My Wife and I first took a tour with Ismael, then one with Laura, both from Florence For You Tours. We had not been to Florence before, so wanted a highlights tour first, and Ismael was our guide. Boy does he know his stuff! Ismael walked us around central Florence using the buildings and piazzas and sculptures to weave the story of Florence, from the Romans, right up to present day. He really brought the city to life. He was easy-going, relaxed and a pleasure to be with.
Two days later, we had an ‘off the beaten path’ tour with Laura, including little artisan shops and workshops. Thanks to Laura, we managed, in a four hour tour, to see fabulous little back streets (and the stories behind them), met wonderful craftsmen and women, everything from silversmithing, hats, perfumes, cosmetics, medicines… you name it. We would never have discovered these places on our own. Laura is charming company and a wonderful story teller.
After these two tours, we felt Florence had become 3D and felt so much more connected to this beautiful city. I know they do detailed tours inside the churches, art galleries and museums, but there wasn’t time so we’ll have to come back for that!
Both Ismael and Laura listened to what we wanted from our tours, then tailored them just for us. It felt much more like a conversation than a lecture. Very impressive. Thank you BOTH!