Michelangelo’s David First Viewing | Private Accademia Tour
On this early morning, first entry private tour of Florence’s stunning Accademia Gallery, you will be among the first visitors of the day to see the magnificent statue of David, Michelangelo’s famous masterpiece.
Your expert English-speaking private guide will meet you at 8 a.m. outside the Accademia and begin to recount to you the history and stories of the artworks inside. With your entrance reservation at 8.15 a.m., you will be among the very first to enter the gallery.
Once inside, your guide will take you straight to the David so you can enjoy this magnificent work in the almost sacred hush of the early morning without the throngs of daytime tourists and big groups. A truly moving and magical experience.
- Enjoy an early morning viewing of Michelangelo’s David
- Learn all about this world-famous masterpiece from your expert private guide
- Hear the story of Michelangelo’s life and the sculpting of David
- See more highlights including the Slaves, the Coronation, and the Sabines
- Enjoy the hallowed halls of the Accademia Gallery without the crowds
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Be among the first visitors of the day to lay eyes on Michelangelo’s iconic statue David and the Accademia Gallery on this privately guided tour. Admire the colossal masterpiece that is David, one of the most famous and impressive statues in the world, in an almost empty hall, that is normally filled with a mass of visitors.
Michelangelo, one of the greatest artists of all time, was just 26 years old when he started work on the colossal piece of hard Carrara marble that had stumped several previous sculptors. The David took three years of intensive labor; Michelangelo famously used his own hand-made chisels and tools and said of his masterpiece, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
Originally destined to stand atop the Florence cathedral, the statue instead was erected in Piazza della Signoria where it stood for 400 years. In the early 19th century it was moved indoors to protect it from vandalism and the elements.
Famous for his muscular elegance, beautiful face and gaze, and natural ‘contra posto’ stance, your guide will tell you the fascinating stories of David and his famous creator. Next, you’ll visit the Hall of Prisoners. These magnificent ‘unfinished’ statues by Michelangelo are called The Slaves and depict four torsos ‘escaping’ their marble prison.
Before you leave, you’ll see some of the other masterpieces on display, including the emotive statue the Abduction of a Sabine Woman by Giambologna that would later inspire Bernini’s Hades and Proserpina, as well as the stunningly opulent, late medieval golden altarpiece by Jacopo di Cione, The Coronation of the Virgin.
The tour lasts for one hour so you’ll exit in time for a second breakfast and delicious Florentine cappuccino, just as the crowds begin to surge into the previously empty halls.
- Private tour guide
- First entry to the Accademia
- Crowd-free viewing of the David
- Tour of the Accademia
- The Slaves, Abduction of a Sabine Woman, and more
- Offered in: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Please specify under “Additional notes” if you wish to book the tour in a language other than English.
- Photography is only permitted without flash inside the museums.
- Backpacks are not permitted in the museum.
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