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The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is one of the world’s most iconic art destinations and whether you’re an art aficionado or a curious traveler, the Uffizi offers an unparalleled journey through Renaissance masterpieces. With its vast collection and rich history, navigating the gallery on your own can be overwhelming, which is where guided tours can come in – offering expert insights, context, and the ease of skipping the lines, making your visit not just easier but truly enriching.
Summary
We welcome back Angelo Carotenuto, founder of LivTours, who offer fantastic tours in Italy and across Europe. LivTours, a family-operated tour company, is all about creating unforgettable journeys, with their small group (maximum 6) and private tour experiences. In this episode, we chat to Angelo about the Uffizi Gallery’s treasures, the Medici family’s influence on Renaissance art, and tips on how to make the most of your visit. Discover the hidden gems of the Uffizi and learn how guided tours can elevate your art appreciation to new heights or simply make these wonders accessible, relatable and fun!
Special LivTours offer for Untold Italy listeners
save 5% on LivTours with code ‘untolditaly’
Click here to browse LivTours now!!
What you’ll learn in this episode
- LivTours started out in Rome and Italy, before expanding across Europe and offers exceptional end-to-end customer experiences with tours of major sites and galleries like the Uffizi
- After being set up as a base on the River Arno by the Romans, Florence emerged as a center of commerce, literature, and language and then really flourished in creativity in the 15th and 16th centuries, due to Lorenzo de Medici’s role in inviting artists and thinkers to the city
- The art collection is of major historical Importance with works by Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael, as well as foreign artists with various artistic styles, techniques, symbolism, and time periods, including well-known pieces like Botticelli’s Primavera and Birth of Venus whose large scale means for easier viewing
- The Uffizi works have been incredibly well preserved, even through World War II and has benefited from efficient management of the gallery in recent years
- Key tips – visit in the low season to enjoy without the usual crowds. The museum, like many others, is closed on Mondays. Pre-purchase tickets to avoid long lines at major museums
- LivTour’s options for tours include first-entrance tours with fewer crowds, family-friendly tours with interactive and engaging activities, extended tours combining Uffizi Gallery and Accademia for in-depth experiences, as well as tours of Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens as part of the Uffizi collection. Their focus is on personalized, small-group experiences to suit those with a deep interest in art as well as history buffs and those just wanting to experience the treasures of Florence in a light-hearted, easily accessible way
Timeline Overview
- 00:00 LivTours offers diverse, personalized experiences in Florence, as well as across Italy and Europe
- 05:03 Florence is of historical importance and is set in a beautiful and practical location
- 09:05 The Medici family had a huge impact on the city and the Renaissance art movement – and it is their collection that created the Uffizi Gallery which has been remarkably preserved – even surviving WWII
- 16:51 People gravitate towards famous art pieces, which are incredible and accessible due to their size, but there are also many other treasures to be discovered
- 26:57 You need to book tickets in advance to avoid the queues but tours are the best option to understand the pieces and their history and stories, as well as for specific access, like early, first-entry
- 29:29 LivTour’s interactive museum tour makes visits memorable for adults and children. Alongside Uffizi Gallery options there are extended Renaissance tours including the Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens and the Accademia (which houses Michaelangelo’s David)
About our guest – Angelo Carotenuto
In 2012 a world-renowned Italian-American tour guide and classically trained opera singer meets Swedish logistics expert Kristin in Rome. They fell in love and then created what they love – an eco-tourism company focused on the country where Angelo was born and the same country that brought them together.
LivTours rapidly grew to be a leader in the industry thanks to the high-quality services, unique small group tours of max 6 people and private experiences that allow the traveler to not just visit Italy, but to live it! Sustainability has always been a key factor for LivTours and the company is now a member of GreenStep Sustainable Tourism, a GSTC-accredited certification body. Where large group tours are exploiting the country’s heritage, LivTours’s small group tours are exploring it and always give back to the local community.
For over 10 years travelers have loved the huge selection of tours and experiences, the intimacy of the small groups, and the extraordinary tour guides. And after a lot of requests, LivTours has expanded to France, Spain, and England.
Follow LivTours here
Special LivTours offer for Untold Italy listeners
save 5% on LivTours with code ‘untolditaly’
Click here to browse LivTours now!!
Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned
Places
- Ponte Vecchio – a medieval stone bridge over the Arno River in the heart of Florence
- Galleria dell’ Accademia – Michelangelo’s original and magnificent statue of David is displayed here
- Palazzo Pitti – huge Rennaisance palace on the south side of the River Arno
- Boboli Gardens – the stunning gardens in Florence accessible from the Pitti Palace
- Galleria Dell’Accademia – city art museum in Florence, best known as the home of Michelangelo’s David
Words / Concepts
- Dante Alighieri – writer famous for The Divine Comedy
- Machiavelli – Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian from the period of the Italian Renaissance
- Lorenzo de Medici – known as Lorenzo il Magnifico he was a statesman and ruler of the Florentine republic. Famous for being a patron of the arts
- Florentine Renaissance Art – Renaissance artists in Florence from the movement include Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci
- Stendhal Syndrome – a condition where people become physically overwhelmed when individuals feel over-exposed to artworks of great beauty
- Madonna of the Goldfinch – (Madonna del Cardellino) artwork in the Uffizi by Raphael from 1506
- Annunciation with St Margaret and St Ansanus – artwork in the Uffizi by Simone Martini from 1333
- Primavera, Birth of Venus – artworks by Sandro Botticelli
- Pietà – marble sculpture by Michaelangelo
- Apollo and Daphne – life-size marble statue by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
- Bacchus – artwork by Caravaggio
- Piero della Francesca – Italian painter of the Early Renaissance
- Adoration of the Magi – an early work by Leonardo di Vinci
- Laocoön and His Sons – sculpture of the Trojan priest by Michaelangelo, on display in the Vatican Museum with a copy in the Uffizi
- www.b-ticket.com – site for buying the official tickets for the state museums, Uffizi, Accademia etc
Related content on Untold Italy
Podcasts
- Ep 235 – Visiting the Colosseum – A slow travel guide
- Ep 214 – Rome’s best kept secrets to explore
- Ep 109 – Women of Ancient Rome and Italy – the untold story
- Ep 228 – Top 5 Experiences to try in Florence
- Ep 144 – Sip your way through the wine bars of Florence
- Ep 092 – Wine windows of Florence
- Ep 049 – Exploring Florence with Corinna Cooke
- Ep 028 – Best Neighborhoods to stay in Florence
- Ep 006 – Florence highlights
Articles
- How to buy tickets for the Uffizi Gallery
- The Best Museums in Florence
- Florence travel guide
- Best Boutique Hotels in Florence
- Top Florence hotels with pools
- Where to Stay in Florence: Districts and Neighborhood guide
- Florence’s Hidden Gems
- 3 day Florence itinerary
- Best day trips from Florence
- How to get from Rome to Florence
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