Enjoy an insightful private tour of Santa Croce with a 5-star guide. Visiting the biggest Franciscan church in the world is an incredible experience but without a tour guide, you will deny yourself a unique opportunity to learn the secrets hidden within its walls. Built in the 13th century Santa Croce became a "Temple of Italian Glory” as Michelangelo Buonarroti, Galileo Galilei and many other famous Italians are buried there. - Step on Medieval graves and learn why they have sculls and crossbones engraved; - Learn the mystery about Dante’s empty grave; - Hear the story how Michelangelo’s body was stolen from Rome; - Learn all the details of the intricate story of Galileo Galilei and discover the place where he was secretly buried for 100 years; - Get the headsets to hear the guide clearly. Enjoy this unique experience with your tour guide, install a dialogue, ask questions, and be ready to hear all the fascinating stories and secrets hidden within the walls of Santa Croce.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $166.
Larger groups pay less per person.
In demand: 126 of the next 190 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 15.
Inside Santa Croce you will hear the stories about the biggest Franciscan church in the world and enjoy looking at its marvellous masterpieces. You will step on Medieval graves of Florentine aristocrats and learn why some of them have sculls and crossbones engraved. You will learn the mystery about Dante’s empty grave and discover where the Statue of Liberty originates from. You will hear the story how Michelangelo’s body was stolen from Rome and learn all the details of the intricate story of Galileo Galilei and discover the place where he was secretly buried for a hundred years. You will enjoy looking at Giotto’s frescoes and learn why a few of them got destroyed. You will admire Donatello’s Annunciation and Brunelleschi’s Pazzi Chapel. You will discover the real story behind the world famous Stendhal’s syndrome and take dozens of pictures in this marvellous temple of flory.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 3,219 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Florence SANTA CROCE Basilica Private Tour lasts about 1 hour. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $101 per person for this Florence experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $166. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 7 departures a day between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Children aged 6–17 pay from $18, adults from $101. Infants go free.
It can: 126 of the next 190 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Meet your expert tour guide at the facade of Santa Croce basilica next to Dante's statue, show your voucher and let the adventure begin! Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 10 travellers can book together.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
We toured Santa Croce with Irina. Very beautiful but what made it special were the insights and secrets shared by Irena about the history of the church. Irena is intelligent, knowledgeable and warm. Highly recommended!
Our tour guide Irina was amazing - she was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot - I would highly recommend this tour especially if you can request Irina.
We went on three tours with Irina and they were all excellent. The tour to the Santa Croce Basilica brought together the history of the development of the church itself together with the birth of the Franciscans and the deaths of Michelangelo, Galileo Galilee and Dante in a quite mind boggling series of events. In addition to mentioning the end of the Renaissance and the birth of the Reformation. Quite an experience! Irina makes it entertaining throughout. The other major benefit of booking with Irina is that she pre-books all the tickets and makes sure they’re available for you at the times you want and you never have to queue. To be highly recommended.
Irina is an exceptional guide. This was the start of my St Frances Pilgrimage to Rome and I had researched extensively. Irina’s knowledge is exceptional and she presents the stories of St Frances, Dante, Michelangelo, Florentine families to name a few with passion and weaves the tour into the story of religion and The Renaissance. It comes to life and with humour. Thank you Irina. You brought Florence to life!
This was one of my favorite tours! The basilica was astonishingly beautiful. I loved all the Christianity references it really touched my heart!
Irina was fantastic from start to finish. She communicated clearly in advance and made meeting her inside the busy Basilica of Santa Croce effortless. What stood out most was how she brought Santa Croce to life—taking the time to sit down and share rich, relevant history that completely transformed the experience. Without her context and insight, I would have missed so much of what makes this place extraordinary. She’s friendly, engaging, and deeply knowledgeable. An outstanding guide and absolutely worth it—I highly recommend her.
If you see one basilica in Florence, this is the one. Our guide , Irini was superb. So much art History🙁
Thank you so much for your kind review, and my sincere apologies for the late reply. I’m very touched by your words. It was a pleasure guiding you through the basilica — it truly is one of Florence’s most remarkable places, and I’m so glad the art and history spoke to you. Thank you again for your lovely feedback; it means a great deal to me. Warm regards, - Irina
Such an enormous church with an overwhelming display of architecture, artwork and history. We would have been lost without Irina and her expert guidance and interesting stories.
Thank you so much for your glorious review! It warms my heart to know you’ve had a great time with me in Santa Croce Basilica and I hope to see you in Florence again for other tours and activities! Best, - Irina
Amazing tour, the guide was a top notch. I've learned so much! It was an amazing experience to be in front of a genius Michelangelo resting place
Thank you so much for your kind words — they truly mean a great deal. I’m thrilled to hear that the tour left such a strong impression and that standing before Michelangelo’s resting place resonated with you. It’s a spot filled with history and emotion, and sharing its significance is always a privilege. I’m grateful you joined the tour and so glad the experience felt meaningful and memorable for you. Warmest wishes, Irina
Irina was knowlegable and articulate… she obviously knew every nook and cranny of the basilica… Impressive fund of knowledge and a great communicator… Made for a great trip. Highly recommend this tour!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review — it truly made my day. I’m delighted to hear that the visit to the basilica felt so enriching and that the details and stories helped bring the space to life for you. It’s a place I love deeply, and sharing its corners and history is always a pleasure. I’m grateful for your kind words about the guiding and communication, and I truly appreciate your warm recommendation. Warm wishes, Irina
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence SANTA CROCE Basilica Private Tour | 1 hour | 5.0 (23) | $101 | |
 Entrance and Guided Tour of Santa Croce Basilica | 1h 20min | 4.9 (15) | $114 | View |
 Skip-the-line Basilica di Santa Croce & Old Town with Guide | 2–5 hours | — | $215 | View |
 Basilica of Santa Croce: Where Legends Rest in Florence | 1 hour | 3.7 (11) | $69 | View |
 Florence: Basilica Santa Croce Skip the line Entry Ticket | 1h 30min | 3.7 (14) | $25 | View |
 The Franciscans of Florence Santa Croce Michelangelo and Galileo | 1 hour | 5.0 (9) | $125 | View |
 Santa Croce and Guided Walking Tour in Florence | 2h 30min | — | $66 | View |