juliette, Didar, Anna, and Zofia.

“This tour was a fun way to spend a night out in Florence. Our tour guide was Anna and she was great! We played a few games which added some extra fun to the evening. We went to 3 bars and a wine window. A drink included at each. This tour is great for solo travellers as well as groups. I would recommend trying this tour.”

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3.Florence Cooking Course with Historic Local Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 151 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $95

Meet at Piazza San Lorenzo for a guided visit to Mercato Centrale, with tastings of truffle, cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and local produce. Then walk to a cooking school to prepare a Tuscan starter, pasta or another main, a second main, and dessert with an English-speaking chef such as Francesco, Caterina, Greta, or Stefano.

“I don’t remember our chefs name but she was fabulous. We started at the Centrale Market and did a truffle, balsamic and olive oil tasting and it was wonderful. After the market we walked to the cooking school which was about a 10-15 min walk. The school is lovely and our group was 4 of us so it was a more intimate cooking experience. We made 4 courses and everything was so simple to make and turned out delicious. My favorite course was the chicken, it was exceptional. My Mom and I enjoyed this class so much and would do it again.”

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4.Florence to Fiesole golf cart tour:History & Panoramic views

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 121 reviews · 2 hours · from $116

Travel from central Florence to hilltop Fiesole in a private electric golf cart with a guide such as Amir, Wasim, or Wael. Expect city sights, villa-lined roads, Florence viewpoints, San Romolo Cathedral, and either the Roman theater and archaeological area or the Bandini Museum with local biscuits, depending on departure time.

“The tour was simply amazing and we could’t have a better guide than Emir! He was EXCELLENT! We had the most amazing, funny, educational afternoon with him in Florence! He made sure he showed us as many as he could and explained all the history behind it! For sure it was worth it and is highly recommended! Just ask for Emir and you will have a wonderful time! Thank you so much Emir🙏😊”

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5.Medici Family History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 93 reviews · 2 hours · from $137

Walk through Florence’s Medici story in a small group of up to eight. You’ll enter Palazzo Medici Riccardi and the Chapel of the Magi, then trace rival families, Michelangelo’s early training, and the sites tied to Lorenzo, Cosimo, and Piero. Guides lead in English, German, French, Italian, or Spanish. Christina is one guide praised for her engaging storytelling.

“The knowledge our guide shared was wonderful. Christina was awesome and we recommend her to everyone! We enjoyed the House of Medici.”

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6.Fashion History Guided Walking Tour & Museum Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 72 reviews · from $90

Walk Florence with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, tracing the city’s rise from medieval cloth center to fashion capital. You’ll visit the Ferragamo Museum for about 40 minutes, hear stories about Ferragamo, Gucci, Fendi, Pucci, and other Italian labels, and return to Via de’ Martelli. Guides may include Ivan or Francesca.

“It was beautiful. Walking the small streets, so much history. The Ferragamo museum was interesting with the hand written thank you cards from queen Elizabeth and princess Diana. Lunch at the Gucci osetra restaurant was magic.”

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7.Florence Wine &Food: Taste Tuscan Flavors in Historic Cellar

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 31 reviews · 1 hour · from $70

Spend one hour in a traditional cellar opposite Florence’s Central Market, tasting three or six Tuscan wines with bruschetta, salami, prosciutto, pecorino, cacio, olives, and bread. An English or Italian host explains grape varieties, production, pairings, and local food traditions. Small groups are available, and Vinci has hosted some sessions.

“Professional sommelier! The best experience I have had in a long, long time! Bravo”

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8.Florence Medici Bike Tour – Cycle Through History and Power

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 23 reviews · 2 hours · from $32Best value

This two-hour Florence bike tour follows the Medici story through the historic center, over Ponte Vecchio, and into Oltrarno. You’ll see the Vasari Corridor, Palazzo Pitti, Santa Rosa, and Santo Spirito with a live guide in six language options. Choose a group or private outing, with a standard bike or e-bike.

“Les vélos sont de qualité. Le guide donne trop peu d'information et on passe trop de temps dans la ville et dans la circulation.”

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9.Essential Florence Walking Tour to discover its history

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 3 hours · from $41

Walk Florence in English with guides such as Becky, Lisa, or Andrea, tracing the city from Roman origins to the Medici era. See the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, artisan Oltrarno, Dante’s home, and Renaissance palaces from outside, with an interior visit to Santa Trinita and a gelato tasting. Headsets help you follow every story.

“It was a fantastic introduction to the city. Our guide, Lisa, gave an entertaining and informative tour of the key attractions.”

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