Best Ways to Visit the Uffizi Gallery (plus Top Tickets)

Ever wondered why the Uffizi Gallery in Florence is so special? It's known all over the world for its amazing collection of old paintings and sculptures. You can see some of the most famous artworks in history here, like Botticelli's La Primavera or Caravaggio's Medusa. The museum is really big, with thousands of paintings and sculptures. This can make visiting a bit overwhelming.

That's why you need a plan for your visit to the Uffizi. You should know what to see and what to skip. Keep reading to learn the best ways to explore the Uffizi and what to avoid. We'll also tell you about five ways to get skip-the-line tickets, which can be really helpful.

Uffizi Gallery private guided tour

Want to see the Uffizi the best way? Get a private guide for your group. There are many good ones to choose from. Your guide will help you skip the long lines and use the special entrance for quick access.

Your expert guide will show you around the museum. He will point out the most important paintings and statues, and tell you interesting facts and stories about them. Since it's just your group and the guide, you can decide what you want to see more of. For example, if you really like Botticelli, you can spend extra time looking at his work.

You can go at your own speed, take breaks when you need to, or even stop for coffee at the museum's cafe. This way, you'll see the best parts of the Uffizi without getting overwhelmed, and you'll learn much more than if you went on your own.

How much the private tour of Uffizi cost?

If you want to visit the Uffizi, the private tour costs the most. You'll pay around €200 to €300 for a guide to show your group around for 2-3 hours. This doesn't include tickets to get in, which are €24 for adults.

A private tour is a good choice if you're traveling with family or friends, especially if there are 4 or 5 of you. It's pricey, but you get the guide all to yourselves.

Uffizi Gallery group tour

When you visit the Uffizi, you'll see lots of groups throughout the museum. Many companies offer guided tours with different prices and times. These tours can last from 1.5 to 3 hours. You need to book them ahead of time, at least the day before. It's better to book weeks early to get the time you want and make sure there's space.

Small group tours (less than 12 people) can be really good. Companies like Context Travel or Walks of Italy offer these. Big groups might feel too crowded, like you're being herded around.

Taking a tour of the Uffizi has some good points. You don't need to buy tickets yourself, and you get to use the priority entrance. This saves your precious time in Florence.

The guide will show you around and tell you about the art and its history. You can ask questions if you want to know more. Most tours give you headphones so you can hear the guide even when it's noisy. Try to stay close to the guide because the museum gets very busy and it's easy to get lost.

How much does a group tour cost? For a 2 or 3-hour small group tour, it's usually about €50 - €75 for each adult. Bigger group tours might cost less, but remember, they might not be as personal. The price often includes your entrance ticket, so that's one less thing to worry about.

Remember, the Uffizi is a big and popular museum. A tour can help you see the most important artworks and understand them better. But if you prefer to go at your own pace, you can always visit without a guide and use an audio guide or guidebook instead.

Visiting the Uffizi Gallery on your own

Visiting the Uffizi on your own can also be great experience. You'll move along at your own pace, skipping artworks or whole rooms if you'd like.

You move along at your own pace, skipping artworks or whole rooms if you’d like.

We advise you to buy at least the Uffizi Audio Tour, otherwise you won't know what your are viewing. Before you leave home, download an Uffizi audio tour onto your phone or other smart device. You can listen to the audio ahead of time if you want (to make sure it’s clear, not an annoying or monotone voice, etc). 

If you opt for visiting the Uffizi Gallery on you own, be sure to book your tickets well in advance. You can do this on the official Uffizi website or on websites such as Tiqets. You should buy skip-the-line tickets. 

You can rent the Uffizi’s official audio guide when you arrive at the museum, as long as you have ID. 

The Uffizi Gallery opening times

The Uffizi Gallery welcomes visitors from Tuesday through Sunday. It opens at 8:15am and closes at 6:30pm. If you need tickets, make sure to get them before 5:30pm when the ticket office shuts. The gallery takes a break on Mondays and doesn't open on New Year's Day or Christmas Day.

But here's some exciting news! From March 26 to December 17, the Uffizi Gallery is staying open late into the evening on Tuesdays. Instead of closing at 6:30pm, the museum will keep its doors open until 9:30pm. A rare chance to explore museum during the night - it's a special experience you won't forget!

Great tips for visiting the Uffizi Gallery

1. Find the best time to visit the Uffizi Gallery

The best time to visit the Uffizi Gallery is from November to February, thanks to the fact there are fewer people in Florence in this period. During the tourist season, from April until October, you'll always find crowds in the Uffizi so it's important to choose the best time of the week and day to visit.

It's good to skip the weekends when most museums are more crowded than during weekdays. It is better to focus on midweek days, possibly avoiding Tuesdays.

When it comes to the time of the day, we suggest visiting early in the morning, right after the opening, around lunch time (from 1pm) or late afternoon (after 5pm). when you'll find a lot less people.

