Elijah

We'll be in Florence on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning in June. Just learned that the important museums are closed on Monday so we'll go to Pisa. This leaves 3 - 4 hrs on Sunday afternoon. Please advise if this is enough to see David at the Accademia and visit the Uffizi. I will book both in advance. (Will definitely go back to Florence in the future for more time).

Thanks in advance.

Eloise

According to their official Web sites, both the Accademia and the Uffizi are open until 6:50 p.m., i.e., at 6:50 p.m. the guards start chasing visitors out so that they can close at 7:00 p.m.

If you wish to visit both, you will definitely have to have reserved tickets. At the Accademia, most people are only interested in Michelangelo's David (part of which has scaffolding around it at the moment, I understand.) If you have tickets for 6:00 p.m., it should give you ample time.

The Uffizi needs all the time that you can give it. Try for tickets at the earliest time that you are sure you can pick them up; give yourself 15 minutes before the entrance time you reserve to collect the tickets.

Elijah

Thanks Eloise.

Anyone else with some tips or recommendations.

ira

Hi Elijah,

If you go to Pisa, you can combine that with a visit to the old, walled, hill town of Lucca.

Or,you might consider a trip to Siena instead.

CafeBatavia

Many people would say drop Pisa and replace it with either Siena or Lucca. A Pisa & Lucca combination would also work well.

amyb

Or you could stay in Florence and if you're there on the "right" Monday, see the following:

Santa Croce (Michelangelo's tomb, among others)
Santa Maria Novella (Masaccio paintings)
Duomo/Belltower/Baptistery
Duomo Museum (highly underrated, IMHO!)
Brancacci Chapel (gorgeous frescoes)
San Miniato (monks chant daily at 4:40)
Piazzale Michelangelo (near San Miniato)
Medici Chapels (closed 1st, 3rd, 5th Mondays of each month)
Bargello (closed second and fourth Mondays)

I really wouldn't leave Florence for Pisa just because the Uffizi and Accademia are closed. There's plenty more to do! If you do leave for the day, I second Siena as a wonderful day trip.

Huitres

That should allow plenty of time to see those two very important places. Obviously, the Uffizi Galleries take more time to go through than the Accademia, so you might want to do that first and the lines should be ok by then. If the Accademia is open on Monday, you could wait and see that on your Monday morning so you aren't feeling so rushed at the Uffizi.

peyton18

Just got back from Italy on Monday...and am missing it already!

I agree with the other posters--I'd skip Pisa. I went to Pisa because it was on our way to Portofino & we only spent about an hour there. Pisa is good for the leaning tower & the town of Pisa does not have the charm of a Siena. Pisa is a larger city and one that I will not revisit.

Also, not sure if you're interested in a restaurant recommendation in Florence...but Il Latini is a must do! It is good food, good service & was one of the best dining experiences we had on our trip. Perhaps it was because they have festival seating and we were seated next to a really nice couple and had fabulous converation to go along with the good food. It is not fine dining...but it is good food for a reasonable cost. We ate at a lot of fine dining throughout our trip and concluded that this was our favorite restaurant for the value.

Also, don't forget to visit the oldest perfumery--Santa Maria Novella. It is near the church and not only has fabulous products--but the history and the architecture behind it are worth a visit. I picked up several lavendar soaps & a sachet (among other things)and had the best smelling rental car and hotel rooms throughout the rest of our tr

peyton18

ip. If you are looking for a hotel--the Hotel we stayed at was the nicest hotel that I've ever stayed in (Villa Antea). It was a 5 star and deserved every star! It only has 5 rooms and is registered as a Historical Residence in Florence. The bathroom in this room was larger than our entire room at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.

I am seriously contemplating going back to Italy in the fall for a long weekend just to stay at this hotel, dine, shop (santa Maria Novella & San Lorenzo Market) and to revisit Siena for a day trip.

Enjoy your trip!!!

Elijah

Thanks for all your tips.

One more question: Does the train station in Florence have a storage for bags and is it safe?

111op

It's been about five years since I visited Florence. I'm not as enthused as some of the other posters regarding Florence, so I think that 3-4 hours are plenty to see both museums.

