Private Shore Excursion To Pisa & Florence:The Best Of Tuscany in a Day

Entering Piazza della Signoria feels just like walking into an open air art gallery: as you walk through the narrow streets of the city centre, you will be amazed by this large square that suddenly opens in front of your eyes. The 400-years-old statue of Cosimo I de Medici will greet you from his horse, as you make your way through his beautiful Piazza to admire the fountain of Neptune and the famous Loggia, a portico full of ancient statues portraying characters from the mythology or the roman history. Your guide will describe for you the fascinating history of Palazzo Vecchio, old residence of the priors and then of the Medici Family, where also Dante lived in 1300.

As the name suggests, Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge of the city. Built in 1345 by Neri di Fioravante, it still maintains its typically medieval aspect, with the small traditional shops lined up on both sides. On top of that, Ponte Vecchio also offers the most spectacular view of the Arno river, that runs across the city.

After your guided tour in Florence, you will drive to Pisa, where you will enjoy your unguided free time in the Campo dei i Miracoli, the heart of the city, where you will see the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Leaning Tower.

Possibly founded by the Greeks or maybe by the Ligures around the VII century BC, the origins of Pisa remain mysterious still nowadays. What is certain instead, is that during the Roman era, the city was incorporated in the Roman empire and called Julia Obsequens. The city greatly beneficiated from the infrastructures built by the Romans: on top of everything, the port, which was enlarged and restored by emperor Augustus in the Ist century AD. This very port is the main factor that determined the thrift and the prosperity of the city during the Middle Ages. Thanks to its strategic position and its economy based on maritime business, Pisa became one of the famous Maritime Republics, alongside with its rivals, Genova, Venice and Amalfi.

During the Middle Ages, while many cities were experiencing a terrible crisis, Pisa was thriving:

In fact, if Florence lived its golden age during the Renaissance, Pisa certainly did it during the so called Dark Ages. But the Middle Ages weren’t dark at all for this incredible city: it’s exactly during this period that the finest pisan artists and architects created the wonders the we can still admire nowadays.

Started in 1580 by Francesco I de’ Medici, this incredible museum houses in its 6000 square meters more than 1600 incredible art pieces, featuring some of the most famous paintings in the world. On our tour, you will discover the true masterpieces of the Italian art, from the works of Giotto, who introduced the use of perspective in the otherwise flat medieval altar pieces, to Botticelli’s most iconic painting, the Venus, or his mysterious Allegory of Spring, to the disturbing realism of Caravaggio’s depiction of Medusa’s severed head.

Located in a former monastery, the Accademia, as the name still suggests, used to be Florence’s official Academy of fine Arts. In fact, it was created in 1784 by Pietro Leopoldo, Grand Duke of Tuscany, who filled it with beautiful artwork from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance so that the new generations of artists could learn from the glorious past of Florence. It is in a special room of this beautiful gallery that you will meet face to face the one statue that, according to many art critics, can be considered the most beautiful art piece ever created by man: the David. Sculpted by 26-years-old Michelangelo out of a single gigantic block of marble, the statue was originally supposed to be on top of the duomo’s roof, but given its size (17 feet) and weight (5,5 tons) it was decided instead to place it in Piazza della Signoria (where now it is replaced by a replica). This impressive statue has always been considered a symbol of Florence and also a tribute to the man’s intellect and strength, as beautifully symbolised by David’s hands and head, unusually bigger than normal.