Florence Museums

[jc522]

Our Viking cruise has 3 excursions that go to 3 different museums and their surrounding areas, Accademia Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, and Uffizi Gallery. If we have to choose one, which is the best overall? We are not art experts, just tourists. 

[euro cruiser]

The Accademia is most famous for Michelangelo's David, most people blow through, see the Prisoners/Slaves, David, and leave.

 

The Uffizi has probably the world's largest collection of Italian renaissance art.

 

Palazzo Pitti houses several different museums.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I'm just back from my third visit to Florence (this May).  Since it was our third time, we stayed in Oltrarno right near the Pitti Palace.  It's very nice, but definitely something to save for your third trip to Florence.

 

As between the Accademia and the Uffizi – think of the adage about the fox and the hedgehog.  The Accademia is the hedgehog – it knows one thing: David; but that is the single best thing to see in Florence, and should not be missed.  [On your first time, or, for us, on any subsequent visit – we have seen it all three times and never cease to marvel.]  The Uffizi is the fox – it knows many things; too many IMHO to absorb in a quick visit.

 

I see from the descriptions of these three tours on the Viking website that all include a comprehensive walking tour of the tourist area of Florence from the Accademia (whether they go in or not) to Ponte Vecchio; all pass by the Duomo but don't go in.

 

If you are adventuresome, I would take the "Florence on Your Own" tour and pre-book timed tickets to the Accademia and one other important site.  We were able to do this from a cruise ship and combine the Accademia and the Uffizi.  Or you could do the Accademia and the Doumo [you can also climb the Duomo dome, which is worth it for the incredible views of the inside of the dome and the city/countryside, but very hard on the knees].

 

If that's too daunting [our day from the cruise ship was something of a Bataan Death March...], I would recommend the Accademia tour.  You will never remember a single thing you saw at the Uffizi or the Pitti, but you will never forget David.

[Fairgarth]

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

IIf that's too daunting [our day from the cruise ship was something of a Bataan Death March...], I would recommend the Accademia tour.  You will never remember a single thing you saw at the Uffizi or the Pitti, but you will never forget David.

 

I would agree with that.  You have seen many photos of David but you have never seen his back.  Right?  You can, of course, walk all around it.  It's impressive.  We found Uffizi kinda boring and zapped through in an hour.  I suppose lovers of art history could take a week, it's huge.  I have done the climb to the Brunelleschi Dome (and the Campanile right next to it) twice.  Now that is memorable.  And if you have to choose between the Duomo and Santa Croce, then Santa Croce wins every time.

[Host Jazzbeau]

9 minutes ago, Fairgarth said:

I would agree with that.  You have seen many photos of David but you have never seen his back.  Right?  You can, of course, walk all around it.  It's impressive.  We found Uffizi kinda boring and zapped through in an hour.  I suppose lovers of art history could take a week, it's huge.  I have done the climb to the Brunelleschi Dome (and the Campanile right next to it) twice.  Now that is memorable.  And if you have to choose between the Duomo and Santa Croce, then Santa Croce wins every time.

I agree that the interior of Santa Croce is more memorable than the interior of the Duomo – and you will see the exterior of the Duomo on any tour you take.  And in my experience ship tours meet at Santa Croce for the walk back to the bus – so you can see it as part of any tour you take.

[Fairgarth]

10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I agree that the interior of Santa Croce is more memorable than the interior of the Duomo – and you will see the exterior of the Duomo on any tour you take.

 

Quite right, I should have been more precise regarding the interiors, not the exteriors.  Now here is something off the wall - Museo Galileo.  It's just up river from Uffizi.  If you are interested in science and engineering it's amazing what those renaissance folks got up to.  Have you ever seen a bowling ball roll uphill on its own?  Here you will.

[carolinetodd]

I loved Museo Galileo!  Renaissance art leaves me pretty cold, but the displays in the Galileo were fascinating.