Florence’s art-filled churches and chapels
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
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Florence’s religious buildings are filled with an extraordinary legacy of art treasures by masters such as Giotto, Masaccio, the Lippis and Michelangelo.
Best for ages 18+
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Florence, Tuscany, Italy
|With around a million paintings, frescoes and sculptures, Florence harbours the world’s densest concentration of Renaissance art (and not only), remarkable for both the sheer volume of work contained within its walls, but also for the quality; expect to see masterpieces by the likes of Giotto, Masaccio, the Lippis, Leonardo and Michelangelo.
Exactly why this ‘rebirth’ occurred in Florence is a matter for debate, but wealthy patrons such as the ruling Medicis, along with the presence of outstanding artistic talents and the 15th-century thirst for knowledge, certainly helped.
The seminal 15th-century frescoes by Masolino and Masaccio in the Brancacci Chapel (Piazza del Carmine); Fra Angelico’s ethereal paintings in the convent of San Marco; Giotto’s frescoes in the Cappella dei Bardi chapel, Santa Croce; Benozzo Gozzoli’s Journey of the Magi frescoes in Palazzo Medici Riccardi; Masaccio’s Trinita fresco in Santa Maria Novella.
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
|Florence’s religious buildings are filled with an extraordinary legacy of art treasures by masters such as Giotto, Masaccio, the Lippis and Michelangelo.
Best for ages 18+
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
|One of Florence’s two big-name art museums, home to a world-class collection of 14th- and 15th-century art, and Michelangelo’s iconic masterpiece David.
Adult price: £10
Best for ages 18+
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
|An eclectic, world-class collection of sculpture, decorative arts and Renaissance masterpieces, housed in a former fortified prison.
Adult price: £6
Best for ages 18+
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
This former Dominican monastery was home to the artist and monk Fra Angelico from 1436-1447, and he left behind an extraordinary body of work. Along with his assistants, he decorated the Pilgrim’s Hospice, the hallways and the walls of 44 of the monks’ cells with his spiritual, ethereal images. Highlights include his Last Judgement alterpiece and, at the top of the main stairs, the celebrated ‘Annunciating’, reproduced on many a Christmas card.
Adult price: £6
Best for ages 18+
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
This 16th-century palazzo is home to one of Italy’s most innovative public art galleries. Rotating exhibitions showcase artists as diverse as Jeff Koons, Ai Wei-Wei and Bill Viola and Bronzino, Donatello and Pontormo. The ‘Strozzino’ gallery in the basement focuses on contemporary art and peripheral cultural events.
Adult price: £13
Best for ages 18+
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
|The world’s largest and most important collection of Renaissance and Mannerist art, home to 5,400 works spans art history from ancient Greece through to 18th-century Venetian painting.
Adult price: £10
Best for ages 18+
If you are gallery-hopping independently, to jump the lengthy queues at the main galleries, pre-book a Firenze Card. (It also includes entrance to many other major attractions in Florence over a 72-hour period). You may still have to wait a few minutes, though. If you don’t buy a Firenze Card, be sure to pre-book your visits to the Uffizi, Accademia and Brancacci Chapel or you may not get in.
There are many expert-led guides tours on offer. Aside from organising skip-the-line tickets, they’ll help you navigate the galleries, show you the greatest works that you really should see, give you the background and insight that bring the artworks to life. See our recommendations below.
Florence in the winter is an art-lover’s dream; apart from the Uffizi Gallery, there are no queues and museums and churches are comparatively empty.
But as a rule, the earlier you visit the main attractions, the fewer visitors you will find. The hour before closing is also a good time.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Tuscany, Italy
A heady mix of incomparable Renaissance art, gorgeous palazzos, Tuscan cuisine and home-grown haute couture.
Tuscany, Italy
The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.
Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
The top cities and regions for world-class art museums and cutting-edge galleries. A feast for art lovers, and home to the masterpieces everyone should see.