Medici Florence tour: Palazzo Medici and Medici Chapels

Three centuries of Medici power, from the palace where artists worked to the chapels where they were laid to rest

A 3-hour guided tour of Florence's Medici sites takes you through the Palazzo Medici, the family's first palace where Renaissance masters worked, then to the Medici Chapels at the Basilica of San Lorenzo—including Michelangelo's New Sacristy, the Chapel of the Princes with its semi-precious stone mosaics, and the Crypt where family members are buried. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language, and all entry tickets are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Medici palaces and chapels

• Visit Palazzo Medici Riccardi
• See Piazza San Lorenzo
• Tour the Medici Chapels

The Experience

What did the Medici actually build, and where can you still walk through it? The tour starts at the Palazzo Medici, the first palace Cosimo il Vecchio and Lorenzo il Magnifico called home. The enormous rooms show you how Renaissance power looked—and the Chapel of the Magi inside stops most visitors mid-step. Artists like Donatello, Michelangelo, Paolo Uccello, Benozzo Gozzoli and Botticelli worked within these walls, and the spaces they moved through are still there.

From the palace, the route leads to Piazza San Lorenzo and then into the Medici Chapels, built as the family's burial place and now a state museum. This is where the tour shifts from how they lived to how they were remembered. Michelangelo designed the New Sacristy; the Chapel of the Princes glitters with Florentine mosaic work in semi-precious stones; and below, the Crypt holds the members of the family itself. The scale and the detail—the marble, the inlay, the weight of three centuries of power in stone—is what makes the difference between reading about the Medici and standing in front of what they built.

Your guide leads the whole 3 hours and handles the logistics: all entry tickets are included, so you walk straight in. The tour works for wheelchairs and strollers, and public transport stops are nearby if you need them. Groups stay small enough that you can actually hear and ask questions as you move through the rooms.

What’s included

Expert guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language; all entry tickets to the Palazzo Medici and the Medici Chapels.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Florence Tours by Made of Tuscany

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to understand the Medici through the spaces they actually occupied—the palace where they lived and worked with artists, then the chapels where they were buried. The fixed 3-hour schedule and included tickets mean the day holds together without you arranging entry or transport separately.

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Top questions

What exactly is inside the Palazzo Medici that makes it worth seeing?

The Palazzo Medici is the first palace where the Medici family lived and ruled Florence. Its enormous rooms show the scale of Renaissance noble life, and the Chapel of the Magi inside the palace is known for its immediate visual impact. Artists including Michelangelo, Donatello, Paolo Uccello, Benozzo Gozzoli and Botticelli worked in these spaces.

Who designed the New Sacristy in the Medici Chapels?

Michelangelo designed the New Sacristy, one of the major spaces inside the Medici Chapels. It is part of the burial complex built for the Medici family at the Basilica of San Lorenzo.

What is the Chapel of the Princes, and what makes it different from the other chapels?

The Chapel of the Princes is studded with Florentine mosaic work in semi-precious stones and is part of the Medici Chapels complex. It stands apart for its ornate stone inlay and serves as one of the major burial spaces for the family.

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

The tour runs 3 hours and includes an expert guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language, plus all entry tickets to both the Palazzo Medici and the Medici Chapels.

Can I do this tour if I use a wheelchair or need to bring a stroller?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for strollers. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.