Uffizi Gallery Private Guided Tour

Highlights

  • Annunciation by Simone Martini 

  • Birth of Venus by Botticelli

  • Leonardo da Vinci’s Paintings

  • Raphael’s Paintings

  • Doni Tondo by Michelangelo

  • Caravaggio’s Paintings

Duration of the tour: 2/3 hours
Difficulty: low
Suitable for children: yes
Accessibility for differently abled: yes
Difference in level: 15 metres

From 140,00 €

A tour of the Uffizi Gallery, the biggest Italian museum of Painting

Let yourself be accompanied in an Uffizi Gallery guided tour to discover the secrets of what is the largest museum of Painting in Italy, so that you can know the great masterpieces of the Italian and the European Renaissance.

The visit to the Uffizi Gallery represents an essential experience of living if you want to fully understand the concept of Florence as the homeland of that incredible cultural season worldwide known as Renaissance. Through the rooms of the museum it is possible to sense how, along the centuries, the search for an ideal beauty canon has always been the aspiration of the Florentines.

In almost one hundred exhibition rooms – that are treasure chests –, we see the beautiful paintings that date from the 13th to the 18th-century, from the ‘humanity’ of Giotto to the ‘nature’ of Caravaggio, through the elegance of Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci’s scientific insight, the ‘grace’ of Raphael and the ‘power’ of Michelangelo, in addition to the works of European painters.

The wonderful Gallery of sculptures

We begin our tour of the Uffizi from the Gallery on the second floor, a very refined space all decorated with ‘grotesques‘ in the vaults and with magnificent ancient Roman statues and busts, a collection that belonged to the Medici family. The first rooms that we see are those dedicated to the Middle Ages painting, where we have masterpieces by Giotto, the ‘founder’ of modern painting and whom, according to an effective definition by the writer Cennino Cennini, “changed the art of the painting from Greek to Latin and then reduce into modern ”. We will see the beautiful Annunciation by Simone Martini, one of the Uffizi’s most refined works.  The gold leaf’s splendour will continue to surprise you in the Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano.

The masterpieces by Botticelli

With the works by Filippo Lippi, you will discover where the skills of his most famous pupil – Sandro Botticelli – came from. From the latter, we will obviously admire his most famous works here kept: the Primavera and the Birth of Venus, two authentic ‘icons’ of what is a painting’s sanctuary. Of these two paintings, we will discover all the secrets and reasons because they keep fascinating visitors so much. We continue the Uffizi Gallery guided tour with the vision of the paintings made by some Flemish artists, such as Rogier Van Der Weyden and Hugo van der Goes, the latter author of the famous Portinari Triptych, a large altarpiece that has many secrets awaiting to be uncovered…

We move on towards the Tribune, the first environment of the Uffizi complex to be devised as a museum space – since 1580. The image of the four elements is emphasized within this octagonal space, a number that had a particular symbolic value for those who practised Alchemy in the 16th-century.

Reaching the centre of the gallery, we arrive at a panoramic point where you cannot resist the temptation to take pictures because of the beautiful view enjoyable from there; looking to the right, you will notice buildings such as Palazzo Vecchio with the Cathedral’s dome in the background; to the left, you will instead have a beautiful view of the Arno river and of the Florentine bridges series, among which the spectacular Ponte Vecchio stands out. Beyond the river, you can see some villas, the church of San Miniato al Monte, the refined Kaffeehaus – one of the first examples of its kind to be built in Italy –, and finally the Boboli Gardens.

Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo

After enjoying the panorama on the river, we will continue our Uffizi Gallery guided tour discovering the rooms keeping the works of other important artists and then reaching the room dedicated to the great Leonardo da Vinci, of whom we see the Adoration of the Magi and the Annunciation; in particular, we will discover how this latter work is linked – thanks to the iconography and numerology that it conceals –, to theological concepts that had particular importance at the artist’s time.

