I made my reservations online for our visit to the Uffizi today at noon. I thought that you just take the printout of your reservation and go to the already reserved line (door #1) to get in. Not so, you must first go to the #3 door, across from where the entrance is and get a ticket.
The guard at the door said something about it being a a new procedure.
Unfortunately, we didn't find this out until we had waited in the reserved line for almost 15 minutes and were next to get in. Yes, there was a line to get in even if you made a reservation. The couple in front of us had been waiting a half hour. Rick Steves always made it sound like you walk right in.
Nevertheless, it was all well worth the wait!
Posts: 905 | Location: North of Seattle | Registered: 28 February 2003
Yeah, I've always made reservations in advance (by phone), but last time I remember waiting about 15 minutes at one of the doors before actually being allowed in. And this was for a 9:30 AM reservation. It's still infinitely preferable to spending hours in the regular line.
hello ann, it is always good to post this type of information for other travelers to note. however, this "new procedure" has been in place for at least 3 years.
compared to the possibility of waiting in line without reservations for hours, which happens frequently, dashing across the street to pick up tickets is a great option. its just too bad you weren't aware beforehand.
the uffizi is the only museum i'm aware of that requires going to another location to pick up reserved tickets. otherwise, just look for the entrance marked, "reserved".
We had to wait a few minutes for our reservation back in '99. If I remember correctly, the guard explained that they only let a certain number in the museum at once. They have a counter when people leave that reduces the number, so if they're at max capacity, they won't let even the reservation holders in until someone leaves and reduces the counter.
When we visited last year we had to first go to door 3 and then to the small line at door 1. We would not have waited more than 15 minutes but I guess during peak periods it could be longer.
Ann, I am more interested in your comment about making reservations online. My understanding from most posts about bookings is that they can only be made by phone. Perhaps you can provide details about how to book online.
Posts: 313 | Location: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: 16 January 2007
Monty, I don't want to answer for Ann, but I will say that you can make Uffizi reservations *both* online and by phone. However, it's much easier (and cheaper) to make them over the phone. Maybe things have changed, but it used to be that reserving online involved a hefty service fee. The way it worked was that there were numerous tourist related websites, each with an allotment of reserved tickets, and the service charges varied depending on which website you used. Reserving over the phone costs less because you're dealing directly with the Uffizi.
The one time I reserved tickets online, the price increased substantially. Whereas when I've reserved over the phone, the price wasn't more than around 20 Euros total (for 2 tickets), and I was only on the phone for about 6-7 minutes, so it didn't impact the phone bill in any serious way. So, unless reserving online is more straightforward and cheaper than it used to be, the phone is the way to go. Just my 2 cents.
i know of no online ticket reservation service that does not charge a fee... and remember, all reserved tickets, whether reserved online or over the phone, or in person, or through your hotel, have a 3 euro fee/ticket tacked on.
Just out of curiosity, I perused about 5 different websites to get a feel for what it currently costs to book Uffizi tickets online. I saw prices ranging from 28 to 44 euros, for a non-EU citizen ordering a pair of tickets.
When I looked at the Uffizi website, http://www.uffizi.com/, it appears it'll run non-EU folks 19 euros for a pair of tickets (and that's with the 3 euro per ticket service fee). So, yeah, the phone really IS the way to go.
** fixed link **
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,
the 3 euro fee is in addition to whatever fee the online services charge, which can be whatever amount they decide to charge you.
when you buy a "usual" ticket, it will cost 9 euro, without reservations. a reserved ticket will cost 9 + 3 euro, whether through the phone, your hotel, or in person.
Three interesting observations- 1. This now confirms that you cannot book online on the Uffizi website. 2. It is far cheaper to book via telephone than through a third party agent. 3. If you go to the Uffizi website it has a tab on the left side of the page headed "online bookings". Click on it and it opens a page about online bookings which you have to do via telephone !!!!!!!!!! Heaven help the English language.
Also Jeff and Kim when I click on your Uffizi web site title in your post it comes up with invalid. If I click on the same web address on google it opens the web site direct. I wonder if there is still a problem with the Post Page.
