Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo's Tomb Skip-the-Line Guided Tour — Private
About this activity
Tour Santa Croce Basilica in Florence with a private guide dedicated to your party of up to 8. See the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo, Giotto’s frescoes and Donatello’s St Louis of Toulouse. Reserved entry included. Two hours.
Highlights
- Santa Croce Basilica: Gothic Florence “Pantheon”
- Michelangelo’s tomb and Renaissance legacy
- Machiavelli and Galileo’s tombs inside Santa Croce
- Giotto’s frescoes and early Renaissance art
- Private expert guide dedicated to your group (max 8)
Full description
Explore Santa Croce Basilica on a two-hour private tour with a guide dedicated to your party of up to eight. Reserved entry and admission are included. Visit the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo, and see Giotto’s frescoes and Donatello’s St Louis of Toulouse.
Begin outside Santa Croce at its marble facade, then enter the Gothic basilica with reserved admission. Your private guide explains why Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo are buried here and connects their lives to Florence’s artistic and scientific history. See Giotto’s frescoes and Donatello’s gilded bronze St Louis of Toulouse while exploring the church’s architecture and memorials. Temporary exhibitions, food, hotel transfers, gratuities and storage are excluded.
Included / Excluded
- 2-hour private guided basilica tour for your party (max 8)
- Professional expert guide exclusively for your group
- Reserved entry and all Santa Croce admission fees
- Food and drinks are not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included
- Gratuities are optional and not included
- Luggage and coat storage are not included
Itinerary
Santa Croce Basilica façade and entrance
Begin with the marble façade and a short history of the basilica and its place in Florence.
Basilica interior: tombs, Giotto and Donatello
Explore the basilica interior with the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo, Giotto’s frescoes and Donatello’s St Louis of Toulouse. Reserved entry and admission are included.
Meeting point
Start Location
Basilica di Santa Croce, Piazza di Santa Croce, 16, Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, ItalySanta Croce main gate — meeting point
Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Piazza di Santa Croce, 16, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Meet outside by the main gate of Santa Croce Church. Arrive 10 minutes early.
Get directions →Important information
Know before you book
- Private tour for your party only; maximum 8 guests.
- Suitable for visitors of most ages interested in history and culture.
- Skip-the-line reserved admission and all Santa Croce entrance fees are included.
- This private basilica tour is wheelchair friendly; contact Babylon Tours before booking about access needs.
Know before you go
- Meet by the main gate of Santa Croce Church (outside), Piazza di Santa Croce 16, Florence. Arrive 10 minutes early and bring an ID or a photo of an ID.
- The 2-hour guided visit explores the basilica interior, tombs and artworks.
- Your guide highlights Santa Croce’s tombs, Giotto frescoes and Donatello sculpture.
Cancellation policy
Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible
Reviews
We booked this tour to get as much as possible out of our time at The Met. What we didn’t know we were getting was a personalized experience full of captivating stories about the artists' lives and the people who brought the art to the museum. Robin was a wealth of knowledge and a highlight of our trip to New York!
Spent a great day with Charlie he was very engaging and shared lots of information and entertaining stories with us. He took great care of us and we would recommend him for any future tours.
Mark, tour guide for the Metropolitan Museum is an outstanding teacher: engaging; entertaining; professional; personable; experienced and deeply knowledgeable as a result of a lifelong passion and relationship with the Met. He loves what he does and cares deeply about sharing his knowledge and insight to spark curiosity and inspire his clients--his students--to understand context and meaning of each piece or work of art reviewed. My wife, a retired professor emeritas and myself both left thoroughly impressed and grateful to have been taught by best and most captivating guides we have had the privilege of meeting on one of our many travels and adventures. Hire the best. Hire Mark. Worth every penny and every minute of your time you can afford at the Met. Like us, you will look forward to coming back for another teaching session from Mark. In my case, hopefully we will be back on my birthday next year! (Thanks again Mark!)
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Additional information
Meet your guide outside by the main gate of Santa Croce Church, Piazza di Santa Croce 16, Florence, 10 minutes before your reserved start. Bring an ID or a photo of an ID. For guest assistance call +1 917 999 0380.