I've bought Firenze Card but it's mandatory to set advance reservation for the visit, and pay some fee by credit card. Where can I do this? Some webpage? which one? I was not able to find. Thanks.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
6288 posts
If you have a Firenze card there isn't a fee to make a reservation. Also, you don't NEED to make advance reservations, but it is recommended depending on the place or time of year. You cannot make a reservation for the Duomo dome prior to your arrival in Florence. I have not purchased the card yet, but I know there was a phone number to call to make the reservations. I can't say more than that because my inn is taking care of my reservations.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16409 posts
The Firenzecard website states that advance reservations are mandatory for the Uffizi and Accedemia for priority access, which is what most folks want. See the FAQs of the pass' website; it tells you how to do that. I've copied the info below from that website:
http://www.firenzecard.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20&lang=en
Do I need to make reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia Gallery with Firenzecard?
Yes, you need. To enjoy the priority access is required a free reservation to make:
....calling the multilingual call center Firenze Musei to phone number + 39 055-294883 (from 8.30 to 18.30 from Monday to Friday; from 8.30 to 12.30 on Saturday), providing your fist and last name. Closed Sunday and holidays. You will receive by phone a code to show at the ticket offices of Orsanmichele, My Accademia and Uffizi to collect your booking confirmation. You have to show your booking confirmation and your Firenzecard at the priority access doors of the museums;
....in Florence at one of the following ticket offices, showing your Firenzecard: Orsanmichele (Orsanmichele Church, Via dei Calzaiuoli, from Monday to Saturday 9.00-16.15; Closed Sunday and holidays); My Accademia (via Ricasoli n.105/r, from Tuesday to Sunday 8.15-17.30; Closed Monday); Uffizi (door n.2 and n.3, from Tuesday to Sunday 8.15-18.05; Closed Monday);
....at the ticket offices of Uffizi Gallery, Bargello National Museum, Palazzo Pitti, when you purchase Firenzecard. In this case you can make directly the reservation at the ticket office at the moment of purchase and collect the booking confirmation to show at the priority access doors of the museums.
Please note that you have to make the free reservation also for the kids under 18 years old who are members of the same family unit of the Firenzecard holder.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
6288 posts
Yes, its mandatory for PRIORITY access to the Accademia and Uffizi, and it is what most folks want, but not mandatory if you want walk up. I know a few people now, that went in the late afternoon or for days they are open in the evening and they just walked up. Would I recommend that, No, but if for some reason, you can't/ do not want to commit to a time/day, you don't have to, but you also would not get priority/line cutting privilege. Also, if a person didn't want to make the advance reservation for those places, there is even less of a reason to buy the Firenze card, unless you want to run from place to place for three days in order to break even on it. My older neighbors just returned from a trip to Orvieto, Florence and Siena that I planned for them. We ended up doing the Firenze card for them, mostly for convenience. Those are obviously busy cities and with a lot of preplanning they had a fun and problem free trip. They felt them came close enough to breaking even on the Firenze card to justify the ease.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16409 posts
Also, if a person didn't want to make the advance reservation for
those places, there is even less of a reason to buy the Firenze card,
unless you want to run from place to place for three days in order to
break even on it.
I'll agree! The card isn't necessarily a good buy in all situations! Was just providing the reservation info the OP was requesting although all are the "free" options if using the pass and nothing requiring a credit card.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
I've started this post and kept looking for the right information. I've seen many partial and conflicting hints, never the full one. Finally I found it:
Firenze Card is a good bargain if you stay more than 3 days in town. It saves you staying in loooong lines for buying tickets and waiting again for people clearance in order to allow new visitors. Besides you can add the Firenze plus to have free transportation, if you stay outside the historic center perimeter. If you will be staying in the center you won't need this extension. Accomodation in the center is nice but expensive. The decision is up to your preferences.
The matter was Uffizi and Accademia, the two most visited places, with long very long waiting lines that can take you hours of your precious time. For this reason, Musei Statali Fiorentini (Florence State Museums), besides the regular entrance ticket of 24 or 32 Euros, requires a "reserve" fee of 4 Euros per person, for each of the two museums, if you buy straight from them. No one else sells it. And Firenze Card has nothing to do with it.
Yes, you can use your Firenze Card to visit, for free, those two overcrowded museums but you still have to pay the "reserve" straight to Musei Statali (not to Firenze Card), in advance, to avoid the risk of loosing room for you if you let to acquire the reserve at your arrival. So, now you can skip the lines.
They indicate two ways to buy the 4 euros reserve: first, is the impossible phone call to the number 39 (Italy) 55 (Firenze code) 294.883. I've tried dozens of times and gave up, phones were allways busy. Consider the timezone gap. Or, straight through the only and correct official website > http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/default_eng.aspx. Start with clicking Galleria degli Uffizi, or Galleria dell'Accademia, whichever. First, create an account for you, and follow the instructions for password. Then, do login. Select the date of visiting. Next, go to the page bottom to switch to English if you wish, and then go on, or click in Biglietti (ticket). Select your choice of entrance hours window (there is no exit time). Open the price list by clicking in "ridotti i cumulativi", select the "Gratuito/Free" that costs 4 Euros per person. Mark the quantity. It will be marked into your shopping cart (Nel Carrello). Then repeat the process to L'Accademia. Finally, proceed to payment.
Print your order, but they will send you also a confirmation e-mail for you picking up your reserve ticket there. That's all. Be carefull to fake sites.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
6288 posts
I hope you will double check before you pay your 4 euro. Also be aware the the Firenze card changes constantly. My innkeeper had said that prior to the more recent change to Firenze card, there was a reservation fee. Just make sure you have the most current info. This is the information I have obtained from the Firenze card staff via internet chat, my innkeeper and my neighbors who were just there. There are two ways to get timed access to the Uffizi and the Accademia. You can choose to NOT purchase the Firenze card and buy your tickets one by one and then pay the 4 euro for timed tickets to the two museums. Or you can buy the Firenze card and then call the phone number on the Firenze website Kathy provided to get a timed ticket. You do not need to pay a reservation fee when you have the Firenze card. Further, as my inn keeper said, the two ways to reserve are very different. When you make the reservations you are at that point making a choice to use/buy Firenze or not.
Please note, I'm not advocating one method over the other. Its a personal choice made on the basis of length of stay, time of year, planned activities and convenience. Everyone's choice would be different.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16409 posts
In addition to Jules post (Yep, I hope as well that you check before paying a fee if using the pass), these previous posts on the subject may be helpful.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/firenzecard-and-the-uffizi-well-this-is-new
(Most of the chat about the pass in this thread that might be useful is midway/towards the end)