Uffizi Gallery Tours | Explore the Famous Gallery in Florence With an Expert Guide
All Your Uffizi Gallery Guided Tour Options
Why Take a Uffizi Gallery Tour?
Uffizi Gallery is one of the most popular and most visited landmarks in Florence. Here are a few reasons why you should go on a Uffizi Gallery tour.
- Expert Guide: Uffizi Gallery tours are the best way to get around the gallery because they include an expert tour guide who knows the attraction like the back of their hand.
- Skip the lines: Booking a guided tour is recommended because the tickets include a skip-the-line feature that allows you to walk past long queues and access the attraction.
- Gain Insights: An Uffizi Gallery tour is the best way to gain knowledge and information about its history, artists, and artworks.
Guided Tours vs Non-Guided Tours
Guided Tours
- Most Uffizi Gallery tour tickets include a skip-the-line feature.
- An Uffizi Gallery guided tour includes an expert guide with in-depth knowledge about the attraction.
- Guided tours have a fixed itinerary, which would include all the major points of interest and famous artworks you must check out on your visit to the gallery.
- Your tour includes a small group of people to give you a comprehensive and interactive experience.
Non-Guided Tours
- You will have to choose entry tickets with a skip-line feature so can avoid the wait, which can be anywhere between 30 minutes to a couple of hours, to enter the gallery.
- You will have to explore the attraction on your own, you can take advantage of the audio guide, for an insightful experience.
- General admission tickets allow you to explore the gallery at your own pace.
- A non-guided tour doesn’t include a group.
What to Expect on a Uffizi Gallery Tour?
Your tour of the gallery will begin on the second floor, which consists of 45 rooms showcasing a wide collection of artworks including paintings, sculptures, and antique statues from the House of Medici’s curated collection. Here, you can admire the artworks of artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Signorelli, Bellini, Giorgione, Mantegna and Correggio. You will also find miniatures, archaeological relics, and ancient maps.
You will then be taken to the first floor, which is divided into four sections showcasing artworks by Dutch, French, and Spanish artists predominantly from the 16th to 18th centuries. You will also find paintings and marble sculptures by artists like Andrea del Sarto, Rosso Fiorentino, Pontormo, Vasari, and Allori.
The tour ends with a visit to the Balcony over the Arno, a long corridor comprising three beautiful sculptures – Medici Vase, Mars Gravidus, and Silenus.
Highlights Covered on Your Uffizi Gallery Tour
The Palace
The Uffizi Palace, which follows a Doric style of architecture, is one of the greatest examples of sixteenth-century Italian architecture. It was built by Giorgio Vasari, after being commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici, Duke of Florence, who wished to use the building as an office that would bring all the administrative departments under one roof.
The Corridors
There are three iconic corridors on the east, west, and south of the top floor of the gallery. The corridors are lined with statues, paintings, busts, and frescoes that date back to the 14th century depicting the history and glory of the House of Medici and Tuscany. The corridors are also famous for the spectacular views of the city’s important landmarks their large windows offer.
The Grand Staircase
Divided into two parts, the first flight of stairs was designed by Vasari in the Florentine Renaissance style. It stops at the first floor while the second flight, made in Neo-Classical form, goes up to the floor of the gallery via an elliptical vestibule. The whole stairway is done up in green pastel shades reflecting the bright interiors of European cities like Saint Petersburg and Vienna.
The Tribune
Designed by Bernardo Buontalenti, the Tribune is an octagonal room inside the Uffizi Gallery built to house the jewels and embellishments of Francesco l de’ Medici, the Grand Duke of Florence at the time. It is also home to sculptures, paintings, and some beautiful natural items like precious stones.
Department of Prints and Drawings
Located on the gallery's first floor, the Department of Prints and Drawings is housed in what was formerly the Medici Theater. The department consists of over 177,000 prints and drawings, with works dating back to the end of the 14th century. The department also includes a photo gallery, library, and the recently installed study room for academics, researchers, and students.
Artworks
The Uffizi Gallery is home to one of the most extensive collections, comprising some of the most important artworks. Some must-see works at Uffizi include Caravaggio’s Medusa, Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, Fra Angelico’s Coronation of the Virgin, and Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece The Annunciation.
Detailed Guide to Uffizi ArtworksFrequently Asked Questions About Uffizi Gallery Tours
A. Yes, you can book an Uffizi Gallery tour here.
A. You can book an Uffizi Gallery tour online.
A. Uffizi Gallery tour tickets are priced at €50 and above.
A. The Uffizi Gallery guided tours are available in 5 languages – English, German, Italian, Spanish and French.
A. The Uffizi Gallery guided tour covers all the major points of interest and popular artworks inside the museum.
A. It depends on the type of tour you book. The Uffizi Gallery guided tours usually have a maximum capacity of 15 guests.
A. Yes. The Uffizi Gallery guided tour is worth it because it is home to possibly the greatest art collection in the world, even better than the Louvre in Paris or the New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The collection includes artworks of the finest artists to have ever walked on the face of Earth – Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Caravaggio, to name a few.
A. Yes. Uffizi Gallery guided tours include skip the line access.
A. Yes. You can cancel a booked Uffizi Gallery guided tour 24 to 48 hours before the scheduled date and get a full refund.
A. The Uffizi Gallery guided tour is between 2.5 to 6.5 hours long, depending on the tour you book.
A. There are four types of Uffizi Gallery tours available – the basic guided tour which allows you to explore the museum, Florence Wonders with Uffizi Gallery Skip-the-Line Visit + Small Group Tour, Semi-Private Uffizi Gallery Renaissance Art Tour, Florence Half-Day Tour with Uffizi & Accademia Galleries, and Florence Half-Day Tour – Uffizi & Accademia Galleries with Florence Cathedral.
