Uffizi Tickets | City Wonders Small groups of only 20 people or fewer Audio headsets so you can always hear your guide What makes this tour special? The Uffizi gallery ranks high on the list of any art-lover visiting Florence, a fact that regularly results in general access lines stretching for hours. Save precious vacation time and get the best from your visit on our two-hour guided tour, including Skip the Line Uffizi tickets so you gain direct access to the masterpieces inside. Because it would be impossible to see the entire Uffizi collection in one day (not to mention exhausting), we’ve spent years perfecting a route which visits the highlights of the Gallery as well as some less visited works well worth your time. You’ll see Botticelli’s iconic work ‘The Birth of Venus’ and Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Annunciation’ to name but a few. Passing through the stunning halls and rooms of the Uffizi, you’ll learn about the gallery itself, started in 1560 by Vasari. Sprinkled among the masterpieces of the collection are countless sculptures standing to attention on long corridors, beautifully decorated ceiling panels and original artworks that remind you that this is no regular art gallery.

As you travel, your guide will tell you about the artists themselves, the inspiration behind the works they created and the techniques they used to beautiful success. Learn about the patrons that supported the Renaissance and how their benefactors felt about them, and about the events and fashions that influenced some of the world’s most important art. With small groups of only 20 people or less and audio headsets for every guest, your tour will be relaxed and your guide easy to interact with. If you haven’t had enough by the end of the tour we’ll leave you with an option. Your Uffizi tickets are valid for the rest of the evening so if you’d like, you can stay and explore more. Your guide will be happy to point you in the direction of a favorite artwork or to suggest areas worth visiting. As experts in their field they’re the perfect people to answer any questions you may have. Planning to spend the whole day in Florence? Then you might consider taking our Full-Day Florence Tour . Not only will you enjoy Skip the Line Access to Uffizi and the Duomo, but also to the Accademia Gallery. And you'll even save money compared to booking the two tours of this combined itinerary.

*Please note: In an effort to provide our customers with the best possible tour experience, the actual artwork seen may vary. Rest assured, we do our best to show you the highlights of the gallery *Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with 'Skip the Line' access. World’s Most Famous Masterpieces We follow a carefully-planned route through the huge Uffizi Gallery to see works by da Vinci, Botticelli, and Michelangelo. Understand the Stories and Techniques Behind the Art With an expert, English-speaking guide leading the way, you won’t just see the masterpieces of the Uffizi – you’ll understand them. Cut the Line We include Skip the Line Uffizi tickets, reserved and collected in advance so you save hours of waiting in line, gaining immediate access. Read More Skip the Line Uffizi Tour & Tickets | Walks of Italy Cristina was great. Very informative. Excellent tour. Hayley Highly recommend. Take some extra time before or after the tour to explore this museum. jennifer 2016-12-28 Very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable guide. Love that the tour numbers are low. Guide was never rushing us and we could take our time.

Loved it thank you very much Amelia 2016-12-27 Teresa was fabulous! I learned so much from her and her style of educating was informal but professional. She has an easy going personality and her knowledge of art history was phenomenal, too. This tour is highly recommended! BETSY 2016-12-19 Teresa was well-informed and very gracious. She helped my mother-in-law with a medical issue during the tour. She was also gracious enough to help us locate a cab service after our tour since my mother-in-law was a bit ill. Everything was perfect in terms of the tour. Eugenia 2016-12-16 Charles Adler, our tour guide, gave us a very informative and interesting tour of the Uffizi. We covered just a small part of the Museum, but it was a very quality tour that creates a desire for us to come back next year for another tour, hopefully with Mr. Adler again. Jean 2016-12-06 Very knowledgeable guide.Good pace and we were left with some time in the museum to explore on our own which was nice. James Knowledgable and friendly. Informative tour.

Richard 2016-11-09 The tour leader was amazing! She had a story to tell and was excited to tell it through the art she showed and the passion with which she did it. Wonderful. Barry 2016-10-31 Our guide was fantastic as were the people who met us at the appointed meeting spot. Will recommend Catherine Awesome guide. Learned a lot! Valerie Angelo was the best guide of our trip. Overwhelmed by all the art and beauty. Lori 2016-10-28 I do not recall the guide's name but she was very informative and enthusiastic. I would absolutely recommend the tour and the guide. Am so glad I took it instead of doing the audio guide. Samantha 2016-10-27 Fantastic Guide her passion for her job really shone through! We had a young family in our group which included two girls 11& 12 years and Theresa's enthusiastic delivery of her knowledge was so very much appreciated! Katherine 2016-10-24 Best tour I did in Florence. Angelo was so great, informative, enthusiastic & interesting!

This was the first tour I did & no other tour compared. Thank you, thoroughly enjoyed it!! Jessica Very much enjoyed this amazing tour! Mohamed Ed 2016-10-18 Wonderful guide! Eshmael was terrific. Actually had him for 2 of my 3 walking tours in Florence. He was very knowledgeable, easy to follow and had a warm sense of humor. Sue 2016-10-14 We thought the tour was one of the best we have had. Paolo talked about art in the 1500's in a way that was interesting and informative, and we learned a great deal from him. Fabulous job! Patricia 2016-10-10 Our guide, Paolo, was very engaged and was a great tour guide. Very passionate about the artwork. I still remember the intensity in his eyes! Tomoya 2016-09-28 Ismael had a great sense of humor and his knowledge of the art was incredible. He made the tour so much more than just looking at pictures. It was almost like getting a history of Western art while looking at the nuances of the art and its arrangement in the gallery.

Jon 2016-09-28 Ishmael was knowledgeable and engaging. His English was also excellent. Highly recommend. I also think going early in the morning and a small group of 10 helped. Harry Ishmeal was very knowledgeable. We really enjoyed this tour. Catherine She was very well informed. Chandra 2016-08-24 Uffizi was very crowded and again a hot day. The guide was very good and did a good job showing us more than just basics. She knew a lot about each of the artists and managed to give us a great tour despite the crowds. Vijayalakshmi 2016-08-08 I wish I could have gone on a longer tour. Our guide was very good--she was knowledgeable and friendly. I was thrilled I could get a tour on such short notice--it made a big difference our experience. Thank you Terri 2016-08-02 We found the tour extremely well organized. The guide was informative and witty with a lot of knowledge and a great style of presentation. Loved the fact that a few choice works were discussed in detail.

