Uffizi and Academia

Depends on personal preference for Italian Renaissance art (re Uffizi) and wait times--Rick gives Uffizi 2 hours to do the tour given in his book, not including time in line to get in. And he gives less time for the Accademia (but it's not just The David).

First, they are about a 15 minute walk apart so that's OK. The Uffizi takes about 2.0-2.5hrs. There is really quite a bit of art in the building. We were on a tour and it took 2.5hrs. For the Acadamia, it's how long do you want to stare at David. It's really an amazing experience. The rest of the Acadamia is a stroll-through. We were in there for about 90 minutes. You can easily do both in the same day.

Hi Deanna. I agree with 60-90 minutes for the Academia and 2 to 2.5 hours foru Uffizi. However, the Uffizi has a really nice rooftop cafe which makes for a great break. We followed Rick's audio tour through the Uffizi, then had a drink and a cake on the roof and wandered back through the Uffizi to see things we moved past quickly. So all this to say that it is possible (not necessary) to spend 3-4 hours at the Uffizi easily without getting the art overload feeling. In your case I would make my Accademia reservations first thing in the morning, allow a little time inbetween and then the Uffizi. This way you can spend as much time as you wish there. Enjoy. They are both amazing experiences.

Thanks so much for your responses. Great advice! I'll be able to make the reservations knowing I'll have ample time to browse.

We scheduled Academia in the morning and Uffizi in the afternoon.

I think it's best to do the Academia first. The David is the real draw so it's not the end of the world to leave to get to the other.

As it was we spent about an hour in the Academia then wandered and had lunch before the Uffizi. We spent most of our afternoon in the Uffizi.

Deanna,
It is easy to do both on the same day, we didn't take a tour, we did the Rick Steves tour ourselves and we were glad. It's hard to hear the tour guides even with their listening devices! I used my ipod, downloaded Rick's tours from itunes, and informed the others in my party what was what. I know it is probably not the best way but it worked for us and you don't have to look at the art that you aren't interested in. The Academia does not take long to go through and see everything. 90 minutes is plenty, unless you read every word on every piece of art. The Uffizi did take longer, it's bigger, has more art to see, but again pace yourself, if there is something you aren't interested in, skip it. We enjoyed both but I liked the Uffizi best. I probably would go there again, not sure the others in my group would, but I would.

Enjoy!
Dana