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Basilica of San Lorenzo

Basilica of San Lorenzo: Our most recommended tours and activities

Florence: E-Bike Tour with Michelangelo Square

1. Florence: E-Bike Tour with Michelangelo Square

Cycle through the city of Florence to discover the hidden treasures of the birthplace of the Renaissance. Listen to captivating stories while touring through many of the significant squares that make Florence so rich in history and art. Discover the Medici Palace, which was the home of Cosimo the Elder and the workplace of Donatello, Michelangelo, and Botticelli. Then visit Republic Square, one of the main squares in Florence that has formed the city center since Roman times. Also, visit Michelangelo Square, to take in the best panoramic views of the city. Discover the captivating history of the city that gave birth to incredible artists and amazing scientists. During your ride, you'll also come across historic and religious landmarks, such as Pitti Palace, Piazza della Signoria, and the Basilicas of Santo Spirito, Santa Croce, and San Lorenzo.

Florence: Cathedral Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket

2. Florence: Cathedral Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket

Explore Florence's Cathedral with an entry pass to this iconic landmark. Visit the top of the Dome, and the Baptistry, Crypt, Bell Tower, and the Opera del Duomo Museum. Collect your entry ticket at the agency near the Ponte Vecchio or ask to receive a digitalized entry ticket and the audioguide on your phone. Enjoy your self-guided tour of the Cupola and Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Once you've arrived at the top feel as if you are taking a skywalk above the city. Marvel at the stunning views of the Tuscan countryside and Florence city center including Fiesole, the Chianti area, the central market, Santa Croce Church, the Synagogue, San Lorenzo Church, Palazzo Pitti, Ponte Vecchio, and more. You can also discover the fascinating interiors of the Cathedral, including the Baptistry and Crypt. Learn more about these treasured historic features of the Cathedral with your audio guide.

Florence: Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens Walking Tour

3. Florence: Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens Walking Tour

Step back in time to the Renaissance period while exploring Pitti Palace and discover hidden caves in the historic Boboli Gardens on this shared or private walking tour in Florence. See the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Ponte Vecchio, Medici Riccardi Palace, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Start your trip by experiencing the majesty of Palazzo Pitti, a symbol of the Renaissance palace built in 1458. The building became famous for being the residence of the Medici family from the 16th century until their fall in the 18th century. Learn the history of the palace and discover the details behind the Palatine Gallery's collection of artworks, including paintings by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and more. Afterward, continue your journey to the magical Boboli Gardens. With your guide leading the way, walk through the alchemical paths made of mazes that lead to hidden caves covered with limestone. Admire the engineering of XVI-century architects like Buontalenti, the inventor of the first gelato. Wander around the fountains, obelisks, and ice-making pyramids. Finally, enjoy sweeping 360° views of Florence from Cavalier's Palace.

Florence: Reserved Entrance Ticket to the Medici Chapel

4. Florence: Reserved Entrance Ticket to the Medici Chapel

Travel back to the days of the Medici family on a self-guided tour of the Medici Chapel in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence. Enter the chapels, built as a mausoleum for the Medici family, and discover treasures such as the 16th-century New Sacristy ("Sagrestia Nuova"). Part of the vast San Lorenzo Basilica complex, the chapels were richly decorated to serve as the last resting place for members of one of the most important and powerful families of the Florentine Renaissance from the mid-15th century onwards. Admire the genius of Michelangelo’s craftsmanship at the New Sacristy. Designed for the tombs of Lorenzo and Giuliano de' Medici, its mix of architecture and sculpture is considered one of the great masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.