If you book a guided tour of Uffizi, you'll enter through group entrance

2. Book your tickets for the Uffizi Gallery in advance

As we mentioned above, the Uffizi is one the most visited museum in Florence and that's why you should get your tickets in advance. 

The easiest way to do this is to book them online, from online vendors such as Tiqets or GetYourGuide. These sites offer numerous ticket options, starting from skip-the-line tickets, to combo tickets as well as Florence city passes.

By booking the ticket online, you choose the day of the visit and a specific time slot for that day. This is the only way to get a skip-the-line ticket.

Worried about booking in advance and having to cancel the day before? Don’t be! When you book with Tiqets or GetYourGuide, you can cancel your tickets and get a refund right up until 24 hours before your visit.

Depending on your preferences, budget and sightseeing plans, you should choose the best option for you. Read on to find more about each of these options and book easily online (it's quick and hassle-free).

3. Prepare for your visit so you know what you want to see

Preparing for visiting the Uffizi is even more important to those of us who are merely art-lovers rather than connoisseurs.

The Uffizi museum is HUGE.

By huge we mean really, really, really big.

I've lived in this city for over 5 years, and still haven’t seen the entire collection!

With so many famous artworks on display, one of my top tips for visiting is to look at what's on offer and decide what pieces you want to see the most.

Most of the highlights are located on the top floor.

You can easily spend 2.5-3 hours just exploring this floor, so to avoid getting lost in the land of beautiful paintings; read up a little bit beforehand.

The Uffizi Gallery website has tons of information on the works of art you can find in their world class collection, which will give you an idea of the masterpieces that you’d like to see and where they are.

Helpfully the rooms in the Uffizi Gallery are ordered in chronologically.

This means you start with the oldest pieces and work your way through the centuries.

It helps you to get an idea of the way painting and art in general changed from the Middle Ages until now.

Given the complexity of the galleries and how popular the Uffizi is, choosing to visit with a passionate local guide, either as part of a group tour or on a private tour, is a great idea.

Take a look at the different guided tours available to make sure you get the right one for you, why not do a combined tour which also includes a visit to the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David or with a Florence city walking tour for example!

If you don’t want to join a guided tour, but you do want some specialized and in-depth information, an audio guide can be a good solution.

The Uffizi Gallery offers a very good audio guide, but you can also look online for self guided tours that you can download and play on your own mobile device (headphones required!).

"The Tondo Doni" is one of the few examples of Michelangelo’s painting

3. Don’t attempt to see everything in one trip

Don’t attempt to see everything in one trip

This might be an obvious tip, given the previous two points.

However, it is important to remember that stretching yourself to see absolutely everything is not going to help make the trip (or your holiday for that matter) more enjoyable.

Don’t try to see it all.

Don’t attempt to take it all in.

It’s a lot and even for very experienced art lovers and connoisseurs a museum like the Uffizi is exhausting.

You can of course decide for yourself what your own limits are, but don’t expect or try to have the same attention span for every single piece in the galleries.

Like we said before; pick some favorites that you really want to see and want to know more about, and take plenty of breaks! 

Wear comfortable shoes and clothes

During your visit to the Uffizi Gallery, you'll be doing a lot of walking and taking lots of stairs. So be sure to wear comfortable shoes. The same goes for your clothes. You'll be inside so heavy coats are not needed. 

To preserve the paintings in the best possible way, the temperature in the Uffizi Gallery is carefully controlled, so you may want a cardigan if you feel a little chilly.

Also note that backpacks, big bags and other large items are not allowed into the museum. It's best to leave large bags at your accommodation, but if you do have one with you, there’s a cloakroom available at the Uffizi Gallery where you can leave your items. 

There is no charge for using the cloakroom, but you need to collect your items before the ticket office closes.

The reason for not being allowed to take these big items in is that there’s a risk of damage to the works of art if people walk into them without noticing (or intending) during a visit to the more crowded rooms.

Bringing a small bag is not a problem.

Wear comfortable shoes and light clothes when visiting the Uffizi

Visiting the Uffizi with kids? See useful tips...

Wonder if visiting the Uffizi Gallery with kids is a good idea? It surely can be challenging as the museum is huge and overwhelming.

We suggest you to buy tickets for your family in advance to avoid any waiting in lines. Also, choose priority entrance tickets, which will allow you to enter the museum straight without waiting. Plus, make a list of art works you are going to see as it is not possible to see it all.

Or opt for a guided tour such as Kids treasure hunt in Uffizi - family tour that lasts for 2 hours on which your kids will discover the masterpieces through small games and riddles, or Skip-the-line Uffizi tour for families with kids with engaging games to keep kids focused.

Reaching the Uffizi (it's super easy)

This fabulous Florence's museum is situated in the very heart of the city (Piazzale degli Uffizi 6), and is easily accessible from anywhere in the city. It stands atop a hill overlooking the Arno River, offering stunning views of the surrounding area. 

The Uffizi Gallery is situated only a short walk from the Ponte Vecchio

From the Accademia
Walk southwest on Via Ricasoli until you see Piazza del Duomo. Turn right, then quickly left onto Via dei Calzaiuoli. Keep going until you reach Piazza della Signoria. Turn right on Via Vacchereccia and you'll see the Uffizi Gallery.

