One of the most beautiful cities in Italy - old Florence, attracts tourists with a huge number of attractions. In the historical center of the city, it seems that every house here is associated with the names of great people. Even if you are here for a short time, you can have time to see the main museums of Florence. Tickets are sold both directly at the box office and via the Internet.
Uffizi Gallery
Located in the center of Florence. Here you can see the works of Renaissance artists. The guests are presented with paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, paintings by Botticelli and Michelangelo, Titian and Caravaggio. It is here that Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and Leonardo da Vinci's "Baptism of Christ" are kept. There are always a lot of people who want to get here, especially on the first Sunday of the month, when the entrance is free.
If you come to Florence for a short time, so as not to waste time standing in lines, you can order tickets online, which will be a little more expensive. A ticket costs 8 euros, a concessionary ticket (for European youth 18-25 years old) 4 euros. The gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50, Monday is a day off. In the warm season, from March 31 to September 27, it is open until 22:00.
Timed admission ticket for Michelangelo's David - 16 €
Admission ticket to the Uffizi Gallery - 20 €
Uffizi Gallery: Priority Entrance € 40
Florence Cathedral: ticket with entry to the dome - 29 €
Entrance ticket and audio guide to Palazzo Vecchio - 19 €
Hop-on Hop-off tour. Ticket for 24, 48 or 72 hours - from 23 €
Leonardo da Vinci Museum: entrance ticket - 7 €
Tour to the Duomo with a guide and ascent to the top of the dome - 40 €
Entrance ticket to the Basilica of San Lorenzo - 8.50 €
Hot air balloon flight over Tuscany: Florence - 250 €
Academy of Fine Arts
It was formed in the 16th century by outstanding masters - Giorgio Vasari, Agnolo Bronzino and Bartolomeo Ammanati. Since then, artists, sculptors, architects from all over Europe have come here to study. Masters who made musical instruments also received invaluable knowledge here. At the end of the 18th century, the Academy of Fine Arts was moved to a spacious building that had previously belonged to the hospital. From the music department, the Florence Conservatory was later formed.
Many masterpieces are presented here today. For example, guests can see Michelangelo's David, works by Botticelli, Scheggi, Perugino and other world famous masters. Antique musical instruments are also presented here. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50. The day off is Monday. On Fridays during the summer, the doors are open until 10 pm. Tickets cost 8 euros, for youth from the European Union 4 euros.
Dante House Museum
To be precise, Dante never set foot in this house. The square, surrounded by old houses, in one of which the great poet lived, was reconstructed over time, the mansions were demolished, and new buildings were built in their place. But the persistence of the Italians, who honor their culture, led to the fact that archaeologists were given the task of finding the exact place where Dante's house stood. Then, bit by bit, they collected information - exactly how he looked. And in 1911 they began to recreate it.
Inside are things that belong to the era when Dante Alighieri lived and worked. Furniture, paintings, weapons ... Looking at them, guests can plunge into the past. There was also a place for an exhibition dedicated to the beautiful Beatrice. It contains copies of manuscripts and illustrations for literary works, first of all - for the "Divine Comedy". Open from 10 am to 5 pm, every day except Monday. Ticket prices: 4 euros for adults, 2 euros for children, kids under 6 years old and the disabled are free.
Palazzo Pitti
The huge palace was built in the middle of the 15th century for the Pitti family. After about 100 years, it becomes the main residence of the Medici Dukes. Over time, two side wings were added, a huge courtyard appeared. Next to the palazzo are the world famous Boboli Gardens. Today, in Palazzo Pitti, you can see a rich collection of paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries, see the exhibits of the Silver Museum, admire the collection of treasures that belonged to the Medici.
The building also houses the Museum of Modernist Art. You can visit the nearby Porcelain Museum and the Gallery of Costumes. The latter presents a collection of outfits that have been worn by people over the past three centuries. Open for tourists from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50, Monday - closed.
A ticket costs 8.5 euros, a concessional ticket (EU youth from 18 to 25 years old) - 4.25 euros.
Palazzo Vecchio
The old building on Piazza Señoria was built in the 14th century; today the city hall is located here. A similar palazzo Tuscany in the town of Volterra served as a model. The tower crowned with battlements attracts attention; its height reaches almost 100 meters. Once this ancient tower belonged to the Feraboski family, then the architects included it in the palazzo project. Prisoners were kept here, and their list includes such famous names as Cosimo de Medici and Savonarola. In the 14th century, a large clock was hung on the tower, the work of the Florentine master Bernardo, in the 17th century it was replaced by a copy. But there are still ancient bells hanging here, one of them dates back to the 13th century.
On the windows of the Palazzo Viecco, conspirators and those who attempted the lives of important persons have been hanged more than once. Today, most of the palace is occupied by a museum. From October to March, it is open from 9 am to 7 pm, every day, except Thursday, on Thursday it closes earlier - at 2 pm. From April to September, the schedule changes: every day, except Thursday, the palace is open from 9 to 23 hours, and on Thursday, as before, from 9 to 14. A full ticket costs 18 euros, a reduced price - 16. It includes a visit to the complex, the tower and fortifications. It is worth paying attention to the fact that children under 6 years old are not allowed in the tower.
Vasari Corridor
The Vasari Corridor is a gallery that connects the two largest palaces in Florence - Palazzo Viecco and Palazzo Pitti. The length of the corridor is 750 m, and it was built on the orders of Cosimo Medici. The passage connected the residence of the Medici dukes with the place where the government sat. A window-balcony connects the corridor with the Church of Santa Felicita, so that the duke could attend the service if he wanted, but no one saw him.
