Renaissance Florence: City of Wonders | November 2023

Fitness & Practicalities

 
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature and, to make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy with visits every day. As such, they require a certain minimum level of mobility, physical and mental fitness, and stamina.

Please note that most of this tour is conducted on foot, so participants must have a good level of fitness and mobility. Although the walking distances are not especially long, please be prepared for spending up to an hour standing in galleries and churches (it is not always possible to sit in pews). Furthermore, Florentine streets can be uneven, narrow, busy with traffic and slippery underfoot when wet, so care must be taken.

As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:

• Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
• Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
• Stand unaided for one hour
• Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
• Carry or otherwise move your own luggage

Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.

Day 1         

Depart London Heathrow 0815 on British Airways, arriving Pisa 1125. Transfer to Florence for seven nights at Grand Hotel Cavour. Afternoon orientation walking tour. Evening welcome and introduction.

Day 2         

Morning lecture: The Road to the Renaissance followed by visit to Gothic Franciscan Church of Santa Croce and museum (Giotto’s early 14th century frescoes, Cimabue’s 13th century Crucifixion, Donatello’s 15th century Annunciation). Afternoon: Uffizi Gallery (13th to 15th century Florentine painting).

Day 3         

Morning lecture: New Concepts of Space & Form in Florentine Painting followed by visits to the Dominican Church of Santa Maria Novella (Masaccio’s early Renaissance masterpiece The Trinity, Ghirlandaio’s fresco cycles) and the Baptistery (doors created by Andrea Pisano and Ghiberti). Afternoon: visits to the Duomo (frescoes by Uccello and Castagno) and Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (works by Andrea Pisano, Donatello and Michelangelo). Free evening with option to attend sung Vespers at the Badia Fiorentina.

Day 4

Morning lecture: Speaking Statues – Sculpture in 15th Century Florence followed by visits to Bargello National Museum (Donatello’s bronze David) and Orsanmichele (exterior with sculptures by Ghiberti, Donatello and Verrocchio commissioned by the Florentine guilds). Walk over the Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno area. Afternoon: Santa Maria del Carmine (Brancacci Chapel with Masaccio and Masolino’s frescoes of The Life of St Peter), Santo Spirito (Michelangelo’s early Crucifixion) and Santa Trinità (frescoes by Ghirlandaio).

Day 5

Morning: Ospedale degli Innocenti (exterior), Church of Santissima Annunziata (Chiostrino dei Voti with frescoes by Andrea del Sarto and Pontormo), Dominican Church and Convent of San Marco (Ghirlandaio’s Last Supper and works by Fra Angelico) and Convent of Sant’Apollonia (Castagno’s Last Supper). Afternoon: Palazzo Medici Riccardi (Benozzo Gozzoli’s famous Magi frescoes) and San Lorenzo (Donatello’s late pulpits and the Old Sacristy).

Day 6

Morning: Church of the Ognissanti (Ghirlandaio’s Last Supper – visits subject to confirmation) and San Salvi (Andrea del Sarto’s Last Supper) followed by Fiesole for Romanesque Duomo of St Romulus and Museum Bandini. Afternoon: San Miniato al Monte (wonderful views over the city). Free evening.

Day 7

Morning: Cappelle Medicee (Michelangelo’s New Sacristy containing Mannerist tombs of the Dukes of Urbino and Nemours) and Galleria dell’Accademia (Michelangelo’s iconic marble David and important collection of Tuscan paintings). Free afternoon.

Day 8

Transfer to Pisa for 1215 departure, arriving Heathrow 1345.