The Uffizi in Florence is a timeless museum and gallery that you have to visit if you’re in the area. Considering its location, it only makes sense that it’s a hub for 14th-century and Renaissance period masterpieces.
Highlights include statues from the Medici family, as well as work from artists like Filippo Lippi, Pero della Francesca, Giotto, and many more.
To maximize your experience, we highly recommend taking one of the top Uffizi Gallery guided tours – the ones we have listed here offer the best bang for your buck! Let’s get started!
Be sure to see our reviews of Full Day Tuscany Day Trips, Florence Wine Tours and Cinque Terre Tours.
Best Uffizi Guided Tours
| Uffizi + David & Accademia Tour Exclusive | Uffizi Gallery Private Tour | Florence: Skip the Line Guided Uffizi Tour | |
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| Departure: | Via dei Castellani, 14, 50122 Firenze FI | Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI | Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI |
| Start: | 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM | Between 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM | 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 3:00 PM |
| Duration: | 3 hours | 1 hour 40 minutes | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Includes: | Earphones for groups of more than 6 people, Priority entry for both art galleries, Entrance ticket, Booking fee, Authorized guide | All taxes, fees and handling charges, Licensed guide, Headsets to hear your guide clearly, Private tour, Bottled water, Coffee and/or Tea | Skip the Line Tickets to the Uffizi Gallery, Licensed guide, Radios and headsets |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Skip-the-Line Uffizi Gallery Tours
- Uffizi + David & Accademia Tour Exclusive
- Uffizi Gallery Private Tour
- Florence: Skip the Line Guided Uffizi Tour
- Uffizi tour for Kids!
- Florence: Uffizi Gallery Guided Tour
Uffizi Reviews
1. Uffizi + David & Accademia Tour Exclusive
- Duration: 3 hours
- Departure: Via dei Castellani, 14, 50122 Firenze FI
- Departure Time: 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM
- Includes: Earphones for groups of more than 6 people, Priority entry for both art galleries, Entrance ticket, Booking fee, Authorized guide
It’s hard to know where to start with art in Florence, considering it’s the heart of the Italian Renaissance. If you want to experience some of the most famous works from that important era in history, check out the Uffizi + David & Accademia Tour Exclusive.
If you’re interested at all in learning about artwork and history, you have to sign up for this tour. As one of the most visited museums in the world, there are plenty of educated guides that work on-site.
However, this tour is known for having some of the most entertaining and knowledgeable, so be prepared to learn and see a lot! Even better, you don’t have to spend half your time waiting in massive lines that seem to never disappear – instead head through the priority entrance in both galleries!
Immerse yourself in the Italian Renaissance, where your guide will guide you through with expertise. You’ll see legendary masterpieces by some of the most famous Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, Giotto, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, and other notable figures.
You’ll not only see them though, as your guide will teach you about each piece and answer any questions you may have.
Michelangelo’s David is simply breathtaking, and makes it hard to believe that a human being is capable of creating something like this out of marble. Another highlight is the museum of musical instruments, even if you’re not particularly into music.
You’ll get time on your own as well, so you can explore at your leisure and see the pieces that interest you the most.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Experiences You May Enjoy:
2. Uffizi Gallery Private Tour
- Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Departure: Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI
- Departure Time: Between 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Includes: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Licensed guide, Headsets to hear your guide clearly, Private tour, Bottled water, Coffee and/or Tea
If you want to learn more about Italian history or culture but have a packed schedule, there’s no need to worry. The Uffizi Gallery Private Tour may last just an hour and 40 minutes, but you’re going to have a brain full of new information in that relatively short period of time.
This expansive gallery is simply magnificent, and with a local guide to teach you all about it, you’ll be a Renaissance pro, too.
Meet up with your guide at the Uffizi gallery at the time you agree upon beforehand. You may see a long line has already formed, but not to worry – you get to skip all that and head straight into the beautiful gallery!
As soon as you meet up, you’ll start learning the history of the building itself, as well as the state of Florence and beliefs that were popular during this important era.
