I am Italian citizen and over 65. According to official web site ticket pricing, I am allowed in at no charge. When I try to book on line, there is a 9 euro charge??? I am confused. Is it better to get ticket when I arrive...Steves recommends reserving in advance to avoid the long lines. Another question, in late September, are the lines really long?
Posted by
Chicago, Illinois, USA
586 posts
Ciao, Phyllis. Another option to consider: if you'll be in Firenze a few days, book your ticket in person a day or two before you visit the museum. September isn't crowded in Florence, generally, but I think the Accademia is nearly always busy, just the same.
Posted by
Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
606 posts
There is an extra charge to make advance reservations. I guess this extra charge applies even if the ticket itself is free. Perhaps this is where the fee is coming from.
Our group all agreed that the extra fee was well worth paying in order to avoid waiting in the long lines. We still had to wait, but only 15 minutes, not hours like the people who arrived with no reservation.
Posted by
Florence, OR, US
267 posts
Ciao, Phyllis. Will you be staying in Firenze? If so, contact your hotel/bed and breakfast and ask them to make you a reservation, and tell them what times (give them a few to choose from) that you would like to visit the Accademia. They will send you a confirmation number, which you will print out and take to the Accademia when you go (be sure to go 30 minutes early). You will be able to stand in a different line than those who just walk up. I THINK we may have paid 2 or 3 euro at the ticket window for the reservation (not paid to the hotelier; to the museum when you get there).
Rick Steve's Italy books have more info on this... We did the same thing for the Uffizi as well as for the Galleria Borghese in Rome.
I was in Firenze in late September last year and, with our reservation time, we waited in the "reserved tickets" line about 15 minutes at the Accademia and had to wait only until our appointed entry time at the Uffizi.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15788 posts
At some point, you should get to a drop-down menu to choose the type of ticket - free, reduced, or full. If you choose free, you should be charged only the 4E reservation fee.
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
Are you a citizen of the European Union - only for those the free entry for children and seniors apply. And they will ask to see proof of citizenship when you pick up your reserved tickets.
You still have to pay for the reservation fee which is 4 Euro per ticket, a bit more on some commercial online reservation sites.