Jane 2016-07-23 It was a wonderful tour through the Uffizi Museum, and the guide with the story-telling voice, made the tour even more interesting. Ljupka 2016-07-19 Cristina really knows her art. I felt bad for the people just wandering the Uffizi, they had no clue what to see. What a wonderful afternoon. Mark Excellent staff, tour guide was enthusiastic and informative. Hayley 2016-07-04 Angelo, our tour guide made the whole experience special. We are pros in walking tours - this one stands out! Thank you, Angelo, and Walks Italy tours! We will for sure return back. yuri 2016-06-23 Paolo was a great guide. Described these masterpieces with enthusiasm, wit, and knowledge. This is one of 3 tours I took over 3 days and all the guides (Paolo, Terese, and Ishmael) were all superb. I would highly recommend Walking Tours to all. Tom tom Patricia 2016-06-17 The tour was a wonderful introduction to the Uffizi.

Our guide was fantastic. He was very knowledgable and enthuastic. Loved it. Robert 2016-06-15 This tour was fantastic, Ismael was a great guide who really showed us the great highlights of the Uffizi. Wonderful tour. Jeffrey 2016-06-13 We were very impressed with Angelo's knowledge of art history. We could have easily spend the rest of the day in the Uffizi with Angelo as our guide. He presented multiple opinions and truly brought the art alive. Patti 2016-06-07 I think you could call the tour ' Secrets of the Paintings' because our tour guide Ishmael enlightened us tremendously. Insights on the progression of experimentation over time periods and subject matter. Very in depth and a pleasure to be with for 2.5 hours. LAURA Another excellent tour with an excellent guide. David Very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide who made the information into a story. Susan Also a very excellent guide who was fun knowledgeable organized. Carl 2016-05-20 Guide was excellent, very informative, and made me appreciate the art we were viewing. Well-paced tour.

Jason Ishmael gave us a great and comprehensive tour. Jennifer 2016-05-16 Klass was an exceptional guide. He is both witty and deeply knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and will certainly engage a "Walks" guide for our next adventure. Both my husband and I walked away feeling we learned a lot and our way of looking at art had changed. Really wonderful. Natalie 2016-05-14 Angelo did a very good job. He managed to move at the right pace and was well-informed about his subject and able communicate well with his audience. Prof. JOHN BELCHER John 2016-05-04 This was an excellent tour. Our guide, Theresa, was both knowledgeable and engaging and she really made the art and history come alive for us. My wife and I look forward to our next trip to Italy and will be telling all of our friends about your tours and how much we enjoyed them. Richard 2016-05-02 Fantastic tour! The gallery and its paintings were really brought to life. Teresa was brilliant and made it all fascinating. We were so pleased to learn such a lot.

We'd have been completely overwhelmed visiting the gallery without the tour. Thank you! Sue Angelo was fantastic. We both very much enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend. Brett See prior comments for Angelo-grazie! LYNNETTE Angelo needs a tv show... guy is hilarious Anthony 2016-04-19 Our guide Ishmael was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. We had a wonderful time and his insightful explanations added greatly to our enjoyment.Thank you so much, Beryl Bardsley. Beryl 2016-04-06 Angelo is very knowledgable explaining the art history of the paintings and sculptures of the Uffizi. Bobbi 2016-03-31 Probably the best tour I've had. I studied art history in university and learned a lot from Bernardo. He is a superb guide! Katherine Loved this guide. He was really funny and knew his stuff. Annmarie 2016-01-12 Enjoyed the morning tour so much decided to sign up for the afternoon one too. Our guide was fantastic!

Marianne 2016-01-12 Angelo was our son's favorite tour guide. Looking at paintings for them was a lit boring after an hour or so. He kept them engaged and interested. Rick 2016-01-11 Angelo was terrific. He brought plenty of energy to the tour, was knowledgeable, and had great pacing for our family. Paul Bennett 2016-01-02 Teresa was amazing! She was so knowledgeable and the info she gave was so interesting. She has a real passion for art which was great to be around. Keeley 2015-12-28 There was a small group of five on this tour which allowed Angelo to give an intimate look at the Uffizi. He was so engaging that others not on the tour would stop and listen to his presentations. The tours were everything we had hoped and we can't wait for our Evening in Rome tour tomorrow! Douglas 2015-12-18 Bernardo was an excellent and enthusiastic teacher and we left with such a rich experience of Renaissance art. We were utterly delighted to have chosen this guided tour over other options and have recommended your tours already to others.

Catherine Again, Emma was very good and we really enjoyed our time with her! Jack and Lynne 2015-12-02 Teresa is the most wonderful story teller! She brought the Medici family and all the artists and artwork to life for us. It was the perfect way to explore the Uffuzi Gallery. Grazie Mille! Andra 2015-11-30 Teresa was amazing!! This tour was perfect! I loved hearing about some of the history behind the paintings too! Jennifer Both guides were knowable informative and helpful I highly recommend them thanks to Both of them John 2015-11-02 This was a great tour! Theresa was an outstanding guide with so much knowledge, we enjoyed it immensely . Susan 2015-10-31 Bernardo was very instructive and entertaining. We learned a lot that we wouldn't have understood viewing the Uffizi without a guide. David 2015-10-30 Angelo was knowledgeable and answered all questions about the great works of art we saw.

