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The Original David Tour – Accademia Museum

Skip-the-line entry to see Michelangelo’s David sculpture with our expert guides.

Semi Private and Private Exclusive Michelangelo’s David Tour – The Stories and Sagas

  • Michelangelo’s David may be world famous, but few people know the extraordinary history behind the stunning Renaissance statue.
  • We’ll let you in on all the stories – From the drama of his commission, the neglected piece of marble found and transformed by the sculptor, to its logistically complex placement in Florence.
  • Get up close and notice features you wouldn’t on your own. Our charismatic guides share with you the details and quirks of the creation of one of the most important sculptures of all time!

Covid-19 Information – Tickets, Limits, Requirements

The Accademia Gallery has strict regulations for tours to maintain adequate social distancing inside the museum and we have set new ticket prices and availability accordingly. Due to this we are only running the private exclusive on request David tours until further notice. *We are not running the semi-private small group joinable David Tour for now.*

The Original David Tour – Features and Benefits

  • Enjoy fastest possible access to the Accademia Gallery, skipping the line
  • Be met by our personally trained guides who will lead you through the museum with insight and wit
  • We only do very small group tours, so you can ask as many questions as you like and engage with the guide directly

The Original David Tour – What you’ll discover

  • An exclusive introduction to the Galleria dell’Accademia. It houses not only Michelangelo’s most famous work the David, but other collections as well
  • Hear the stories of Michelangelo’s life, a tormented but brilliant poet, artist, and genius, who lived like a pauper but died a multi-millionaire
  • You’ll understand the unique origin of the marble used by Michelangelo, and learn about the circumstances of the David’s unconventional creation
  • Along with seeing the centerpiece of Michelangelo’s works, the David, you’ll be introduced to his other works in the museum
  • These are often known as the ‘non-finito’ works – ‘unfinished’. A series of twisted bodies, deliberately still partly encapsulated in the marble, representing the soul’s eternal struggle to escape the material body. Let us bring these to life for you!

To book an exclusive Private David Tour click here!

 

 

Tour Details

Sites Visited

The Accademia Gallery in Florence and the streets of Florence with Michelangelo’s traces

Highlights of the Original David Tour include:   

  • Enjoy the fastest possible access to the Accademia museum in the company of a great guide
  • See the David by Michelangelo, a must-see masterpiece in Florence considered by many as the greatest piece of art ever made
  • Our David tour will tell you about the amazing creation of Michelangelo’s statue plus an exclusive introduction to other works by Michelangelo
  • Discover the interesting history of the marble, where Michelangelo carved his famous statue and the original place it was supposed to be positioned
  • Hear about Michelangelo – a fascinating and difficult genius, a tormented poet and one of the most talented masters of the Renaissance who died a miserly multi-millionaire
  • Experience an exclusive introduction to his other famous works and much more
  • Accademia ticket price and museum reservation fees included in the price, with no hidden extras

PLEASE NOTE – Persons under 18 now are required to bring their original ID with them to the tour for museum entry

Not included:
Gratuities, drinks and snacks

Location:
Florence city center

Dress Code:
Comfortable shoes

Weather:
This tour runs rain or shine

 

Length 

1 hour

You may like to do our wonderful Learn How to Cook Florentine Steak Experience after the David tour. The restaurant is a 10-15  minute walk towards the Palazzo Vecchio.

You can choose to do a Private David Tour on any day or time.

Meeting Point

The David Tour Meeting Point will be advised on booking

FAQ's

We accept most major credit cards and payment forms. Please see the bottom of our website for the payment types accepted.

Most of our customers enjoy having the benefits of a private tour. You have your own guide. You can have rest stops when you like. We can tailor the tour to suit your needs and preferences. We always choose the best guide for your needs, whether you are a family, an art school, or a company doing an incentive event.

All our tours except our Sex, Drugs and Renaissance tour are kid friendly. When doing a private tour with us, you have your own guide, so tell us in the notes of the booking the ages of your kids and we will tailor the tour and choose a guide that’s great for kids for you. We also have 4 special kids’ tours in Florence.

