19If you are planning to visit Florence in one day, you absolutely cannot miss one of the most famous museums in the world, the Galleria dell'Accademia with the treasures it hides inside, including the famous David of Michelangelo.
Although 2020 has been a bit of a particular year, Florence has always been a city that has had to deal with an increasing number of visitors every year and it will certainly be even more so in the future.
In 2019, Florence received over 10 million tourists, with 1.700.000 (yes, 700!) Visiting the Galleria dell'Accademia.
This is one of the reasons why I always recommend buying tickets online: you don't queue and you are sure you won't be left out because the tickets are sold out.
But there is not only this. There COVID situation has changed the way of organizing and buying tickets online has become, if not mandatory, at least highly recommended both for a matter of organization and for a matter of personal safety and distancing between people.
CAUTION!
At this link of the official website of the Accademia Gallery under the heading "Covid-19 Measures" you can read:
"The number of visitors admitted to the museum in co-presence, always in compliance with the safety and spacing measures provided, is 150.
The presence of groups of 5 people + a guide is allowed. "
Now you understand why if you want to visit the Accademia Gallery, as well as other attractions in Florence, it is imperative to buy tickets first!
That's why in this article I list you 5 different ways to buy Accademia di Firenze tickets online.
If you don't have time to read the whole article, below is a list of some recommended tickets so that you can buy them online in as fast as possible!
TICKETS:
ACADEMY TICKET
ACADEMY + UFFIZI
GUIDED TOUR:
GUIDED TOUR
Before continuing though I have to do justice to the place you are going to visit, which is why I will give you a quick overview of the treasures you are about to go see so that you can look forward to them.
INDEX OF ITEMS IN THE ARTICLE:
- What to see at the Accademia Gallery
- Tickets for the Accademia Gallery - Types and prices
- 1 - Tickets "Skip the Line" for the Galleria dell'Accademia online (Priority Entrance)
- 2 - Guided tours of the Accademia Gallery
- 3 – Florence Pass
- 4 - Florence Card
- 5 - Book tickets for the Accademia Gallery over the phone
What to see at the Accademia Gallery
Okey, if you have decided to visit the Accademia Gallery, it is probably because Michelangelo's David is located there and certainly he alone is worth the whole visit.
You might just see that and get out, it would still be worth it, but since the David in there is in good company with other amazing works of art, and since you bought the ticket, you better get the most out of it. from your visit, right?
So besides the David, what else is there to see at the Accademia Gallery?
The Hall of the Colossus
La Hall of the Colossus is located at the entrance to the gallery and here you can admire the plaster model of Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna.
The three intertwined figures were sculpted using a single block of marble using this pattern.
In addition to the "Rape of the Sabine Women" you can also see a large collection of religious paintings and sculptures by some of the main artists of the Florentine Renaissance.
The Prisons (or The Slaves)
The four sculptural pieces of male nudes by Michelangelo called The prisoners they are one of the great unfinished works.
The sculptures look like marble slabs they had sculptures that seemed to try to free themselves from the marble slabs on which they were carved and there is a strong symbolic analogy between the figure trying to escape from the marble and the spirit trying to free itself from the flesh to yearn for God.
They were initially commissioned as part of the sumptuous tomb of Pope Julius II della Rovere inside the St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. But the pope told Michelangelo to stop the works due to lack of funds. One can only imagine what a wonderful thing Michelangelo would have done if he could have finished the job.
The rostrum
This is where you will find the David of Michelangelo in all its grandeur. By the way: did you know it was made when the sculptor was only 26, from a single solid block of Carrara marble?
The Model Room (or Bartolini Gallery)
Do not miss Room of the Models (or Gallery) Bartolini a few steps from the David: here you will find a collection of XNUMXth-century plaster models by local sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini.
Personally, I particularly enjoyed watching the video showing how these plaster casts were made. The sculptors used these models before carving the sculptures out of marble blocks.
The rooms of the Florentine Gothic
This space features many religious paintings from the Gothic period, as well as gold-decorated altarpieces and colorful mosaics.
The Museum of Musical Instruments
Maybe you didn't know, but the Gallery doesn't just show works of art. If you are passionate about music, you will surely love the ancient tools exhibited here (there is also a Stradivarius from 1690!) and the experience due to audiovisual tools.
As you can understand, the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence is worth a stop during your vacation, not only for Michelangelo's David, but also for all his friends.
After this brief overview, let's move on to the main topic of the article: how and where can you buy Accademia Gallery tickets online?
Tickets for the Accademia Gallery - Types and prices
The first thing to know about Accademia Gallery tickets is that they are there different price ranges.
I'll list them below.
Full ticket
Il full ticket price to enter the Accademia Gallery is to 12 € al ticket office costa, mentre online ne costa 14.
The price may vary if there is a special exhibition in the museum.
reduced ticket
There is also the possibility of entering the Galleria dell'Accademia at reduced price of only 2 € for young citizens of the European Union aged between 18 and 25 years (an identity document must be presented), or for teachers of Italian public schools with permanent assignments (also here the documents certifying it must be presented).
Free entry
You can visit the Academy of Florence for free on some specific days, but also if you have:
- under 18 or over 65;
- a university student or professor at the faculties of architecture, cultural heritage, primary education, literature and philosophy or archeology, history or art;
- a guide or interpreter;
- a disabled person or their companion; an employee of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage or holder of a Firenze Card (find out more below).
These are the different possibilities you have in terms of price. The time has finally come to find out how to buy tickets, skip the line and enjoy the Accademia Gallery in Florence.
1 - Tickets "Skip the Line" for the Galleria dell'Accademia online (Priority Entrance)
The cheapest online ticket is definitely the one with the single entry Skip the Line and, if you want to save a little, it could be the right choice (although I recommend a guided tour with a trained guide at the Accademia Gallery).