He really was able to explain the rise of Renaissance art and differentiate painters and sculptors, their importance and their legacy. Highly recommend. Joan Same Guide from the Duomo tour, great day full of information and history! Mark Carol 2015-10-26 Angelo pointed out the highlights of this museum and gave us several different theories for many of the pieces. We enjoyed hearing about the personal lives of the artists as well. Dorinda 2015-10-26 Angelo was my guide. What a delightful and knowledgeable guide. I enjoyed the tour immensely. Thank you for getting me on the tour at the last minute. Sharon 2015-10-22 My husband & I thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the Uffizi Gallery. Angelo was an absolutely amazing guide. He was very knowledgeable and explained things in a way that made everything so interesting. Carrie 2015-10-21 Angelo was superb in sharing his vast knowledge of the Uffizzi and its contents. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience!! Thanks so much!! Laurel 2015-10-20 Our guide Klaus is really captivating.

He made the art come alive with the history and the stories behind them. He is truly a gem. Michelle Chloe 2015-10-19 I really enjoyed this tour and found Angelo to be an engaging and helpful guide. At times he spent a lot of time on individual paintings when I would have preferred to have moved on to a different painting. Pamela Same guide and he was terrific Barbara 2015-10-16 Asked to be sure I was in Angelos group again. I have already recommended your company and only wished I had taken more of your tours.m well done Jane 2015-10-15 The guide was informative and showed his own interest in his subject which made it more enjoyable. We liked the background stories to the paintings and the chronological order he put the paintings in so we left feeling we had learned something Patricia I actually stayed with the same group lead by Charles. Another well run tour. sara 2015-10-14 Teresa was a wonderful guide and she taught me and made the Uffizi less daunting. I would highly recommend her for another tour.

Loretta 2015-10-13 Angelo explained everything in detail. He is excellent. I am so glad to have him for this tour. Learned a lot from him. Mona 2015-10-12 What I enjoyed about the Florence tours was Teresa's huge knowledge and love of art. Her passion for it was infectious. Really enjoyable day. Rebecca Teresa was fantastic! Her enthusiasm for the art really showed. Lindsay Teresa was fantastic! Her enthusiasm for the art really showed. Lindsay 2015-10-11 Charles was so knowledgeable and passionate about everything we saw - amazing tour, fantastic guide. Also he allowed time to enjoy the experience. Gail Angelo was a fantastic guide. We thoroughly enjoyed his tour. Karen Teresa's knowledge was outstanding and made this tour highly enjoyable. Jayne Outstanding guide. Wealth of information, but not overwhelming in presentation. Bo criticism; only praise. Rosemary Bleha Ann Marie 2015-10-04 Vincenzo was a wonderful guide! One of our favorite tours! Great way to see the Uffizi Gallery.

Curtis 2015-10-02 Ismael was amazing! His knowledge and passion for Florence is exemplary. Ismael is THE standard by which all other tour guides should be measured. Pity Ismael cannot lead ALL your Walks of Italy - he's THAT good. You need to clone him... or at least think about it. Susan Excellent. Very informative and interesting. Christine 2015-10-01 See above as the review I wrote for TripAdvisor covers both tours. I submitted the review today and it should be published in 2 days. Randall 2015-09-30 Charles was absolutely amazing. His enthusiasm and knowledge was extremely impressive. I would recommend him to anyone going to Florence.thank you Ali Keefe alice 2015-09-30 Great guide! His explanation was very clear! he had great story telling skills and he used lots of examples and told us good jokes to explain the history. We really learned a lot and had a great time. Matthew 2015-09-27 Angelo was the best guide we have ever had. He truly made the tour fascinating and insightful.

We cannot praise him highly enough!!! Anthony Our guide was very knowledgeable and engaging. We both very much enjoyed the tour. William Charles made the tour fun and very educational lois 2015-09-23 Loved the Uffizi thanks to our wonderful tour guide, Angelo! We learned so much about Renaissance and Medieval Art! Now have a greater appreciation! Robin A benefit if Charles had used similar umbrella as Angelo Morten Angelo was an awesome guide. Very knowledgable and kept things interesting David Elvira again was marvelous. I would recommend her highly. Laurel 2015-09-23 Klaas was so informative and had a great energy. We learned a lot and felt engaged for the entire tour. He showed us the main works and also gave us a good understanding of the background. I would recommend this tour and Klaas. Robert 2015-09-21 Our guide was more of an art teacher than a tour guide. Thanks to Ismael we gained a good understanding of the basics of religious Italian art, the characters, styles and stories, from medieval times to the baroque, that we could then apply throughout the rest of our travels.

Penny Klaas was extremely knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about art. Very entertaining. We enjoyed the tour. Beatrice 2015-09-19 Very passionate guide. Brought the art to life. Made paintings more than paintings with the back stories. Michael Mei Yun 2015-09-16 So pleased to get the back story of this artwork. I was intrigued and entertained throughout. Highly recommend. Sue 2015-09-14 The artwork in Florence is magnificent! Our guide, Ismael, was exceptionally well-versed and truly knowledgeable in fine arts. He gave us a wealth of information in just a few hours. Maria 2015-09-13 Ismael was professional, engaging, passionate about the subject matter of the tour, and very pleasant. We had a terrific time. Mark 2015-09-12 Our guide was extremely knowledgable and passionate about the art. Did a wonderful job of taking us along a journey through the world of art during the Medici family rule.

Tracy 2015-09-10 Charles was knowledgeable and really made the history and the art come to life. Couldn't have asked for more kirsteen 2015-09-09 Our guide on this tour was Charles David and he was great. He was very knowledgeable on the art that we were seeing. You could tell he knew what he was talking about when he explained the pieces. Highly recommend Sharon Darrell 2015-09-04 The tour guide was incredible! He really led us through the history of art from pre-Giotto to Baroque, showing us what to look for and how things changed. It was very interactive and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Connor Great tour. Wonderful use of time. Our guide was outstanding. Robin Angelo was a fantastic guide-knowedgeable and humorous Yassir 2015-08-20 Thank you Elvira for an incredible day. We were lost in wonder of the beautiful works and your explanation made them come alive. Evelyna 2015-08-10 Angelo was unbelievable! He described everything we saw and answered all questions. Made visiting another museum entertaining and interesting.

