
Santa Croce Walking Tour (Self Guided), Florence
Santa Croce sits on the southeast fringe of Florence's historic center. It captivates visitors with its old world charm and appeal, and although popular, feels untouched by tourists. Since the Middle Ages the area has been a center for leatherworking, and today you can still see many leather workshops and leather shops in the neighborhood. Many of the leather stores are to be found on the huge piazza, a popular place where locals and visitors come to relax. Browse the stores then relax in a café with a fresh cup of strong coffee. The square also hosts several concerts, markets and festivals throughout the year.
Historic charms abound in the neighborhood with ancient buildings and structures. One of the most famous is the Ponte alle Grazie, a bridge that was originally built in 1227. The nine-arched crossing that you see today dates back to rebuilding work in 1345 and it is the oldest and longest bridge in the city. Visit a Gothic masterpiece, the Basilica di Santa Croce. This is the largest Franciscan church in the world and it is filled with artistic treasures. They include altarpieces, frescoes, statues, friezes and carvings on tombs. This beautiful place of worship is also the final resting place of some notable Italians, including Galileo and Michelangelo.
Historic charms abound in the neighborhood with ancient buildings and structures. One of the most famous is the Ponte alle Grazie, a bridge that was originally built in 1227. The nine-arched crossing that you see today dates back to rebuilding work in 1345 and it is the oldest and longest bridge in the city. Visit a Gothic masterpiece, the Basilica di Santa Croce. This is the largest Franciscan church in the world and it is filled with artistic treasures. They include altarpieces, frescoes, statues, friezes and carvings on tombs. This beautiful place of worship is also the final resting place of some notable Italians, including Galileo and Michelangelo.
How it works: A discovery walk features a route using which you can explore a popular city neighborhood on your own. This walk, along with other self-guided walks in over 1,500 cities, can be found on the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" which can be downloaded from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app's built-in GPS navigation functions allow following this walk route with ease. The app works both online and offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Santa Croce Walking Tour Map
Guide Name: Santa Croce Walking Tour
Guide Location: Italy » Florence
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Discovery)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Author: Xena
Guide Location: Italy » Florence
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Discovery)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Author: Xena

1) Piazza Nicola Demidoff

2) Piazza dei Mozzi

3) Chiesa Episcopale

4) Torre degli Alberti

5) Corso dei Tintori

6) Palazzo Guasconi

7) National Central Library

8) Santa Croce Square

9) Santa Croce Square

10) Santa Croce Square

11) Piazza dei Ciompi, Loggia del Pesce

12) Via Pietrapiana 18, Palazzo Pascolutti Giani

13) Sant'Ambrogio Church

14) Piazza Ghiberti, Sant' Ambrogio Market

15) Piazza Ghiberti, Sant' Ambrogio Market
Walking Tours in Florence, Italy
Create Your Own Walk in Florence
Creating your own self-guided walk in Florence is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Duomo Walking Tour
Right in the heart of historic Florence lies the Duomo district—the city's religious and civic core, and one of the most remarkable places in all of Italy. Between the Duomo and Signoria squares, Florence unfolds in layers of art, history, and architectural brilliance, offering a never-ending stream of things to see, do, and admire.
At the center of it all stands the Florence Cathedral,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
At the center of it all stands the Florence Cathedral,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
In Galileo's Footsteps
Galileo Galilei—born in Pisa in 1564—spent much of his life in and around Florence, where some of the most defining moments of his revolutionary career unfolded. A genius of many talents—physicist, mathematician, astronomer, inventor—he helped usher in the scientific revolution and reshape humanity’s understanding of the universe. Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, became a... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 8.0 Km or 5 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 8.0 Km or 5 Miles
Arno South Bank Walking Tour
The area south of the Arno River—known as Oltrarno, or “Beyond the Arno”—offers a quieter, more intimate side of Florence, but one that’s no less captivating. It’s here that you’ll find the grand Pitti Palace, home to a painting collection rivaled only by the Uffizi Gallery, and the expansive Boboli Gardens, once the private domain of the Medici and later, the royal family. As one of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Medici Landmarks Walking Tour
The Medici family helped to establish Florence as the single most important art capital of Renaissance Europe. In order to prove wealth and power, they built numerous palaces, libraries, churches, chapels and personal residences. The Medicis were big lovers of art and they acquired huge, expensive collections, as well as supporting many sculptors and painters of the time.
Designed by... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Designed by... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Florence Introduction Walking Tour
Florence was founded in 59 BC by Julius Caesar as a settlement for his veteran soldiers. Laid out like a Roman military camp, its main roads intersected at what is now the Republic Square. Originally named Fluentia, referencing its location between two rivers, the city later adopted the name Florentia, meaning “flowering” or “flourishing”.
And flourish it did. During the Middle Ages and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
And flourish it did. During the Middle Ages and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Michelangelo's Masterpieces Walking Tour
Though born in the small Tuscan town of Caprese, Michelangelo spent over two decades of his life in Florence—the heart of the Renaissance. It was here that he grew up, was educated, and began shaping his artistic voice, eventually creating some of the most iconic masterpieces the city has ever known.
His larger-than-life work—“David”—didn’t just reshape the image of biblical... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
His larger-than-life work—“David”—didn’t just reshape the image of biblical... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Souvenir Shopping Guide: 15 Unique Products to Buy in Florence
Compared to other Italian "grands" like Rome, Venice, or Milan, Florence is relatively less-known to an outsider for any local products, save, perhaps, Florentine mosaics and Fiorentina FC. Fortunately, there are tonnes of locally-originated things that this Italian city is rightfully...
Florence's Tasty Coffee Shop Guide
The caffe scene throughout Italy is an important factor of everyday life. People will pop in to their favorite bar on their way to work for a quick espresso breakfast with a pastry, they’ll grab a slice of pizza for lunch or drop by for an aperitivo before dining out and take a peaceful digestivo...
Top 14 Pubs in Florence
Florence, the city of art and beauty has no problem in mastering the art of the nightlife as well. Local pubs are very popular and appreciated among the Florentines and the tourists. Locals and native English speakers that study or live in the city cannot wait to welcome tourists in their cozy...
The Most Popular Cities
/ view all