We are making a trip to Tuscany in a couple of weeks and will be going to Florence on a day trip (actually probably 1 1/2 days in Florence). I have the Rick Steve's Italy book and can confirm that trying to use the firenzemusei.it site to get tickets for Accademia and Uffizi is proving impossible as the site does not seem to work properly (and shows at least Accademia being sold out the dates we will be there). Based upon the book, I am a little wary about the private sites for getting tickets for fear they may be scams, and so wanted any recommendations/experiences that any of you have for any of those other sites and/or any other thoughts for getting tickets. Due to our short time frame, I would like to find a site where I can just print out our reservations (and know that they will be good). We have never been to Italy, so I also welcome any other other advice on specific must see/do, restaurants, vineyards, etc. We will be staying just outside of Cortona for a week and will be making day trips by car. We are also planning to break it up and stay over one night in the middle of the week in Siena.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16210 posts
http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/shopper.aspx?venueId=7 This is the official site. I checked and October appears mostly free for the accademia. I tried the Italian version, maybe you had problems only with the English. Interestingly the site was created by "Bassilichi" a small computer company owned by a high school friend of mine. I think I should call him and tell him to fix it (he wasn't a top student, so you have to be patient). If you are staying in Cortona there are several day trips you can take from there: Umbria: Assisi is only 1 hr away. You can do Perugia and Assisi (maybe even Gubbio), in one shot. Gubbio is about 40 min further away from Assisi. You can even buy ceramics in Deruta, if you have time. Siena is about 1 hr away also. You can kill Siena, Pienza, S. Quirico, Montalcino e even Chianciano in one daily shot. Alternatively you can do Siena, Monteriggioni and San Gimignano also in a day.
To the north you have Arezzo about half hour away. You can visit Arezzo, Anghiari and La Verna (St. Francis) in one daily shot. Alternatively you can do Arezzo and the Casentino valley (Poppi and Camaldoli). You can do both if you don't mind a lot of driving in curvy roads.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16210 posts
(cont'd) You already have Florence down packed. Duomo+Battistero, Uffizi, Accademia, Piazza Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio (the City Hall, my former employer) will keep you very busy for at least a day. In Florence there are lots of good restaurants. In via Magalotti, not far behind the Uffizi there is "I'cche c'e' c'e'" (florentine for 'what is here is here). Also recommended by Rick Steves. My friend Gino Noci, the chef and owner, will treat you well. Nearby there is "Acqua al 2". I think it opens in the evenings only. Check it's behind the former courthouse in Piazza San Firenze. Near Porta San Frediano there is Sabatino. If you happen to be near the Central market (San Lorenzo) try "Da Cerbone" inside the Market, another Florentine institution. And of course don't leave Florence without a Panino al Lampredotto (a sort of tripe sandwich) on one of the street trucks. Lampredotto is only in Florence. Florence in one day only is kind of pushing it. That's too little even for my Mussolini trips (11 countries in 20 days type of trips). I think you should take at least 2 day trips there. From Cortona to Florence you can make it in just over an hour if you don't mind pushing the car on the A1 at 140-150 km/h (about 90 mph).
For shopping there is a huge outlet near Cortona, at Foiano della Chiana. Just ask for the Outlets (Outlets in Italian is....Outlets). It might be a little cheaper than Florence and there are several Italian fashion stores there.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Mike, there is a ticket office across the street from the Accademia entrance (there's a gift shop attached to it). They had tickets available in July with only 15 minutes' waiting time. If there was a markup, it was very slight.
Posted by
Turners Falls, MA, USA
13 posts
We were in Florence in June (for 5 days) and found that the FirenzePass (72 hours/ E50) worked well for us. Since you'll only be there such a short time, don't know if it'll work for you (and it'll depend which days of the week you plan to be there as to whether where you want to go is open or not). We didn't go to the Uffizi, but we did go to see The David and were able to use these to go in the MUCH shorter "reservations" line...without calling ahead for a time. We got them at the Tourist office just the other side of the pizza from the SMN train station (next to the Santa Maria Novella).
Have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
123 posts
In May we bought our tickets for both the Accademia and Uffizi at the ticket window at Orsanmichele, which is located between the two. Quick and simple.
Posted by
na
75 posts
Mike, you could also ask your hotel to make the reservation for you. Give them the date you want to visit, as well as number of tickets you need. The hotel usually does not charge a fee for this service. There is however a small reservation fee charged by the museum in addition to the cost of the ticket itself. (You would pay the reservation fee whether you book the reservation yourself on-line, or have the hotel do it for you.)
The hotel will email you a confirmation of the reservation which you should print out and take with you.