Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo Basilica Private Tour Florence

Michelangelo's tombs and Donatello's pulpits in one morning

A private guided tour of Florence's Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo Basilica takes you through three hours of Renaissance art and Medici family history. The tour includes entrance tickets and a professional guide in your choice of language, visiting Michelangelo's New Sacristy with its famous statues, the Chapel of the Princes, Brunelleschi's Old Sacristy, and Donatello's two pulpits inside the basilica where Cosimo the Elder and other family members are buried. The private format means no group schedule to follow and no waiting in line at the door.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo Basilica

• Meet tour operator
• Explore Medici Chapels and tombs
• Visit Basilica of San Lorenzo

The Experience

San Lorenzo was the parish church of the Medici family, built by their architect Filippo Brunelleschi—the same genius who designed the Florence Dome. Walking through it, you see where the family's official ceremonies took place: the two bronze pulpits by Donatello face each other across the nave, and the Old Sacristy holds sculptures by both Donatello and Verrocchio. The basilica itself is the entry point, and your guide walks you through its layout and history before moving to the separate Medici Chapels entrance.

The Medici Chapels are the real draw. Michelangelo designed the New Sacristy, where the tombs sit beneath his famous statues—Dawn, Dusk, Day and Night—carved directly into the walls and lids. The Chapel of the Princes, with its marble and gilded decoration, holds the remains of Cosimo the First, Grand Duke, and other family members. Your guide explains who rests where and why: Cosimo the Elder, Lorenzo the Magnificent, his brother Giuliano, and their wives, all positioned in the spaces Michelangelo and later architects arranged for them. The sculptures and the tombs are inseparable—you cannot understand one without seeing the other.

A private tour means your guide sets the pace and answers questions without rushing to the next group's schedule. Entrance tickets are included, so you walk past the line at the door. The tour runs three hours, which gives time to absorb both the basilica and the chapels without feeling hurried through either one.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or one of five additional languages.
• entrance tickets to both the Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo Basilica.
• access to Michelangelo's New Sacristy, the Chapel of the Princes, Donatello's pulpits and the Old Sacristy.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Florence Tours by Made of Tuscany

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Michelangelo's sculptures and the Medici tombs without navigating separate ticket lines or following a group schedule—the private format and included entry mean you move through both sites at your own pace and ask your guide about what matters to you.

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Top questions

What exactly is in the Medici Chapels that I should know about before I go?

The Medici Chapels hold the tombs of the Medici family and feature Michelangelo's New Sacristy, where his famous marble statues—Dawn, Dusk, Day and Night—sit on the tomb lids. The Chapel of the Princes is a separate, more ornate space with gilded decoration and marble work. Both are in the same building but have their own entrance.

Who designed San Lorenzo Basilica and what makes it different from other churches in Florence?

Filippo Brunelleschi, the architect of the Florence Dome, designed San Lorenzo as the parish church of the Medici family. It holds Donatello's two bronze pulpits facing each other, the Old Sacristy by Brunelleschi with sculptures by Donatello and Verrocchio, and the tomb of Cosimo the Elder—making it a working church with Renaissance masterpieces built into its structure rather than added later.

How long does the tour take and what's included in the price?

The tour runs three hours and includes entrance tickets to both San Lorenzo Basilica and the Medici Chapels, plus a professional guide in your choice of language. You do not need to buy tickets separately or wait in line at either entrance.

Can I bring children or use a wheelchair on this tour?

Children from age one are welcome, and strollers are permitted. All areas and surfaces in both the basilica and chapels are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options nearby are also wheelchair accessible. Dress code applies at the church entrance—shoulders and knees should be covered.

Is this tour private, or will I be with other people?

This is a private tour, so you book it for your group alone. Your guide works at your pace and does not move on to another group's schedule.