Discover the Medici's story by walking through the most important streets and palaces. From Giovanni de Medici to Lorenzo de Medici, see, hear about, and understand the power of this incredible family. Begin your tour at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the main residence of the first branch of the Medici family. The Medici family was connected to most of the other elite families of the time through marriages of convenience, partnership, or employment. Hence, the family had a central position in the social network. Several families had systematic access to the rest of the elite families only through the Medici family. Some examples of these families include the Bardi, Altoviti, Ridolfi, Cavalcanti, and Tornabuoni. This has been suggested as a reason for the rise of the Medici family.