Uffizi Gallery inner yard with on the background Palazzo Vecchio and the Duomo
Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi is a world famous museum with a collection of Primitive and Renaissance Italian art. It is featuring works from Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio and Botticelli. The Gallery was created by Grand-duke Francesco I and the powerful Medici family, who ruled for 3 centuries over Florence. Out of their family came three popes (Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI). The family was a great collector of paintings, sculpture and works of art.
Waiting time
Usually there is a long queue of visitors. We arrived at the Uffizi a few minutes after opening time (8.15) and had to wait 40 minutes. In the early afternoon, the queue was allmost twice as long. It can be up to five hours in high season. Besides the waiting time, the temperature in the early morning is also lower. When we were in Florence, the temperature in the afternoon was hot (35 Celcius degrees). Our accommodation had breakfast starting at 7.00.
Reservation online
If you book tickets at non official websites you pay more money for reservation fees. The official price is €8 admission. Children under 18 and living in the EU have free admission. You have to show their passport/ID to get free entrance. There is free admission on the first Sunday of each month. If you buy tickets online at the official website, the reservation fee is €4/ticket. If there is an exhibition you must pay extra admission. A standard ticket at the official web cost €8 + €4 reservation = €12. If there is an exhibion the ticket price is about €16.50. At the non official sites you pay €12 + 6.50 reservation fee for one standard ticket. Tickets are not refundable.
Reservation – be in time
The Uffizi Gallery is a world famous museum and attracts 2 million visitors in 2015. If you want to visit the museum then an online reservation is the best choice. The Uffizi Gallery has a reserved entrance for visitors who bought online tickets. On the official website you can choose your day of visit and time. If you want to book at the last moment then there is a good chance that there are no tickets available or you can book only a limited number of tickets. If you book a few weeks ahead there is much more choice. With a reserved ticket there is still a chance you have to wait a little while at the entrance. The reason is that only 900 visitors are allowed in the Uffizi Gallery.
Hotels near the Uffizi Gallery
There are allmost 300 apartments and hotels near the Uffizi Gallery. Many of the hotels have excellent reviews. Good accommodation with cheaper prices can be found around in the area of Fortezza da Basso near the railway station. It’s 15-20 minutes walking from the trainstation to the Uffizi.
Opening times
The opening times are: Tuesday to Sunday 8.15 to 18.50. The Uffizi Galley is closed on Mondays, New Year’s Day, May 1st and 25 December.
Location
The Uffizi is in the center of Florence next to the Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria. On the picture on the top of the page you see the Duomo in the background; the Palazzo Vecchio is the building with the tower.
Duomo, Baptistery, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, more info, Uffizi Gallery