Florence Footsteps of Medici Tour

5. Florence Footsteps of Medici Tour

Explore Florence through the eyes of the Medici family on this immersive guided tour. Visit the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the San Lorenzo Church, and the Palazzo Pitti. Finish your tour off with some delicious gelato. Begin your tour at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, which is the main residence of the first branch of the Medici family. The Medici family was connected to most of the other elite families of the time through marriages of convenience, partnership, or employment so the family had a central position in the social network. Several families had systematic access to the rest of the elite families only through the Medici family. Some examples of these families include the Bardi, Altoviti, Ridolfi, Cavalcanti, and the Tornabuoni. This has been suggested as a reason for the rise of the Medici family. Continue your tour to the square of San Lorenzo Church, which was Florence’s cathedral until the 8th-century. From the early 15th-century, the Medici family had the church entirely rebuilt in the new Renaissance style. On your way here, the guide will describe the Medici Chapels where the private mausoleum of the Medici Grand Dukes, Michelangelo’s New Sacristy, and his Medici Tombs are located. After the explanation of the Medici Chaples outside the attraction, the guide then moves across the city center to reach the river Arno and cross the river on Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno district. Here, see the imposing Palazzo Pitti, which was the last residence of the Medici family. Your guide will lead you to the last stop of the tour, La Strega Nocciola, to enjoy delicious ice cream. For the wine lovers out there, also choose the option to upgrade your experience to include a wine tasting with 5 wines and appetizers pairings.

Florence: The Medici Family Guided Walking Tour

6. Florence: The Medici Family Guided Walking Tour

Known for influencing and promoting the arts, the Medici were one of the most powerful families in Florence. On this guided walking tour, you’ll learn about the family’s historical power as you admire the cultural and architectural stamp they left on Florence. Your first stop is the Palazzo Medici Riccardi. Commissioned by Cosimo the Elder in 1444, the impressive building was built to be the familial home. Continue to Basilica di San Lorenzo, the oldest documented religious building in Florence. Your tour continues to other landmarks commissioned or influenced by the Medici family, such as the Cappelle Medicee, Piazza di Madonna Degli Aldobrandini, and Piazza Della Santissima Annunziata. Admire the Piazza della Signoria and learn about the building’s diverse history. Finish your tour at Palazzo Pitti. Purchased in 1550 to be the new Grand Ducal residence, the building symbolises the Medici’s power over Tuscany. No entrance .

Turin: City Highlights Guided E-Bike Tour

7. Turin: City Highlights Guided E-Bike Tour

Meet your local host in the city center, choose your e-bike and start this amusing 3 hours bike tour to discover the many souls and gorgeous monuments of Turin. It is a multi-faceted city, where luxury and modesty live together in perfect balance creating fascinating and interesting contrasts. Your first stop will be the heart of the historic center for a first introduction to the history of this beautiful Italian city, characterized by the Italian Royals: Savoia family. Pedal along elegant boulevards and reach Piazza San Carlo to admire the equestrian monument of Emanuele Filiberto of Savoia. Continue your visit reaching Piazza Carignano and see some of the most beautiful historical buildings, declared UNESCO World heritage since 1997. Follow easy cycling paths and enjoy the shade of elegant buildings until Piazza Castello and admire the Royal Palace, Palazzo Madama and San Lorenzo Church. Your guide will take you on a journey from the past to the present. You’ll learn why the city is so important nowadays and its industrial development thanks to FIAT, the Italian automobile industry that is now part of the popular soul of the city. With your local insider you will then discover the Royal Gardens and Porta Palatina, an ancient Roman site. Relax pedaling through luxuriant gardens and reach Mole Antonelliana, the true symbol of the city. In the shade of its magnificence there’s a very interesting neighborhood, enriched by modern murales dedicated to sustainability, promoted by the famous coffee brand: Lavazza, born in Turin. Finally, cross the monumental bridge over Po river, and climb the Cappuccini hill to enjoy a breathtaking view over Turin. Last but not least, reach the beautiful Valentino Park, famous for being one of the gathering places for locals and for the elegant castel. Finally, enter the young and vibrant neighborhood of San Salvario and go back to the initial point.

