Bebe

I have heard that it is possible to buy advance tickets on-line to see the statue of David to avoid the two hour wait standing in line. Does anyone know the website to do this? I have tried the Galleria dell 'Accademia website and did not see any information there about purchasing tickets on line.

Patrick

I can't help you, but hopefully someone will. But for what it's worth, I've been to the Accademia twice. Both times during the height of tourist season the lines all day were about 2 hours, but both times at around 4:00 there was absolutely no line at all.

Leslie

Yes...I just did it at www.firenze.net. <BR> <BR>

Rex

Leslie - - or should i say SAINT Leslie!? <BR> <BR>I have never seen a reference to this service before in all my time here. <BR> <BR>This is an important new piece of news. <BR> <BR>

Tina

http://www.weekendafirenze.com/up00.htm <BR> <BR>In addition to advance tickets for 'David', you can also purchase advance tickets to the Uffizi Gallery thru this same Weekend A Firenze website.

sandi

If you ask someone at the front desk of your hotel to reserve tickets for you then you don't have to wait in line at all. Just go straight in and pay. Very simple. That is, of course, if you don't wish to purchase them on-line.

Debbie

I would recommend to go see the David about an hour before closing as the school groups/tours have usually left.Our family had very good luck doing that without prepaid tickets or reservations! Enjoy! Debbie

Gerry

Every time I try to reserve museum tickets on line my computer freezes. Fee to reserve on line is $7 or more per ticket depending on which booking service. This in addition to price of ticket at museum. This times the number of people in your party and number of museums you want to go to. Your reservation is not refundable if you change plans or can't make it. I am torn between "locking" myself into a set schedule of reservations and just taking my chances that I'll be able to get in without reservations in late March and set my own timetable as things go while there. I of couse had to book had to book The Borgese and Scavi tour in Rome. And now have to schedule everything else around the times I was given

Tina

-- <BR>Gerry, chill out. It's okay. You don't HAVE to buy the tickets online in advance. It's a convenience. If you're concerned with too much structure and would prefer to wing it, then do so. <BR> <BR>The main reason folks do advance tickets for David is due to popularity. In March you should be able to get in; you might want to do the first thing in morning or later near the end of the day to get into Accademia without a line. <BR> <BR>As for the Uffizi, it's also a popular site AND they restrict the number of people who go in. It's not huge like the Louvre; rather it's a very manageable sized museum and consequently they don't want it to get packed. For me I was in Florence during the latter part of April '99. Only there for a couple days & seeing the Uffizi was a priority, so I purchased my ticket and scheduled the rest of my day around it.

Gerry

Thanks Tina. Think I'll try the early morning route. My hotel is practically next door to the Uffizi.

Leslie

Note: Rick Steves reports that another way to reserve ticket times for the Acadademia, Uffizi, Bargello and Medici Museums is by telephoning the following number 055-294-883 (from the U.S., first dial 011-39) anywhere from 24 hrs. to months in advance. The fee is minimal (about $1.50)...I believe I paid something of a premium (about $5 per ticket) on top of the ticket price by doing it at www.firenze.net vs. this telephone method, but I just liked the idea of having a written confirmation. His gives telephone hours as follows, I assume that's local time: M-F 8:30 - 18:30 and Sat 9:00 - noon. He also gives info for making similar reservations for the Borghese Gallery in Rome and the Last Supper (reservations required) in Milan. Rick Steve's website is www.ricksteves.com

Zoe

You pay a reservation fee of 2,400 or 3,000 lire per ticket. When you phone, they will ask you what time you want to go. You should have written down some sort of a schedule as to what you want to see and when. I understand the Uffizi lets you in every two hours, 9 a.m., 11 a.m., etc.. You are given a reservation number which you then take directly to the ticket/reservation office about 15 minutes prior to the time your reservation is scheduled for. If you are late, you will have to wait for the next group to go in. You pay when you pick your tickets up in cash. Credit cards not accepted. No problem with phoning. Just make sure you get up early because of the time difference. I recently reserved tickets to a few museums in Florence as we will be there in April over the Easter vacation. I have the phone number at home. If you want to confirm the above phone number is correct, I can bring it in early next week. Just let me know. Seeing as we haven't yet gone, can't comment on anything other than the above. It works really good. Talk to one person and make all your reservations for Florence. There is a different phone number for Borghese in Rome, same method. I found as the others mentioned the on-line method to be quite a bit more expensive and this certainly beats waiting in line.

Rex

to the top... for Dana... <BR> <BR>Postscript: If this forum had an easier way to locate and direct readers to a specific (previous) posting by a unique identifier (timestamp), it would not be necessary to top (and repeat) information so tediously. This is my new crusade, and I am thinking about adding this postscript (when applicable) to every new reply I make here. If you agree with me, then please write to Danny Mangin or David Downing - - [email protected] - - and encourage them to move forward with this improvement (and any others they have up their sleeves) to this best-on-the-web travel forum! <BR>

Jo Ann

I check with www.initaly.com. They have so many informative pages. If you go to their homepage, click ENTER THE SITE, choose Tuscany as the region there will be an area for you to reserve tickets to both. It may have cost me more but things are all tied down when I get there. Hope it works for you.

Jo Ann

Oh, forget to tell you I emailed [email protected] for Borghese. Again, don't know how much extra I paid but time was limited in Rome. Good luck!