All tours are conducted in English only unless otherwise noted or requested. Other languages available for all private tours on request.

We are offering mainly Private and some Semi-private tours at the moment. We do not offer many semi private small group tours anymore due to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The difference between Private and Semi-private is that the private tours are fully private tours with your own guide and the Semi-private are small shared group tours where individuals can join others.

You won’t have to wait in line with the rest of the visitors that do not have a reservation, there is a separate entrance for people who have skip-the-line reservation but you still have to go through security check and there might be a line for that.

Yes, you will be accompanied by one of the museum guards through a different entry.

Yes, you can combine this tour with the Original Florence Walk and the Uffizi tour to cover all the highlights of Florence, but we recommend spreading the tours over at least 2 days.

Yes, children of all ages are allowed on the tour.

The shared group tour runs in English only, but we can arrange private tours in other languages.

Reviews

49 reviews for The Original David Tour – Accademia Museum

  1. Ann Smith

    Guide’s knowledge was amazing and she presented the information very logically and in a compelling way. I loved going by the Duomo first to get that perspective and building to David himself. Your tours are fantastic and the audio link really helps the experience – also thank you for restaurant recommendations!

  2. Nanaimo B.C

    Wanting to avoid the huge lines at the Accademia we took Rick Steves advice and booked a walking tour of the museum with ArtViva The tour we took was the Original David Tour, which concentrates on the statue of David within the Accademia. Our guide was excellent and it was obvious to us that she was very passionate about art in general, and Florentine art and Michelangelo’s David in particular. She provided some very unique insights into Michelangelo’s style and the approaches he used to create this breathtaking statue. I highly recommend ArtViva. They provide exceptional service and are professional in every way.

  3. Carolyn West

    We thought the Original David tour was absolutely fantastic – interesting and educational

  4. James and Chelsea Lamb

    The David tour was wonderful! Great information and also interesting! Look forward to doing more Artviva Walking Tours on our next trip to Italy. Very professional, helpful, and trustworthy in a sea of ‘tour guides’ that fall short.

  5. Karin Franchino

    Irene was an outstanding tour guide, beautiful display of The Original David. Also great display of other unfinished sculptures by Michael Angelo. A must tour for anyone visiting Florence.

  6. Definitely would recommend to friends…

    Definitely would recommend to friends and family

  7. Amy Zimmer

    Irene is a terrific guide. Her PhD in Art History gave us a very insightful perspective and depth of the famous statue David. Sweet personality too! Loved the tour.

  8. Debbie Burston

    Our guide was very knowledgeable! She explained things about the Statue of David that we would have never known. It was a short tour, but well worth it.

  9. Mary Newton

    Klaus is an excellent tour guide and his knowledge was superb! It was a fantastic experience!

  10. Lara Brown

    We didn’t have to wait at all. After a nice little introduction to the Duomo and surrounding area we went into the Galleria with our humorous and intelligent guide. He pointed out some really fascinating things and answered all our questions. Would really recommend!

  11. Barbara K.

    This tour was excellent because of the very knowledgeable guide Martina. You learn so much of the back story to the art and the artist. Took two Artviva tours in Florence and would definitely use them again.

  12. Joyce Massey

    Despite the pouring rain, Brenda, our guide, made this tour very special for my husband and I. Her enthusiasm was contagious and her knowledge seemingly unlimited. Her explanations of the sculpture as we walked around David truly helped us understand why the David is an irreplaceable treasure. Thank you!

  13. Wendy

    Everything went smoothly. Had a good time. Guide was Awesome !

  14. James Kautz

    Of the 4 ArtViva tours we took in Florence and Milan, this was the best. Understandable guide, just enough information, good duration. We will recommend this tour and other ArtViva tours to our friends.

  15. Kelley

    Our tour guide was very knowledgable about David and called out a number of very subtle nuances that I would not have caught otherwise. Really enjoyed it when she had us look at David from various angles to really appreciate all the details!