But part of the gallery is located on the Ponte Viecco bridge and a wonderful view opens up from here. Now the gallery houses part of the exhibits of the Uffizi Gallery. Here you can see the works of Raphael, Rubens, Velasquez, Aivazovsky and other famous artists. Tourists can only get here during Italian public holidays.
Church of St. Margaret
Many will say that it was here that Dante met the beautiful Beatrice. Although this is just a beautiful legend. In fact, the poet saw the girl, who later became his muse, in her father's house. A modest church, built at the beginning of the 11th century, and dedicated to Saint Margaret, bears another "popular" name - "Dante's Church". Here he married his wife Gemma. Numerous admirers of Dante come to see this building from the Middle Ages.
Also in this church she married her husband Beatrice, and was buried here when she died at 24. On the tombstone, you can see numerous notes from lovers - they ask Beatrice's spirit to help arrange their heartfelt affairs. The church is open daily, from 9 am to 1 pm and from 4 pm to 7 pm.
Opera del Duomo Museum
According to general reviews, it is a very interesting museum, where many sculptures and paintings are kept, which are real treasures. Here you can see a bust of the Duke Cosimo de Medici, a statue of Pope Boniface the Eighth. The great Donatello is the author of the statues of Habakkuk, Mary Magdalene and a number of other works.
The sculptural group "The Entombment" made by Michelangelo is also kept here. It works on weekdays - from 9 am to 7 pm, on Saturday - a little longer, until 9 pm. The first Tuesdays of the month are days off. The ticket price is 6 euros, in order to avoid queues, it is better to book tickets in advance.
Bargello Palace
The hotel is located in the historic center of the city, close to its main attractions. For several centuries, this building was the residence of the chief of police, then prisoners and soldiers lived here, and only at the end of the 19th century the National Museum of Sculpture was opened here. Now you can see the works of the great masters of the 14-16 centuries. Michelangelo, Donatello and others.
The bronze panel "The Sacrifice of Isaac" also attracts tourists' attention. It was completed by Brunelleschi, who then supervised the creation of the dome over the Duomo Cathedral - it is still the tallest building in the city. It is arranged so that it is convenient to visit it even for people in wheelchairs. There is no time limit for sightseeing. Opens at 8.15 and runs until 13.50. Closed every 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday of the month. The ticket price is 4 euros. Tickets can be ordered online, however, you need to wait for confirmation, which comes in about a day.
Palazzo Strozzi
Renaissance palace. It appeared as a result of the rivalry of two clans - Medici and Strozzi.
Filippo Strozzi decided to build himself a palace no worse than the Medici residence and attached great importance to this. Astrologers have figured out the best date for laying the foundation stone for a building. Today the palace is the property of the city authorities. Tourists visit the museum, which is located here, as well as various concerts - creative teams regularly organize them on the site in the courtyard.
It hosts exhibitions of classical and contemporary art, cafes and souvenir kiosks are open in the courtyard. The Noble Floor (classical art) - open from 9 am to 8 pm, Thursday until 11 pm. Ticket prices may fluctuate depending on the popularity of the exhibition, an average of 10 euros. The Contemporary Art Center is open every day except Monday. Open from 10 am to 8 pm, closes at 11 pm on Thursday. Tickets cost 2.5-3 euros. If you come here after 6 pm, the entrance will be free.
Palatine gallery
The Palatine Gallery is part of the Palazzo Pitti museum complex. 30 halls of the gallery are decorated in the Baroque style. It houses the largest collection of Raphael's paintings. The stay in Florence belongs to one of the most fruitful periods of the great master's work. After all, here he communicated with both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
The main heroine of Raphael's paintings, created in Florence, is Madonna. The famous paintings of Titian, Botticelli, Rubens and other masters are also presented to the attention of the guests. The gallery is open every day except Mondays from 8.15 to 18.50. The ticket builds 8.5 euros. Young people under 18 and seniors over 65 can view the collection of paintings for free. If you decide to book your tickets online, the price will increase by 3 euros.
Museum of the History of Science
A large collection of instruments of the past centuries has been collected. The Medici began to collect them, who paid great attention to the development of natural sciences, followed the conduct of experiments in physics. The museum is small, but the guides will convincingly tell you that the development of science in Florence was given the same attention as the development of art.
Here you can see the instruments used by Galileo Galilei, his telescope. Another name for this museum is Museo Galileo. It works daily, from 9.30 am to 6 pm, only on Tuesday it closes earlier - at 1 pm. The ticket costs 6.5 euros.
Michelangelo House Museum
In this city, there simply could not be Michelangelo's house-museum. Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger began to work on its creation at the beginning of the 17th century. And now guests can see not only paintings, sculptures and exhibits of the collection of rarities, which was collected by the great artist and sculptor, but also see how his family lived. Of particular interest are the early works of the master, from which his career began - marble reliefs, "Madonna on the Stairs", "Battle of the Centaurs".
The guides will present a rich library and family archive to the attention of tourists. Ancient objects that were found during the excavations constitute a separate exhibition. There are also wooden models made by Michelangelo. In addition to permanent exhibitions, various exhibitions dedicated to various aspects of Michelangelo's work are also opened here. Open from Wednesday to Monday from 10 am to 5 pm, ticket price - 6.5 euros.
Thus, even in a couple of days spent in Florence, you can see a lot. In some cases, it is worth ordering complex excursions that include visits to several museums at once. For example, "In Dante's Places". There is no doubt that this beautiful city will leave a vivid impression on you.
In Florence, GuruTurizma recommends the following hotels:
