Okay, forgive my ignorance, but what is so fantastic about the Uffizi and why is it a 'not to be missed'. What actually is inside?

art

No need to be sarcastic Bob

I was going to say the same thing. But I will expand a wee bit. First off, the inside of the building is beautiful. Look up at the ceilings. There's a few Leonardo da Vincis (Annunciation, Adoration of the Magi), some Michelangelos, Titians, Botticellis, Raphaels, and so forth.

I guess you can call it "just another art museum" if you can call the Notre Dame in Paris "just another church".

"This is one of the most famous museums of paintings and sculpture in the world. Its collection of Primitive and Renaissance paintings comprises several universally acclaimed masterpieces of all time, including works by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. German, Dutch and Flemish masters are also well represented with important works by Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens'

Follow this link to the Fodor's page on the Uffizi:

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...perty_id=76237

amandab: you're right, accept my apologies for my silly retort, which i meant nothing by.

You can reserve your Uffizi ticket here to avoid potential lines:
Sponsored LinksUffizi Gallery Tickets
http://www.florenceart.it/booking/ Reserve your ticket in one minute and enjoy the visit without queue!

Here is the official site of the Uffizi i think.
Polo Museale Fiorentino - Uffizi GalleryThe Uffizi Gallery occupies the top floor of the large building erected by Giorgio ... Friends of the Uffizi Gallery (Amici della Galleria degli Uffizi) ...
http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en...zi/Default.asp

Sincerely. PB

Thank you everyone, this is very helpful information. I had no idea what works of art the museum contained, so now I have a better understanding of why it is so popular. Apology accepted Bob, I should have been more specific in my question.
Think the Uffizi will have to go on to my 'must see' list.

It's a nice museum but I wouldn't necessarily agree that it is "not to be missed". Unless you're a fan of Renaissance art, I personally feel that the Uffizi can be overwhelming. But then again, I have a limited attention span when it comes to art.

I personally preferred the Accademia.

You can also go to the museum's website to see the information you're looking for.

One possible reason so many people say it is "not to be missed" is because they've heard that from a lot of other people and didn't have any more idea of what was in it than you do when they first started out so don't feel the least bit out of the loop.

It is, by most people's accounts an important museum. However, if you do visit and come out wondering what all the fuss is about you won't be alone in that regard, either.

I agree with littlefrenchbird. The Uffizi is not for everyone. Many of the galleries are ill-lit, ill-labeled and ill-hung--even though these galleries feature some of the more famous works of Itaian art. Without a good guide, guidebook, or audioguide, much of these rooms would be a mystery to a novice.

I recommend that those who are untrained or less interested in art should try the Accademia first. It is much smaller and easier to handle and features that sculpture icon, David.

Also check those links to the Uffizi. Getting an idea of what's inside ahead of time may help in your decision.

If this has whetted your apetite, you can book on the phone for only E3 reservation fee, as opposed to the very large booking fees imposed by the ticket agencies. The no is on the web-site. you get a menu of choices, starting with italian/english. Confusingly, some of the remaining choices are stated in italian as well as english, but you will eventually get through to an english speaker, who will say "buon giorno"!
You can book time slots for the uffizi and the accademia at the same time. The whole thing took me 5 minutes.
good luck!

It's true that the Uffizi can be overwhelming if you don't know where to focus your attention. I went to the room that houses Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Awe-inspiring work. After taking in the Botticelli paintings, I meandered through a few other rooms, but for me, nothing matched the experience of seeing Botticelli's Spring and The Birth of Venus, which I enjoyed as much as the statue of David.

Thanks, I will definitely have a look at their web site first. Have already decided to definitely visit the Accademia just wasn't sure about Uffizi. I don't mind museums in small doses but if it came to a choice of the Uffizi or a half day trip to a Tuscany village instead, I think I would opt for the village. Will have to contemplate it a little more.

I'll second susan001. While I don't generally like to use the word "beautiful" in describing art or music (bland cliche), I personally think that Boticelli's Venus is the most beautiful woman ever painted by man....

-e

Hello amandab, although I love art I don't want hour after hour of museums and churches. I like to do one museum a day when in a large city. I do enjoy going into churches, I linger is some longer than in others depending on the feeling that overcomes me when I enter which has nothing to do with what the guidebooks suggest.

And I enjoy villages also and sitting at an outdoor cafe be it a large city or a small town or a village while people watching and enjoying Italian life in a piazza (preferrably away from the heavy tourist areas if possible). I also love walking away from the heavy tourist areas and wandering in neighborhoods and shops where the residents carry on the daily lives.

I would encourage you to enjoy Italy the way you want to, please don't feel obligated to have a check off list of "must sees".

Do feel obligated amandab to experience Italy the way you want to!

It's cheating since I have been to both several times, but if I had to chose, I would go to the Pitti Palace over the Uffizi.

I love palaces and castles and the art collection is breath taking, but then so is the Uffizi's.

The Pitti is much less crowded and if you get there early you can usually have the place to yourself.

The Medici Chapel is a great favorite on mine, but it is under serious restoration.

And a half day in the country side is a wonderful choice. Was in Tuscany in September and spent most of it in the country. Did go to Florence and passed up both Uffizi and Pitti for first time in 4 trips, but did go to the Medici Chapel again.

http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/pitt.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Pitti

Hi amandab
I am one of those museum-lovers (but I also love wandering in small towns or hiking in the country, so I know what you mean)but on the last trip to Italy, 2 of the 5 of us definitely had minimal art museum interest.

What they both did love in Florence, however, was seeing David at the Accademia (one of the 2 burst into tears!) and the Boticelli room at the Uffizi.

As mentioned above, you can just focus on this one room if you want; the Birth of Venus is such a familiar icon and it is wonderful to stand in front of the beautiful original!

We stood in a queue for 2 hours to get into the Uffizi. However it was not to our taste and afterwards we wished we had not bothered.

We far preferred the Rijks museum in Amsterdam.