Tourist Attractions & Monuments Florence - Firenze

Timetable

Museums are often open free of charge on the first Sunday of the month (closed on Monday or Tuesday). It is best to visit during the week, even if Florence is always very busy, to avoid the weekend tourists.

It is best to avoid an accumulation of visits, preferring to visit museums and churches in the morning (some of them are only open at this time), and to go for walks, excursions in the area and shopping in the afternoon.

To be booked

In order to facilitate your visit, it is recommended that you purchase a pass for the Santa Maria del Fiore complex in advance on the official website: duomo.firenze.it. Three passes are available: Brunelleschi 30 €, Giotto 20 € and Ghiberti 15 €, valid for three days. Entrance to the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral is free.

Remember to book your visit to the Uffizi Gallery online(www.uffizi.it); the €4 surcharge will save you the long wait in line. Tickets can be picked up ten minutes before your entry time at Gate 3.

The institution "Firenze Musei" administers the Florentine public museums and has a website (www.firenzemusei.it) with a lot of practical information. It is possible to buy tickets online to avoid the frequent queues.

Budget & Tips

Tickets for the monuments and museums of Florence are often combined. Remember also that admission is generally free on the first Sunday of the month (from October to March), for EU residents under 18, and reduced for those under 25.

Don't forget the "Firenze Card": this personal card, valid for 72 hours, gives access to the main museums and churches of Florence with priority entry, without reservation (except for the dome : it is necessary to reserve a slot in advance). Price: €85. Points of sale: museums, tourist offices or online(www.firenzecard.it).

Main events

The public holidays are January¹(Capodanno), January 6(Epifania), Easter(Pasqua) and Easter Monday(Pasquetta), April 25(Festa della Liberazione), May¹(Festa del Lavoro), june 2(Festa della Repubblica), August 15(Ferragosto), November¹(Ognissanti), December 8(Immacolata Concezione), December 25(Natale) and December 26(Santo Stefano).

In addition, each city in Tuscany has a holiday on the day of its patron saint. In Florence, it is June 24(Festa di San Giovanni Battista). Last but not least, do not confuse giorno festivo (holiday) and giorno feriale (working day)!

Guided tours

The main tourist office of Florence (www.feelflorence.it) is located in Piazza della Stazione, in front of the Santa Maria Novella train station. It is here, from Monday to Saturday 9am-7pm and Sunday 9am-2pm, that you can book a guided tour, accommodation or the Firenze Card. There are three other less formal addresses: via Camillo Cavour 1 (north of piazza del Duomo, a stone's throw from Palazzo Medici Riccardi), piazza di San Giovanni 1 (right next to the Baptistery of San Giovanni) and, finally, at the Florence airport.

As everywhere, the red buses (www.firenze.city-sightseeing.it) allow you to visit the city in comfort. It is also possible to tour the city by bicycle or on the Arno River (www.florencetown.com), or even by Segway (www.italysegwaytours.com).

Tourist traps

Beware of touts near the museums who will offer you discounted tickets: always buy your tickets on the official website. Also, avoid buying counterfeit tickets or you will be fined heavily. Indeed, in the vicinity of tourist sites and in the main squares, stalls of bags and clothes imitating famous brands abound.