The main museums in Florence

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THE MAIN MUSEUMS
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Click HERE to download the opening times of all the Florentine Museums

The main museums we suggest you visit during your stay in Florence are the Galleria dell’Accademia (where the statue of the David is – usually the visit is 45 to 90 minutes long) and the Uffizi (if you don’t visit the Vasari corridor which also includes the vist to this museum – where a lot of paintings from Botticelli and Raffaello are – usually the visit takes from 2 to 3 hours): these are the two “musts” one should never miss here – opening time 8,15 am 6,50 pm. Anyhow there is also a lot of other museums that are worth a visit and you can find them all here in this website http://www.firenzemusei.it/. The Bargello, the Galleria Palatina, and the Boboli Gardens.

Especially during high seasons museums can get very crowded, for example the two we mentioned before, can have sometimes four hours of queue to get in. And waiting in line is not really what one’s looking for during a vacation! During low season there aren’t usually long queues but if you don’t want to risk a little bit of a lining it is always better to reserve a ticket.

Ticket only:

To avoid this, we can provide in advance tickets for you immediately. In order to do that we just need to know the exact date and time when you wish to enter a specific museums: Galleria degli Uffizi, Galleria dell’Accademia and some other museums are closed on Mondays, January the 1st, May the 1st, December the 25th. With those details we will get you a voucher for an immediate access to the museums without any line. The voucher will be waiting for you at the desk when you check-in. The reservation fee are Euro 4,00 per person for each museums this bringing the price for the Uffizi and for the Accademia to approx. Euro 12,00 each. Sometimes in the museums there are some special exhibition and so the total to pay will be Euro 16,00 each; to pay directly to the museums tickets office. Generally museum reservation should be done AT LEAST 40 days before your visit this to ensure we’ll be able to find the ticket as when high season approaches the limited number of available slots ends up very quickly.

For the museum reservation service we don’t charge anything. The 4,00 Euro reservation fee are charged by the museum ticket office, and you will pay directly there.

Here are the details we need to know to reserve for you:

Name of the museum:

Type of the visit (only ticket or ticket + tour):
Number of people:
Date required:
Entrance hour required:
Alternative date/s required:
Alternative entrance hour/s required:

Otherwise you can buy the Firenze Card for Euro 72,00. The card gives you access to more than 30 museums and it is valid exactly 72 hours from the activation (it gets activated the first time you use it by phisically entering one of the 30 museums). You will be entitled to visit permanent collections, exhibitions and other activities held in these museums. The card is personal and cannot be transferred, it gives you access to 30 museums once (you cannot visit the Uffizi twice with it). As for the queues, the website of this service, for which you find a link below, says “access to museums, with special reference to the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery, may be subjected to some delays, depending on the number of visitors” which means if you are the only people using a Firenze Card when you arrive at the museum you will find no line and walk in right away. But if there are 100 more people using that same card you will have to stand in line and wait for your turn. With this card you will be also enabled to use public transports free of charge. Check here all the details and how to buy it: – http://www.firenzecard.it/index.php?lang=en
We cannot buy this card for you: you can do it online or when you arrive at a museum.
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FLORENCE CENTER PRIVATE TOUR
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About the private tour of the center of Florence We have the right person for you: an Official Florentine Guide for museums and historical monuments. He is very clever and nice and can surely make you smile and at the same time feed you with plenty of interesting information about the history and culture of Florence and the Renaissance. He can tour you for 1 day or just for two hours. You can discover the Uffizi gallery and the Accademia gallery masterpieces and all the interesting museums and palaces in the streets of Florence. He will also take care of the all the tickets to make sure you won’t have to stand in line at the entrance. The cost of this type of service is Euro 60 per hour, for all of you, to pay by cash to the guide. This cost does not include the tickets. Meeting point: Hotel Lobby.
There will be no penalty for cancellations of guide bookings communicated in writing at least four days prior to the booked excursion date. Less than four days prior to the excursion payment of the entire amount will be due and no reimbursement will be granted.

If you wish to reserve this service or get a quotation please inform us of the following.
Preferred day for the guide:
Starting and ending time:
Number of people:
Museums you would like to visit:

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TICKET + TOURS
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We can find tours tickets for you too. Doing so the reservation would be guaranteed and you would also get a English guide who is going to show you the best masterpieces of the place.