Many tour guides are artists and historians themselves, so you can expect expert guidance here. Trust us when we say you get the general history and the cool, hidden-gem history lessons that you’d never learn in school!
Not only that, but they cater to your specific interests, making it a truly personalized tour for everyone who participates.
Learn about the development of art from the middle ages past the Renaissance, while seeing masterpieces from this time period’s artistic heroes: da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Sanzio, and many more.
You also get all the time you want after your tour to cruise around the gallery as you wish, in case there were any exhibits you wanted to explore further.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Florence: Skip the Line Guided Uffizi Tour
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Departure: Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI
- Departure Time: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 3:00 PM
- Includes: Skip the Line Tickets to the Uffizi Gallery, Licensed guide, Radios and headsets
Traveling and exploring new places should focus on the experience and learning, rather than standing in lines, right? I mean, who has time to spend hours queuing when there’s a whole world out there to see?
Maximize your time and see all the cool stuff with the Florence: Skip the Line Guided Uffizi Tour. If you’re bringing the entire family along, you have to check out this budget-friendly option.
The guides are so great at incorporating smaller children, ensuring they won’t get bored or want to run off to play with the statue of David.
We also really appreciated how well our guide accommodated the personal interests of the people in our group, and was easily able to answer every question asked.
Expect to see all of the main tourist pieces, as well as some other notable points of interest highlighted by fascinating anecdotes and historical stories. This definitely isn’t some run-of-the-mill audio tour – the personal touch is so valuable.
From the Late Gothic through the Renaissance and Mannerist periods, you’re going to see first-hand and learn about the most iconic art from these times.
It’s not just paintings either (though those are mind-blowing, too) – you’ll see sculptures, bas-relieves, altarpieces, drawings, and so much more. However, some of the most interesting stories are those of the building and area, itself and how important it was in local culture.
No matter your age or interests, though, you’re sure to fall in love with these “offices” of timeless treasures just as much as we have.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Uffizi Tour for Kids!
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: Plza della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI
- Departure Time: Check with tour operator
- Includes: Expert and official tour guide, Player notebook for children
When traveling with children, you may feel like you have to skip the museum or gallery visits to avoid them becoming bored. But that doesn’t mean that younger ones aren’t interested in the art or history – it’s all about how it’s presented to them.
With the Uffizi Tour for Kids!, the guides cut out all the fluff and make sure every turn is packed with curiosity and excitement!
One massively important aspect to having a smooth museum visit with kids is cutting down time standing in line for the entrance. They do you one better, by cutting out the line completely, letting you skip straight to the good part.
You also have quite a variety of different start times to choose from, so you can easily make it work with the rest of your schedule. You’re not just going to “see” the museum – you’re going to go treasure hunting in the Uffizi Gallery!
That’s right – your certified art historian guide is going to the whole family on a wild ride filled with activities, questions, learning, and fun! No matter the age, these talented guides manage to keep everyone entertained with age-relevant engagement.
You’re not just going to be cutting out queuing, but you’re eliminating the boring parts of the tour, too. Kids receive a notebook to help them with their “masterpiece hunt”, which is admittedly been a blast for us all.
We love how patient and accommodating they are, too, making sure everyone is having a great time venturing around the labyrinth that is Uffizi!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Florence: Uffizi Gallery Guided Tour
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- Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Departure: Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI
- Departure Time: Between 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
- Includes: Skip the line tickets to the Uffizi Gallery, Licensed guide, Radios and headsets
Constructed in the 1500s and designed by Giorgio Vasari, the Uffizi is one of the most notable museums in the world. Many of the artifacts and art pieces inside are much older than that, however.
With the 1.5-hour Florence: Uffizi Gallery Guided Tour you’ll learn all about the history behind these masterpieces, the artists who made them, and the Renaissance that they helped make.
As is typical with Florence, in general, the Uffizi Gallery can be hard to know where to start. Your small group tour of no more than 14 people simplifies this, though, with a professional guide who knows this museum like the back of their hand.
