firenze card or reservation please clarify

guytano

New member
Hi. I have searched many forums and threads and cannot find an exact answer to this. I see that Lourdes has many posts about Florence and hope she or someone else will know. I am going to Florence in two weeks and can't determine if I will be better off buying online tickets with reservations for Uffizi and the Academy or just buying the FZ card when I arrive and showing up at those two museums. I will definitely be buying the cards for other museums my wife and I will be going to, and understand they are very valuable for skipping lines, but nothing I have read seems to make it clear whether or not an actual reservation, made by buying tickets online, is a superior choice for reducing the time spent in line and/or guaranteeing entry. Some things I have read seem to indicate if you buy the advance tickets with reserved times, you still have to go to one window to pick up your ticket and then end up in the same one that those with the FZ card are in. Is that true? Our priority is to limit time in line, and if buying those tickets with reservation times separately from the card is better, we are will to pay "twice" for those two museums, but obviously not if there is no benefit. Grazie.
 
Right now, during the height of the season, if you are planning to visit more museums than just those two, I would suggest the Firenze Card because at least for Uffizi and Accademia, you don't have to set a time and just head to them when you want to visit - so more flexibility.

If you're only interested in Uffizi and Accademia and setting a time ahead does not bother you, then just book the tickets for those two museums (the cheapest tickets can be booked by phone - read more about that here: https://www.visitflorence.com/what-to-see-in-florence/booking-florence-museums.html )

Yes, both advance ticket holders and Firenze Card holders end up at the same entrance, getting in line for the same x-ray machine. But Firenze Card holders skip the line outside, while the advance ticket holders book for, let's say 9.30, won't be let in until 9.30 so might have to wait.... and there are a lot of tickets for 9.30 so the line outside IS LONG IN HIGH SEASON, regardless. But the no ticket line is much worse, so getting tickets or buying the card are still a good option right now.
 
Grazie, Lourdes. It sounds like you are saying that even with a reservation for an exact time, there could still be more of a wait than with the card. If that is correct, then it seems there is no benefit to the reservation vs. the card, and we will just go with the card.
 
Yep, my impression is that you could theoretically save a little time and keep more flexibility with the Firenze Card during June-August months. Otherwise, I'd go for the individual tickets.

I heard back from someone who was saying that once he got there, with a Firenze Card, he was sent in to the same line as the other reserved tickets. But I am not sure this is the case, as there is clearly a sign on the right of that entrance that permits the card holders to go through there. Let us know how things go!!

Lots of feedback I read and see is that the Uffizi is doing really bad at managing the flow of visitors, but since there is a new director this year, we hope changes will be made to improve the situation!!
 
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