booking the Ufizzi and Accademia
 

If you're planning a trip to Florence and want to make reservations to the two top museums (especially to avoid the lines), go with the direct phone number instead of using online booking.

We checked the Web sites that let you make the reservations and saw that the sites had a surcharge of about double the ticket cost -- so that a ticket for 6.50 euros ending up costing about 20 euros.

So, though fearful of the cost of an international call and maybe not getting through, we called the number. They answered right away, spoke flawless English, and completed the transaction in about 2 minutes. Maybe we were lucky, but the phone system worked fine for us, and with no surcharges.

If you want to go to the Ufizzi make sure you book WELL in advance - last year even 8 weeks in advance wasn't long enough at times.

We just booked (Mar. 3) for an early April time, with no problems. Of course, things may be a lot different in the summer.

Yes of course, there are normally a lot more people in the summer. I never had any real problems before last year and that is why I remember how difficult it was to book at times.

Booking the Last Supper in Milan has always been difficult (especially if you try to book by phone) but the Ufizzi was easy and you could usually find a reservation.

Maybe 2005 was just an exception but I think it is still better to book as soon as you know when you will be in Florence.

I am going to Italy (Florence) in early May 2007. Is it really necessary to buy tickets ahead of time in May? I was thinking of just waiting in line and assumed the line wouldn't be too long in May. Thanks.

No way - the line can be 3 hours long at times. Book in advance, ring them up and get a time etc. You pay when you get there.

ttt

Why pay the middle-man websites when you can book directly, on the phone, with English-speaking staff that does that all day long? Allow for the time difference from where you live and call as soon as you know your date:

Firenze Musei Tel. 055. 2654321.
www.firenzemusei.it/home.html

WK

Hi all,

It is highly unlikely that you will get into the Uffizi without waiting on line, even with reservations.

Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations

The easiest and cheapest way is to call Florence 1016868 (dial around number), 011 (U.S. international access code) 39 (Italy's country code) then 055-294-883 8:30-18:30 M-F and 8:30-12:00 Sat. Florence time. You will get an English speaking operator and in 2-3 minutes YOU CAN RESERVE FOR BOTH. This is through the reservation service at the Uffizi and costs beyond the normal entry fee only about 3 euro for the service. This is MUCH cheaper than the commercial booking services.

You will not be charged for the reservations unless you use them.

((I))

<<It is highly unlikely that you will get into the Uffizi without waiting on line, even with reservations.>>

That is not our experience. we have reserved tickets to the Uffizi 2 times via www.weekendafirenze.com, and both times were taken in a separate door bypassing huge lines, with no wait ourselves. They are a few Euros more than going direct, but well worth it

I visited the Ufizzi 5 times with reservations and never waited on a line. And yes, carolsc, you should definitely reserve in May - it's high season already.
I did have to wait about 20 minutes past reservation time at the Accademia this past November - lots of tour groups pushed ahead.

We were in Florence in early June 2005 and made reservations for both places long before the trip. To avoid crowds, make your reservation for as early in the day as possible. Then be there at OPENING time. We were the first ones to see David that morning and had quite a bit of time alone. Something I'll never forget.

Ira, what makes you say you will have to wait in line if you have a reservation? that was not my experience either.

we were there in September several years ago. Line without reservations was estimated around 2 hours. We did not wait in line at all, but were let straight in.

I would not try to go without a reservation unless it was the middle of winter. Anytime from April to October, definitely reserve in advance!

This a very timely thread! We took our hosts in Florence up on their very kind offer to book our reservations at both museums, and thank God we did the discussion by email. I just opened my phone bill for February and just about fell over - 3 short calls to Varenna & Venice to confirm email room reservations ran me $60! My only excuse for not using a cut-rate international service like our 10-10-220 was that it was very early in the a.m. when I made my calls... ;-) anyone had any luck with this service:
www.florenceforfun.org

Ronin, what sort of telephone plan are you on? Yikes! That's a good warning for everyone to be sure about their long distance plan before making any calls. I always use a telephone card, so there can't be any surprises (and I'm in Canada, so don't have access to the 10-10 service). But even with my regular Telus long-distance plan, I don't think I would have to pay more than 40 cents per minute to Italy.

j_999_9
Your experience was identical to mine: the entire process by phone took no more that 2 minutes! I didn't see the phone bill (I was in Italy when my husband at home received it) but it can't have been very much for such a short period of time.

I was a real heroine with my travel companions when we simply picked up our tickets and then walked past all the people in the no-reservation line to the no-line entry for reservations!

WillTravel - tell me about it! it was the tail-end of my service with MCI's long-distance plan and the rate for the calls to Italy ran about $5/minute (rounded up to the next minute, of course!), plus tax, plus asking-about-the-tax tax. I'm learning...

JUST there, here's the scoop:
The ONLY time you won't need a reservation is between January 1st and February 28th. March is school break (i.e. travel) for kids, followed by the onlslaught from Mid-March until December. You MAY need to wait with a reservation, but that time is limited to around 10 minutes or so. You go to the reservation line 15 minutes before your reserved time. The guard there may or may not let you in early. In the worst case scenario, you may wait for 15 minutes until your reservation time. You enter, go through security (like at the airport -- bag xray and personal metal detector) to a second line INSIDE the building. At this point, you may purchase an audio guide. You will wait about 10 more minutes, and then get in.
Without a reservation, you will wait outside for upwards of three hours to enter the building and get to the inner lineup.
Advance booking is well, well worth it. Book as soon as you can, and over the telephone. Even with long-distance rates, it is cheaper than booking online and paying someone 10-15 dollars to make the call for you locally. When you call, you will get a booking number. Take the booking number and some ID with you to the Uffizi or the Accadamia. Go from there.
Have fun!

Ok..I have to add my experience here. I took the advice from various people on this site about making reservations to the Uffizi and could not believe that I spent 60 euros (A$90) for three tickets that normally cost 6.50 euros each. That is a hell of a lot of money...at least for my family!! What really annoyed me was that when we went (Feb)there was no queue.. so that extra money was for nothing!!!I would suggest to people that they think about booking a guided tour for the Uffizi which is not much extra and at least they get the benefit of having an expert providing information on the various paintings.

Hi Alb,

Sorry to hear how you got ripped off. Next time, use the phone number posted here. The reservation costs about 3E.

>Ira, what makes you say you will have to wait in line if you have a reservation? that was not my experience either.<

Because we picked up our reserved tickets, walked to the door for reserved tickets, and stood with about 10 other people for 10 min or so before the guard let us in.

It was, of course, a much shorter wait than for those who did not have reservations (about 2 hr).

((I))