Dante in Florence Literature Tour

Explore Dante Aligheri's connections to Florence and how the city inspired his Divine Comedy
From US$423 privately
Book a Tour
Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
  • Dante's House
  • Baptistery of St. John
  • Palazzo dell'Arte della Lana
Photos & Highlights
  • Dante Tour in Florence explores Dante's life and work within the historical, social, cultural, and political context of Florence
  • Led by an Italian literature scholar
Select a date
Tour Description
Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in 1265 A.D. He is widely accepted as the first author to write in the everyday vernacular that soon evolved into modern Italian, as well as credited with the creation of Italy's most enduring literary work, The Divine Comedy. Comprised of three separate canticles, the poem details a journey in the afterlife through L'inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Paradise), and is as much a historical chronicle as it is a literary achievement. Written entirely after Dante's 1302 exile from the city, The Divine Comedy is a window into nearly every aspect of medieval history, theology, politics, art, and culture; in particular, as it relates to Florence. During this three hour Dante tour in Florence, led by a scholar, we will follow Dante's path through the city, exploring the places and characters that inspired his masterpiece—and, by extension explore both the life of Dante Alighieri as a historical figure and The Divine Comedy as a work of fiction where Florence as a city plays a central role.

Dante Tour Florence

We begin with a discussion of the Baptistery where Dante himself was baptized and where he later drew inspiration for L'inferno, drawing from the building's biblical mosaics depicting the Last Judgment. We will move from here to Dante's neighborhood, deep in the heart of medieval Florence, where we will find the exterior of Dante's home as well as his local church. It was at the church that he first encountered Beatrice, his beloved muse and spiritual guide for whom he wrote The Divine Comedy.

Please Note: As of recently the dome of the Baptistery is under restoration so the mosaics can't fully be seen. The rest of the structure is visitable, though there is a large scaffolding in the centre of the baptistery. Unfortunately, this restoration is said to take several years.

Then and Now

Along the way, we will see where Dante's enemies lived and explore the innumerable tucked away locations important to Dante's story: corners, side streets, and piazzas where many of his characters came to life. We will also visit Palazzo dell'Arte della Lana, important during Dante's time, as the location of the Wool Guild, but which today serves as The Dante Society meeting place, as well as the Dante Library where scholars from around the world come to continue to study his legendary poem.


Looking to explore the life of another distinguished Florentine? Discover the life of Michelangelo on our Accademia Gallery Tour. For those more interested in visual art, try our Uffizi Gallery Tour.
Experts
Agata Anna Agata Anna
Art Historian
Laura Laura
Art Historian
Sandro Sandro
Art Historian/Local Guide
Lucy Lucy
Local Guide
Martino Martino
College instructor
Sarah Sarah
Local Guide
Susanna Susanna
Art Historian
Molly Molly
Art Historian
Where You'll Start
(4.86) 40 Reviews

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

I had such a wonderful experience with Agata exploring Dante's Florence and reading passages from The Inferno. Highly recommended for devotees of Dante and The Divine Comedy! Agata is especially kind and extremely knowledgeable on medieval literature, history, and architecture! Exactly what I was seeking in Florence!
Sarah was exceptional! Even as someone who thinks they know Dante and his work pretty well, I learned SO much and really was able to see the city through his eyes. Sarah is so knowledgeable and an excellent storyteller. This was a singular tour that enriched our experience in Florence and we would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone!
Smart, engaging, knowledgeable guide. The tour is great!