FPT – Walking tour through the historical centre:

SCHEDULE
November to March: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – by reservation only. Takes place rain or shine at 1,45 pm.
April to October: Daily with the exception of Mondays.Takes place rain or shine at 1,45 pm.
Meeting Via Brunelleschi 1 – in front of Hard Rock Cafe 15 minutes before the start.
Meeting Time: 15 minutes before the tour – 1 hour and 45 minutes
Fees: Euro 20 per person (free for under 14 year-olds when accompanied by an adult) – to be paid directly at the desk by credit card.
This itinerary allows you to discover the origins of Florence and the reasons that made her the birthplace of the Renaissance. The tour, which lasts about 2 hours, is dedicated to all those who wish to learn more about the facts and secrets of over 2,000 years of Florentine history, city of Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and other important figures. We leave from Piazza della Repubblica where we discuss the city’s Roman origins and then walk towards nearby Palazzo Davanzati whose interior we shall visit. Afterwards we amble through some of the less crowded streets towards Ponte Vecchio and finally enter Piazza Signoria through the Uffizi courtyard. From this main piazza and civic centre our tour takes us past the Oratory of the Bonomini next to the house of Dante until we reach the city’s religious centre. The tour finishes with the Cathedral and the Baptistery of St. John.

FPT – The Academy

SCHEDULE
November to March: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – by reservation only – Takes place rain or shine at 11,15 am.
April to October: Daily with the exception of Mondays when the Gallery is closed.Takes place rain or shine at 11,15 am.
Meeting point: In front of Accademia Gallery entrance.
Meeting Time: 15 minutes before the tour – 1 hour
Fees: Euro 35,00 per person (free for under 6 year-olds) – museum ticket included – to be paid directly at the desk by credit card.
The Academy houses Michelangelo’s famous David which for reasons of conservation was brought inside from Piazza Signoria, its original location, in 1873. Already in 1831 Michelangelo’s St. Matthew, created for display on the outside of Florence Cathedral, was displayed in this gallery. At the beginning of the 20th century these important statues were joined by the famous Prisoners, unfinished sculptures for the tomb of pope Julius II that still seem to struggle out of their blocks of marble. Later on the Piet? from Palestrina was also taken to the museum. The visit to the Academy thus offers a special occasion to get to know Michelangelo’s life and work, which your guide will elucidate in a lively manner.
The gallery also houses an important collection of Florentine paintings from the 14th to the 16th century, a collection of plaster casts of famous statues going back to the 19th century, and impressive holdings of Russian icons. At the end of the tour, the participants are welcome to remain in the galleries on their own until closing time.

FPT – The Uffizi Gallery

SCHEDULE
November to March: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – by reservation only
April to October: Daily with the exception of Mondays when the Gallery is closed.Takes place rain or shine at 3,30 pm.
Meeting point: Uffizi Gallery at gate #3
Meeting Time: 15 minutes before the tour – two hours
Fees: Euro 38,00 per person (free for under 6 year-olds) – museum ticket included – to be paid directly at the desk by credit card.
The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most famous museums in the world, admired especially for its collection of Renaissance paintings. Your guide will explain the works of the greatest artists from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, speaking for example about Cimabue, Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, and so forth. You will learn the secrets of the artist’s craft, his techniques, his tools. You can also follow “the money” by hearing about guilds and bankers. The Renaissance in Florence centres on Medici patronage: you will learn how they sponsored artistic projects and commissioned the works now displayed in the Uffizi. Looking at the most famous artworks of the period, you will understand why Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance. At the end of the tour, the participants can remain in the galleries until closing time.

FPT – Florence in one day

Euro 79,00. This tour include 3 tours: Walking tour through the historical centre, The Academy Gallery tour and The Uffizi Gallery Tour. To be paid directly at the desk by credit card
SCHEDULE
November to March: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – by reservation only – Takes place rain or shine at 11,15 am
April to October: Daily with the exception of Mondays.Takes place rain or shine at 11,15 am
Meeting point at 11,00 In front of Accademia Gallery entrance.
You will have from 12,15pm until 1,30pm after this first museum to walk around and have a lunch.
Second Meeting Via Brunelleschi 1 – in front of Hard Rock Cafe 15 minutes before the start.

THE VASARIAN CORRIDOR AND THE UFFIZI GALLERY GUIDED TOUR AFTERNOON
From December 2016 the Vasari Corridor is closed to undergo a major reconstruction to highlight even better its architectural characteristics and add some safety exits. This will probably take all 2017.
November to February – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. March to October – Daily not on Monday – Euro 85,00
To be paid directly at the desk by credit card. Tour start at 3,15 pm end at 6,15 pm. Kid 6-12 50% reduction.
Visiting the VASARIAN CORRIDOR, among the various possibilities in Florence, is one of the best things. But due to the fact that it almost never opens to the public and because of the high costs of manteinance this visit is almost a dream. There are available some shared tours for small groups of people.
High above the streets of Florence and its famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, sits the Vasari Corridor. Built by Cosimo I, Grand Duke of the Medici, the Corridor served as a private walkway between his old dwelling, the Palazzo Vecchio, his office, the Uffizi, his church, Santa Felicita, and his new home, the Palazzo Pitti. Over the years the passageway has survived floods and nearby bombings and has become a restricted area under the care of the Galleria degli Uffizi. The Corridor is only accessible by advance reservation and entrances are extremely limited. Most people can only gaze up at the passageway from the streets below or the bridges that cross the Arno, but now you can reserve a guided tour through this historically exclusive passage. Not only will you experience Florence in a way that only the Medici could, but you will also view the the remnants of the Medici collection of art and the Uffizi’s vast collection of self-portraits, by artists such as Delacroix, Ingres, Bernini, and Rubens. All Vasari Tours have english speaking guide assisting you and explaining all the masterpieces you will find. Price includes: 3 hours guided service in English (Uffizi and Corridor), extraordinary open of the Vasarian Corridor, entrance and booking fees.
CANCELATION POLICY: Cancelations or alterations require a minimum Three (3) days notice prior the meeting time. Failure to do so will result in the cost of the service being charged