In one of the following rooms, we will admire the paintings made by the great protagonists of the Renaissance, that is, Raphael and Michelangelo. The placement of the two masters’ works in a single room will allow us to rediscover the bond that united them to the fate of the wealthy merchant who commissioned them: Agnolo Doni

The works by the Veneto’s painters and by Caravaggio

Once finished the itinerary of the second floor, we visit the first level where, in the series of rooms that open out before us, we will be able to see the works of the Mannerists, namely the paintings of those artists who in the middle of the 16th-century had a wholly personal way to rework the lesson of the early-cinquecento great masters. Among them, the Rosso Fiorentino and Pontormo‘s paintings, the two most famous Mannerists, do not go unnoticed; then follow the works made by less eccentric artists and more related to the ” buona maniera” (the good way), such as Agnolo Bronzino, the painter of the Medici court and one of the most refined artists in the mid-16th-century. Another important collection preserved in the Uffizi is that of the Veneto painters; among these, the names of very famous artists stand out, such as Titian, Tintoretto and Paolo Veronese.

We will end our tour of the Uffizi Gallery by visiting the 17th-century rooms that house the works by Caravaggio, the father of ‘modern’ painting. Of the great Lombard artist we will see the famous Medusa – a striking painting for its expressive power and for the conceptual innovations it contains –, the Sacrifice of Isaac and finally the Bacchus. Thanks to the multitude of masterpieces – and the vast chronological span they cover – the Uffizi Gallery guided tour is not simply an itinerary inside a museum preserving paintings and sculptures, but instead represents a great journey into the history of beauty.

This tour can be booked in combination with the other tours and hiking routes available on Florence and Siena which can be consulted in the Menu.

A convenient way to access all the museums or to use the Florentine public transport service is by the Firenze Card 

The activity proposed here is not a joinable tour but a private tour that is carried out on request of individuals or groups organised with a tourist agency and can be customised for starting time, meeting place and duration. depending on the customer’s needs.

 

Duration of Uffizi Gallery private tour

The guided tour can last 2 or 3 hours. With the 2-hour tour, we can visit the entire section of the 2nd floor which is where the works by Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo (as well as other great artists protagonists of the Renaissance) are kept, plus the specific section of the 1st floor where there are the paintings by Caravaggio. With the 3-hour, we can calmly dedicate ourselves to both the 2nd floor and the 1st floor where, in addition to Caravaggio, there is an important section dedicated to Veneto’s painters (e.g. Titian), mannerists such as Bronzino and a section of artists’ self-portraits.

 

Radio rental compulsory from 5 people onwards

From 6 people onwards, to facilitate listening to the guide explanations and ensuring social distancing outdoors and indoors, it is strictly recommended to rent radio devices with transmitters that ensure perfect listening to the explanations of the guide even from a distance; as we visit the inside of the Uffizi Gallery, the rental of radios is compulsory for 5 or more people. The service is booked by the guide when the guided tour is requested, but the rental cost, which is € 1.50 per person for 2 or 3 hours, is charged to the customer and can be paid directly to the guide who will then take care to pay the supplier.

Carers or teachers of school groups do not pay for the rental of the radio.

 

Uffizi Gallery opening hours

From Tuesday to Sunday 8:15 – 18:30
For Saturdays and holidays, reservations must be made at least one day in advance  
Closure  
Every Monday, December 25th, January 1st

 

 

Uffizi Gallery ticket prices

Full
 
 
 

From 1st to 9th January

From 21st February to 9th November

From 21st to 31st December

8:15 am – 8:30 am
19,00 €
8:45 am – 5:30 pm
25,00 €
From 10th November to 20th December

From 10th January to 20th February

12,00 €
Reduced

Eligibility criteria for reduced-price tickets?

2,00 €
Free

Eligibility criteria for free admission?

Entrance reservation

How it works?

4,00 €

 

The ticket price to the Uffizi Gallery is not included in the tour rate.

Since the guide has his personal museum pass for the entry, customer doesn’t need to buy the museum ticket for him. 

