A first trip to Florence would not be complete without seeing specific historical and cultural sights. Many of these have to be planned prior to arrival, for the tickets sell out online as soon as they are released months in advance. Visiting the beautiful Uffizi Gallery & Vasari Corridor is one such place.
Getting There & Tickets
The Uffizi Gallery is located in the heart of historic Florence, right on the Arno River. Find the Piazza della Signoria and the gallery is there. My ticket stated that I should enter through door number 3, however when I inquired the day prior at that door, I was told go to instead to door number 1. Each entrance is clearly labelled and they are close together, so if in doubt, simply ask at any of the doors.
I purchased my ticket directly through the official website, which I always recommend trying first. I paid €58 for a combined ticket that included the Uffizi, the Vasari Corridor, Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. Visitors have five consecutive days to see everything included with this ticket.
Brief History
In 1560 this large building was constructed for Cosimo I de’Medici as a way for him to access all of the administrative departments he needed. Uffizi means ‘office’ in Italian and indeed, these buildings were the culmination of various government agencies that were combined.
After the ruling family of Medici died out, their entire art collection was given to the City of Florence and this has been its resting place since. The Uffizi Gallery has been open to the public since 1769 and officially became a museum in 1865. It is the most visited museum in Italy.
The Art
Absolutely full of Italian Renaissance pieces, there are several that are more viewed than the others, and there are hundreds. Readers will most probably recognize at least a few of these.
They are, in no particular order, the following:
Each one is spectacular, some larger than others, the little angel is surprisingly small. I was fortunate enough to hold a ticket for the first entrance time slot of 8:15 and had a plan. I almost ran up the multiple flights of stairs to reach the top floor. From there I visited all of these and had only a few other people in the room with me while I did. It wasn’t long before crowds filled each of these popular spaces.
Other Rooms
There are multiple rooms as one can imagine. Each is filled with extraordinary pieces. It can be quite overwhelming to absorb all that you see here. One painting in particular, Bacchus by Caravaggio, one of my all time favorite artists, holds a special significance to me.
Some of my favorite rooms were the one containing images of Renaissance children and babies. Their cherubic faces, stunning costume, and the little items that each one held were so lovely to see.
Another place I enjoyed was the artists self portrait gallery. There were far more paintings than I anticipated. It is always interesting for me to see what the artist looked like in person. Almost to see if I can match their image and personality to their paintings and style.
Details
When I am inside a gallery such as this, and begin to feel overwhelmed by the vast amount of extraordinary pieces, I will focus in on the details. Small parts of these larger paintings that often go unnoticed when looking at the larger picture. Its these little details that I really enjoy seeing and it almost begins to feel like a treasure hunt of sorts.
The Vasari Corridor
Only reopened in 2023 after being closed for the previous eight years is the Vasari Corridor. This passage is a series of long hallways that crosses over the Arno River. It was constructed in 1565 as a means for the Medici family to safely walk between the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace, their home.
The Ponte Vecchio is the bridge on which the corridor passes above. At the time of construction, this bridge and the stores on it, were the meat district. Imagine the smell and slop produced at that time. The Vasari Corridor was a means to bypass the undesirable part of city living, and remain safely ensconced above.
When I purchased the ticket, I was under the impression that the corridor was lined with art, hundreds of pieces in fact. Alas, it has been stripped almost bare now, and only one section holds a collection of marble busts.
Is the Corridor Worth It?
While it is interesting to walk this historic stretch and take in the views from the windows, I would not recommend purchasing a separate ticket just for corridor. Small groups of 25 people are led through at a snail’s pace for a total of 45 minutes. Entrance is inside the Uffizi of which you must enter at least two hours prior. The exit is in the Boboli Gardens at the Pitti Palace. You cannot return to the Uffizi after the corridor so keep that in mind.
The Uffizi Gallery is a must see for art lovers of all types. A world class collection of paintings and sculpture that is such a pleasure to admire. Definitely book an earlier time slot or conversely one near closing if you dislike crowds. From the moment one enters, until you depart, the beauty is mind boggling.