THE VASARI CORRIDOR & UFFIZI GALLERY GUIDED TOUR – MORNING
From December 2016 the Vasari Corridor is closed to undergo a major reconstruction to highlight even better its architectural characteristics and add some safety exits. This will probably take all 2017.
From November to March – Sat and Sun – From April to October – Everyday except Monday  – Euro 85,00
To be paid directly at the desk by credit card
Duration: 3 Hours 30 Minutes – Start time: 10:00 – Meeting point – Palazzo Pitti main entrance.
This Tour Includes: guide, earphones for groups of 12 people and over, entrance ticket and reservation to the Museums.
What Makes This Tour Unique
Botticelli: the Allegory of Spring and the Birth of Venus, The only existing painting by Michelangelo: the Doni Tondo, The first sensual representation of a woman: The Venus of Urbino by Tiziano, Exclusive opening of the Vasari Corridor for a few lucky ones!
A unique collection of 1400 self-portraits of great Artists!
Breathtaking views over the Arno river and the hills around the city
Guided visit in one language for small groups
We will start our tour at Palazzo Pitti with a external visit going backwards through the ideal “Prince’s Itinerary”, the suggestive elevated passageway which connects the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti, in the Oltrarno district, passing though the Uffizi Gallery and over the Ponte Vecchio: one of the most magnificent example of the 16th century architecture ever built!
On our guided tour we will cross the Ponte Vecchio, enjoying splendid views of the town center, admiring the coats of arms and other en route details soon before reaching the elegant Palace of the Uffizi, brilliantly designed by the architect Giorgio Vasari.
This Museum, one of the most famous in the world, hosts some among the most magnificent and invaluable works of art. Following a chronological sequence from Cimabue to Masaccio, from Piero della Francesca to Filippo Lippi, we reach the Botticelli Room where the Birth of Venus and the Allegory of Spring are the maximum symbol of sublime beauty. We will continue our visit through the drawing skills of Leonardo, the Michelangelo Room with its Tondo Doni , Raphael’s magnificent portraits ending up with the glorious Venus of Urbino by Tiziano.
At this point we will take a break of 15 minutes. We resume our tour right at the entrance door to the Corridor, the amazing elevated tunnel which we have been able to see from the outside on our walk from Piazza Pitti to Piazza Signoria.
The Corridor was designed on the occasion of the wedding between Francis I and Joan of Austria and built in the record time of only 5 months by Giorgio Vasari, with the idea of giving Florence a precious jewel that would also serve the purpose of giving the ruling family of Florence a safe passage between the seat of government and their home.
As the door opens, you will instantly be hit by a deep sense of emotion: the corridor, almost a kilometer in length, is a royal passageway that travels over the heads of the citizens of Florence, a fantastic imaginary carpet where the grand Duke of Florence could walk without an escort in total safety.
This is an amazing discovery, amongst a superb collection of paintings and a row of round windows of the aerial passageway offering breathtaking views over the hills, the Arno river, its bridges, the palaces and churches of the city.
In the three main sections of the corridor, we will see 16th and 17th Roman and Neapolitan paintings, and then the magnificent collection of artists’ self-portraits from Vasari to Italian and foreign artists of the 20th century. A face to face encounter with artists that doesn’t exist in any other museum in the world, a discovery that will print an indelible memory of Florence in your mind forever.
Lastly, right by the exit of the Vasari Corridor, in the enchanting Boboli Gardens, you will be able to admire the Buontalenti’s Grotto (1583-1587).
A not-to-be-missed opportunity to combine the visit of two among the most important sites in the world. An emotional itinerary through art masterpieces and breathtaking views over the Arno river and the hills around the city
CANCELATION POLICY: Cancelations or alterations require a minimum Three (3) days notice prior the meeting time. Failure to do so will result in the cost of the service being charged