 

Surcharge and limit of people per group

Under the current provisions, if the group visiting the museum is made up of at least 11 units, it will have to bear an increase of € 70.00 on the ticket price (in total, not for a single ticket). This amount is charged to the group and must be paid at the ticket office when collecting the paper tickets. However, the group cannot exceed the maximum limit of 16 people.

 

Inconveniences on occasion of free admission to the state museums

Since the Italian Ministry of Culture has decided to reintroduce free admission to state museums on the first Sundays of the month starting from 3 April 2022, it is not recommended to book this tour every first Sunday of the month due to the huge turnout of people and the impossibility for that day to book entry at a determinate time.

 

The guide does not provide private transport service, which entails the client needs to reach the meeting point established in the route on his own.

To get the contact of a licensed driver who provides private transfer service, as well as getting further information about the tour, please write to:

info@guidaturistica-michelebusillo.com, also on Whatsapp or Telegram


 

Back to the description of the itinerary

 

Cost of Uffizi private guided tour

The rate for a 2-hours private guided tour is 140.00 € (price in total and not per person), for 3 hours 175.00 € (always price in total and not per person).

For further information about the rates, also to check the deals available, please visit the dedicated section by clicking here.

 

How to book the tour?

The tour can be booked by writing an email, calling at +393332591526 or texting the guide (also via Whatsapp or Telegram) to check availability for the requested day. 

Once the day and time of the tour have been agreed with the guide, to book it is necessary to advance 50% of the tour value with a deposit to be paid by credit card.

Attention: pay the deposit only after agreed the date and the details of the tour with the guide. The remaining payment of the guided tour takes place after the tour by card, in cash or by bank transfer.

 

Cancellation Policy

It is the responsibility of the guide to guarantee the guide service in any case. If, even for personal reasons, the guide is unable to perform the service in the date set with the client, it will be his concern to contact a trusted colleague who can replace him and therefore guarantee the customer service.

The cancellation of the tour from the client can be done free of charge by giving timely notice to the guide before 48 hours from the date and time agreed for the service. In this case the deposit paid in advance by the customer will be returned by the guide. If instead cancellation is made by the customer when there are less than 48 hours before the date agreed for the service, the customer will lose the deposit paid.

Cancellation can be made by promptly communicating it to the guide with via email, calling the number +393332591526 or by texting (also via Whatsapp or Telegram).


 

Back to the description of the itinerary

By car

Reachable via the A1 motorway (Firenze Scandicci exit and from there continue towards the center, reaching the area of the Santa Maria Novella station, where there is a multi-storey underground car park (reachable only for vehicles with engines from EURO 6 onwards). From the station underpass, Piazza di Santa Maria Novella can be reached in a few minutes.

As a cheaper alternative to the underground car park, there is the Piazzale Montelungo car park (always subject to charges). An excellent alternative to car parking near the center historic is to leave the vehicle at the Villa Costanza car park and from there take the T1 tram line which takes about 22 minutes to reach the Santa Maria Novella station. The T1 line has stops both before and after the Santa Maria station Novella that can be convenient to reach any accommodation For more information on the Tramvia timetables and stops click here.

 

By private bus lines

There are connections of private lines to reach Florence, such as Italbus and Flixbus which reach the Villa Costanza tramway station; from the latter the tram line takes about 22 minutes to reach Santa Maria Novella station. For more info on the Tramvia timetables click here.

 

By plane

Florence can be reached by plane via the Amerigo Vespucci Airport. From here the historic center is connected:

With the Tram

The T2 line of the Tramway connects Florence Airport with the centre and arrives in Piazza dell’Unità italiana. For more info on the Tramvia timetables click here.

 

With Taxi service

Contatctable to the numbers +390554643159 al +390554242 or on the web site clicking here.

 

By train

Florence can be reached by train with the Trenitalia service. Depending on your accommodation needs, you can arrive in Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Firenze Rifredi or Firenze Campo di Marte. With the regional lines then Florence can also be reached from other cities of Tuscany.

