The Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence between art and history

Stendhal claimed that Florence's artistic riches had the power to overwhelm its visitors, even causing them to swoon. If you are not afraid of his so-called "Florence syndrome", a visit to the masterpieces of the Basilica of Santa Croce is an absolute must. Alongside an experienced guide, let yourself be enchanted by the basilica's remarkable Gothic façade, clad in polychrome marble. Inside this ancient church, chosen by Franciscan monks as a place for meditation and working with skins and leather, visitors' eyes are naturally drawn skywards. Admire the frescoes by Giotto and Agnolo Gaddi, Donatello's Crucifix and Annunciation, and the funerary monuments to illustrious historical figures, such as Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli. Then visit the Brunelleschi cloister, framed by columns carved from solid stone, and the 14th-century first cloister, which leads to the Pazzi Chapel, also by Brunelleschi. The tour ends in a workshop dating back to the 13th century and the Scuola del Cuoio (Leather School), where you can discover the ancient techniques that have been handed down from one generation of artisans to the next. A journey through a harmonious setting where traditions and history intertwine.