Florence

Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens Tour

Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens Tour

3-hour walking tour

kid-friendly tour

Visit and discover the Pitti palace, one of the greatest architectural feats in Florence, built by the Pitti Family in 1457 on a project of Filippo Brunelleschi.

The original construction included only the central part of the current building. In 1549, the palace was sold to the Medici, becoming the residence of the Grand Duke and his family. Today, the palace overlooks the famous Boboli Gardens and houses the Palatine Gallery, the Silver Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Costume Gallery, the Porcelain Museum and the Museum of Carriages.

The Medici were the first to commission the creation of the Italian garden model typical of the Boboli Gardens, that soon became an example for many European courts. The vast green surface constitutes a real open-air museum, adorned by classical and Renaissance statues, several grottos, including the one made by Bernardo Buontalenti which originally housed The Prisoners by Michelangelo - now in the Accademia Gallery - and large fountains, such as that one representing Neptune and Ocean.

Tour gallery

Some of the most representative pictures of this tour

Itinerary

Discover the main stops of this tour

Pitti Palace

Pitti Palace

Built in the second half of the 15th century for Luca Pitti, the original building was purchased in 1550 by Eleonora da Toledo, the wife of the Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, thus becoming the official residence of the family. For this reason the palace was widened, especially during the 17th century, when most of the internal decoration was also executed.

Boboli Gardens

Boboli Gardens

More than a garden, more than just a “green lung” in Florence, the Boboli Gardens are one of the greatest open-air museums in Florence that embraces another site of culture in Florence, the Pitti Palace. The park hosts centuries-old oak trees, sculptures and fountains, embodying a spectacular example of "green architecture”, a prototype which inspired many European Royal gardens, such as Versailles.

Tour information

Some useful information for your experience

What’s included

Expert and licensed guide, entrance ticket, full on-site assistance, sterilized earphones (from 5 people upwards).

Availability

Not available on Monday.