Sarasota Architecture Tour
- 1h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Sarasota is home to an amazing architectural legacy. On this 105-minute air-conditioned tour, guests will visit some outstanding examples of architecture and design, with tours featuring three of the city’s most distinctive styles: Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, and Mid-Century Modern (featuring the "Sarasota School" of architecture, a regional adaptation of 20th-century International Style modernism that flourished in Florida from the 1940s to the 1960s.) These tours sell out weekly so book early!
Inclusions
What's included
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioned vehicle
Itinerary
Travelers will learn about the Art Deco style, which first appeared in France during the 1910s, and flourished in architecture and fashion, through the 1930s. The Sarasota Municipal Auditorium is a fine example of Art Deco style. Visitors will also learn about the history of the Auditorium, built in 1938. The Art Deco Chidsey Library is also on the itinerary. The Chidsey Library opened in May 1941 as the City of Sarasota's first public library building.
The Burns Court Historic District includes houses (and some commercial buildings) that are fine examples of Mediterranean Revival architecture. Visitors will learn about the history and design of the Burns Court development in the mid-1920s.
The Sarasota Art Center represents the Sarasota School of Architecture, a particular movement in Mid-Century Modern architecture. The Blue Pagoda is another Mid-Century modern building on the tour. Designed by a founding member of Sarasota School of Architecture, Victor Lundy, this 1956 Japanese garden-inspired structure is a sight to behold near the bayfront. Built for the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, the structure features a Japanese blue glazed tile roof. Lundy wanted the blue tiles to reflect the nearby blue waters of Sarasota Bay.
Commissioned in 1959, the Center for Architecture in Sarasota is an example of Mid-Century Modern architecture. Visitors will learn about the construction and design of the building.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 539
- 44
- 30
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 43 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Off Fruitville, behind the Breakfast House
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 30 travellers
- Operated by
- Discover Sarasota Tours
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Guests must be 10+; no children under 10 allowed.
How it compares in Sarasota
- Its from-price is 27% below the median of the 190 experiences we list in Sarasota.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 32 of 190.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Sarasota
Sarasota is a Gulf Coast city in Florida with white quartz beaches, the Ringling estate, mid-century architecture and barrier islands.
Sarasota sits on Sarasota Bay on Florida's Gulf Coast, sheltered by a chain of barrier islands. John Ringling, of the circus family, made it his home and the winter base for his circus in the 1920s. His Venetian-style mansion, Ca' d'Zan, and an art museum stand beside the bay, with a circus museum on the grounds. Downtown has theatres, galleries and a Saturday farmers' market.
Top-ranked sights in Sarasota: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, The Ringling.
Special offers in Sarasota
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
