Palazzo Vecchio is the heart of Florence, a symbol of the city since mediaeval times. Built in 1299 as a seat of government for the city, the building entered its golden age when the Medici family moved in, transforming it into the beautiful palace of extraordinary richness that it is today.

The guided tour pulls you into the immense wealth, extraordinary decorations, masterpieces and even access to a secret passage through the beautiful camerino  of Bianca Cappello, second wife of the Granduke Francesco I de’Medici.

Language: these tours are available in one of English, Italian and French in various timeslots. If you have a preferred language please specify it in the notes while placing your order, but we cannot guarantee that your tour will not be in another language.

The tour includes a visit to a room normally hidden from visitors; the 'Camerino' of the Duchess Bianca Cappello, second wife of Francesco I de’ Medici is accessed via a secret passage hidden behind a map in the map room. The small study was built at the end of the 16th century, and, from a small secret window, offers a spyhole peek into the goings-on in the enormous 'Salone dei Cinquecento' below.

The tour is not suitable for children under the age of 8, nor is it suitable for those in wheelchairs (although the building itself does have wheelchair access).

You will need to arrive at the Palazzo Vecchio at least 15 minutes before the tour is due to start, but we'd recommend arriving as early as possible as all visitors are required to pass through a metal detector, and this inevitably takes some time.

We're now offering an interesting assortment of tours in and around the Palazzo Vecchio (Florence's Town Hall, although that name doesn't really do it justice in the imagination!), and this one concentrates on the building's artistic heritage, a place where architecture, minor arts, sculpture, and painting all come together in a micro-cosmos, a place where art and history have been inextricably intertwined for more than seven centuries.

Undoubtedly one of the most photographed buildings in Florence, the Palazzo Vecchio sits in the very centre of the city, looking out onto Piazza della Signoria and down onto the replica of Michelangelo's David.

4.9 stars out of 5 from 8 ratings.