Die Piazza della Signoria ist der Hauptplatz von Florenz, Sitz der bürgerlichen Macht und Herz des gesellschaftlichen Lebens der Stadt. Sie befindet sich im zentralen Teil des mittelalterlichen Florenz, südlich der Kathedrale Santa Maria del Fiore. In der Vergangenheit hatte sie verschiedene Namen, wie etwa Piazza dei Priori oder Piazza del Granduca.

Das Rathaus von Florenz heißt Palazzo Vecchio, also „Alter Palast“. Es blickt auf die Piazza della Signoria und die nahe gelegene Statuengalerie der Loggia dei Lanzi. Dieses Gebäude war ursprünglich als Palazzo della Signoria bekannt, doch aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Nutzung des Palastes im Laufe seiner langen Geschichte änderte sich sein Name oft (Palazzo del Popolo, Palazzo dei Priori und Palazzo Ducale). Nachdem das Haus des Medici-Herzogs in den Palazzo Pitti auf der anderen Seite des Arno verlegt wurde, erhielt das Gebäude seinen heutigen Namen.

Die Loggia dei Lanzi, auch Loggia della Signoria genannt, ist ein Bauwerk neben der Uffizien-Galerie auf der Piazza della Signoria. Sie besteht aus großen Bögen, die zur Straße hin ausgerichtet sind. Die Bögen mit korinthischen Kapitellen werden von einer Gruppe von Pilastern getragen. Da die Florentiner Mäzene die breiten Bögen so ansprechend fanden, schlug Michelangelo vor, die Piazza della Signoria damit zu umgeben.

Masterpieces from the Renaissance and Mannerist periods can be found in the Bargello. We will see four of Michelangelo's most significant sculptures: Tondo Pitti, a stunning example of the renowned "non finito," Bacchus, Brutus, and David-Apollo. Important parallels can also be made with other pieces in the collection, such as the bronze David sculptures by Donatello and Verrocchio.

Die Kirche Orsanmichele ist ein historisches Gebäude im Zentrum von Florenz. Ursprünglich war sie eine Loggia, die zur Lagerung und zum Verkauf von Getreide diente und später in eine Kirche der Künste, der alten Florentiner Gilden, umgewandelt wurde. Heute beherbergt sie in den oberen Stockwerken ein Museum mit den Originalen des Skulpturenzyklus ihrer Außennischen und den berühmten Statuen von Donatello und Ghiberti.

Our next stop will be the Opera del Duomo museum, where we will see the Palestrina Pietà, one of Michelangelo final creations, which is a piece of art that is impossible to see in person without being touched and moved. This Pietà, which Michelangelo carved for his own tomb, captures the agony and suffering of his latter years. You will also see the original Gates of Paradise inside the museum, the main gate of the Baptistry of Florence (Battistero di San Giovanni), located in front of the Cathedral. The Porta del Paradiso, in Italian, was created by Florentine goldsmith and sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti between 1425 and 1452 and installed in the eastern portal of the Baptistery. The Gates have been praised by generations of artists and art historians for their compelling portrayal of scenes from the Old Testament. Over time, the seventeen-foot-tall, three-ton bronze doors became an icon of Renaissance, one of the most famous works of art in the world.

Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the largest churches in the world. The plan consists of a triple-nave basilica with the presbytery area nested within, dominated by the large octagon of the immense dome, around which are three radial apses, each consisting of five chapels. The cathedral is 153 meters (502 feet) in length, 90 meters (295 feet) wide at the transept, and 90 meters high from floor to base of the dome lantern. The title “Santa Maria del Fiore” (Our Lady of the flower) alludes to the name of the city, "Florentia", or “city of flowers”, “destined to bloom”, and to its emblem, the Florentine lily.

Visiting the New Sacristy at the Medici Chapels, where the exquisiteness of the tombs of some Medici family members will wow you, is a must-do for any Michelangelo tour of Florence. You will discover during this encounter how much the artist and his works were influenced by the Medici family.

The last stop on the tour will be the renowned Accademia Museum, home of Michelangelo's David, one of the most well-known statues in existence. There will be time set out to comprehend this sculpture as well as to view another of his creations, "Prisoners," which was begun but never completed when it was commissioned for Pope Julius II's tomb. The tour will end here, although those who want to continue exploring this beautiful museum will be welcome.