La Piazza della Signoria est la place principale de Florence, siège du pouvoir civil et cœur de la vie sociale de la ville. Elle se situe au cœur de la Florence médiévale, au sud de la cathédrale Santa Maria del Fiore. Elle a porté différents noms, tels que Piazza dei Priori ou Piazza del Granduca.

L'hôtel de ville de Florence s'appelle Palazzo Vecchio, ou « Vieux Palais ». Il donne sur la Piazza della Signoria et sur la Loggia dei Lanzi, située à proximité, qui abrite la galerie des statues. Ce bâtiment était à l'origine connu sous le nom de Palazzo della Signoria. Cependant, en raison de ses multiples utilisations au cours de sa longue histoire, son nom a changé à plusieurs reprises (Palazzo del Popolo, Palazzo dei Priori et Palazzo Ducale). Après le transfert de la résidence du duc de Médicis à l'intérieur du Palazzo Pitti, de l'autre côté de l'Arno, le bâtiment a pris son nom actuel.

La Loggia dei Lanzi, aussi connue sous le nom de Loggia della Signoria, est une structure située à côté de la Galerie des Offices, sur la Piazza della Signoria. Elle est composée de grandes arches orientées vers la chaussée. Dotées de chapiteaux corinthiens, elles sont soutenues par un groupe de pilastres. Ces larges arches attirant les mécènes florentins, Michel-Ange suggéra d'en encercler la Piazza della Signoria.

Masterpieces from the Renaissance and Mannerist periods can be found in the Bargello. We will see four of Michelangelo's most significant sculptures: Tondo Pitti, a stunning example of the renowned "non finito," Bacchus, Brutus, and David-Apollo. Important parallels can also be made with other pieces in the collection, such as the bronze David sculptures by Donatello and Verrocchio.

L'église d'Orsanmichele est un bâtiment historique du centre de Florence. À l'origine, c'était une loggia destinée au stockage et au marché des céréales, puis transformée en église des Arts, les anciennes corporations florentines. Aujourd'hui, aux étages supérieurs, elle abrite un musée présentant les originaux du cycle sculptural de ses niches extérieures ainsi que les célèbres statues de Donatello et de Ghiberti.

Our next stop will be the Opera del Duomo museum, where we will see the Palestrina Pietà, one of Michelangelo final creations, which is a piece of art that is impossible to see in person without being touched and moved. This Pietà, which Michelangelo carved for his own tomb, captures the agony and suffering of his latter years. You will also see the original Gates of Paradise inside the museum, the main gate of the Baptistry of Florence (Battistero di San Giovanni), located in front of the Cathedral. The Porta del Paradiso, in Italian, was created by Florentine goldsmith and sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti between 1425 and 1452 and installed in the eastern portal of the Baptistery. The Gates have been praised by generations of artists and art historians for their compelling portrayal of scenes from the Old Testament. Over time, the seventeen-foot-tall, three-ton bronze doors became an icon of Renaissance, one of the most famous works of art in the world.

Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the largest churches in the world. The plan consists of a triple-nave basilica with the presbytery area nested within, dominated by the large octagon of the immense dome, around which are three radial apses, each consisting of five chapels. The cathedral is 153 meters (502 feet) in length, 90 meters (295 feet) wide at the transept, and 90 meters high from floor to base of the dome lantern. The title “Santa Maria del Fiore” (Our Lady of the flower) alludes to the name of the city, "Florentia", or “city of flowers”, “destined to bloom”, and to its emblem, the Florentine lily.

Visiting the New Sacristy at the Medici Chapels, where the exquisiteness of the tombs of some Medici family members will wow you, is a must-do for any Michelangelo tour of Florence. You will discover during this encounter how much the artist and his works were influenced by the Medici family.

The last stop on the tour will be the renowned Accademia Museum, home of Michelangelo's David, one of the most well-known statues in existence. There will be time set out to comprehend this sculpture as well as to view another of his creations, "Prisoners," which was begun but never completed when it was commissioned for Pope Julius II's tomb. The tour will end here, although those who want to continue exploring this beautiful museum will be welcome.