Travel bucket list idea:

Uffizi Gallery

Florence, Tuscany, Italy

|www.uffizi.it|

Bucket List Experience

Last updated: 27 March, 2024

Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

Containing some 5,400 works, the Uffizi’s collection spans art history from ancient Greece through to 18th-century Venetian painting. But most of all, it is known as the world’s largest and most important collection of Renaissance and Mannerist art.

You could spend all day wandering the galleries, but the best bet is to pick out the works you want to see beforehand and head straight for those. The website has helpfully selected 14 must-see masterpieces and provided some useful background information on each – worth reading before you go.

Don’t miss

Must-sees include Botticelli’s Primavera and The Birth of Venus, Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation, Caravaggio’s Bacchus and Medusa, and Michelangelo’s Holy Family.

While you’re there

There is a café-restaurant on the first floor at the end of the tour with a fabulous terrace offering magnificent views of the city.

Logistics

Price from: £10

Minimum age: Any

Age suitable: 18+

When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The queues are legendary, so if you want to skip the worst of them it’s essential to pre-book tickets at least a week in advance via the official website of Florence Museums, entitling you to enter via a reserved entrance, or book onto a guided tour where all tickets are organised for you. If you don’t pre-book, you may not get in. This is one place where it is definitely worth investing in a pass. Pre-book a Firenze Card or Uffizi Card Amici degli, and you go to the front of the line. You may still have to wait a few minutes, though. Audio guides in six languages are available from the desk inside.

Expert-led guided tours are strongly recommended here. Aside from organising skip-the-line tickets, they’ll help you navigate the galleries, show you the greatest works that you really should see, give you the background and insight that bring the artworks to life. See our recommendations below.

When to do it

The museum is open all year round, Tuesday-Sunday. Closed Monday. The quietest moments are first thing in the morning, during lunchtime and the hour before closing.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Uffizi Gallery Small Group Tour with Guide

Florence

Enjoy a 2-hour guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery with priority entrance access. Learn about the must-see masterpieces hiding in the labyrinth. Explore 50 rooms with more than 1800 paintings, sculptures, and antiques that stand as witnesses to the richness and splendor of Roman heritage. Witness highlights of the collection from Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” and “Primavera,“ to Michelangelo’s Tondo Doni and Caravaggio’s Medusa. This tour includes entrance fees, a guide and headsets.

Price: €59

Min age: 0

Rating 4.67 / 5 [2685 ratings]

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Accademia & Uffizi Museums: Small Group Tour with Optional Lunch

Florence

Prepare for an extraordinary guided journey into the Accademia Gallery. Marvel at Michelangelo masterpieces, including the renowned "David”. This embodiment of Renaissance beauty symbolizes the invincible power of the Florentine Republic, radiating strength and bravery. But Florence's marvels go beyond imagination. A visit to the Uffizi Gallery is a must, where an awe-inspiring collection of artworks by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, and other masters awaits. Explore the esteemed halls and discover unparalleled treasures like Botticelli's breathtaking masterpieces, "Primavera" and "Birth of Venus". As your guided tour concludes, be enchanted by the Uffizi Terrace's privileged viewpoint, offering a panoramic vista of Florence's iconic monuments. Allow yourself to be captivated and if you desire, extend your stay, cherishing every moment in the museum's embrace. Enhance your experience by opting for a delightful lunch at a traditional restaurant.

Price: €109

Min age: 0

Rating 4.07 / 5 [1950 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Skip the line: Uffizi and Accademia Small Group Hidden Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

• Skip the line Unforgettable experience with genuine tour • 4-hour small group (max 10-15 people) tour of the Accademia and the Uffizi • Discover the incredible masterpieces of Renaissance art • Priority entrance to the most important museums of Florence • Walking tour through Duomo Square and Piazza della Signoria The “Florence & Global ” Touch. See Florence the right way with us Want to see Florence with a guide but are not keen on being herded around in a large, impersonal group or spending a fortune for a private tour? Look no further. “Florence & Global ” tours are designed for the selective traveller, providing all the benefits of a private tour with the group tour value.

Price: €124

Min age: 0

Rating 4.66 / 5 [1917 ratings]

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Fully Guided Tour of Uffizi, Michelangelo’s David and Accademia

Florence

Combine two best-selling Florence tours at a discounted price, and enjoy a half day of art and sightseeing in the city! This small-group Florence Super Saver includes skip-the-line entry to the prestigious Accademia and Uffizi galleries, two of the most famous art museums in the world. Start your morning skipping the line at the Accademia Gallery, then a walking tour around the town's historic center and finish with a visit of the immense Uffizi Gallery.

Price: €119

Min age: 0

Rating 4.47 / 5 [1873 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Florence Uffizi Gallery Semi-Private Guided Tour

Florence

Skip the line at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery to witness its key masterpieces on this 1.5-hour small-group tour. Avoid the long entrance lines and, with an art-expert guide, admire paintings by masters including Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli and Michelangelo, plus select other works. Ogle Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’, Vinci’s ‘Annunciation’ and more as your guide unpicks their meaning and the genius of their creators. Plus, visit the Uffizi's rooftop terrace to admire the splendid city views.

Price: €64

Min age: 0

Rating 4.54 / 5 [808 ratings]

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Destination guides

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Florence

Tuscany, Italy

A heady mix of incomparable Renaissance art, gorgeous palazzos, Tuscan cuisine and home-grown haute couture.

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Tuscany

Tuscany, Italy

The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.

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Round-ups

Round-ups that include this experience

32 World’s greatest art museums

Multiple countries

From New York to London, Paris to Berlin, here’s our round-up of the must-see art galleries and museums around the world that should be on everyone’s travel bucket list.

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