Posts: 313 | Location: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: 16 January 2007
Originally posted by Monty: Also Jeff and Kim when I click on your Uffizi web site title in your post it comes up with invalid. If I click on the same web address on google it opens the web site direct. I wonder if there is still a problem with the Post Page.
Looks like there is a space then a comma in the url. If you click on it, just backspace out the comma and space and you will go directly to the page or just use this http://www.uffizi.com
it is always good to post this type of information for other travelers to note. however, this "new procedure" has been in place for at least 3 years.
Gosh, I'm always the last to know things!
Anyway, I ordered my tickets from here. Each ticket was 6.50 Euro + the 3.00 reservation charge. So, 19 euro total.
I ordered my tickets for the Academia the same way. I had my date with David today and because Italy was celebrating Feste Delle Donne I could have gotten in free. Oh well, David was so worth it!
I did get free admission to the San Marco Museum and the Santa Maria Novella cloisters - score!
Posts: 905 | Location: North of Seattle | Registered: 28 February 2003
I made my reservations by phone from the central museum ticket number for Florence. It was really confusing when I arrived to pick up the tickets because - although the rest of my group had already figured out to go to the door across the street - there was a huge line at that door. So all of these people in line were waiting for their reserved tickets. I am still not certain of this but that line seemed to be full of people who were unaware that you simply got called in at the appointed time. In other words, they didn't take the next in that line, they took the people with the next time for the reservation so that you could show up at the door 5 minutes before your reserved time and get your tickets at the same time as people who waited in that huge line. Then you crossed the street and again got in line and they seemed to be taking people - all with tickets - in the order that they appeared in the line rather than calling them just by their times.
Allen, if you click on the link in my signature, you will find a pretty thorough explanation of that. It is such a great option for people visiting many museums--the option not to wait in line is the cost even if you won't break even.
Jane, do you know if this procedure is still accurate? Policies in Italy seem to change rather frequently and I'd hate to spend all that money and discover some glitch in the system once I got to Florence. Thanks.
Posts: 341 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
Ginny, as far as I know there has been no change. People whom I know have followed this procedure recently, found it to be just as I described. The Friends of Uffizi is much like the patron options of many museums. I think you will find it working the same way but, of course, nothing is ever set in stone. With that said, if it sounds like a good deal for you, I'd say go with it and trust that it will work.
Oh boy, whether you can buy online or not has now become complicated.
Ann M says she bought online and when I checked her nominated website, yes you can!!
Yes the price is E9.50 each normal and you can buy Uffizi till end of May. HOWEVER if you click on the Uffizi page and go to buy, it will tell you that there are no more tickets available for the rest of March and very limited numbers for April and May.
I went through the process of "buying" 2 tickets during April and it completed all steps through to actually buying but added E3.50 per ticket because of some special event.
When I looked at the Academia page similar story.
The number of tickets available is so small I do not quite see the purpose of the website. Is it a new website?
Perhaps a member resident in Florence could investigate the whole "telephone vs online" situation and provide a factual report as the current situation is now confusing for anyone who wants to book.
Posts: 313 | Location: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: 16 January 2007
Thanks, Jane. I appreciate the reply. We will be in Florence for two weeks so this is really a great deal for us. It's not til the fall but we will join now and I'll report back after the trip.
Posts: 341 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
it is always good to post this type of information for other travelers to note. however, this "new procedure" has been in place for at least 3 years.
Gosh, I'm always the last to know things!
Anyway, I ordered my tickets from here. Each ticket was 6.50 Euro + the 3.00 reservation charge. So, 19 euro total.
I ordered my tickets for the Academia the same way. I had my date with David today and because Italy was celebrating Feste Delle Donne I could have gotten in free. Oh well, David was so worth it!
I did get free admission to the San Marco Museum and the Santa Maria Novella cloisters - score!
That's great. And that's exactly what you would've paid for the tickets had you reserved them over the phone. Good to know there *is* an online option that doesn't cost more than the phoning in option.
