My husband and I are arriving in Florence October 11 and would like to see the Uffuzi gallery that day. Unfortunately, it is a free day and skip the line tickets are not available to purchase. My question is, are the lines likely to be unbearable (more than an hour) without a set ticket and should I book a Sunday ticket as a backup in case? Also, does he Uffuzi regularly sell out like the Accademia? If so, I may be better off buying a ticket and forfeiting the money if I do get in on the free day. We are just trying to use our travel time wisely. Thank you for your help.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23318 posts
From our experience, free days are zoos and are to be avoided at nearly all costs. Locals are just as interested in free as any American tourist. The Uffuzi is huge and I am not aware of it selling out unlike the Accademia which is really two small rooms. I think you would be fine seeing the Uffuzi that day even through it will be crowded and see David the next day.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15843 posts
There is currently a test system for acquiring an entry voucher for the Uffizi on free days:
https://www.uffizi.it/en/notices/free-admission-days-how-to-get-into-uffizi
Also see Frank's experience with the voucher in this very recent thread:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/free-museum-sunday-entrance-strategy-if-any
"An update from yesterday's free Sunday. To visit the Uffizi on a Sunday, you must go to the ticket window beside the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria and get timed entry tickets to the museum. Watch for your entry time to be posted on the electronic board near the entry point and then get in line. At 3pm all free tickets had been distributed, but I didn't ask what time they were "sold out." I also didn't think to ask whether you can request a specific entry time from among the available tickets or must accept the time they give you. Bottom line, it's a much better process than having to stand in a long line wondering when you'll get in."
Without vouchers, I would guess that yes, the queues - and wait time - would be quite long. If you want to be SURE to avoid both, should for some reason you're unable to obtain vouchers, I'd pre-purchase tickets for a different day. After all, you've better things to do in Florence than waste sightseeing time in a queue? I would expect the museum to be very, very busy but it's reported to be very busy most of the time these days.
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
To add to my earlier post, it appears that the only way to now visit the Uffizi on a free day is with a free timed ticket. There were no lines this past Sunday other than the short one by the electronic board listing the entry times being admitted. Next time I walk past the ticket window and there's a short line, I'll stop and ask.
Update: The official Uffizi website has detailed instructions on how to obtain tickets for free days using interactive kiosks. Scroll down the Home page until you see Free Days 2019, click on that link and then scroll down to see the instructions. I didn't see the kiosks on Sunday, but they may have been taken inside once all the available tickets were distributed. I'll try to check earlier this Friday (the next free day), as there's no Fiorentina soccer match to delay my arrival.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15843 posts
Thanks a bunch for that additional, very important bit of info to your last post, Frank! That vouchers might be the ONLY way in on a free day wasn't completely clear. Thanks as well for offering to further investigate that situation! 🔍
Nothing as constant as change this past year when it has come to sightseeing the biggies in Italy! 🙄
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
See the "Free Museum Sunday entrance strategy, if any..." posting for my update on the new procedure to obtain free Uffizi tickets on free days. The RS website wouldn't allow me to copy and paste the text here, and my tablet isn't cooperating on posting a link.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15843 posts
Frank, you won't mind if I copy/paste your VERY helpful text and thread link for you? I'm not having any issues doing that from my laptop:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/free-museum-sunday-entrance-strategy-if-any
"So here's the scoop on how to obtain Uffizi tickets on free days. First of all, free Sundays are currently only until March 2020, so those traveling after the first Sunday in March should recheck the official Uffizi website closer to your travel dates for updates.
The ticket kiosks are located in front of the door nearest to Palazzo Vecchio, under the left loggia as you face the river. There are about 6 kiosks and they're very quick and easy to use, so no lines this morning just before 11am. The kiosk will first ask you how many people are in your party and then on the next screen allows you to pick any available time within a 2 hour window (e.g. 11am to 1pm in 15 minute intervals). I was able to get an 11am entry time, but I wouldn't count on that being the norm. A ticket voucher will print that you then take to the entry area further along toward the river on the same side. Get in line when your entry time is posted on the eletronic board. As you approach the entry to the security screening you will be given your actual free ticket. Keep it with you as you'll need it to enter the museum after security and upon exiting the museum. Because the number of entries is better controlled with the new procedure, the museum wasn't overrun with visitors. It seems to be working well."