Florence Revisited - Art off the beaten track and in private collections

Fly at c. 9.00am from London City to Florence. En route from the airport stop at the Villa Medicea della Petraia.

Many of the visits are by special arrangement and are dependent on the generosity of owners or institutions. There is the chance that one or two visits may have to be withdrawn, but suitable alternatives will be arranged.

The Cenacolo di Sant’Apollonia has a Last Supper by Andrea del Castagno; in the Museo di S. Marco, see the frescoes and panels of pious simplicity by Fra Angelico. Palazzo Corsini al Prato was begun in 1591 to designs by Bernardo Buontalenti; it was acquired in 1621 by Filippo Corsini and refurbished by him. Lunch here, hosted by the owner. The afternoon is devoted to S. Maria Novella, the Dominican church with many works of art (Masaccio’s Trinità, Ghirlandaio’s frescoed sanctuary).

The Last Supper by Andrea del Sarto at San Salvi is the greatest 16th-century picture in Florence. Visit the Badia Fiesolana near Fiesole, a 15th-century church with a Romanesque façade. In Fiesole visit the cathedral and Roman theatre; also the Villa Medici, the first of its genre to provide a stunning view over Florence. It was built by Michelozzo in the 15th century and became home to Sibyl Cutting and her daughter Iris Origo.

Avoid much of the daily crowd by heading early to the Uffizi, for a selective tour of Italy’s most important art gallery, which has masterpieces by every major Florentine painter as well as international Old Masters. In the afternoon visit the redoubtable Palazzo Pitti, which houses several museums including the Galleria Palatina, outstanding particularly for High Renaissance and Baroque paintings. Aperitivo at Palazzo Gondi, designed in 1490 by Giuliano da Sangallo, favourite architect of Lorenzo de Medici.

Poggio a Caiano was the country retreat of Lorenzo il Magnifico, and a highly important monument in the history of grand country houses. At Carmignano is the exquisite Visitation by Pontormo. See another Medici villa at Artimino, viewed from the outside after lunch nearby.

Visit Ghirlandaio’s Last Supper at Ognissanti and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure to see exquisite furniture and ornaments made from semi-precious stones. This is followed by the Renaissance statuary at the church-cum-granary of Orsanmichele. In the afternoon, see the Masaccio/Masolino fresco cycle in the Brancacci Chapel, a highly influential work of art which guided all subsequent generations of Renaissance artists, and finish at the Rucellai Chapel in the deconsecrated church of S. Pancrazio, now part of the Museo Marino Marini.

Private backstage tour of the Teatro della Pergola, a historic opera house. Fly from Florence to London City, arriving c. 5.00pm.