- \n
- Find a central hotel<\/a>, so you won’t spend much time in the transfers and you will be able to live the city.<\/li>\n
- Decide what you want to see, which museums are you interested, and check where they are located.<\/li>\n
- Book tickets in advance\u00a0in order to spend more time admiring the masterpieces than in line with other unprepared tourists!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
You already know we can assist you from point A to B to C and today we want to make it even easier for you! Check out our map of the museums of Florence and start planning your visit!<\/p>\n
1. Uffizi Gallery<\/h2>\n
La Galleria degli Uffizi<\/em> was completed in 1581 and is\u00a0the world’s oldest gallery as well as the most popular museum in Italy. Many of the pieces of art you can see there today originally belonged to the Medici<\/em> family collection. Housed within its walls is Italy’s largest\u00a0artistic heritage, from Greek and Roman sculptures to Renaissance and Baroque paintings.<\/p>\n
![\"Florence](\"https:\/\/selectitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/3706-e1396992364299.jpg\")
<\/a>Sandro Botticelli’s “Nascita di Venere<\/em>” (Birth of Venus)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n What you should see<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Botticelli’s\u00a0Birth of Venus<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Spring<\/em><\/li>\n
- \u00a0Titian’s\u00a0Venus of Urbino<\/em><\/li>\n
- Michelangelo’s\u00a0Holy Family<\/em><\/li>\n
- Leonardo Da Vinci’s\u00a0The Annunciation<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What you should know<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- You will need at least a\u00a02-hour\u00a0visit to view the core of the collection.<\/li>\n
- From April until October, the estimated wait time at the\u00a0Uffizi<\/em> could be up to\u00a03 hours.<\/li>\n
- The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8.15 am to 6.30 pm. The\u00a0Uffizi<\/em>\u00a0is closed on Mondays, December 25, January 1, and May 1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Planning Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n
You can plan to visit the Uffizi<\/em> and Accademia Gallery<\/em> on the same day, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.<\/p>\n
2. Accademia Gallery<\/h2>\n
Galleria dell’Accademia<\/em>‘s main attraction is without a doubt Michelangelo’s sculpture David<\/em>.\u00a0The Accademia<\/em> was founded in 1784 by\u00a0Pietro Leopoldo<\/em>,\u00a0Grand Duke of Tuscany and today, besides David<\/em>, it houses\u00a0collections of Renaissance, Russian icons, \u00a0Florentine Gothic works and some of Michelangelo\u2019s unfinished works.<\/p>\n
![\"Florence](\"https:\/\/selectitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/2132-e1396993050461.jpg\")
<\/a>Michelangelo’s statue represents the Biblical hero David<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n What you didn’t know about David<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- He is 560 years old<\/li>\n
- He has gray eyes and hair color<\/li>\n
- He is as tall as a 2-story house at 16.93 feet<\/li>\n
- He weighs 12,478.12 pounds, the weight of 80 adult males<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What you should know<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- The estimated wait time at the\u00a0Accademia<\/em>\u00a0is currently\u00a01.5 hours (and it’s not even highest high season yet!).<\/li>\n
- Since the museum is small in size and collection you should plan for a 1 – 1.5 hours visit.<\/li>\n
- The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8.00 am to 6.30 pm.\u00a0The\u00a0Accademia<\/em>\u00a0is closed on Mondays, December 25, January 1, and May 1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Planning Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Accademia<\/em> is located in the North side of the city and from there you can easily reach it with a 10 minute walk from the Duomo<\/em>, a 15 minute walk\u00a0from the Uffizi<\/em>, and a 20 minute walk from the Pitti Palace<\/em> and Ponte Vecchio<\/em>.<\/p>\n
3. Pitti Palace<\/h2>\n
Il Palazzo Pitti <\/em>was built in 145o and was first the residence of Luca Pitti<\/em>, an important florentine banker. After him many notable figures have lived there: the Medici<\/em> family, the Grand Duchy of Tuscan families and also Napoleon. This amazing Renaissance palace is the largest museum complex in Florence and is divided in several galleries, including the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, The Costume Gallery, The Royal Apartments, and the Carriages Museum.<\/p>\n
![\"Florence](\"https:\/\/selectitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Palazzo_pitti_corpo_centrale-e1397059839659.jpg\")
<\/a>Pitti Palace is situated on the south side of the River Arno (Wikimedia -Sailko)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n What you should see<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Raphael’s\u00a0Donna Velata<\/em>\u00a0(Palatine Gallery)<\/li>\n
- Canova’s\u00a0Head of Napoleon<\/em>\u00a0(Gallery of Modern Art)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What you should know<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- You should plan for no less than a 2-hour visit.<\/li>\n
- Each gallery has its own hours so you should decide what galleries you are interested in and check the Palazzo Pitti website for the hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Planning Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Pitti Palace is very close to Ponte Vecchio<\/em> and just a 5 minute walk from the Uffizi<\/em>. In a 10 minute walk you can reach the Duomo<\/em> and in 20 minutes, the Accademia<\/em>. If you plan a visit to the Pitti Palace<\/em>, make sure to visit the Boboli Gardens<\/em> as well.<\/p>\n
