Pitti Palace Tour Florence: 28 Medici Masterpieces

Twenty-eight rooms of Renaissance and Baroque paintings, arranged the way a grand duke's household saw them

A two-hour guided tour of the Palatine Gallery inside Pitti Palace in Florence takes you through 28 rooms of masterpieces by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and Caravaggio, displayed in the historical decorative order the Medici chose rather than by chronology or artistic school. The tour includes entry to the Gallery of Modern Art, the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Museum of Costume and Fashion, the Museum of Russian Icons, the Palatine Chapel, and the Royal Apartments, with free time to explore each after your guide finishes. A professional guide leads groups of up to 15 in English or Italian, and headsets are provided if needed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided tour and museum exploration

• Join 2-hour guided Palatine Gallery tour
• Admire masterpieces by Renaissance artists
• Learn about Medici and royal history
• Explore Gallery of Modern Art
• Visit Treasury of the Grand Dukes
• Discover Museum of Costume and Fashion
• See Russian Icons collection
• Tour the Royal Apartments

The Experience

The Palatine Gallery sits on the piano nobile of Palazzo Pitti, Florence's largest palace and the last grand residence of the Medici family. Your guide walks you through 28 rooms where paintings hang as they did when the Grand Dukes of Tuscany owned them—not arranged by artist or century, but placed according to how the royal collection was meant to be seen, surrounded by frescoes and gilded stucco. You'll stand in front of works by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and Caravaggio in the rooms where they were originally hung, which is how the Medici experienced them.

The two-hour guided portion covers the Palatine Gallery's history from the Medici through the House of Lorraine, and its time as Italy's royal residence from 1865 to 1870. After your guide finishes, you have free time to move through the other five museums included with your ticket: the Treasury of the Grand Dukes (jewels, gold, and precious objects from centuries of court life), the Gallery of Modern Art (Italian paintings and sculptures from the late 18th to early 20th centuries), the Museum of Costume and Fashion (five centuries of garments and theatrical pieces), the Museum of Russian Icons (16th- to 19th-century sacred artworks), and the Royal Apartments (the lavish rooms where the Medici, Lorraine, and Savoy families actually lived). You can spend as long as you want in any of them.

Groups stay under 15 people, and the tour runs in English or Italian with headsets available if the guide's voice doesn't carry in a crowded room. Arrive 15 minutes early at the meeting point. You'll need a valid passport or ID matching the name on your booking to enter. Palazzo Pitti is wheelchair accessible, and children in strollers are welcome.

What’s included

• Two-hour audioguided tour of the Palatine Gallery in English or Italian.
• entry to the Treasury of the Grand Dukes Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Museum of Costume and Fashion, the Museum of Russian Icons, the Palatine Chapel, and the Royal Apartments.
• headsets if needed.
• professional tour leader.
• free time to explore the museums after the guided portion ends.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by ACCORD Italy Smart Tours & Experiences

Is this one for you?The shared guided format works best if you want the Medici's history and the logic behind how the paintings hang explained as you move through the rooms—the guide connects the artworks to the palace's role as a royal residence and shows you why the arrangement matters. If you'd rather wander the galleries at your own pace without narration, the free time after the tour lets you do that in the other five museums.

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Top questions

What is the Palatine Gallery and why is it arranged differently from other museums?

The Palatine Gallery is a collection of Renaissance and Baroque paintings inside Pitti Palace that once belonged to the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Unlike most museums, the artworks hang in the historical decorative order the Medici chose, without chronological sorting—so you see them as the royal family did, surrounded by the frescoes and gilded rooms they were meant to inhabit.

How long is the guided portion, and what happens after the guide finishes?

The guided tour of the Palatine Gallery lasts two hours. After that, you have free time to explore the five other museums included with your ticket: the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Museum of Costume and Fashion, the Museum of Russian Icons, and the Royal Apartments—you can spend as much time as you want in each one.

Which artists' works will I see in the Palatine Gallery?

The Palatine Gallery houses masterpieces by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Caravaggio, and Botticelli, displayed across the 28 rooms of the piano nobile in their original decorative arrangement.

What do I need to bring or know before I arrive?

Arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time at the meeting point. Bring a valid passport or ID document that matches the name on your booking—it's required for entry to Pitti Palace. Groups are kept to 15 people or fewer, and headsets are provided if you need them to hear the guide.

Is this tour accessible for people with mobility needs or families with young children?

Yes. Palazzo Pitti is wheelchair accessible, and infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and service animals are allowed.