Florence Medici's Mile 2-Hour Walking Tour

8. Florence Medici's Mile 2-Hour Walking Tour

Trace the fascinating history of the Medici dynasty on a 2-hour walking tour of Florence and learn how they used their wealth and power to patronize the arts and lay the foundations of the Italian Renaissance. Hear anecdotes about their intrigue, power struggles, betrayals and incredible foresight. Admire their former palaces and visit streets and squares where members of the family lived. Walk the same narrow streets they used to walk along to landmark monuments such as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in the San Lorenzo district. Take a look at the church where they worshipped and built their mausoleum at the Medici Chapels in the Basilica di San Lorenzo. Marvel at Brunelleschi’s stunning dome. Continue to the Palazzo Vecchio on Piazza della Signoria, where Cosimo I de' Medici moved his official seat in May 1540, signaling the security of Medici power. Follow the route of the Vasari Corridor from the outside and learn more about the elevated passageway that allowed the Grand Dukes to move between the Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti without being seen by the citizens. Arrive at the Palazzo Pitti and its magnificent Boboli Gardens for a look at the last residence of the Medici family at the end of your tour.

Florence: Renaissance and Medici Tales Guided Walking Tour

9. Florence: Renaissance and Medici Tales Guided Walking Tour

Uncover the secrets of Florence on this guided walking tour. See the city's top sites and decode its hidden symbols with the help of your guide. Dive into the story behind attractions like the iconic Dome of the Catedral de Santa María del Fiore.  Meet your guide in the elegant Piazza di San Lorenzo where you can see the distinct mixture of Renaissance and Romanesque architecture of the Basilica of San Lorenzo. Listen as your guide shares little-known, fun facts about the city and how it gave birth to the Renaissance. Be transported back in time as you hear about the intrigues of one of the most powerful dynasties of all times, the Medici family. Explore the traces of their astounding impact on the city. Learn how to eat, shop, and drink like a local with tips and tricks from your guide. Find out how to avoid leather scams and where to buy some delicious gelato. End your tour outside the famed Uffizi Gallery. 

Florence: 1.5-Hour Medici Chapel Private Tour

10. Florence: 1.5-Hour Medici Chapel Private Tour

The Medicis were a ruthless bunch, but their homes and palaces boast some of arts finest possessions. Today, with your private guide, we will experience one of the most famous sculptural cycles by Michelangelo: Il Crepuscolo, L’Aurora, Il Giorno e la Notte (Twilight, Dawn, Day, Night) inside the Sacrestia Nuova. These monuments to art and religion are incredible examples of Michelangelo's finest work, and are housed inside of the great Medici complex, which now serves as a museum. You will notice walls inlayed with precious polychrome marble and precious gems, which showed off the family's vast wealth and power in the Cappella dei Principi (Princess Chapel). We also have a chance to discover the Cripta del Buontalenti underneath the chapel, where the Medici and their family members are housed in this ancient crypt. Make sure to ask your guide about the "real" causes of their death which has long been a point of contention amongst historians and scientists. Regardless of the drama around this complex, the day will be a wonderful and enlightening experience, and we hope that you've enjoyed spending time amidst such greatness! Ciao!

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What people are saying about Basilica of San Lorenzo

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 1,785 reviews

John (Giovanni) was the most excellent tour guide. He was so knowledgeable. I’ve been to Santa Croce dozens of times but learned so much more from him. It is my favorite church in the world - maybe because I am part of the Franciscan family - but it is the first place I visit on all trips to Florence. I was reluctant to spend so much money on one tour but it was so worth it. And, to see Casa Buonarroti and especially the restoration project of Artemisia’s painting. What a treat! I loved being able to talk with Elizabeth Wicks. I will go back!

Had a wonderful and knowledgeable private guide. He navigated us through the crowds expertly. Very charming Italian. Museum was stunning with gorgeous and very old paintings. A must see. It was raining and cold but we still braved the Boboli gardens. Nice vie from top

We had a nice and interesting tour. While you walk with the guide through the city, you are made aware of details that you do not notice so. We can recommend the tour to everyone.

It was kind of small compared to other museums we visit in Florence. But still it's important historically and has a beautiful dome inside.

Reserving a ticket enabled easy entrance, and a useful hour's information.