Santa Maria Novella Walking Tour, Florence

Santa Maria Novella Walking Tour (Self Guided), Florence

Embark on a mesmerizing history tour when you visit the Santa Maria Novella district, one of the most historical districts in the city. A tour of the area will take you to ancient churches, historic buildings and a number of elegant boutiques.

Step inside the church of Santa Maria Novella, a Gothic building that was started toward the end of the 13th century. The layout of the vast interior is believed to be the work of Brunelleschi, the architect of the Duomo's cupola. Take your time browsing the many fabulous works of art, including the Crucifix by Giotto which hangs in the central nave and the stunning frescoes in the Strozzi Chapel. Other standout works are a 15th-century wooden crucifix by Brunelleschi, and the Tornabuoni Chapel which features frescoes by the artistic school where Michelangelo was apprenticed.

Visit Piazza della Stazione, one of the largest squares in the city. Take your pick of the many fine restaurants that line the streets here. The choice includes traditional Italian and ethnic eateries. Lovers of fascinating architecture won't want to miss out on a visit to the Fortezza da Basso. This 16-century defensive stronghold is an example of military Renaissance architecture and features restored historic palaces. Today, the complex hosts festivals, concerts and exhibitions.
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.

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Santa Maria Novella Walking Tour Map

Guide Name: Santa Maria Novella Walking Tour
Guide Location: Italy » Florence
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Discovery)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Author: Xena
Lungarno Vespucci

1) Lungarno Vespucci

Borgo Ognissanti, Casa alla Rovescia

2) Borgo Ognissanti, Casa alla Rovescia

Borgo Ognissanti

3) Borgo Ognissanti

Borgo Ognissanti

4) Borgo Ognissanti

Piazza Ognissanti

5) Piazza Ognissanti

Church of Santa Maria Novella

6) Church of Santa Maria Novella

Via Panzani

7) Via Panzani

Via Panzani

8) Via Panzani

Church of Santa Maria Novella

11) Church of Santa Maria Novella

Piazza della Stazione

12) Piazza della Stazione

Piazza della Stazione

13) Piazza della Stazione

Piazza della Stazione

14) Piazza della Stazione

Valfonda Garden, Villa Vittoria

15) Valfonda Garden, Villa Vittoria

Walking Tours in Florence, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Florence

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.
Florence's Hidden Art Treasures

Florence's Hidden Art Treasures

The “Cradle of the Renaissance,” Florence is one of Europe’s most beautiful and busiest destinations, home to some of the world's greatest pieces of art and architecture. The iconic masters like Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael and Michelangelo, as well as their somewhat less-known but equally talented counterparts, such as Ghirlandaio, Sangallo and Castagno, have blessed this city with...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Florence Introduction Walking Tour

Florence Introduction Walking Tour

The city of Florence was founded by Julius Caesar in 59 BC as a settlement for veteran soldiers. It was built initially in the style of an army garrison – with main streets intersecting at today's Piazza della Repubblica. The original name, Fluentia, stems from its location between the two rivers; later, it was renamed Florentia, which means “flowering” or “flourishing”.

The...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Duomo Walking Tour

Duomo Walking Tour

Located in the very heart of historic Florence, the Duomo area is deservedly considered the city’s religious and civic center, replete with numerous landmarks. Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, the two most important squares in the city, are steeped in history and the sights and activities found here are truly endless.

The most prominent of these, undoubtedly, is the breathtaking...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Dante's Florence Walking Tour

Dante's Florence Walking Tour

Dante Alighieri was arguably the greatest – albeit also most controversial – of Italy's poets. After having served as one of the six priors governing Florence, his political activities – including the banishing of several rivals – led to his own banishment, upon which he wrote his masterpiece, “The Divine Comedy”, as a wanderer, seeking protection for his family in one town after...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Arno South Bank Walking Tour

Arno South Bank Walking Tour

The area south of Arno river, also called Oltrarno ("Beyond the Arno"), is a quieter place but not less interesting. Here you can find the Pitti Palace whose collection of paintings is second only to the Uffizi, and the vast Boboli Gardens once enjoyed by the Medici and the royal family. One of the first and most important examples of "Italian Gardens", they later served as...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Michelangelo's Masterpieces Walking Tour

Michelangelo's Masterpieces Walking Tour

Michelangelo spent over 20 years of his life in Florence – the birthplace of the Renaissance – during which time he created some of the most beautiful masterpieces the city had ever seen. The most famous of them – the David – was larger than life, and brought a larger-than-life image to the artist. No amount of photos or copies of the statue will do it justice, so to see it with your own...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles

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