The English Cemetery Tour – A Hidden Gem

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and embark on a journey that unveils the lives of foreigners who fell in love with Florence for its beauty and ambiance. We’ll trace the steps of those who came here and chose Florence as their “home away from home.”

Throughout the 1800s and 1900s, during the period when the Grand Duchy was under the rule of the House of Lorraine, Florence became the primary destination for a community of foreign visitors and residents. Its charismatic streets and surrounding hills dotted with villas and gardens became their favored backdrop during their stays in Florence. They were drawn by the remarkably low cost of living, milder climate, vibrant cultural life, and open atmosphere.

In 1827, just outside Florence’s medieval walls, the first non-Catholic cemetery was established. The Swiss Evangelical Reformed Church acquired land and created a resting place for the deceased. Ancient tales of renowned novelists, activists, and scholars are encapsulated in a somewhat melancholic “Spoon River.” The “English Cemetery” holds over a thousand graves representing sixteen nations; the British comprise the largest presence, followed by Swiss, North Americans, Italians, and Russians, all laid to rest here.

Embark on a captivating and nostalgic journey into the history of a cosmopolitan Florence.

Relive the stories and lives of some still-celebrated figures, such as poetess Elizabeth Barrett Browning, resting close to friends Theodosia and Francis Trollope, and Isa Blagden, known as the “Lady of Bellosguardo.”

Discover Walter Savage Landor, the esteemed yet not overly sociable author of “Imaginary Conversations,” and the story of Fanny Hunt, who died at thirty-three in Villa Medici in Fiesole, wife of the Pre-Raphaelite painter Holman Hunt, who personally designed her tomb.

Witness how Florence has been the essence of inspiration for many, like the American sculptor Hiram Powers, who sculpted his “Greek Slave” in Florence, the first full-scale nude to be exhibited in the United States.

Revisit the figure of Arnold Böcklin, the Swiss Symbolist painter profoundly inspired by this cemetery, painting “Isle of the Dead.”

Available in Italian, English and Spanish

Prices:

• • • One person: € 110
    • Up to 2 people: € 60 each
    • Between 3 and 7 people: € 50 each
    • More than 7 people: € 25 each
    • Children under 8 years old are free

What is included?

• • • Private Tour with a Licensed Guide

What is not included?

• • • This tour does not include entrance tickets; however, the Swiss Evangelical Reformed Church appreciates even a small donation.