Most visitors walk into Santa Croce expecting a church and walk out having stood beside Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini - Italy's pantheon of genius, all under one roof. This is not a quick photo stop. Your guide shows you exactly how Giotto's frescoes in the Bardi and Peruzzi Chapels laid the foundation for Renaissance painting two centuries before the word "Renaissance" existed, walks you through Brunelleschi's masterful Pazzi Chapel, and tells the extraordinary survival story of the Cimabue Crucifix, rescued from the devastating 1966 flood.
Then the basilica doors close behind you - and the tour does not stop. You step into the real Santa Croce quarter, the leather workshops and artisan studios most tourists walk straight past on their way to somewhere else. Come for the legends. Leave understanding why they mattered.
P.S. Want to pair this with a visit to the Perfume, Marbled Paper & Leather Craft experience nearby? - We can organise it. Tell us in advance!
What's included
Entrance ticket to the Basilica of Santa Croce
Private expert guide
Insurance and Personal expenses
What to expect
Santa Croce
3h
You're standing in front of a church - but step inside and you're actually walking through Italy's hall of fame. Michelangelo is buried here. So is Galileo. Machiavelli too, and Rossini. For three hours, your private guide walks you through the basilica and the quarter around it, connecting the dots between the people who shaped Florence and the ones who shaped the modern world entirely.
Meeting and pickup
Meeting point
Meeting point: Piazza di Santa Croce, next to the Dante’s Monument
End point
Meeting point: Piazza di Santa Croce, next to the Dante’s Monument
Additional information
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