From Florence Santa Maria Novella train station
It's about a 20-minute walk. Take Via Cerretani to Piazza del Duomo. Then go right on Via Calzaiuoli towards Piazza della Signoria. When you see Palazzo Vecchio, go to its right side. The Uffizi is right there. The entrance is on the left, and tickets are sold on the right towards the Arno river.

From Santa Croce
Start at Basilica di Santa Croce. Take Via Antonio Magliabechi, then turn right on Corso dei Tintori. Keep going onto Via de Neri, then Via della Ninna until you get to Piazzale degli Uffizi. That's where the museum is.

From Oltrarno
It's easy to reach the Uffizi from Oltrarno. Just cross the Ponte Vecchio or Ponte Santa Trinita, and walk towards the Uffizi, which is situated on the bank of the river.

Getting the Uffizi by bus
The closest stop is Diaz, about 250 meters from the museum. You can take bus lines C3, C1, 23, 23A, 23B, 23N, C4, or C2.

Visiting the Uffizi Gallery directly from Rome (on one day trip)

Want to see Florence and the Uffizi in one day from Rome? It's easy! Take a fast train from Roma Termini early in the morning, and in just 1.5 hours you'll be at at Santa Maria Novella train station in central Florence.

You can take a taxi to the Uffizi, but walking is nicer, as it takes about 20 minutes through the charming streets of Centro Storico. If you're visiting the Uffizi on your own, get priority entrance tickets to save time. Go to the entrance near the Arno River, close to Ponte Vecchio.

Or see the best of Florence, including the Uffizi and Accademia, guided by a local guide on this 5-hour walking tour (starts at  9:45am).

Here's an easy way to walk from the train station: Go behind Santa Maria Novella church to the square (recognize it by two marble obelisks). Take Via del Sole, then Via della Spada. Turn right on Via de' Tornabuoni (a fancy shopping street). Walk until you reach the Arno River. Follow the river towards Ponte Vecchio. You'll see the Uffizi after you pass this old bridge.

You've explored the Uffizi? See ideas what to do next:

• At one corner of Piazza della Signoria, you'll see the Loggia dei Lanzi. It has wide arches open to the street and is full of sculptures (Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Cellini and The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna). This open-air museum is free and part of the Uffizi. It's a great spot to sit and watch people go by.
  
  
• For a quick bite, visit the nearby Coin department store. You can get a tasty schiacciata sandwich with mortadella from the ground floor café. Or, enjoy a pizza with drinks on their outdoor terrace.
  
  
• From Piazza della Signoria, walk down Via Porta Rossa for some shopping. We suggest stopping at Leonardo Firenze, a shop that sells delicious cantucci and brutti ma buoni, along with other baked treats.
  
  
• Take a walk along the Arno River until you come to Ponte alla Carraia (the city's second-oldest bridge). Cross it, and you'll find Gelateria La Carraia right there. They offer tasty gelato that's cheaper than many other places, and their service is excellent.
  

Where to stay near the Uffizi Gallery

If you want to stay near the Uffizi Gallery, then Centro Storico would be obvious choice. In historic centre, you'll find most of iconic sights of Florence and you will be able to explore easily. Here you'll find most 5-star hotels of Florence as well as well as great apartments (book well in advance for affordable prices).

If you want to stay somewhere away from hustle and bustle, choose accommodation in Oltrarno (across the Arno River). This part of Florence is quieter and less expensive and you'll find many charming restaurants and wine bars here as well as authentic artisanal shops.

Our favourite place to stay in Florence is Casa di Chiara, a stylish new apartment, some 20-minute walk from Centro Storico (or a short tram ride). The interior is modern and beautiful equipped with everything you may need for an amazing stay. We're sure you'll feel like at home staying here! The owners are the best you can imagine - super friendly and helpful!👉 See how it looks and request a booking

You'll love staying at the stylish and cosy La Casa di Chiara apartment in Florence

You may like also Benci House, a charming boutique guesthouse only 5-minutes' walk from the Uffizi. Here you'll find modern and spacious rooms and a lovely terrace on the property. The breakfast served in the dining room is another bonus. 

Just across the Arno River from the Uffizi Gallery, you'll find Borgo San Jacopo Rooms, a great place with comfortable rooms and delicious breakfast served every morning (the staff is super helpful).

If you prefer hotel stay, choose Globus Urban Hotel, situated in San Lorenzo district, only a short walk from the Duomo. Reach the hotel from SMN train station in only 10 minutes on foot. Hotel offers super comfortable rooms and rich and tasty breakfast served in hotel's restaurant. Staff of the hotel is what makes this place special!

Another great place is 3-star Alba Palace Hotel, just around the corner from SMN train station and a short stroll from historic centre. This small hotel offers comfortable rooms, fantastic breakfast, great aperitivo and friendly and helpful staff.

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