Florence Museums

Both museums are closed Mondays and therefore may be more popular on the days before and after. But that factor is not very relevant, since the number of visitors inside is regulated. It's always full, to the extent that they allow. To skip a long ticket-buying line, you can either reserve ahead at http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/default.aspx or pay €72 per person for a Firenze Card (even on the same day). See more detail in Rick Steves' Italy or Florence guidebooks.

The Museo San Marco, the Bargello, and the Brancacci Chapel are all lovely. The Brancacci is the only one of the three that requires reservations, but none of them tend to be at all crowded.

Museo San Marco is on the same street as Accademia, via Ricasoli.

Musee San Marco is a real treasure but it has very limited hours e.g. last time I intended it visit, it closed at 1 pm. It is open on some Mondays. Definitely look up the hours it is open and put it on your list. It consists of Savanarola's old monastery including his own cell with monks cells painted by Fra Angelico. The famous Fra Angelico annunciation is over the stairs of the way into the cells. Take a good look at the painting in the cell reserved for the Medici for a nice vanity piece. (another is in the Palazzo Medici Ricardi).

Here are the hours for San Marco:

http://www.uffizi.firenze.it/en/musei/index.php?m=sanmarco

I would agree that this one and the Bargello are musts! If you are a devoted art lover, you might want to do the Palatine Gallery at the Pitti Palace as well…but not on the same day as the Uffizi and Accademia or you'll expire from art overload.

Don't forget that many of the churches have priceless treasures as well: Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, San Miniato, Santa Trinita and yes, the Brancacci Chapel (S.M. del Carmine) to name a few. And the baptistry at the duomo is a piece of work.

Millie,

When I visited Florence for the first time, I chose to book a narrated tour of these two museums. I chose a package deal with the Academia in the morning and the Uffizi in the afternoon. I am so glad we did. Although I could have booked my own reservations/tickets in advance, I feel the tour guides were well worth the expense. I think I got much more out of the visits than had I visited without their narrative and insight.

Todd