  16. Jan

    My group of 8 friends really enjoyed our tour with Hilda. She is so enthusiastic and we thought her explanations and details to be just right information. Would certainly recommend to others.

  17. Ellen Frank

    Our guide did an excellent job of combining history with the conjecture of the times. Highly recommend her for anyone who wants a deep dive into art history, Florence history, and art technique.

  18. J D Sullivan

    Loved our Academy/David tour! The guide knew the history, and stories, bringing the artists and their work to life.

  19. Jeannemarie Viggiano

    We met our guide, a personable young woman, while we walked the from our meeting spot to the Accademina she talk about the life of Michelangelo. As promised out group was small, our guide was well educated in all aspects of Florence, David and Michelangelo. When we arrived at the Accademina, we didn’t wait in line at all, while in Florence, this is the BEST was to see all the sites as efficiently as possible. When we were finished with our tour, we were free to browse the rest of the Accademina at our lesiure.

  20. Chris Rodgers

    Superb tour guide. We appreciated his passion for the work of Michelangelo and his knowledge of the artist. He added a feature we didn’t expect and it was a difference maker.

  21. Heather D

    This was the perfect amount of time. Late in the day wS not super crowded in the gallery, but still glad we were able to skip the line. Helge shared a lot of information about Michelangelo’s sculpting style, marble, etc. Knowledge that you would not gain otherwise from a self tour. Headsets were very helpful. I would recommend.

  22. Julia Johnston

    My husband and I had one day in Florence and took this tour to help streamline our sightseeing. Our guide (An American originally from New York) was funny, interesting and made the tour come alive. Skipping the tourist line also saved us alot of time! Great experience…would recommend to others.

  23. Stephen Vaughn

    An excellent guide. Her knowledge and passion of Michelangelo’s works was incredible. Had a great time and agreed there was no better way to see the David.

  24. YELENA MUSHKATINA

    Being 14, I had never been in Euroupe before. I had been to art museums in different places, but they didn’t really interest me because I hadn’t really seen anything beneath the surface of the painting. But with Tatiana, she explained the art in such interesting and exciting ways which inspired me to delve deeper into this art. Her energy and jokes kept my attention throughout the whole tour and I honestly wished that it had gone on for longer. Thank you Tatiana for making this museum so memorable for me

  25. GH

    Tatiana our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. We learnt so much about Michelangelo and his works as this tour had a specific focus on him. Art Vive did not disappoint in any way and the experience was outstanding

  26. John Di Cecco

    Terrific and well worth the price!

  27. Marialuz Sevilla-Herrera

    Ricardo did a thorough and engaging review of key pieces of art in the museum. Skipping the line was an added treat. There was an opportunity after the tour to stay and enjoy the museum on your own. Excellent value!

  28. Californian family with teens

    We participated in two Artviva tours. Both were excellent. Quality, content and tour guide were fantastic. I highly recommend ArTiva on your next visit to Florence. In fact, the ArtViva tours were the HIGHLIGHT of the Florence segment of our trip. The small group tour concept really felt more like a Private Tour.

  29. Jan H

    Our guide (Alejandro) was passionate about the Gallery and especially the David. I thought it was a great tour and he was willing to answer my questions even when tour was officially over (last one of the day). The staff at the museum was good too.

  30. Marie Ottawa, Canada

    Mario was our guide and made this experience a lively one! He was one of the first guides to ask everyone their names and made us feel very welcomed. He explained his background and his passion for Michelangelo with his thesis of a deeper insight to Michelangelo. Everything that was described as part of the tour was included. It was my second time seeing David so Mario’s long thesis dissertation was interesting but at the same time lost some of my interest. Some of it was a bit repetitive and subjective. He was very happy to answer questions and i thoroughly enjoyed his enthusiasm. He has given me some food for thought

