Private Guided Visit of Florence Santa Maria Novella Basilica and its Officina Profumo Farmaceutica
Description
Uncover the timeless beauty of the Santa Maria Novella Basilica, one of Florence’s most captivating landmarks. Founded by Dominican friars in the early 13th century, this architectural masterpiece showcases a stunning Renaissance façade. Step inside and be mesmerized by world-renowned artworks, including Giotto’s "Crucifix", Masaccio’s "Trinity". Continue your journey through the peaceful Green Cloister, adorned with murals by Paolo Uccello, painted in striking green tones. This cloister was a place of cultivation, where Dominican monks produced rose water to help disinfect during epidemics. Then, they expanded their botanical knowledge, creating herbal remedies, essences, and medicinal balms. Next, visit the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, established in 1612. Located within the original Dominican monastery, this historic pharmacy offers an unforgettable sensory experience with its fragrant herbs, exquisite perfumes, and beauty products.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Santa Maria Novella Basilica was founded by the Dominican Fathers at the beginning of 1200 and magnificently stands with its splendid Renaissance façade, in the namesake beautiful square. Inside it, you will have the chance to see masterpieces such as the "Crucifix" by Giotto the "Trinity" by Masaccio and the spectacular frescoes by Filippino Lippi and Ghirlandaio and also hear the story of the "mendicant order" of friars who have always been present in this church. Your tour ends inside the elegant "Green Cloister" so named for its beautiful murals in green earth by Paolo Uccello.
As early as the 14th century the Dominican monks of the Santa Maria Novella monastery, who cultivated the land belonging to the monastery behind the cloisters, were selling rose water to use as a disinfectant, primarily during periods of epidemic. In the 16th century, under the influence of Cosimo I de' Medici and his successors, who took a profound interest in the natural sciences, and with the founding of the first "Giardino dei Semplici” (medicinal plants), the monks began to cultivate a wide variety of plants, distil herbs and flowers and prepare essences, ointments and balms. The current "workshop" at Santa Maria Novella dates back to 1612, a period when apothecaries were plying their trade here, which you will have an opportunity to visit after seeing the Basilica. Here, within the ancient halls that form part of the old Dominican monastery, beneath the vaulted ceilings with their magnificent frescoes and surrounded by the aromatic scent of herbs from the Tuscan countryside, you will be captivated by the irresistible and extraordinary products that are known and acknowledged throughout the world. A real “top must see” amazing place!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(12)
Our tour guide Marta was amazing. I connected with her on a personal level. The exclusive private was worth the extra fee. I’m so glad I decided to purchase this tour.
Good Morning from Caf Tour & Travel, Dear Holly, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are truly delighted to hear that Marta helped create such a special and personal experience during your private visit in Florence. It is especially rewarding to know you found the exclusive experience worthwhile and that this unique tour left such a positive impression on your stay in Italy. We hope to welcome you again soon for more unforgettable cultural experiences in Florence. With our warmest greetings from Italy, Caf Tour & Travel Team
Wanted a small tour to fit an opening in our packed vacation schedule. This was a perfect fit….close to train station, close to hotel, far less crowded than other tourist sites. Tour guide was knowledgeable. She provided just the right amount of detail on art, history, and architecture. Good way to spend 90 minutes away from the crowds.
Good Morning from Caf Tour & Travel, Dear Customer, thank you very much for sharing your experience. We’re delighted that this private visit to Santa Maria Novella and its historic Officina was the perfect fit for your busy travel schedule, offering a quieter and more intimate side of Florence. It’s wonderful to hear that the guide’s balanced insights into art, history and architecture made the time both engaging and relaxing. We hope to welcome you back to discover more hidden gems of our city, always away from the crowds and rich in authentic Florentine charm. Warm regards from Florence, Caf Tour & Travel
Lovely guide and incredibly informative- gave us lots of knowledge . Very interesting with the delight of the pharmacy at the end ! It was quite quick against time allocated.
Good morning from Caf Tour & Travel, Dear Sarah, Thank you for your positive feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your private guided visit of the Santa Maria Novella Basilica and the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica. It’s great to know that our guide was welcoming and provided you with valuable information. We’re also pleased that you found the visit to the historic pharmacy delightful. Thank you once again for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you on another tour soon! Our best regards
We had a wonderful guide Iliaria! She was very knowledgeable about art, history and architecture and made it all very interesting and relatable. The Basilica and the Farmacia were so beautiful and worth seeing and Iliaria was delightful. A must-do! Would definitely recommend!
Andrea was very competent and attentive to my questions. Punctuality and professionalism was very much appreciated. I was very impressed with my tour, and of the beauty and history that I discovered. The perfume pharmacy was my highlight! Thank you Andrea ,for helping me to take photos, as I was the only guest. Just perfect! Molte Grazie!
The guide , Marcello, was very informative regarding the Basilica. However we had also expected at least 30 minutes talk/tour of the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica as per our booking. We received very little information , and very rushed, from Marcello regarding the Farmaceutica. This was a shame as my wife wanted to learn about the Farmaceutica. Ken Mathews
Good afternoon from Caf Tour & Travel, Dear Ken, thank you so much for sharing your review on Viator. We regret to hear our tour did not fully meet your expectations. We understand that you were hoping for a more extensive and detailed tour of the Officina, and we will absolutely address this matter with our guide, Marcello, and work towards ensuring that future tours strike a better balance between the Santa Maria Novella Basilica and the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica. Both sites hold historical significance, and we want our visitors to have a well-rounded experience that showcases the unique offerings of both places. Probably the guide dedicated more time to the Basilica because of its great importance in Florence's history and culture. We hope to have the possibility to welcoming you again in one of our activities, Best regards
We were very happy for doing this tour. We did not know a lot about Santa Novella church before the tour, just that is had been important as the Pope residence during a time, and for housing one of the oldest pharmacies in the world. The tour was excellent, with a guide, Andrea, that is really an expert. We leart a lot. Capilla Tournaboni is amazing, and Spanish influence is clearly shown in other parts of the complex. The pharmacy today is a nice shop. We strongly recommend this tour.
Laura was our guide for a private tour of Santa Novella. She was very knowledgeable and kind. We very much wanted to see Plautilla Nelli’s Last Supper and she helped us locate it, and we stood admiring its newly restored beauty. We visited the Perfumery and learned about its history. Such a fascinating spot, and not to be missed when visiting Florence. Our whole visit was brought to life by our excellent guide. Brava, Laura!
In such a wonderful basilica it is a shame that there are such rude and arrogant custodians at the entrance
We did a private guided tour in Spanish and it was great. The guide’s explanations helped us to understand much better all the art in this Basilica and the comparison with the Holy Cross helped us to visit it next and make the most of both basilicas.
