What are the best museums in Florence?

Hi Liza: These would be my choices--the Uffizi, the Accademia for Michelangelo's David, the Bargello (Renaissance sculpture--fabulous), the Museo del Duomo, the Medici chapels (more of Michelangelo's sculptures)--if you have the time see the Museo San Marco. It is one of the most beautiful and unique places I've visited--it's also called the Fra Angelico museum. <BR> <BR>I'm sure you've been told this before ut it's true--all of Florence is a museum! Have a great time.

Liza, <BR>Don't forget Santa Croce -- very famous Giotta frescoes. Here's a tip. When you arrive at the train station, go to the Tourist Information office and pay a few thousand lira (about $6) and get timed tickets to the Uffizi. Otherwise you wait on an ungodly long line and waste the precious time in Florence on line. You might be able to do the same for the Accademia. I wish I had known ahead of time. It will save you some heartbreak.

You can also use the web site <BR>www.weekendafi to order museum tickets in advance. <BR>Another view point from someone who was just there for the first time: <BR>The museums are, from an American <BR>standpoint, user-unfriendly, particularly the Uffizi. Because they <BR>are in historic building there are no elevators, and the Uffizi has many many stairs. In addition, we could check only large umbrellas, not coats or totebags, so don't visit with a lot of belongings. Also, the Uffizi had no <BR>guides, signs (in any language) arrows, or brochures, so take a good guidebook. <BR> <BR>The art is of course breathtaking, but <BR>the museum experience can be headache-making. I second all the <BR>recommendations for earlier responses, just don't try to do them all in one or two days. <BR>

The Uffici stairs are legbreakers, but there is an elevator at the foot of the stairs. My mother broke down halfway up so we descended and took the el. <BR> <BR>Don't miss the Uffici, it's the best gallery in Italy and one of the best in Europe. I found the Bargello much better than the Accademia. The Accademia has the David but is mediocre otherwise. There is a decent copy of the David on the original site in the Piazza della Signora if you want to duck the lines and hassle. Don't miss the Bapistry Doors at the Duomo (cathedral). Also don't miss the Massacio frescoes in a smaller church south of the river. They were as revolutionary as Giotto, Michelangelo, and Leonardo's work was. In fact the latter two learned a great deal from Massacio. The only reason most people aren't familiar with him is that he died at age 27, right after he hit his prime. The lines are smaller as well.

Accademia is waste of time and money, there is nothing to see except David. And at least last summer when I was there, half the museum was closed anyway. Best to head somewhere else!

I can't believe anyone would recommend missing seeing Michaelangelo's original David. True, the rest not that great, but all the copies I saw in Florence were nothing compared to the original! Just go about 45 minutes before closing like we did, walk right in, and you've got him all to yourself! As many others have agreed in previous posts, the David will stop you in your tracks and render you speechless.... <BR>

It is absolutely woth all the hassles to see the original David. Don't miss it. The Massacio frescoes are extraordinary. They are in the Carmine church which I think is on the Piazza Santo Spirito. You should definitely buy a good guidebook for the Uffizi.

Miss David...I'd sooner not take the trip! Of all the manmade objects we've seen in the past twelve years of travelling in Europe, I can't recall one other item that deserves the awe and respect of David! (Just my humble opinion). <BR>