Panoramic tour of Florence and Uffizi Gallery with skip the line access

An unmissable Florence surroundings tour to enjoy a panoramic view of Florence from Fiesole’s gentle hills and visit the Uffizi Gallery skipping the queue that normally starts at the ticket office.

The Florence panoramic tour will begin on board a comfortable bus that will take you along a spectacular avenue bordered by prestigious villas, palaces and parks, arriving in the main square of Fiesole (Florence), an ancient and picturesque town of Etruscan origin it is worth spending a few words on.

Fiesole in Tuscany is located on a double hilltop behind the Tuscan capital and it is precisely this small distance from Fiesole to Florence, and its raised position, that gives this village rather unique views over panoramic Florence: a panorama among the most admired in the whole world!
Despite not being very large, the village of Fiesole in Italy is rich in precious historic artefacts: the archaeological area contains the remains of Roman baths, ancient and imposing Etruscan walls and a Roman amphitheatre where concerts and events are held to the present day: 'Estate Fiesolana' includes music, dance, film and theatre shows. Florence Fiesole is also the summit of Mount Ceceri, used as a 'springboard' by Leonardo da Vinci in 1506 to test his 'flying machine'.
The beating heart of panoramic Fiesole is Piazza Mino where the imposing Romanesque Cathedral of San Romolo stands, dating back to 1028: After several transformations that altered its appearance, a major restoration in the 1800s gave the Basilica its original appearance back: simple but elegant. In the square you can also find Palazzo Comunale and Palazzo Altoviti whereas if you climb to the top of a steep hill you can admire the charming Chiesa di San Francesco.

After this fascinating Fiesole panoramic tour you will return to Florence in bus: there will be a brief stop along the way at San Domenico di Fiesole, where you can take a nice photo with a breath-taking view behind you. Crossing the famous romantic Arno River you will arrive in Piazza Santa Croce, overlooked by the homonymous Basilica. What used to be an island in the river Arno is now a square: a social and cultural meeting place which, in addition to being a reference point for Florence’s 'nightlife’, annually hosts important cultural and music events, as well as the matches of the traditional 'Florentine football'. Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan Church in the world and consists of as many as 16 chapels, decorated by the greatest masters of the Renaissance period: within it the remains of famous people such as Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Rossini and Galileo are also guarded -that is why the Basilica is also known as 'Temple of Italian glories'.

Our panoramic tour Florence by bus continues in the magnificent Piazza della Signoria, the centre of the city’s political scene fom the 11th century onwards. With its characteristic 'L' shape, the square is home to a few important sculptures such as 'Neptune' by Ammannati, the equestrian statue 'Duke Cosimo II' by Giambologna and 'Hercules and Caco' by Bandinelli.
One of the most important buildings in Piazza della Signoria is definitely Palazzo Vecchio, whose architecture enhanced by the tower and merlons is typical of the civic buildings built in Italy during the fourteenth century. In addition to being the seat of the Florence city council, Palazzo Vecchio also currently houses the homonymous museum which includes magnificent salons with works of great historical and artistic value.
Next to Palazzo Vecchio you can admire 'Loggia dei Lanzi', a beautiful outdoor gallery decorated with a series of arches that recall Renaissance classicism: the 'Perseus' with the head of Benvenuto Cellini’s ‘Medusa’, and ‘Rape of the Sabine Women’ by Giambologna are just a few of the sculptures on display in the Loggia.

The second part of the Florence panoramic tour is dedicated to one of the most visited museums in the world: the Uffizi Gallery. Our skip-the-line entrance service will allow you to avoid the long queues that usually form in front of the entrance and dedicate all your time to visiting the masterpieces kept inside, such as ‘The Adoration of the Magi’ by Leonardo da Vinci, ‘La Primavera' by Botticelli and ‘Venus of Urbino' by Titian, real masterpieces of Italian art. After the guided tour of the Uffizi, you can stay in the museum until closing time to see the works of art again or to visit the rooms not included in the tour.

If you want to visit the Tuscan capital from above without missing the masterpieces in the Uffizi Gallery, book our guided tour of Florence surroundings... you will be swept off your feet!