Kept everyone moving, but didn't feel rushed. I would highly recommend this tour. Catherine 2015-08-07 The tour was great and our guide was extremely informative. She gave us great information on our tour. Thomas 2015-08-02 I am not an art fan, But, Teresa did a very good job of talking about the art and the Ufizzi that made it very interesting. Marshall Janice 2015-07-12 Angelo was very engaging and knowledgeable. He was both instructive and entertaining and had a great sense of humor while interacting with the group. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Kregg Angelo was an excellent guide and explained everything with clarity and passion. Anthony 2015-07-03 This tour was absolutely fabulous. Great guide and awesome experience. Even the kids were raving about how much they loved it. Keith 2015-06-29 We did the double tour and while we greatly enjoyed both parts, it almost got too long, especially considering the crowds and the heat. Our guide, however, was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

She certainly gave us our money's worth! Overall, this was a great tour and we got to see SO much! Lois 2015-06-25 Great tour! Angelo was a great guide. Very knowledgeable and fun! Would recommend and ask for Angelo. Chuck and Rebecca Rao Charles 2015-06-18 Thoroughly enjoyed the tour through the major art works in the Uffizi with Charles. The gallery is daunting with the its sheer volume of amazing art but David gave a fantastic overview of the various art periods and took us to specific highlights. Now need to go back and explore the rest. Olivia Tour was great and the guide clearly had an art background. Great experience. Ellen We had Charles for this tour too. Same feedback as above. Joy 2015-06-04 Ishmael was fabulous. Wish we could have dreamed up another reason to have him share his knowledge with us again Helaine Susan 2015-05-28 it is good that there is a break between these two tours -together they make for a very long day robert The guide was excellent-full of information and passionate about the art.

valerie 2015-05-27 we had the same Guide, Therese, for the afternoon and again, she was highly knowledgeable and interesting to listen to. The paintings were very well chosen to give us a good overview of this immense gallery. Just what we wanted. Will recommend it to others. Diana 2015-05-26 Guide was excellent, knowledgable and well spoken. He made the tour enjoyable and informative, would highly recommend this tour especially if you are short on time and want a meaningful tour. Jessie amazing fantastic tour, Theresa was an enthusiastic guide, one of my favorite activities in Italy Stephanie Tour was exceptional ! Very knowledgeable and showed us the 'best' of the Uffizi ! William Very professional and informative. Pleasant and accommodating. Stanley 2015-05-21 Another wonderful tour. Your guides are passionate about the history of Italy and it shows. This was money well spent and I would not hesitate to use this service again. John 2015-05-21 Great guide. Focused on the art and the changes over the years. Did not waste time but spent plenty of time on the important stuff!!

sonya Really enjoyed her knowledge of the art works. Dwight 2015-05-05 Ishmal was our guide and he was such a source of information. We were able to see and learn so much more in a shorter period of time than if we were on our own. Linda 2015-04-20 It was a whirlwind tour but I think we saw everything we needed to see. The guide was knowledgable and personable. We only had one day to do this tour and David & the Duomo and I believe having an expert walk you through and explain and point out things is the best way to go. Debra 2015-04-19 Costanza is a very knowledgeable guide. She makes the tour very interesting and her explanation is very clear. We had a wonderful time. Agnes 2015-04-13 Angelo is an excellent guide. We really enjoyed the tour of the Uffizi and would recommend Walks of Italy to our friends.

Erik 2015-04-08 We had a great tour with an incredibly knowledgeable guide - it was like an entire semester of art history in real life all in one afternoon! Anne 2015-04-06 2 1/2 hours flew by! Klaus carefully chose the masters for us to view and understand - and a few favorites of his, too. The Uffizi needs a few benches - but the tour couldnt be improved upon! Lenore 2015-03-13 I really like the tour! The guide had knowledge about art and told us good stories about the painters. Denise 2014-12-28 Costanza was excellent - so good, in fact, I was registered for her morning tour and signed up over the phone for her afternoon tour. She really knows her stuff. Megan 2014-11-24 Fantastic way to see the Ufizi- our guide Charles, was the best- really informative- he brought it alive for us Marcaa 2014-11-03 I am puzzled, because my wife already did a review.

Without repeating it, I must say that Charles was a terrific guide. We would definately use your company in Florence or other cities. Frederick 2014-11-03 This tour was fantastic! Paul was a great guide - energetic, engaging, knowledgeable and fun. I was sorry when the 2.5 hours was over. Would highly recommend this tour. Caitlin 2014-10-17 The Uffizzi tour was the most fabulous of the trip.Our tour guid had a weath of knowledge without being boring.Eneven for those without art history experience he kept us enthralled. We saw sienna on 1 October Bene our siena guide was lovely.It was raining but we hardly noticed. Anya 2014-10-15 The tour guide, Claus from the Netherlands, was absolutely top-notch. He was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and energetic and you could sense his passion. There were 5 of us and everyone was complimentary of Claus and felt that he really put Italian art and history in a perspective HIlda 2014-10-15 Very good tour. Guide was peppy and informative.

It was obvious she was proud of Florence and Florentine art. Roberta Excellent tour. Our guide was very good. Bob 2014-10-11 Both tours were excellent, and I would recommend them to anyone. The Food Tour was particularly enjoyable, because we learned so much and ended the trip stuffed! The guides were organized, knowledgeable, and fun. Both tours were well worth the money. Annette 2014-10-08 This tour was fantastic! Paul was a great guide - energetic, engaging, knowledgeable and fun. I was sorry when the 2.5 hours was over. Would highly recommend this tour. Caitlin 2014-10-08 My mother and I had a wonderful time on the tour. It was great to have a smaller tour group; we were able to ask questions and interact more with our guides. We would recommend this to anyone else looking to get more out of their time in Florence. Alexis 2014-10-01 Paul in particular was AMAZING.

I learned so much from him and he was so passionate about everything Russ 2014-10-01 The Uffizzi tour was the most fabulous of the trip.Our tour guid had a weath of knowledge without being boring.Eneven for those without art history experience he kept us enthralled. Anya 2014-09-29 My mother and I had a wonderful time on the tour. It was great to have a smaller tour group; we were able to ask questions and interact more with our guides. We would recommend this to anyone else looking to get more out of their time in Florence. Alexis 2014-09-23 We took two tours in Rome and two in Florence. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and personable . We enjoyed every minute of the tours. The guides make the history come to life. We will definitely book other tours when in Italy. Thank you for enriching our Italian experience Debbie 2014-09-19 We took the Uffizi Museum tour with Helen in Florence. She was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable, well-spoken and interesting.

