From the Signoria to Santa Croce: audio walk in Florence

Two squares and a republic: the David that took four days to arrive, Savonarola's bonfires, Cellini melting down his dinner plates, the hanged men of the Bargello and the calcio match Florence played in front of the army besieging it.

1.44 km · ≈ 52 min · 11 stops · ES / EN

From the Signoria to Santa Croce

What this walk is about

You start in front of David and find out why the original needed a guard on its very first night. In the same square: the bonfire of the vanities and the one that burned the friar who lit it, Cellini saving his Perseus with his own dinner service, and the day in 1478 when the conspirators locked themselves in behind a door. Through Dante's streets you reach the Bargello, where a painter earned the nickname "of the Hanged Men" and Vasari got the wrong conspiracy. A curved square that traces a Roman amphitheatre leads you to Santa Croce: the match of 1530, Galileo's long wait, the traveller with the racing heart and the water of 1966. All from the street.

Start
The giant who took four days to move
Finish
The flood of 1966
Who it is for
For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about political history and art. Written for adults and teenagers. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
Languages
Spanish and British English
Themes
Masterpieces and ArtistsPower, the Republic and the MediciPlague, Floods and WarWriters and Travellers

The route, stop by stop

An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.

Loading the map…

Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.

  1. 1

    The giant who took four days to move

  2. 2

    Two bonfires in the same square

  3. 3

    Perseus and the household plates

  4. 4

    The door that closed by itself

  5. 5

    The house that wasn't Dante's

  6. 6

    Andrea of the Hanged Men

  7. 7

    A Roman arena beneath your feet

  8. 8

    A football match against an army

  9. 9

    Stendhal's bench

  10. 10

    Galileo's finger

  11. 11

    The flood of 1966

Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.

Florence, before you go

Florence fits into short walks that grow longer as you keep looking. The centre is compact; crossing the Arno changes the perspective without changing the city.

More walks nearby

Good to know

Nyhavn canal, Copenhagen
What is Podtour?

An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.

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No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.

Can I listen without an internet connection?

Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.

What languages are included?

Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.

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Can I buy for myself or for a group?

Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.

How do I share, and when must guests accept?

After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.

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