Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The section below is a compilation of some of the most frequent questions we receive by email. We have added some additional tips, we hope you find it useful. For anything not covered, let us know!
General Questions about Visit Uffizi
Is Visit Uffizi the official website for the Uffizi Gallery?
No, our guide IS NOT the official/institutional website for the Uffizi Gallery. This website was born as an informational guide on the Uffizi Gallery to offer practical information on the museum itself, as well as the works of arts held in its collections, offering suggestions on the masterpieces you shouldn’t miss and where to find them. The links to buy tickets and tours online are affiliations with selected partners to offer the possibility to book your tickets for the date you will be in Florence right now.
Where can I find the “official” website for the Uffizi Gallery?
The official website is http://www.uffizi.it. It has been online since September 2017.
Why should I book through the partners selected by Visit Uffizi?
If you book through our partners, you benefit from
- A wide availability of dates for Tickets and Tours
- Customer service by native English-speaking team
- Trusted booking partners that offer high quality service, including the chance to cancel tours/tickets and change dates
I have read that the Uffizi ticket costs 12 euro or 20 euro, which one is correct?
Since March 2018, a new ticket pricing system went into effect. There are now seasonal passes. A full ticket costs 12 euro between November 1st and the end of February, from March 1st through October 31st the cost goes up to 20 euro per person. That’s the base full price for admission if you buy your ticket on-site directly at the Uffizi museum on the day of your visit, waiting at the entrance line to enter.
If you wish to avoid lines at the Uffizi, you can book your tickets ahead of time. You can do so by phone (call +39-055-294-883) or online. Prebooking adds a booking charge of 4 euros to the ticket cost, as well as commissions depending on which site you buy tickets from. You can see more details on our Buy Tickets page.
There are various vendors (all authorized by the museum) to sell both tickets and tours online. For our website, we have selected Florence-Tickets.com and Viator.com as partners to offer the possibility of booking your tickets and guided tour online right now. Our partners offer more than just the museum ticket!
If you purchase tickets through the links you find on our site, you will receive great customer service from experienced travel operators, you can also change the date or time on your tickets if your travel plans change or cancel your tickets (at a fee for changes, or with partial refund for cancellations). The best option is to combine ticket purchase with a guided tour, as the Uffizi museum collections are vast. You can join a guided tour led by English-speaking professional, licensed tour guides. All of the reservations for tours and museum tickets are managed directly by our partners, not by Visit Uffizi.
On the official ticket shop, b-ticket, tickets are cannot be modified and are only refundable if certain conditions apply (strike, air conditioner breaks down, etc).
When comparing the costs and terms of tickets across various websites, check whether these costs are included:
- pre-booking fees
- online administrative fees
- the current temporary exhibition: mandatory if one is ongoing during your visit.
and whether:
- cancellations or changes are allowed
Verify the costs and conditions directly with any website you choose to book on (whether one of our partners or on another website), to ensure what is included in the price you pay.
Why do I have to pay for the temporary exhibition?
Because of the way the Uffizi museum is set up, even temporary exhibitions are part of the museum; there is no way to visit the museum without also passing through the temporary exhibition. In the future, the museum might offer the possibility of not visiting the temporary exhibit but it isn’t the case at this time. So your museum ticket will include the cost of the temporary exhibit if there is an ongoing exhibition during the date of your visit.
About Visiting the Uffizi Museum
How long is a visit to the Uffizi?
The collection at the the Uffizi is very large so you could actually take all day to visit the museum and still not see all of the works contained inside with the attention they require. We are, however, human and, even if we love art and history, generally cannot take hours and hours of absorbing art all at once!
To see the Uffizi at a leisurely pace, stopping to admire the main works of art but also additional ones that catch your attention, we recommend allotting at least 3-4 hours for your visit.
If you’re in a hurry and just want to see the main masterpieces, still give yourself at least 2 hours. Follow this itinerary to seek out and see the main masterpieces at the Uffizi.
Can I visit other museums in Florence on the same day?
Due to the richness of the collections of each of the museums in Florence, including the Uffizi’s, we highly recommend that you plan to just visit the Uffizi on one day, spending at least 2-3 hours there. Other museums in Florence contain smaller, rich collections so at the most we recommend to visit 2 museums per day (1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon). In any case, prepare for art “overload”.
When is the Uffizi museum open?
Check out this page for updated opening times as well as other practical details: Plan Your Visit to the Uffizi Gallery
How do we get to the Uffizi Gallery?