We enjoyed our tour with her and would be happy to use your services again when travelling. Ms. Miller 2014-09-18 We took the Uffizi Museum tour with Helen in Florence. She was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable, well-spoken and interesting. We enjoyed our tour with her and would be happy to use your services again when travelling. Ms. 2014-09-12 This tour was great. Our guide was amazing and very knowledgeable. Our overall experience with this company was Excellent! Beata 2014-08-30 Always take a tour when visiting Italy. Walks of Italy tour guides were fantastic. Our guide was pleasant and knowledgeable. Her Knowledge of Italy especially in Florence was impressive. I highly recommend a Walks of Italy tour. We took 3 in Italy and all 3 were exceptional Gregory 2014-07-13 Paul was our tour guide. He is super fantastic. His humor kept us totally engaged the entire tour. Learned so very much. Much to see and hear in such a short time. Loved every minute.

Patti 2014-06-12 Had a great tour today with Charles - very knowledgable and passionate about the art and Florence. We were educated and entertained. Thank you, Charles! Mark We LOVED Ismael, our guide--FANTASTIC! Marita 2014-06-05 If you're lucky enough to get the English tour guide Helen on this tour, this turns out to be an amazing and enriching way to see and learn about some of the best works in Italy. Very concise, efficient, and entertaining! Craig Excellent tour , informative,fun and entertaining Paul was a star ! Robin Swell tour. Easy, humorous (important)' answered all our questions. Lesli 2014-04-03 Our tour was fantastic. The Uffizi is so overwhelming. Our tour guide , Bernardo brought the art to life. He really helped us to understand the history of Florence and the great masters. He was very entertaining. I would highly recommend this tour.

Cynthia base price includes 2 tickets Adults asd $57.51 Uffizi Gallery Tour:An Itinerary to Visit the Main Masterpieces of the Museum Book your Guided Tour of the Uffizi Gallery and explore the museum accompanied by an art history expert! The beginning of the tour: The Last of the Medici and the First Floor Our path started at the ground floor when our guide pointed out the portrait of Anna Maria dei Medici hung in the middle of the wall as you’re about to enter the museum (near the cloakroom). Anna Maria is important for the history of the museum and city since, as the last surviving member of the Medici family, she left everything to the Lorraine family with a special stipulation: the Lorraines could not take away from Florence any of the art collections the Medici had amassed, defining these as State property to be left to the enjoyment of the public, including foreign visitors to the city. We therefore have her to thank for all of the precious artworks preserved in Florence, which surely contribute to it being considered the second travel destination in the world. Climbing the first flight of stairs, we stop at a wooden door.

Our guide says that his door, designed by Buontalenti, is the last of what’s left of the Medicean theater created here by request of Francesco I dei Medici (1541-1587), who loved attending performances. Today, the only remaining pieces of the theater are the door and the wooden beams of the theater’s ceiling, which can be still be seen in the Botticelli rooms. Second Floor: Vestibule and Eastern Corridor Continuing on to the second floor, we arrive at the Lorraine Atrium which precedes the entrance into the the main corridor and museum rooms. Here the marble busts set out side by side include members of the Medici and Lorraine family, from Francesco I to Gian Gastone, welcoming you to the museum! Among these is the bust of Vittoria della Rovere, the last member of the Della Rovere dynasty from Urbino, daughter of Federico Ubaldo della Rovere and Claudia dei Medici and married to Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

The guide focused our attention on the woman because she is particularly important for many art pieces in the museum, bringing to Florence artworks collected by her extinct family as dowry. From the vestibule, you then pass by the ticket collector and enter into the Eastern Corridor, whose ceiling is richly decorated in splendid grotesque , painted between 1579 and 1581. Second Floor: the Main Rooms From this corridor, we can access the first rooms of the museum. The rooms are set out in chronological order, from ancient works to the newest and divided by art period and artist. Room 2 is dedicated to Giotto and to art of the thirteenth century. Here, you can admire one of his most famous artworks, the Ognissanti Madonna. With the help of our guide, we were able to see the differences among this one and the other two altarpieces found in the same room, one by Cimabue and the other by Duccio di Buoninsegna. The main innovation introduced by Giotto and which you can see compared to the other two is the representation of the Virgin Mary as a real woman, with her womanly shape outlined under her mantle.

While Giotto was innovating his Madonna, Dante Aligheri was also writing his Divine Comedy in the vulgar language. Both artists were seeking a new language that the general populace would understand, making each of their works reach a broader audience. Within Rooms 5-6 dedicated to the painters of the International Gothic style, we stopped to admire Gentile da Fabriano’s Adoration of the Magi (1423). The guide explained that the painting was commissioned by the Strozzi family, important cloth merchants of that time, and in a way was also a “promotional” tool, an ad for their products: notice that all of the important figures in the painting are showing off the best textiles, from silks and brocades, that the family traded in Florence at that time. Room 7 hosts the artworks of the early Renaissance, and here you will find the Madonna and Child with St. Anne by Masaccio, the first painter who represented Jesus completely naked. It was the start of Humanism, where the beauty of the human being no longer something to hide but to be exalted for its perfection.

In Room 8 we love on to admire Filippo Lippi’s splendid Madonna and Child with Two Angels (from around 1465). The Madonna is beautiful, the model being his own muse, Lucrezia Buti. As a friar who fell in love with her, he left the order causing quite a scandal at that time! They were forced to flee the city and go into exile, eventually returning to Florence with the help of the Medicis. In the same room, do not miss the Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino (from around 1472) by Piero della Francesca, Tuscan painter from Arezzo. These paintings belong to the Uffizi collection precisely because Vittoria della Rovere brought them from her family from Urbino. Sandro Botticelli The guide introduced us to the fantastic world of Botticelli in Rooms 10-14 (remember they were part of the Medicean theater? You can still see the original wooden ceiling beams.) The beauty of the two main masterpieces by Botticelli, the Birth of Venus and The Primavera will leave you speechless.