The Uffizi is very small when compared to places like the Met in NYC and the Louvre. It won't take time to see the Giottos, the Leonardos, the Botticellis ("Birth of Venus&quot and some of the Mannerists, unless you're an art expert who likes to take your time. I don't have my little guide to the Uffizi at the moment, but the number of pieces listed is just about 80 or so, and only a few of these are on the level of "Birth of Venus" or "Adoration of the Magi." If you can, get a guide to the Uffizi in advance (preferably with location of the art works) and you'll be just fine.

ira

> Does the train station in Florence have a storage for bags and is it safe?<

Yes. As you face the tracks it is on your right.

Yes, it is safe.

rhkkmk

i would not plan to go to either museum...everyone is going to kill me for saying that!!!

rather i would just wander around the town...number one head for the duomo and wander around it ...next head down to the river and over the ponte vecchio...then wind you way back and head for piazza sinore where you will see the "david" look a like and others...just enjoy the city....have some ice cream and maybe a hot chocolate at revorie in the square mentioned above...

the uffizzi requires lots of waiting even if you have a reservation...i found it totally boring, that's BORING...
the duomo museum is quite interesting, by the way...

i say this especially as you plan to return to florence...

skatterfly

I have to agree with others who say "don't leave Florence." Just because 2 of the more touristy museums are not open doesn't mean you can't just wander the streets or see some of the other sites that Amy listed. The old part of Florence is all compacted into a small square area by the river and it's just amazing wandering in the heart of the renaissance seeing old palazzos and piazzas and little pedestrian streets and wandering into little squares to find gelato and other sumptuous food. Oh, gosh, I could go there again in a minute.

And while you are in the Accademia, make sure you see Michaelangelo's "Slaves"... they're a series of 4 sculptures of bodies emerging from the marble and they're beautiful. They're more life size (not like the David which is just staggeringly) and there aren't usually crowds around them.

Other things you should defnintely do, and can do, if you're down there already. Wander around the duomo. Walk along the main pedestrian street and have a gelato (or two or three).

Why Pisa? If you really want to see another tuscan town, try Siena. In all my travels to Italy (4 times in last 6 years) I have only been to Pisa once, as a train transfer station, and I devoted 3 hours to get over and see the leaning tower (this was before it was reopened to the public). It's the kind of thing I was glad I saw since I was passing by but I probably would never go there again and the city didn't have anything else of interest to me.

Lucca is an OK town for long stays because it's big and flat and has a nice bike/walking trail around the city wall, but there's not much to do for such a quick visit. Siena is a true "hill town" and has so much to see amd is compact and very charming. And it's easier to reach from Florence, a direct bus from the train station.

Buon viaggio.

Where do you go from Florence?

Elijah

Thanks skatterfly, ira and rhkkmk.

skatterfly, my trip schedule is as follows:

Fly into Rome - 4 nights
Positano - 3 nights
Capri - 2 nights
Florence - 1 night
Venice - 2 nights
Milan - 3 nights and fly out from Milan

ira

Hi Elijah,

Is there a particular reason for spending 3 nights in Milan and only 1 night in Florence?

Elijah

Hi ira.

I have relatives in Milan. I will definitely be coming back soon to Italy and will dedicate more time to Florence and Tuscany. Thanks for asking.

Loretta

Elijah--I have just posted a message about Alessandro Cammilli, our guide last year in Florence (Since then I have had another tour with him, also). Please look up my message--search under Alessandro Cammilli. He can reserve tickets for you, give a walking tour of Florence,take you to Pisa & Luccca, etc. For the short amount of time you're in Tuscany I recommend a guide. By the way, yes you can see both the Uffizi & the Accademia in the afternoon, but get reservations in advance.

I would suggest sunday afternoon see the museums. Sunday evening a nice dinner in Florence. Monday morning leave early to see Pisa & then Lucca. Where are you going from Florence? Are you flying out of Pisa??? If so, you would have time for Lucca & Pisa on your way to the airport. Alessandro email is [email protected]