Florence - How long to.....
 

We have a short stay in Florence and are trying to determine what we will have time do and what we want to do (we do already have reservations for the Uffizi). We will be there during Holy Week in April, so I expect it will be crowded.
1. How far apart are the Accademia and Uffizi? Can you walk between the two or what is the best way to get between the two?
2. Can I expect a long line at the Accademia? Would it be better to go at the end of the day or early am?
3. How far is the Duomo from the Uffizi ? (it looks fairly close on the map). How long can I expect to wait in line there? Do you have to wait just to climb to the top of the Dome? How long would you allow to get into the Duomo AND climb to the top of the Dome

(we are staying near the Piazza Goldoni, so if any knows the distance/time between there and the attractions above that would be great.)

Thank you.

There will definitely be long lines for La Accademia. I had to wait four hours in the summer. The wait was worth it because Michelangelo's David is an exquisite piece of art. Something that me and my traveling companion discovered was that you can book online http://www.tickitaly.com/tickets/mic...lo-tickets.php. Florence is so lovely. I wish I could be there now....I just found this post on Florence. You should check it out for inspiration http://cheapoair.wordpress.com/2009/...lorence-italy/

How long is a short stay?

You really need to reserve for the museums, and then lines won't be a problem.

I highly recommend a trip to the Museo San Marco.

Slven, as others have mentioned you really should reserve for the museums and save yourself a lot of time and hassle! There are always very long lines for the Uffizi and the Accademia.

As for walking distances, I think (depending on how quickly you walk) it's likely about 10 minutes at a reasonable pace to walk from the Piazza Goldoni to the Uffizi Gallery. And I would guess it would be about that same distance again, to walk from the Uffizi to the Accademia.

From the Uffizi to the Duomo would be maybe 5 minutes if you walk without stopping for gelato, window-shopping, etc.

Central Florence is quite small, so distances on maps are often deceiving in that things look farther apart than they actually are.

That said, it's easy to get a bit lost (so many intriguing medieval streets) so give yourself a bit of leeway for that possibility!

I haven't found really long lineups to get into the Duomo, perhaps because there isn't exactly a lot to see inside. People move in and out fairly quickly. However, climbing the dome itself is another story -- that could involve a few hours, what with the line and the long climb up!

Four hour wait for Accademia in summer? Wow.

The line at Duomo seemed to correspond to tour group arrivals. Since Duomo was so centrally located, I walked by it many times until I found a time when there was no line in the late afternoon.

Uffizi had a long queue even before the opening time.

Hi Sl,

If you start at the Academia, it's downhill all the way to the Uffizi.

Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
You can purchase tickets online at http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/

((I))

slven,
I had a better experience booking directly through the museums website: http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/
rather than using any ticketing agency. You can make reservations for both the Uffizi and Accademia on this website. You will not be charged for the reservation unless you use them.
Good Luck!

Yes a four wait greg!!! But now I know better...

Thank you. We DO already have reservations to the Uffizi, so we're good there. We are now thinking of going to the Accademia late afternoon (4pm-ish). At this time, do you still recommend tickets? I don't want to wait in line, but if the line will be minimal, I would prefer the flexibility of not having an exact set time that day.

If it's as crowded during Holy Week as I expect it will (most likely mid-week as people head to Rome later in the week), you might want to think about taking a bus up to Piazza Michaelangelo. A lovely overlook that gives a fabulous view of the city of Florence and a really nice respite from the crowds.

Sl, I've done that -- walked in to the Accademia late in the afternoon. There were no lines and it really was quick and easy.


BUT it is a gamble -- you might hit a period when it's very busy from opening to closing.

I guess only you can decide how badly you want to see it, and whether you want to take the chance!