The paintings, both commissioned by private individuals (among them Lorenzo il Magnifico), symbolize the triumph and return of pagan beauty to Florence. For this reason, they met the disapproval of the politician and monk Girolamo Savonarola. Botticelli, who became a follower of the monk, became remorseful of many of his pagan works and destroyed them - fortunately not these ones! Leonardo da Vinci In Room 15, dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, the beautiful Annunciation stands out on the left wall. It is said that the face of the angel looks a lot like the young Leonardo, who was really handsome as a youth. To the right, we find another important painting, The Baptism of Christ, by Leonardo’s teacher, Verrocchio. This is considered to be the first painting where Da Vinci left his mark. The story goes that Verrocchio left Florence for a few days and ordered Leonardo to finish one of the two angels in the painting (the one with his back to the viewer, looking over his shoulder). When the master came back and saw the angel painted by Leonardo, he exclaimed that he had nothing more to teach to his student, as his skill was greater than the teacher’s.

Soon after that, Da Vinci left Verrocchio’s workshop to work on his own commissions. The angel’s expression is definitely different from those of the other figures in the painting, its unusual gentleness gives us a glimpse of Leonardo’s genius. Michelangelo and Titian Within Room 25 you will admire the splendid Doni Tondo by Michelangelo while in Room 28 stop to admire the Venus of Urbino (1538) by Titian. Compare the Venus with the one by Botticelli: while Botticelli drew a goddess, Titian portrayed a very sensual, real woman. Titian shows signs of anticipating Impressionism, using different techniques from his contemporaries and color like an Impressionist. Corridor of Statues and the Terrace over the Loggia dei Lanzi While we’re finished with the main rooms on the second floor, you arrive to the Western Corridor known as the Corridor of Statues with its collection of Roman and Greek statues collected by the Medici family in Rome.

Among the most important, is the Venus located in the Tribune (off the Eastern Corridor) while at the end of the corridor by the caffe there is the original marble roman Porcellino used as inspiration by Tacca to make the bronze one in the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, near the Old Bridge. The view you can enjoy from the corridors of the gallery is fantastic, both toward Palazzo Vecchio but especially the one which overlooks the Arno and Ponte Vecchio. Take a few minutes to savor a coffee on the terrace over the Loggia dei Lanzi while enjoying a wonderful view dominated by the impressive Palazzo Vecchio. First Floor: Blue and Red Rooms, Caravaggio From the cafeteria you head back down to the first floor using the new stairway designed by architect Natalini (part of the “New Uffizi” project) and we quickly visited the new rooms that are part of the new project.

The Blue rooms are dedicated to foreign painters from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries while the Red ones are dedicated to Tuscan masters such as Andrea del Sarto, il Bronzino and Raffaello, where you will find the Madonna of the Goldfinch which used to be in the rooms 26-27 before. At this point, as we’ve finished with the main museum, we would expect an exit... but as the Uffizi is currently undergoing many changes, we find ourselves in the temporary exhibition space which currently hosts beautiful works of the Gothic international period. If you have time and energy, enjoy the exhibit - otherwise, once you’ve finished through this area, take a quick look into the Caravaggio rooms where you’ll find both Bacchus and The Medusa as well as other works by Caravaggesque painters. The Battle of San Romano The tour is almost finished but not before admiring the recently restored Battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello. The painting, following restoration, is temporarily being displayed here to highlight its impressive bright colors and the experimental use of perspective.

Actually, the Uffizi now only holds the central part of the larger work done by Paolo Uccello: in the 1700s for one reason or another, the two side panels were sold/ended up at the Louvre in Paris and at the National Gallery in London. Copies of these are presented to the side of the restored painting for a complete viewing of the artwork, where you’ll notice the differences with the unrestored works in the other museums. Get more info about the Uffizi: If you want to learn more about the museum, the rooms and the artworks visit the website: Uffizi Gallery . View more photos of the Uffizi Gallery! » The Uffizi today is a labyrinth in which one can gladly get lost to enjoy all of the treasures within. The history held within this palace as well as in each painting and statue, makes Florence one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in the world. After our visit, we would highly recommend visiting the Uffizi with a guide . An art expert makes discovering the Uffizi a very pleasant journey, bringing the paintings and museum alive with details on who, what and why.

There are so many artworks in this museum, without the help of a guide to select the most important one risks not being appreciate any of them or even missing some important masterpieces. Unless you’re an art historian or know a good amount of art and its history, we absolutely advice a tour guide to accompany you on this adventure! The Uffizi’s Secret Mass Grave The Uffizi’s Secret Mass Grave Barbie Latza Nadeau The Uffizi’s Secret Mass Grave More Construction workers in Italy’s most famous cities are accustomed to digging up all sorts of artifacts, from ancient urns to medieval coins, when they attempt even the simplest building job—after all, most modern European cities are built on top of layers of antiquity. But when workers started to prepare for a new elevator for the famed Uffizi gallery in Florence late last year, they had no idea they would find a mass grave from 1,500 years ago. In all, more than 60 full and partial skeletons have been found where the elevator shaft was to be dug and archeologists believe there could be hundreds, or even thousands, more.

Many of the dead were stacked head to toe in mass graves, presumably to make space for as many bodies as possible in a giant crypt. The bodies were found with coins dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries A.D., giving archeologists—who have now sequestered the building site—vital clues before carbon dating can confirm the age of the old bones. READ MORE The Best Pictures in the World At first look, archeologists on the project say the remains are not consistent with war injuries or other violent deaths. There are no apparent bone markings from weapons or telltale signs of malnutrition, leading experts to believe they were most likely victims of an early plague or other scourge. The most famous plague, known as the Black Death, which killed 50 million Europeans—nearly 60 percent of the entire population—did not strike the region until the 14th century. The Uffizi bones could give vital clues to earlier pandemics on the peninsula. “It was certainly an extremely lethal epidemic,” says Andrea Pessina, the archeology superintendent for Tuscany. Once catalogued and photographed in situ, the bones will be carefully excavated and removed and eventually buried elsewhere in Florence.

