Explore the beautiful formal grounds of the magnificent Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens; and discover the grand-ducal residence of three ruling dynasties. Filled with artistic treasures by revered maestros such as Titian and Raphael, you’ll learn about the aristocratic lives of the Medici and other noble families who ruled the glittering, bygone era of the Italian Renaissance.
On your private tour, you will:
- Visit the magnificent Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens with your private guide;
- Marvel at the lavish interior of this vast palazzo and learn about the lives of the grand dukes, duchesses, and their entourages, who inhabited the place for centuries;
- Discover glorious masterpieces by Titian, Raphael, and Rubens;
- Learn the compelling backstories of the works of art that adorn the walls together with the history of Anna Maria Luisa de Medici (1667-1743), the Palazzo Pitti’s patron of the arts;
- Learn about the fascinating history of the building from its construction in the 1400s by the wealthy banker Luca Pitti, to its historic purchase by the Medici in 1550, and how it was later gifted to the Italian people;
- Explore the highlights of this palatial complex now divided into four museums: the gleaming Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the astonishing luxury of the Imperial and Royal apartments and the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Museum of Costume and Fashion where you can browse the stunning collections of ceramics, costumes and exquisite jewellery;
- End your tour with a courtly stroll around the majestic grounds of the Boboli Gardens, filled with ancient and Renaissance statues, formal landscape architecture, grottos and architectural follies.
Set on the southern bank of the River Arno, this vast and magnificent Renaissance palace is a grandiose architectural statement of epic proportions, that tells of a rich and grandiose historic past.
Commissioned in 1446 by Florentine banker Luca Pitti who aspired to live in a building so large it would dwarf all his enemies, the Palazzo Pitti has hosted a trio of noble families over the centuries: the House of Medici, the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and the kings of Italy, the House of Savoy. Now open to the public, at 32,000 square metres, the Palazzo is the largest museum complex in Florence.
On your private tour, you will benefit from your expert guide’s compelling commentary and swerve queues and crowds. You’ll learn about how the Pitti’s rivals, the Medici Family, bought the Palazzo in 1550 and how it became a symbol of the power of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany’s ruling families. Located at the foot of Boboli Hill, the building’s forbidding design features a series of repeated arch-headed apertures reminiscent of a Roman aqueduct.
In 1919, the palace and its contents were donated by King Victor Emmanuel III to the Italian people - and the gallery’s gilded paintings and priceless artefacts represent one of the most magnificent collections in the world today. Marvel at the 17th-century lavish, gilded interior decor - itself a magnum opus - and enjoy the world-class artistry in the Palatine Gallery, the Silver Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Costume Gallery, the Porcelain Museum and the Museum of Carriages.
The grand, formal parklands of the historic Boboli Gardens, open to the public since 1766, it's a fine example of an early "Italian Garden" and provides a fitting finale to a resplendent tour rich in courtly grandeur.