 

Organised groups with touristic coach

For organised groups by touristic bus, there are drop-off/drop-on points for passengers in the urban centre of Florence (click here to view the points).

Tourist coaches are subject to the payment of a checkpoint (more information here).

 

 

By Camper

Camper owners find car parks for campers (only some of these are equipped) in Via delle Porte Sante,, in Via delle Porte Sante, in Viale Abramo Lincoln, in Via Luigi Castaldi, in Largo Alcide De Gasperi, at the Largo Alcide De Gasperi (the latter connected to the center with the Nelli-Torregalli tram stop). For more info on the equipped Campervan areas around Florence click here.

 

Back to the description of the itinerary

This tour can be booked in combination with the other tours and hiking routes available on Florence and Siena which can be consulted in the Menu.

A convenient way to access all the museums or to use the Florentine public transport service is by the Firenze Card 

The activity proposed here is not a joinable tour but a private tour that is carried out on request of individuals or groups organised with a tourist agency and can be customised for starting time, meeting place and duration. depending on the customer’s needs.

 

Duration of Uffizi Gallery private tour

The guided tour can last 2 or 3 hours. With the 2-hour tour, we can visit the entire section of the 2nd floor which is where the works by Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo (as well as other great artists protagonists of the Renaissance) are kept, plus the specific section of the 1st floor where there are the paintings by Caravaggio. With the 3-hour, we can calmly dedicate ourselves to both the 2nd floor and the 1st floor where, in addition to Caravaggio, there is an important section dedicated to Veneto’s painters (e.g. Titian), mannerists such as Bronzino and a section of artists’ self-portraits.

 

Radio rental compulsory from 5 people onwards

From 6 people onwards, to facilitate listening to the guide explanations and ensuring social distancing outdoors and indoors, it is strictly recommended to rent radio devices with transmitters that ensure perfect listening to the explanations of the guide even from a distance; as we visit the inside of the Uffizi Gallery, the rental of radios is compulsory for 5 or more people. The service is booked by the guide when the guided tour is requested, but the rental cost, which is € 1.50 per person for 2 or 3 hours, is charged to the customer and can be paid directly to the guide who will then take care to pay the supplier.

Carers or teachers of school groups do not pay for the rental of the radio.

 

Uffizi Gallery opening hours

From Tuesday to Sunday 8:15 – 18:30
For Saturdays and holidays, reservations must be made at least one day in advance  
Closure  
Every Monday, December 25th, January 1st

 

 

Uffizi Gallery ticket prices

Full
 
 
 

From 1st to 9th January

From 21st February to 9th November

From 21st to 31st December

8:15 am – 8:30 am
19,00 €
8:45 am – 5:30 pm
25,00 €
From 10th November to 20th December

From 10th January to 20th February

12,00 €
Reduced

Eligibility criteria for reduced-price tickets?

2,00 €
Free

Eligibility criteria for free admission?

Entrance reservation

How it works?

4,00 €

 

The ticket price to the Uffizi Gallery is not included in the tour rate.

Since the guide has his personal museum pass for the entry, customer doesn’t need to buy the museum ticket for him. 

 

Surcharge and limit of people per group

Under the current provisions, if the group visiting the museum is made up of at least 11 units, it will have to bear an increase of € 70.00 on the ticket price (in total, not for a single ticket). This amount is charged to the group and must be paid at the ticket office when collecting the paper tickets. However, the group cannot exceed the maximum limit of 16 people.

 

Inconveniences on occasion of free admission to the state museums

Since the Italian Ministry of Culture has decided to reintroduce free admission to state museums on the first Sundays of the month starting from 3 April 2022, it is not recommended to book this tour every first Sunday of the month due to the huge turnout of people and the impossibility for that day to book entry at a determinate time.

 

The guide does not provide private transport service, which entails the client needs to reach the meeting point established in the route on his own.