The Italian archeologists are working with the German University of Mainz, which specializes in paleontology studies, to help pinpoint the exact cause of death and the geographic origin of the deceased. Based on soil samples around the skeletons, they were apparently all buried at the same time, which also backs up the theory that they were victims of a major epidemic. The entire procedure of excavation is being videotaped to create a 3-D exhibit that will be housed in the new museum space, in part to honor the nameless victims. Pessina hopes they can learn a lot from the bones to help explain how people lived—and died—almost two millennia ago. “We will conduct DNA and carbon-14 tests to determine the cause and time of death, as well as details about the diet, pathologies, and work-related stresses of the victims at the time they died,” he says. READ MORE Opposition Protests Rock Venezuela Alessandra Marino, superintendent of Italy’s archeological sites, says that the position of the graveyard close to the Arno river might also give vital clues into the history of the dead where science leaves off.

She wants to find out if they were carried by boat to this location, or if they were they buried along the outer edge of a much larger graveyard that could extend far below the city of Florence. The bones were found under the existing Uffizi library, which means that in 1560, when the palace that now houses the museum was built, the original builders may have ignored or been completely unaware of the dead bodies beneath them. “The location of the cemetery in an area prone to flooding so close to the Arno may indicate that there were few other choices to bury the dead,” Marino says. “And the position of the bodies, head to foot with the children placed between adult bodies, and some graves with as many as 10 people inside, is consistent with a need to bury the bodies quickly.” She also added that the location may mean the dead were buried in the summer months when the river was low and the sediment-rich soil was easier to work. Forensic experts who will examine the bones to try to determine the exact cause of death, whether it was plague, cholera, dysentery or even influenza.

And they will also use DNA testing to try to determine if the dead were from the area or transient migrants, as well as the demographic makeup in terms of age and gender. Experts also hope that the morbid discovery can fill in the gaps of Florentine history. “The site provides snapshot of a moment of great importance to the city,” according to the Italian culture ministry statement about the exceptional discovery . “It was a catastrophe that we now know certainly contributed to a well-known long period of decline in the city when it nearly disappeared from history, and perhaps now this discovery alone will be enough to explain why.” Related from The Daily Beast History of Uffizi Gallery. Next: History in XVII Century History of Uffizi Gallery The Uffizi gallery was built in 1581, under the request of Granduca Francisco de' Medici, son of Cosimo I. The original design was that of Giorgio Vasari, one of the leading painters and architects during the 15th century. His plan for this museum was quite a strategically planned building as it was constructed adjacent to the Medici Palace and extended until the Arno river, over the Ponte Vecchio bridge.

The space was originally intended for offices and to host bureaucratic meetings for various magistrates as apposed to holding masterpieces as it is today. It was built rapidly despite minor difficulties and major social events taking place in the area (ie: the marriage of Francisco and the Giovanna of Austria). In 1584, the magnificent Octagonal Platform (or ‘Tribuna Ottagonale') was built by Vasari's successor Buontalenti. This special cosmological structure consists of a weathercock which connects to an inside pointer alluding to the Air element. The sky vault and red upholstery allude to the Water and Fire elements respectively. There is an extraordinary octagonal table preserved since since 1589 which sits in the middle of the room. In it knows them adjacent to this a time conserved scientific instruments, the Armory found place, and to the term of the first corridor Cabinet of the miniature- was the "Cabinet of the Madame" - today where the Granduchessa conserved its joys and small art objects. These as soon as described they were know them them museali more ancient and several in the content.

From the other side of the building they were found instead the laboratories of smaller limbs, the Foundry (or pharmacy), where medicines, scents were distilled and sometimes poisons, while to the term of the corridor, over the Loggia of the Lanzi it had been created a hanging garden. The extraordinary wealth that the Gallery had its origins since carried the enjoyment of the art, than in the city of Florence always it had been of public domain, to a private dimension, or at least to one much narrow one, and that was justified from the Doctors like one necessity dictated from the will of conservation of the works. Book now Uffizi Tickets What our visitors saying about their experience BEAUTIFUL!!! You are amazing -- such wonderful and speedy response and service. Many thanks!. Thank you Uffizi.com for your excellent and speedy service. It is very much appreciated.. Barry Cashin Firstly, I want to say that we were very happy with both of the tours we made with you. We really enjoyed touring the Uffizi with Jerry who is a great guide, he really helped us to learn about the chronology and history behind the masterful works, to understand and appreciate well. Thank again. With appreciation and best wishes,. Daniel Goldberg Super!

Thank you for your work! Yana Many thanks for your help and for being so quick, as well. You are wonderful! Lynne Taylor Thank you very much for spoiling our visit to Firenze. And may I commend you on your wonderful customer service skill Alan Uffizi Gallery (Florence, Italy): Top Tips Before You Go - TripAdvisor Neighbourhood Profile Uffizi Every visitor coming to Florence for the first time will immediately identify with Uffizi. As in past times, passing through Via dei Calzaiuoli, you can reach the city center, the Florence that everybody dreams of. In just a few steps, visitors can experience the rare beauty of the capital of the Renaissance. walking delighted across Palazzo Vecchio and overlooking Piazza della Signoria, up to the Loggia of the Uffizi where it is possible to fully taste the talent of the best artists who animated Florence over the centuries. When the sun goes down, there’s nothing better than a walk along the river Arno up to the ancient bridge, Ponte Vecchio. It is full of jewels and decorated by the colors captured in postcards.

