What to book in advance in Florence (and when to book)
Last Updated on 22nd August 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
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If you’re planning a trip to Florence and already have your transportation to get to Firenze sorted and your accommodation booked, then the next thing you’ll want to do (before travelling to the city) is organise all of the tours and activities you wish to participate in. This guide will detail what to book in advance in Florence (and when to book it)!
Back in 2019, when I used to go away on trips, reserving museum entrance tickets and tours ahead of time was the furthest thing from my mind. However, as time has gone on, more and more people are choosing to reserve attractions ahead of times and some museums will only allow you to enter if you have a pre-booked ticket.
Contents
What to book in advance in Florence
Accademia Gallery
The Accademia Gallery is world-famous thanks to the fact that it houses one of the most important Renaissance statues ever created, the David statue by Michelangelo.
Unfortunately, this also means that it’s one of the most popular places and so I would recommend booking at least a month ahead of time to secure the time you wish to visit. I personally recommend opting for the earliest morning tour you can as this is when the fewest number of visitors are visiting.
Small group tours including skip-the-line access one are available in many different languages and, of course, are well-rated. For this tour, there are typically only 3 tour tomes a day (10 AM, 12 and 3 PM) Book a small group tour here in advance
If you’re looking to see both the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries, then this tour lasts for 4 hours total and will even enable you to skip the line. Alternatively, if you’re looking to visit both the Accademia and the Duomo rooftop, then book this Early Accademia Tour & Skip the Line Dome Climb with Exclusive Terrace Access.
If you’d rather just visit the museum and discover David’s famous statue on your own, you can also book a timed-entrance ticket but expect to be queuing a bit while arriving as it gets very busy in the very narrow street by the entrance. Book in advance
Florence Duomo
The first thing that probably comes to your mind when you think about Florence is its dazzling duomo. If you want to see the cathedral from different angles, make sure to be able to climb up to the Cupola’s viewing platform.
The pass you’ll want to buy that will allow you to see all parts of the cathedral is called the Brunelleschi Pass and you can buy it on the official website. Alternatively, you can book a guided tour of the xterior which includes a self-guided dome climb like this one.
If you feel a bit more like a VIP, or you have FOMO, there is a complete tour of all the monuments in the same area that includes not only the outstanding Dome and Cathedral but also the Bell Tower, from which you can have the best view of the Dome, the Museum, the Baptistery and the Crypt. It is a private tour. Book in advance
Uffizi Gallery
Home to paintings, sculptures, and sketches from the 12th to the 17th century, there are only a few guided options you can book if you only want to visit this Gallery (rather than combining it with other attractions). You can either directly book on the website for single-entry tickets or book a guided tour which allows you to skip the line.
Some tours are more extensive than others but in our opinion, it’s always a richer experience to be given some insider’s tips from experts while visiting a museum. Here are two well-reviewed picks:
As mentioned earlier in this post, both galleries, the Accademia and the Uffizi, are often offered as a bundle. They’re actually only a 15-minute walk apart from each other and so can easily be seen on the same day.
There is one more option below that I would strongly recommend to book in advance. This small group tour will show you Uffizi Gallery, David & Accademia and should be booked at least a few weeks in advance.
Medici Chapel
The Cappelle Medicee comprises of two structures within the Basilica of San Lorenzo, with the most breathtaking being that of the Chapel of the Princes. When you get to the entrance of the Medici Chapel, you can usually see a long queue for people who are looking to buy a ticket to get into the famous ecclesiastical building.
As such, you should consider booking your tickets in order to get into a special skip-the-line queue. You just need to be there at the time you selected while booking. Book your ticket here in advance
As always, there is also the option to be guided through this amazing chapel and shown some historical facts. Book the tour here in advance
Palazzo Vecchio
One of the most ancient museums in Florence is the historic town hall and overlooks Piazza della Signoria. As you can imagine, it can get pretty busy during the high season, and so one way of avoiding the huge queue is to book a guided tour. This one has something quite unique as it allows you the chance to walk in secret passages of the Palazzo.
Boboli Gardens
A lot of attractions in Florence listed in this guide are interior ones, but if there is one outdoor spot that is worth it when the weather’s sunny (which is basically half of the year given Florence’s location with Italy), that’s the Boboli Gardens.
There is definitely a way to skip the queue by booking your ticket ahead of time (we ourselves did this while in Florence.) On the same website as the Uffizi Gallery, you can book single-entrance tickets for the garden that also includes the beautiful Garden of Villa Bardini. The same ticket is also available on GYG if you would prefer to have everything in the same app.
If you would prefer to visit as part of a tour, then there is one tour that can sell out pretty fast, which also includes the Pitti Palace and the Palatine Gallery. Since there are only 2 tours a day, I would recommend booking at least a few weeks in advance during peak season. Book here in advance
Santa Maria Novella
This special church was referred to as Michelangelo as his bride and is a beautiful blend of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Fortunately, this is one of the lesser-visited spots in Florence and so it is often possible to secure a ticket on the day if you don’t have the chance to purchase one ahead of time.
However, if you’re the kind of traveller who prefers to plan your itinerary ahead of time, then you should consider booking this skip the line ticket.
Book a food tour
Of course, no trip to Italy would be complete without sampling some of the food that the boot-shaped country is so famous for. In high season, book a food tour at least a month in advance in order to ensure securing your preferred dates. On this food tour, you can taste 8+ traditional Tuscan foods and 4 drinks across 5 historic eateries in Oltrarno.
Book a cooking class
From delicious pizza and pasta dishes to melt in your mouth gelatos, one of the more unique activities you can undertake while in Firenze is to take part in a baking or cooking class such as this Handmade Pasta and Dessert Cooking Class with Dinner
Curious Secrets of Florence: The Wine Windows
$4.95
If you’re curious to learn more about the wine windows of Florence (and discover which are open to the public), then this stunning eBook is your ideal digital companion for your next trip to the Italian city.