The online ticket costs a few euros more than what you can buy at the ticket office due to the pre-sale fee.
Il Skip the Line Ticket, or Priority Entrance, include (but always check why it might change):
- Priority access to the Accademia Gallery: this means that you show up, show your ticket and enter at the scheduled time without having to queue
- Free downloadable audio guide app with audio commentary on the Accademia Gallery
- Access to temporary exhibitions (if available)
But where to buy it? On which site online? Here are some good suppliers you can trust.
You can buy it HERE on the Official Website of the Accademia Gallery. The official site however, it does not specify if the audio guide is included or if you have to pay extra when you arrive at the place and therefore consider whether to buy it from here.
You can also buy it on partner sites or suppliers, which are just as safe and reliable and, above all, better specify what is included and what is not.
Below you will find some tickets, both simple and "combined" between several attractions such as the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi Museum:
- “Skip the Line” ticket for the Accademia Gallery
- Accademia Gallery + Uffizi Gallery combo ticket (with audio guide - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
- Florence: Uffizi, Brunelleschi's Dome and optional Accademia
Like many online tickets, the system will ask you to select a day and time for your visit, then will send you a voucher by email that you will have to print and show at the museum ticket office or present it directly from your smartphone (more convenient and you don't waste paper).
2 - Guided tours of the Accademia Gallery
Book a guided tour it does not only mean skipping the line at the door of the Accademia Gallery, but also have the opportunity to know much more about the works exhibited at the museum.
But not only: if the entrance tickets are sold out, booking a guided tour is the only way you can enter and visit the Gallery: a number of tickets are in fact reserved for guided tours.
Guided tours can be either private (more expensive) or group (a little cheaper).
La price difference it is obviously due to the fact that the private guided tour is totally customizable, plus you will have all the knowledge of the guide at your disposal: You can ask all the questions you want and you can also decide rhythms and preferences.
Joining a group tour is cheaper and it still gives you, compared to the single entry ticket, the opportunity to go deeper and not limit yourself to a quick look at the works of art.
Typically a guided tour includes:
- Guided tour with official guide
- Skip-the-line ticket for the Accademia Gallery
- Group with reduced number of participants
- Earphones (for groups of over 6 people)
As usual, however, before buying, always check the conditions, what's included and what's not to avoid getting nasty surprises.
Below you will find some guided tours that I have looked for especially for you from several reputable suppliers. Obviously I haven't tried them all, but I have relied on the reviews to choose the ones I think are the best.
Read the reviews too to understand which visit to choose that is closest to your needs!
CAUTION: All listed tours are conducted following local legislation and health and safety recommendations to avoid virus infection Covid-19. So you can go without worry!
- GUIDED VISIT to the Accademia Gallery with a guide specialized in art history (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED): a one-hour visit along a route defined by specialists in art history. You will also see a Stradivarius from 1690! It is carried out in small groups, in case of more people are also provided with earphones.
- Accademia Gallery: Tour: This tour gives you the option to be booked as a private visit as well.
- OFFER: Guided tour of Florence + Uffizi + Accademia : a super intense day of visits, almost 7 hours with an expert guide. Reviews are exceptional!
- Florence: Accademia Gallery and Florence Cathedral with Dome Access and Walking Tour: with this tour you can also climb the Brunelleschi's Dome!
3 – Florence Pass
As for other cities, there are also several for Florence discount cards for those wishing to have a real full immersion in culture.
Il Florence Pass is one of them. This is not the usual tourist card that includes transport (if you are short on time, you don't need to visit Florence on foot), but it includes 3 of the most popular things tourists do in their vacation:
- Skip-the-line ticket for the Accademia Gallery
- Skip-the-line ticket for the Uffizi Gallery
- Bus Hop-on hop-off
- A downloadable audio guide app on your smartphone to take a tour of the city with over 70 points of interest, high quality graphics, digital maps that you can also consult offline and various itineraries that can be done on foot or by public transport.
Il Florence Pass is affordable if you are only in Florence for one day and you don't want to miss the real Highlights of this city!
Vedi FLORENCE PASS4 - Florence Card
La Florence Card it is an ideal solution if you have more days to spend in Florence (it includes public transport) and you want to make the most of your visit, as it is valid for 72 hours from the moment you start using it (practically when you enter the first Museum).
You will have free admission and skip the line to some of the best museums and attractions in Florence, for example the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio Museum, Palazzo Pitti, Boboli Gardens, the churches of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce, as well as obviously the Galleria dell'Accademia.
With the Firenze Card you will also have unlimited public transport in the city and discounts on other attractions, restaurants and shopping.
However, keep in mind that the Firenze Card is convenient if you intend to use public transport a lot. If you spend little time in Florence, like just one day, the center is not big and you can easily get around it on foot.
ATTENTION: with the Firenze Card it is anyway it is necessary to book in advance the entrance. Reservations are free of charge, and can be done by calling the Firenze Musei call center on 055 294883 (active from Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 18.30, Saturday from 8.30 to 12.30) or at the desks dedicated to the museum.
See FIRENZE CARD
5 - Tickets for the Accademia Gallery on the phone
If you want to save time by skipping the line at the entrance to the Academy but you don't really like buying online, you can book your tickets with a phone call, a somewhat old-fashioned but always effective method.
You will need to call the number, +39 055294883, which is active from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 18:30 and on Saturdays until 12:30.
CAUTION: in this case the cost of the reservation is € 4,00!
You will be given a booking ID code that you will need to communicate at the dedicated counter at the Accademia Gallery, which will turn into a paid entrance ticket.