Florence Day Tours - Private tours in Florence Private tours in Florence Guided tours in Florence Italy header-right Florence Day Tours What Florence Day Tours can we offer you? We can offer you any Florence Day Tours you like, we can adjust it to your needs and can even include information on places to go to enjoy the genuine Tuscan cuisine, the farmers market where you can see where the ingredients come from or places to get great espresso, you decide. The list below shows tours we do frequently for visitors of Florence and they are lead by an experienced, licensed local tour guide – guaranteed. Florence Walking Tour Read more Uffizi Gallery tour Read more Florence in a day Read more Florence Duomo tour Read more Dan Brown's Inferno tour Read more Medici Masters of Florence Read more Santa Croce Read more Full day Michelangelo Read more Custom tour Read more Classic Florence tours You want to choose one of these Florence Day Tours if this is your first time in Florence, as they cover the top attractions of the city. We offer two half-day tours, the Florence Walking Tour is more focused on Renaissance architecture and sculpture while the Uffizi Gallery tour is more focused on Renaissance paintings.

Or, you can wrap them together, saving money, in a Full Day Florence in a Day tour. History and fiction in Florence Almost everything you see in Florence can be related to the Medici family, yet it’s very hard to find any Florence Day Tours related to this important family of bankers. If you love history, you won’t have many chances to know more. We filled this gap offering a full-day tour focused on the House of Medici, based on the recent TV show Medici: Masters of Florence . We also could not ignore Inferno, the book by Dan Brown that was also transposed into a film by Ron Howard, with Tom Hanks acting as Robert Langdon. Choose this tour to see all the locations of Inferno in Florence . The rockstar of the Renaissance: Michelangelo Michelangelo Buonarroti is certainly the most famous artist who lived in Renaissance Florence and we can’t but offer Florence Day Tours focused on the master artist. With our private full day Michelangelo experience, you can totally focus on Michelangelo and see tens of works he made in Florence, something you cannot find anywhere else. Art and Religion The Catholic religion was very important in the development of Renaissance arts and some of the top Florence Italy attractions are churches.

We cover all the main churches in our Florence Day Tours, exploring the connection between art and religion. The main church in Florence is the Cathedral, and we have a complete Florence Duomo tour to focus on this monument, including the spectacular new Opera del Duomo museum. We also have a Santa Croce tour that covers the most important Basilica in Florence. Not finding what you’re looking for or have special requests? Contact Us to arrange your personalized tour. Primary Sidebar Uffizi Gallery | Tours and things to do | Florence attractions Uffizi Gallery: Show all tours and activities The Uffizi Gallery is undoubtedly the most famous museum in Florence, as well as one of the most visited places in all of Italy, boasting over 1.5 million visitors each year. The fabulous art collections housed in this ancient building (the Uffizi Palace) is considered among the most important in Europe. Built between the 1560 and 1580, the Uffizi Palace is characterized by a U-shaped structure, designed by Giorgio Vasari.

Initially, the Uffizi Palace was planned to house the offices of the Florentine magistrates, and that explains the name “uffizi”, which means "offices" in archaic Italian. However, over the centuries the long corridors of the building were used as exhibition spaces for the artworks collected by the Medici Family, which ruled Florence at the time. The Uffizi Gallery boasts an artistic heritage of immeasurable value, which includes thousands of paintings, from Medieval to contemporary times, as well as the largest collection of Renaissance pieces of art. All the greatest Tuscan artists of all time are represented here including Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, but there are also tons of works but non-Florentine artist like Caravaggio or Piero della Francesca. For a more intimate and informative eXPerience we suggest a private guided tour, accompanied by an expert. This museum is definitely a must-see attraction in Florence, for art passionate but not only.

Uffizi Gallery: useful information Address: Piazza degli Uffizi, Florence Opening hours: 8:15 to 18:50 (Tuesday to Sunday) Uffizi Gallery: articles from our travel blog Uffizi Gallery Reviews - Florence, Italy Trendsters Apr 27, 2016 If you can only go to one art museum in Florence, this is the one to go to. Screw The David (okay, that's harsh, but the Accademia, while a worthwhile museum, has nothing on the Uffizi, with its incredible depth and breadth), you can see a replica in the piazza outside the Uffizi. You could literally spend weeks in this museum, carefully examining each priceless painting. If you're like me, though, you'll speed through in a couple hours and enjoy a drink on the spectacular (and spectacularly expensive) roof-terrace-bar, overlooking Florence, while you wait for your slower/more interested companions. Comment. Art & Design Lovers Jul 06, 2015 Rooms upon rooms of paintings that flow into each other.

The sculptures are probably the most impressive displays here (well, they're my favorite, anyway), but the paintings are not to be overlooked. The golden religious collection off the main entrance hall is less impressive than what you might see in some churches, but maybe that's strategically placed; as you move into Panaiollo to Botticelli to Caravaggio, to the sculptures, it gets better and better. And then you wonder if you'll have enough time to observe everything as leisurely as you did the first few exhibits, because it's much larger than it seems. Recommended for:Local CultureFamily TravelersHistory Buffs Comment. Art & Design Lovers Jul 10, 2014 If you're a fan of Renaissance art, this is THE place to see all the big names. There are some great highlights here but they all are within the first few rooms. The rest of the museum is quite large but unless you're a dedicated art historian, it was difficult to keep interest. It also gets quite hot in the summer as the individual rooms might be cooled, but the corridors are not. Go to see the highlights but after the Michaelangelo room, the only thing that we found truly inspiring was the Caravaggio room.

Also a note on price: although the website and several guide books say it's 6,50 euros it's actually 11 euros in addition to 4 euros if you book online or by phone (by phone is preferable as then they don't have your credit card details and you can pay in cash on the day). Recommended for:Art & Design LoversHistory BuffsLocal Culture Comment. Adventure Travelers Nov 05, 2013 The Birth of Venus is the most famous work here but the museum is full of masterpieces. Book in advance or directly at the museum the day before to avoid lines. Alternatively, arrive before 8 a.m. Even with a reservation, 8:15 a.m. is recommended if you want to enjoy the museum in relative quiet. Lines can be 2 hours+ long. Pre-sales are available next to the entrance to door 2. If you've booked online don't forget that you must pick up your ticket in advance at door 3. Recommended for:Local CultureArt & Design LoversHistory BuffsStudents Comment.

Question: In which city is the Uffizi Gallery to be found?
Answer: FLORENCE