To get the contact of a licensed driver who provides private transfer service, as well as getting further information about the tour, please write to:

info@guidaturistica-michelebusillo.com, also on Whatsapp or Telegram

 

Back to the description of the itinerary

 

Cost of Uffizi private guided tour

The rate for a 2-hours private guided tour is 140.00 € (price in total and not per person), for 3 hours 175.00 € (always price in total and not per person).

For further information about the rates, also to check the deals available, please visit the dedicated section by clicking here.

 

How to book the tour?

The tour can be booked by writing an email, calling at +393332591526 or texting the guide (also via Whatsapp or Telegram) to check availability for the requested day. 

Once the day and time of the tour have been agreed with the guide, to book it is necessary to advance 50% of the tour value with a deposit to be paid by credit card.

Attention: pay the deposit only after agreed the date and the details of the tour with the guide. The remaining payment of the guided tour takes place after the tour by card, in cash or by bank transfer.

 

Cancellation Policy

It is the responsibility of the guide to guarantee the guide service in any case. If, even for personal reasons, the guide is unable to perform the service in the date set with the client, it will be his concern to contact a trusted colleague who can replace him and therefore guarantee the customer service.

The cancellation of the tour from the client can be done free of charge by giving timely notice to the guide before 48 hours from the date and time agreed for the service. In this case the deposit paid in advance by the customer will be returned by the guide. If instead cancellation is made by the customer when there are less than 48 hours before the date agreed for the service, the customer will lose the deposit paid.

Cancellation can be made by promptly communicating it to the guide with via email, calling the number +393332591526 or by texting (also via Whatsapp or Telegram).

 

Back to the description of the itinerary

By car

Reachable via the A1 motorway (Firenze Scandicci exit and from there continue towards the center, reaching the area of the Santa Maria Novella station, where there is a multi-storey underground car park (reachable only for vehicles with engines from EURO 6 onwards). From the station underpass, Piazza di Santa Maria Novella can be reached in a few minutes.

As a cheaper alternative to the underground car park, there is the Piazzale Montelungo car park (always subject to charges). An excellent alternative to car parking near the center historic is to leave the vehicle at the Villa Costanza car park and from there take the T1 tram line which takes about 22 minutes to reach the Santa Maria Novella station. The T1 line has stops both before and after the Santa Maria station Novella that can be convenient to reach any accommodation For more information on the Tramvia timetables and stops click here.

 

By private bus lines

There are connections of private lines to reach Florence, such as Italbus and Flixbus which reach the Villa Costanza tramway station; from the latter the tram line takes about 22 minutes to reach Santa Maria Novella station. For more info on the Tramvia timetables click here.

 

By plane

Florence can be reached by plane via the Amerigo Vespucci Airport. From here the historic center is connected:

With the Tram

The T2 line of the Tramway connects Florence Airport with the centre and arrives in Piazza dell’Unità italiana. For more info on the Tramvia timetables click here.

 

With Taxi service

Contatctable to the numbers +390554643159 al +390554242 or on the web site clicking here.

 

By train

Florence can be reached by train with the Trenitalia service. Depending on your accommodation needs, you can arrive in Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Firenze Rifredi or Firenze Campo di Marte. With the regional lines then Florence can also be reached from other cities of Tuscany.

 

Organised groups with touristic coach

For organised groups by touristic bus, there are drop-off/drop-on points for passengers in the urban centre of Florence (click here to view the points).

Tourist coaches are subject to the payment of a checkpoint (more information here).

 

 

By Camper

Camper owners find car parks for campers (only some of these are equipped) in Via delle Porte Sante,, in Via delle Porte Sante, in Viale Abramo Lincoln, in Via Luigi Castaldi, in Largo Alcide De Gasperi, at the Largo Alcide De Gasperi (the latter connected to the center with the Nelli-Torregalli tram stop). For more info on the equipped Campervan areas around Florence click here.

 

Back to the description of the itinerary