Step inside the hidden soul of Florence on this thrilling 90-minute guided walking tour that blends true crime, esoteric legends, lost rituals, and Tuscan flavours. This experience will take you beyond postcard-perfect beauty, into the darker heart of the city where mystery and history meet.
We begin in the iconic Piazza della Signoria, under the statue of Cosimo I de’ Medici, where executions once drew crowds and political power played out in blood. Here, your guide will resurrect the voice of Girolamo Savonarola, the firebrand friar who shook the soul of Florence with his sermons against luxury and vice—until he met his fate in a pyre of his own making.
Winding through Via dei Calzaiuoli, we turn into the hidden Vicolo dei Lavatoi, a quiet passage where whispered tales of penance and obsession still seem to linger. Just beyond, the city hides a terrifying undercurrent: the Mugnone, known in folklore as the River of Corpses. Once a site of disappearances, drownings, and occult legends, this ancient stream still flows beneath your feet.
Midway through your descent into Florence’s shadows, you’ll enjoy a delicious break at a local prosciutteria near the Duomo. Savour a glass of Tuscan wine and a tasting board of traditional specialities—vegetarian options available—while soaking in the atmosphere of a timeless city.
The darker path continues as we approach the Bargello, Florence’s former palace of torture and justice. Nearby, in Via Ghibellina, we revisit the chilling storey of Beatrice Cenci, accused of parricide in a case soaked in abuse and vengeance. Florence’s justice was as brutal as it was theatrical—and you’ll hear how the instruments of pain were used not only to punish, but to control.
From here, the tour passes through Via del Proconsolo, the site of the Stinche, the city’s most infamous prison. We’ll explore the legends of the Tabernacolo delle Stinche, where condemned souls once stopped to pray before their final walk.
We end the tour with a final sensory indulgence: a stop at a historic cernacchio, where you’ll taste cantucci with Vin Santo—a sweet pairing, echoing the bittersweet layers of the city’s past.
This is not a tour for the faint of heart, but for those curious to hear the voices behind the stones, to feel the chill behind the frescoes, and to taste the beauty and the terror that shaped Florence.
