Florence day trip from Rome by high-speed train with David and Duomo

Your day begins in Rome’s Termini Station, where you'll meet your tour leader. After a quick, 90-minute ride, you’ll disembark in Florence ready to head to Florence Accademia.

With your skip-the-line tickets, you’ll head inside to experience one of the greatest works of art in the world: Michelangelo’s ‘David’. Bound up in this immense statue is the entire history of the Renaissance and the way it captured a fundamental shift in human understanding. With an expert guide, you'll learn the story and symbolism behind its creation.

The next part of the tour is a fun and relaxed city stroll, taking you past some of the Florence’s most iconic sights, while your guide gives you little nuggets of information. You’ll wind your way to the San Lorenzo Market, Florence’s most important outdoor food market and get a crash course in the basics of Tuscan cuisine. This is the best place to learn about the region’s most authentic dishes, along with recommendations on where to eat them afterward. Finally, you’ll pass by the leather market and learn how the city became a center of the Italian leather industry and where to buy the best wares.

You’ll eventually wind up in the Piazza del Duomo, in the shadow of one of the biggest domes in the world. It crowns the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the story of how it was designed and built is one of the greatest tales of the Renaissance. Along with your guide, you’ll enter this beautiful church to learn about the enigmatic genius Filippo Brunelleschi, who designed the dome semi-secretly so as not to share credit with his hated rival, Lorenzo Ghiberti. Ghiberti has his own trophy though, which you'll also see. He cast the bronze baptistery doors that face the cathedral, called by the great Michelangelo the ‘Gates of Paradise.’

You’ll then come to appreciate Piazza della Signoria, an outdoor sculpture gallery. The Ponte Vecchio is another must-see sight covered on your stroll. Finally, you’ll have almost 4 hours of free time before you head back to Rome. With plenty of hints and tips from your guide and tour leader, you can head off for a leisurely lunch, get your shopping on, or dive into another one of the world-class tourist attractions. You’ll reconvene at 4.45pm, in time for catching the train back to Rome.