indiancouple

We are visiting Italy in May 2013, and have our visit reasonably planned out. We will be visiting Venice, Florence, Amalfi Coast and Rome over a total of 15 days (2 couples traveling together).

The 5 sights which I think may require advance booking online are :
1. Galleria Accademia (Florence)
2. Uffizi Gallery (Florence)
3. Leaning Tower of Pisa (Pisa)
4. Vatican Museums (Rome)
5. Palazzo Valentini (Rome)

I understand that booking online for Uffizi and the Vatican Museums is almost a MUST to avoid long lines, even in May. The Palazzo Valentini probably requires only a telephonic booking, 1 week in advance, so should be easy. I am confused about whether advance booking is required for Galleria Accademia in Florence. Have read conflicting reports - some say that it is easy to get in later in the afternoon, when lines are virtually gone. Is that true ?

As for Leaning Tower of Pisa, I am trying their website at www.opapisa.it ; however, there appears to be some glitch on the site's Ticket Office. It offers no choice of date or time, but just asks you to enter an "Order code". What am I doing wrong, or what am I missing ? Could someone please guide me on how to book a ticket online for Leaning Tower ?

Thanks in advance, and look forward to advice and guidance.

Cathinjoetown

The Borghese Gallery, for me a highlight of Rome, reqires advance booking:

http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/edefault.htm

willowjane

Last time we were in Florence (3 years ago I think) we booked the Galleria Accademia and were SO glad we did. The line went around the block - of course, we were there in the morning.

raincitygirl

We booked the Galleria Accademia as well online in advance for an April visit and were very glad we did. As willowjane says, the line was around the block.


I was just in Florence in early October and had hoped to do the Uffizi with a tour, the tour was cancelled at the last minute so we had no time to book online tickets and went around anyway to check out the line situation...wow, the line looked about two weeks long! Needless to say we didn't see the Uffizi. The friend I was with had been very sceptical about having to book in advance, she soon lost the scepticism.
A taxi driver in Florence told me it starts to get quiet there (in terms of the hordes of tourists) around November and maybe lasts until February or March.

Bottom line is: book everything to avoid standing in lines.

indiancouple

Thanks, will heed the advice and book in advance. Can anyone help with the website for Leaning Tower ? Cannot figure out how to book the tickets.

maxima

Booking for the Vatican may be a problem now as they no longer take credit cards due to issues with the Vatican bank.

the official box office for the leaning tower is:

http://boxoffice.opapisa.it/Turisti/

you should be able to book tickets on this site.
and remember its a steep climb with uneven steps

raincitygirl

indiancouple, I just took a look at their site and was able to proceed to the booking process and the calendar, however, it says you can only book a maximum of 20 days ahead and a minimum of 12 days prior to your visit so you are a bit early for May.

I will go back and try and note down how I arrived there.

raincitygirl

Okay I just tried it again. Where you see the British flag on the left, it says Welcome..etc. Then it says Here you can...etc. The word Here is in red, click on Here and the calendar pops up, click on the day of the week you want and it goes to "choose the monument", there are 6 photos to the left, click on the tower of Pisa (it's the middle one on the Right hand side), then press "forward" and choose your time of day and how many tickets you need and then follow the prompts to check out.

The calendar is up for February with the first few days of March, so I'm assuming that at the end of April you should see the calendar and be able to book for May.

As maxima says it is a very steep climb, on the site it tells you how many stairs there are.

indiancouple

Thanks raincitygirl, I had not noticed that "Here" was in a different color ! I tried as you suggested, and was able to navigate perfectly. Thanks.

raincitygirl

You're welcome. I hope you have a lovely trip!

kybourbon

>>>Booking for the Vatican may be a problem now as they no longer take credit cards due to issues with the Vatican bank.<<<

From what I understand, that is at the Vatican. The online tickets seem to still be processing credit cards.

indiancouple

Yes kybourbon, I went to the ticket online site of the Vatican, and noticed that credit cards are accepted for online booking. But they book only 60 days in advance, so I have to wait.

cathies

If you are staying in Florence then you don't need to book Accademia. Just turn up at about 5pm and you will find the queue really short. The tour groups are all gone by then. The gallery is open until about 7pm which is ample time as the gallery is quite small.

Your trip sounds lovely.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

As it's again back at the top of this list...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attract...ome_Lazio.html

... for Palazzo Valentini, I'd prebook if at all possible!

Fortunately, the revised site is much easier to use - and already offers dates through to the end of June.

Seemingly, two tours in English daily now (at 13:30 and 14:30) - except on Tuesdays, when it's shut - but, as far as I know, on each there are still only 15 places available....

We had to settle for one during which the Italian soundtrack was playing and, despite having lived here for 7 or 8 years by then, did miss out rather - although the visual effects were wonderful.

You can use the website to get an idea of how many places are left. For example, although it's possible to book up to 10 places, for a week today of the 15 there are 7 left for the awkwardly-timed 13:30 "performance", but only 1 for the more convenient later session!

In May they're likely to be even busier...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/140850936

Peter

downtownbrown

Booking the Accademia and Uffizi online is a mistake. Use the international phone number for the two. No surcharge, and the operators are quite efficient.

indiancouple

A_Brit_In_Ischia, I did call up the people at Palazzo Valentini, and they said that they are accepting bookings only for a few days in advance. Although their site shows dates through till June,we will probably not be able to make the actual booking so far ahead. They said that we should call up one week in advance, and it will be OK.

Downtownbrown, your information is great. I will certainly use the telephonic method of booking, and avoid the E 4 surcharge per ticket for each museum.

Cathies, thanks for the info. If I am able to avoid paying any booking surcharge, I will go ahead and book online for Accademia. Otherwise, I will just turn up late and go in as you suggest.

kybourbon

I've always gone to the Accademia in the afternoon (after lunch - not late afternoon) and never had to wait in line more than 10 minutes.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

If you rang last month, after I'd suggested the Domus, that was perhaps before the site began accepting bookings for those extra months? Can't say I noticed, but some things certainly have changed - for instance, at that time they were still offering only 1 tour on weekdays...

But regardless of what they said over the phone then, if it were me, I'd at least check on the remaining availability every week or two... and jump in if the tickets are being snatched up!

Peter

indiancouple

kybourbon, I think I will skip the Accademia booking online. We are interested in basically seeing the David statue, and we can pop in during closing hours when I am sure there will not be much of a line.

Will follow your advice Peter, about the Palazzo Valentini bookings.