4. Palazzo Vecchio<\/h2>\n
Palazzo Vecchio<\/em> is Florence’s City Hall and it has been in the same condition since the 14th century! Palazzo Vecchio is without doubt one of the most popular buildings and its clock tower is an important symbol of Florence. The palace overlooks the Piazza della Signoria<\/em> and it is must<\/em> of any trip to Florence, especially for families with children.<\/p>\n
![\"Florence](\"https:\/\/selectitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/3180-e1396994575524.jpg\")
<\/a>Night view of Palazzo Vecchio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n What you should see<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Studiolo of Francesco I<\/em><\/li>\n
- Botticelli’s\u00a0\u00a0Madonna and Child<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0Madonna and Child with St. John<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What you should know<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- You should plan a 1.5 hour visit.<\/li>\n
- The palace is open every day from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm. On Thursdays it closes at 2.00 pm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Planning Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Palazzo Vecchio<\/em> is located near the Uffizi<\/em>, a 5 minutes walk \u00a0from the Duomo<\/em> and the Pitti Palace<\/em>.<\/p>\n
5. Bargello National Museum<\/h2>\n
The Bargello National Museum<\/em> is a former prison and police station\u00a0built in 1255 \u00a0as the Palazzo del Popolo<\/em>. In 1886 it was transformed into the National Museum of Sculpture<\/em>. \u00a0Today the Bargello<\/em> houses a\u00a0collection of Renaissance sculptures, bas-reliefs, busts\u00a0by Donatello, Michelangelo, Cellini, Bernini and others.<\/p>\n
What you should see<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Donatello’s\u00a0David<\/em><\/li>\n
- Bronze panels of the\u00a0Sacrifice of Isaac<\/em>\u00a0by Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi for the competition to decorate the doors of the Baptistry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What you should know<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- To see the full collection you should plan a 1-hour visit.<\/li>\n
- The\u00a0Bargello<\/em>\u00a0is open from 8.15 am to 2.00 pm and is closed every first, third and fifth Sunday of the month and every second and fourth Monday of the month,\u00a0 as well as January 1, May 1, August 15, and December 25.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Planning Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Bargello<\/em> and Palazzo Vecchio<\/em> are two sights you can plan to visit in a morning. They are very close and after visiting them you can pay a visit to the Duomo, located just a 5 minute walk from the Bargello<\/em>, and reach the Pitti Palace<\/em>, Ponte Vecchio<\/em> and the Accademia<\/em> with a 10 minute walk.<\/p>\n
6. Museum of San Marco<\/h2>\n
Conclude a chaotic day in\u00a0the most peaceful place in the center of Florence: the Dominican Monastery of San Marco. It was founded in 1436 and designed by the architect Michelozzo and was an important center for the cultural and religious life of Florence. A vast area of the monastery is occupied by the museum of San Marco where it is possible to admire\u00a0paintings of Fra Angelico, one of the great artists of the Renaissance, who fresco-ed scenes of the Annunciation and stories from the life of Christ.<\/p>\n
What you should see<\/b><\/p>\n
- \n
- Fra Angelico’s\u00a0The Last Judgement<\/em><\/li>\n
- Lorenzo Ghiberti and Fra Angelico’s\u00a0Tabernacle of the Linaioli<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What you should know<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- You should plan for at least\u00a01 hour\u00a0to view the full monastery.<\/li>\n
- The religious complex is open from Monday to Saturday, from 8.15 am to 1.15 pm.\u00a0San Marco is closed every second and fourth Monday of the month and every first, third, and fifth Sunday, as well as December 25, January 1, and May 1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Lorenzo Ghiberti and Fra Angelico’s\u00a0Tabernacle of the Linaioli<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Fra Angelico’s\u00a0The Last Judgement<\/em><\/li>\n
- Bronze panels of the\u00a0Sacrifice of Isaac<\/em>\u00a0by Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi for the competition to decorate the doors of the Baptistry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Donatello’s\u00a0David<\/em><\/li>\n
- Botticelli’s\u00a0\u00a0Madonna and Child<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0Madonna and Child with St. John<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Studiolo of Francesco I<\/em><\/li>\n
- Canova’s\u00a0Head of Napoleon<\/em>\u00a0(Gallery of Modern Art)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- The estimated wait time at the\u00a0Accademia<\/em>\u00a0is currently\u00a01.5 hours (and it’s not even highest high season yet!).<\/li>\n
- The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8.15 am to 6.30 pm. The\u00a0Uffizi<\/em>\u00a0is closed on Mondays, December 25, January 1, and May 1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \u00a0Titian’s\u00a0Venus of Urbino<\/em><\/li>\n
![\"Florence](\"https:\/\/selectitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Dante_exile-e1397055795815.jpg\")
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