This page shows a map and written instruction on reaching the Uffizi – it is very central, right next to Palazzo Vecchio and the Arno river.
Does the Uffizi have wheelchairs for disabled visitors?
Yes, it has 3 available. Ask for one as soon as you enter the museum. You CANNOT reserve a wheelchair ahead of time, it works on a first-come, first-served basis. Just make your request as soon as you arrive.
If you’re certified disabled, don’t stand in line! Head to the top of the line and show your disabled card/letter from your doctor to enter the museum. More information on services for disabled visitors here.
Are there audio guides inside the museum?
Yes, audio guides can be rented directly at the Uffizi. After you’ve entered the museum, you’ll find the audio guide desk to rent one or two audio guides right next to the cloakroom before heading upstairs to start your visit.
If you prefer, you can also book a private tour with a personal guide to accompany you through the Uffizi museum and explain the works of art, their history and interesting tidbits not easily gathered from paper travel guides.
What services does the Uffizi offer?
Read this page that describes all of the services the Uffizi Gallery offers its visitors.
Can I take pictures or video inside the Uffizi Gallery?
YES! Since July 2014, you can take photos inside the Uffizi Gallery. Please be respectful of other visitors who are admiring the works of art when taking photos. The use of “selfie-sticks” is prohibited within the museum. You cannot use a tripod either.
If you need photos for non-personal use, you must request permission ahead of time, and obtain a permit. You are generally allowed entry on Mondays, when the museum is closed to the general public. To request permission to photograph inside the museum for commercial use, you need to write to the Uffizi Gallery directly (see official site linked above).
Is there a long line/wait at the Uffizi?
The main entrance to the Uffizi is for people who buy tickets directly on-site at the Uffizi, the admission cost being the lowest possible (since there is no pre-booking or online fees). Many choose to wait to buy tickets once in Florence, not knowing when they can visit the museum and choosing to remain flexible on date and time. That0s fine, just be aware that there could be long lines. Why do lines occur? Read the following question to understand better.
Why is there such a long line at the Uffizi?
There are mainly 2 main reasons for the long lines at the Uffizi.
- The majority of tickets are NOT sold ahead of time online or by phone which gives many the chance to arrive at the Uffizi whenever they want and enter the museum. The sheer number of visitors that visit the museum are high (almost 2 million in 2015, which means on average 5,4000 visitors every day). There are moments when lines are shorter, and days when they are longer. The line really varies and cannot be predicted ahead of time.
- Safety. It doesn’t matter how big or small the museum is, the law dictates that given the number of entrances/exits at the Uffizi, no more than 900 people can be inside the museum at any time. Visitors can stay inside however long they wish, so there is a constant monitor of the number of people entering and exiting to keep the flow constant. For this reason alone, a line can form and a wait can occur, even for people with advance tickets in hand.
To avoid long lines at peak times, booking tickets ahead of time is really the best way to go and spend more time within the museum rather than outside in line.
When is the best time to visit the Uffizi?
That is difficult to determine because there are hundreds of visitors at all times of the day at the Uffizi.
However, it does seem that there are less visitors right around and after lunch (1-3pm) as well as at the end of the day so those might be some of the best times to avoid the busiest times at the museum. These are our own personal observations and not information provided by the museum itself. We are sharing what we have observed during our own visits.
The Firenze Card
Do I need to make reservations with the Firenze Card?
No, you don’t! There is a separate entrance for Firenze Card users that allows you to skip the line and enter quickly, without the need of a reservation.
Can I reserve a specific time to visit the Uffizi with the Firenze Card?
No, you can’t and you don’t have to! Just head to the museum when you want to visit it and just use the priority line to skip any waiting times.
You can learn more about the pros and cons of getting a Firenze Card.
School groups, photos and more…
I am a school group with many students and teachers, how do I book a visit?
School groups composed of children under 18 generally qualify for free (ages under 18) or reduced tickets (ages between 18 and 25 for EU citizens) AND are also large groups. Visits are, therefore, regulated carefully by the museum directly to not crowd the museum for other visitors. You will have to contact Firenze Musei directly by phone at +39-055-294-883 with details of the number of students and dates/times available to book your visit, it is the only way to book your visit.
I’d like to publish an image of a work of art belonging to the Uffizi Gallery in my article/book/website, can you provide a high resolution image?
You need to request permission to use the image and at the same time request a high resolution version for your use directly from the Uffizi Gallery management. See official site linked above.
