ReneeLJ

Hi,
We are going to be in Florence in June and I am going to book our tickets to the Uffizi Gallery before we go. I have noticed that there are quite a few websites which offer tickets to this gallery. Can you please let me know which website is the actual official one for the Uffizi, or which is the best one to use to buy tickets?
Thanks for your help

annhig

Hi renee,

here is the official website where you can book tickets for the Uffizi and the Accademia. If you do it online they will charge you extra [€4] I think per booking when you book, but if you do it by phone, you on;y get charged when you pick up the tickets so if there's no queue when you arrive, you can just buy ordinary tickets and not pay the surcharge.

http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/musei/?m=uffizi

an alternative is to buy the Firenze card, but it's very expensive at €72, and only last for 72 hours [3 days] from when you first use it, and it would be ++ difficult to use €72's worth of entrance fees in that time. here's the website, anyway:

http://www.firenzecard.it/index.php?lang=en

ReneeLJ

Thanks so much for your help! Tickets are booked now Really looking forward to visiting the Uffizi.

annhig

Renee - that's great. did you use the phone or the internet?

FYI, there is a cafe at the end of the second "arm" of the museum. it's a nice place to take a break, [there is a nice terrace] and not too expensive.

ReneeLJ

I used the internet for it
Great, will look out for the café!
You sound like you have spent some time in Florence, are there any other places you would recommend we visit there? We really haven't planned our days for Florence yet. One thing I know I want to do is explore the artisanal quarters (where the locals have their workshops/studios etc) We are only there for 3 nights as we pass through.
Thanks again for your help.

annhig

Renee - there are quite a few threads about Florence, and with only 3 nights you are going to be quite limited in what you can do. I won't tell you about the Duomo, the baptistry, and the campanile, any guidebook can do that, and you will have to decide for yourselves whether you want to do battle with the crowds in that area.

However, as you are going to be in "Oltrarno" where the workshops etc. are, I can recommend walking up to San Miniato up above the Piazzale Michelangelo. There are beautiful mosiacs and a lovely view over Florence. [remember to take some 50c coins to turn on the lights so that you can see the mosaics properly - this applies all over Italy].

if you look up San Miniato on google maps, you will see to the left of the Piazzale a "giardino delle rose" - the roses should be out in June and you can walk back down into Florence via the garden. There is a nice wine bar at the bottom of this street before one of the gates through the old wall which does good wine by the glass and food too. I think that it may be this one:

http://www.levolpieluva.com/Le_volpi/Prima.html

my other favourite area of the city is around Santa Croce - as well as the Basilica itself ,which is usually less full of tourists than other places, there is a market called 'San Ambrogio" just north of the church which has a lot of very interesting stalls with local produce and a cheap cafe where you share tables with other diners [lunchers technically as it is only open during the day] and can try lots of local specialities.

if you want to escape for a while, you can get a bus from the piazza san Marco [at the top of via Cavour] to Fiesole. it takes about 30 mins and once you are there, there is the Duomo, the monastery of San francesco, the roman amphitheatre and museum, and several nice restaurants.

There - that's more than enough for 3 nights! enjoy your trip.

annhig

renee - further to the above, I was looking at my trip report from 3 years ago to see where I found the leather shops I liked, and thought that I might as well provide a link to it, in case it might interest you:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment

the part about Florence is towards the end.

i also found my link to the wine bar that i liked, not the one above, but this one:

http://www.fuoriporta.it/

ReneeLJ

Thank you so much for taking the time to write all those wonderful suggestions for me, that is so helpful.

I really like the sound of the activities you suggested, they sound like the sort of things we would love experiencing!

I will have a read through your trip report as well, that will be really helpful.

Thanks again for all the info you have provided, its really generous of you

annhig

no problem, Renee - i'll look forward to reading your trip report.

and perhaps when i want to go somewhere, you will have some tips for me! [or for someone else - it really doesn't matter]

ReneeLJ

Exactly! I'm looking forward to being able to offer advise to other travellers after this as everyone has been so helpful to me! This will be my first trip overseas, so will be a very big adventure

Take care!

kybourbon

>>>One thing I know I want to do is explore the artisanal quarters (where the locals have their workshops/studios etc)<<<

The tourism board used to have a list and perhaps tour or walking map for the Oltarno. I'll see if I can locate it. I stayed in the area last time I was in Florence.

kybourbon

http://www.firenzeturismo.it/images/...ltrarno_08.pdf

annhig

ky - that's a terrific map, thanks for finding it.

Renee - I hadn't realised that this is going to be your first trip "abroad". if I were to give you one tip it would be this: don't panic. there are bound to be things that go wrong, that aren't quite as you'd imagined, [or hoped] or that you just don't like. don't worry- IME those moments soon pass, and a positive attitude will bring you through most difficulties. Good luck!

ReneeLJ

kybourbon - what a wonderful map, that will be perfect, thank you so much!

annhig - thank you for that lovely piece of advice, will definitely remind myself of that when I am over there

kybourbon

Don't expect the map to be entirely up to date although the Tourism office might be able to tell you.

They use to have a public bathroom map too, but I don't see it on their site anymore. I imagine there is an app for it these days.