Skip the line and head right into the fun, where you’ll be able to see pieces by Botticelli, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and many more.
The massive quantity of masterpieces in the gallery can be intimidating, but your guide will be sure to curate the tour just for you. You’ll of course see and learn all about the most notorious pieces, but will be shown those that suit your specific interests, as well.
Thanks to the smaller group size, you won’t just be another head in the crowd. To ensure you don’t miss a word in the more crowded corridors, you’ll get a headset to hear your guide, as well.
90 minutes turned out to be just the ideal length of time in a tour setting, as you get all the time you want after to continue exploring at your own pace. If you’re looking for an insider’s guide to Uffizi, this one is hard to beat.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Uffizi Tour Guide
History
It may currently hold some of the most famous works by Leonardo da Vinci, but did you know the Uffizi in Florence was housing masterpieces since the time of da Vinci?
This place was an art gallery even in the throes of the Italian Renaissance. Pretty crazy, right?
Commissioned by Cosimo l de’Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany, the Uffizi, or “offices”, were originally meant for just that purpose – to house the administrative and legal offices of Florence back in the 1560s.
Designed by Renaissance master, Giorgio Vasari, himself, the Uffizi is adorned with countless thoughtful details with an edifice featuring a Doric column portico that exudes both sophistication and opulence. The Gallery’s ceilings were adorned with “grotesque”, a-la-Emperor Nero motifs that draws similarities to his underground Domus Aurea.
The bold, dramatic effect in itself draws in visitors with a large, central arch. The interior wings are perfect for displaying ancient artwork and Medici family treasures. Today, it’s known as one of the most well-curated, complete museums of the Renaissance time period.
Most Important Works
While the “most important” title will vary depending on the person, there are some indisputably “most famous” works in the Uffizi you’ll likely want to check out.
‘The Birth of Venus’ by Sandro Botticelli | 1485 – 1486
This is by far the gallery’s most famous work. If you’ve seen the Mona Lisa in person, you may perhaps feel it was much smaller than what you were imagining. You’re not likely to feel the same about this painting, which measures 10 feet across.
This symbol of love and beauty in both the spiritual and physical brings humanity closer to the divine. It represents purity, simplicity, and nobility of the soul. However, as Venus is portrayed nude in the painting, it was very controversial in the middle ages.
‘Coronation of the Virgin’ by Fra Angelico | 1432
It’s easy to say that this is one of the most impressive altar-pieces ever made, offering each saint their own special character. While you’re sure to be awestruck by the painting alone, the intricate engravings in the gilt elevates it to a whole new level.
‘Laocoön and his Sons’ by Baccio Bandinelli | 1525
No Italian Renaissance-era gallery is complete without sculptures. Based on a Hellenistic sculpture uncovered in 1506, this version became a modern recreation for Pope Leo X to gift King Francis I.
‘Madonna with the Long Neck’ by Parmigianino | 1535
And a long neck she does indeed have! The proportions are a bit bizarre, yet definitely draw attention. It’s meant to be radical, but somehow evokes a kind of grace that makes it one of the most famous pieces.
‘Portrait of Pope Leo X with Two Cardinals’ by Raphael | 1518
We’re back on the subject of Pope Leo X again, and this title basically says it all. This style was quite unique for its time, offering a very realistic insight into the figure’s life. With countless references to important events of that time, it’s one of those pieces that you can look at over and over and still spot new details.
‘Annunciation’ by Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea del Verrocchio
Who doesn’t know who da Vinci is? Just about everyone, right? Did you know that only a small percentage of people have actually seen one of his works in real life? The Annunciation offers fantastic insight into his earlier work, which was created alongside his master, Verrocchio.
Hours of Operation
The Uffizi is open Tuesday – Sunday from 8:15 am to 6:30 pm every day.
Sites Seen
Tour Guides
Value
The Uffizi + David & Accademia Tour Exclusive is our Editors Choice for the best Uffizi Gallery tour.
