Pitti Palace tour Florence: Palatine Gallery & Royal Apartments

Three dynasties, one palace: the Medici home that became a museum

A guided tour of the Pitti Palace in Florence takes you through the Palatine Gallery—the grand-ducal painting collection—the Royal Apartments where Italian kings lived, and the Treasury of the Grand Dukes. The tour lasts three hours with a professional guide speaking English, Italian or Russian, and includes pickup. All areas are wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Pitti Palace and Museums

• Explore Palatine Gallery paintings
• Walk through Royal Apartments
• Visit Museum of Treasures
• See Treasury of the Grand Dukes

The Experience

The Pitti Palace started as the Medici family home and kept that character even after it became a museum. The Palatine Gallery, the centerpiece of the tour, still arranges its paintings the way the Lorraine Grand-Dukes arranged them—by personal taste rather than chronology or period. You'll see works by Raphael, Rubens, Titian and Caravaggio hung as they were in a private collection, not sorted by school or date the way most museums do it.

The tour moves through the Royal Apartments next, the rooms where the Kings of Italy actually lived during the five years Florence served as the nation's capital. Then you reach the Treasury of the Grand Dukes in the left wing—a collection of silver, jewels and objects so numerous it can feel overwhelming. The sheer quantity of rare and precious things on display is part of what makes this palace different from a typical gallery: you're walking through what was once a family's actual home and its vault, not a curated selection.

A professional guide leads the whole route and handles the language—English, Italian or Russian. Pickup is included, and every area of the palace is wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• A professional guide in your choice of English, Italian or Russian.
• pickup to the palace.
• access to the Palatine Gallery with its Medici and grand-ducal paintings.
• a walk through the Royal Apartments where Italian kings lived.
• entry to the Treasury of the Grand Dukes with its collection of silver and precious objects.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearby

Operated by Irina Willmer

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the Medici collections arranged as the family kept them rather than sorted by period—the Palatine Gallery's private-collection layout is what sets it apart from Florence's other major galleries, and a guide walks you through three centuries of royal rooms and treasures in a single morning.

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Top questions

What paintings are in the Palatine Gallery at Pitti Palace?

The Palatine Gallery holds one of Florence's best painting collections, with masterpieces by Raphael, Rubens, Titian and Caravaggio among others. The works are displayed as they were arranged during the Lorraine Period, reflecting the Grand-Dukes' personal tastes rather than a chronological museum layout.

Who lived at the Pitti Palace?

The Medici family made the Pitti Palace their home, followed by the Lorraine Grand-Dukes. During a five-year period when Florence was Italy's capital, the King of Italy also lived there—three reigning dynasties in total.

What is the Treasury of the Grand Dukes?

The Treasury is a museum in the left wing of the palace containing rare and precious objects from the grand-ducal collections, including silver and other valuables that once belonged to the ruling family.

How long is the Pitti Palace tour?

The tour lasts three hours and includes the Palatine Gallery, the Royal Apartments and the Treasury of the Grand Dukes with a professional guide.

Is the Pitti Palace accessible for wheelchairs?

Yes, all areas and surfaces of the Pitti Palace are wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What language does the guide speak?

The professional guide conducts the tour in English, Italian or Russian, and you can request your preferred language when booking.