  31. Susan Acosta

    Would recommend Artviva tours. Small groups, great knowledgable guides

  32. Andrew Wilson

    Fun, funny and most of all educational and entertaing take a tour with klaas and you will come away with an entirely new perspective on how David was created and what he may represent. Bring your opinion, open your your mind to new thoughts and take an intellectual ride with Klaas

  33. Tony Willis

    The Original David at the Accademia Private Tour with our guide Irene from ArtViva was incredible. She was very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject and she went out of her way to answer all of our questions. The private tour was great because Irene started sharing with us the wonder of the Original David from the moment she introduced herself to us. We have a wonderful walk from our hotel, past the Uffizi Gallery, and the original location of the David at City Hall. Irene provided an insight and passion for the David that a review or guide book or Wikipedia just could never provide. We would highly recommend this tour with a Private guide and if it were us we would request Irene because she was amazing! The David is an amazing work of art but being in its presence was truly a stunning experience and the best way to appreciate this masterpiece.

  34. Cynthia Mendelson

    We loved the tour! And after seeing the crazy long lines waiting to enter the museum a skip the line tour is the only way to go! Our guide, Irene, was incredibly knowledgeable and personable. She gave us so much information and made the tour interesting and fun. We are still talking about everything we learned about David! Would absolutely recommend Art Viva and Irene!!

  35. Jude Robb and Pete Gladwin

    Loved the tour, easy to book and ArtViva is a wonderful balance of passion and professionalism for this beautiful city of Florence, absolutely recommend ArtViva, the best in Florence .

  36. Christopher Corsig

    Hilda our tour guide was terrific. Very well informed and knowledgeable making for a great tour and added greatly to our appreciation of the David Sculpture

  37. Penny

    Really enjoyed this tour. Easy booking, easy access. A must for Florence!

  38. JOHN ROSLAK

    Brenda was fantastic! Her enthusiasm and knowledge made for a great experience!

  39. Erin Hoffer

    Riccardo gave an excellent tour at the Accademia. His knowledge of the David, the works of Michaelango, and his life was exceptional. It really is a must do while in Florence.

  40. Sarah G

    The tour was enjoyable and just the right amount of time. I learned about The David and enjoyed doing so. Wonderful experience and I fully recommend this tour!

  41. John Lapointe

    The tour of Academia was wonderful. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about David and Michelangelo. Her love for this fabulous work of art helped us appreciate its uniqueness and beauty even more.

  42. Eleanor Sears

    The tour was good. Lots of information about the making of David. Was nice to see with a small group. The Museum was not crowded at this late hour. Would recommend this tour.

  43. Jacopo Rangoni

    Our tour guide was very knowledgeable! The tour is mostly about David and the stories about him! overall amazing tour! A must do if you are in Florence!

  44. Roslyn Muller

    Very knowledgeable guide. Recommend this tour.

  45. Trish

    Klaas provided wonderful information in a personable fashion. We had a great time.

  46. Audrey Hays

    The day of our tour at the Accademia we also had a walking tour of Florence. We found out that their was going to be a “strike” at the Accademia and our tour was moved up to account for the new hours. We were incredibly impressed with the organization of the tour group and communication efficiency. We did not feel rushed during our tour of the David as a result of their proactive problem solving. Highly recommended.

  47. David and Nancy Moses

    We debsted whether to take this tour or make our own arrangements for the Academia. I am truly glad that we did take the tour. Our guide was wonderful. He gave us a lot of insight to Michelangelo and where he did his work in Florence. This was information we would not have gotten unless we took the to tour; and to see the David was a WOW moment enhanced by the tour guides comments of how to look at the statue. The tour company did a good job of organizing the tour, the meeting place was well defined, and the people were very nice.

  48. Deborah Smith

    Our tour guide, Sally, was informative, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about the David and gave a great tour. The tour was easy to sign up for and stress free. I would recommended this tour to my friends.

  49. Andy Beu

    Absolutely loved our guide Corina…knowledgeable…lovely description of all the art. An incredible experience thanks to Corina.

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