Medici Lords, Spanish-Language Tour

Overview

Two hours on foot with a Spanish-speaking guide, this free walking tour traces the Medici family from Palazzo Strozzi to Piazza Santo Spirito. Booking costs nothing; at the end, guests pay the guide whatever they feel the walk was worth. The guide waits in front of Palazzo Strozzi with a red flag, and the route has seven stops in total, with the first three shown on the listing.

The walk begins in the courtyard of the Strozzi palace, then moves through Piazza della Repubblica, past Orsanmichele and the Mercato Nuovo, tying each site back to the Medici. At the Palagio di Parte the guide covers the Guelph and Ghibelline conflict that shaped the city and opened the way for the family's rise. From there the group continues through the narrow Florentine alleys known as chiassi to Piazza del Limbo, taking in the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Column of Justice.

The second half crosses to the Santa Trinita bridge and the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence, then passes Via dello Sprone and Piazza della Passera before reaching Palazzo Pitti. Via Maggio leads to the palace of Bianca Cappello, where the guide tells the love story between Francesco and Bianca Cappello. The tour ends at Piazza Santo Spirito.

Itinerary

1. Meet at Palazzo StrozziThe guide waits in front of Palazzo Strozzi on Piazza degli Strozzi with a red flag. The group starts in the palace courtyard, hearing how the wealthy Strozzi family lived.
2. Piazza della RepubblicaThe walk continues to Piazza della Repubblica, then past the Orsanmichele building and the Mercato Nuovo, with the guide explaining each site's connection to the Medici.
3. Palagio di ParteHere the guide discusses the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines that marked Florence's history and influenced the rise of the Medici.
4. Piazza del LimboThe group walks through the alleys traditionally called Florentine chiassi to Piazza del Limbo, seeing the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Column of Justice.
5. Ponte VecchioThe route passes the Santa Trinita bridge and then the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence.
6. Pitti PalaceThrough Via dello Sprone and Piazza della Passera, described in the listing as an authentic and little-known area, the group reaches Palazzo Pitti, a symbol of Medici dominance in the city.
7. End at Piazza Santo SpiritoVia Maggio leads past the palace of Bianca Cappello, with the love story between Francesco and Bianca Cappello, before the guide says goodbye at Piazza Santo Spirito, two hours after the start.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points before you book, drawn from the listing and from what travellers have said afterwards.

• Language. The tour runs in Spanish. If your Spanish is weak, much of the storytelling will be lost, so consider this carefully before booking.
• Paying the guide. Booking is free, and guests pay the guide what they think the walk was worth at the end.
• Finding the guide. The meeting point is in front of Palazzo Strozzi on Piazza degli Strozzi, where the guide holds a red flag.
• Walking pace. The tour lasts two hours and covers a route from Palazzo Strozzi across the river to Piazza Santo Spirito. Wear comfortable shoes, since you will be on your feet the whole time.
• Content density. Reviewers describe the tour as full of data and knowledge, and fun. Expect a lot of history packed into the walk rather than a light stroll.
• Photos and stops. The route passes major sights including the Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, so keep a camera or phone handy.

Common issues. It runs in Spanish only, which excludes non-Spanish speakers. No food, drink or transport is mentioned as included.

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