Visiting Florence, which gallery would you recommend, and any other good ideas?

[dancerdog]

We are going to Florence for 2 days next week. The Uffizi looks like it might be too much (I know it is world-renowned, but maybe - for us - it might be just too much renaissance art...). Has anyone been to the Pitti museum? It looks like it might have a bit more variety?

Any other recommendations for museums and other things to see, would be very welcome.

The Uffizi always has a big queue. the Academia isanoption. We went to the Boboli Gardens, and also the Duomo and baptistry. We only had a day there

I recommend the Palazzo Davanzati - really interesting also the art in the San Marco convent is amazing.

If you can, always book in advance. Too hot to queue.

Finisterrae in plaza Santa Croce and Misuri also Signum for amazing stationery. Have a wonderful time.

Thanks for your replies. I will look into your suggestions.

Yes, planning on booking ahead. It looks like it will be pretty hot, so hoping the galleries have air con!

I found the Uffizi fairly tedious. Renaissance art is not my bag, it turns out. Very samey. Enjoyed climbing the towers and a Duomo tour. And the Boboli gardens are fabulous.

Don’t miss David at the Accademia. The sheer size of it! It will knock your socks off.
Palazzo Medici Riccardi, where the Medicis lived, has stunning frescoes.
Michaelangelo’s Staircase at the Laurentian Library.
The Medici Chapel.
San Marco, with the monks cells beautifully decorated by Giotto.
I enjoyed the Pitti Palace.
And try to climb up inside the Duomo. It’s challenging because of the angles you have to climb at, and very tight spaces.
I’m envious OP. It’s my favourite city in the world.

Day 1 Duomo Complex
Day 2 Focus Uffizi Gallery or/& Galleria dell'Accademia

The Bargello is worth a visit and not on many people's radar. When we visited Florence the Uffizi was open late on a Tuesday evening and we went in for around an hour - no queue and we just picked the bits we wanted to see. I thought the Birth of Venus was stunning.

It's about 5yrs old now but on iPlayer there's a series by Alexander Armstrong called 'Italy's Invisible Cities' - the 3rd and final episode is in Florence and they go round a lot of the museums / churches. We went 12yrs ago and loved it but did go to Sienna and San Gimignano and if you have time then I'd thoroughly recommend visiting them too

If you do go to the Uffizi, book the earliest slot of the day. There are often interesting exhibitions at the Pitti

Go,on airbnb, take a look at their experiencesand book a tour of the Uffizi, well worth every penny, you will jump,the queue's and get a much better experience.

I would agree with giving the Uffizi a miss. It was too much for us too. We all liked the view across the river best.

We had 3 days in Florence and didn't go in any galleries! (apart from David at the Accademia - I wouldn't count that as a gallery though - there's not much else there). We did the Gallileo museum, and that was good.
It's such a beautiful city, we enjoyed the outdoors, and going in and out of some of the churches and towers. We walked for MILES.

Don't miss seeing the sunset from the viewpoint on the 'other' side of the river (where there's a 'dummy' statue of David). It was incredible. We also got the bus to Fiesole, where you get amazing city views, but also an Etruscan ruin, a convent, lovely restaurants.

If you get a chance, go to Todo Modo - it's a bookshop/cafe/wine bar. Fab atmosphere, great wine, and nice cake. Also Santa Maria Novella pharmacy - supposed to be the oldest pharmacy in the world, and seen in Hannibal. A really interesting place to visit.

So many excellent suggestions, thank you!

Its going to be 35 - 37 degrees when we are there, so a bit of time indoors will be good, but I can see that there is plenty to see

@ThreeKneeRepeater I'd love to climb the Duomo but 'challenging angles' and 'tight spaces' give me the fear!

The oltre'arno area is the nicest, via leone area. Walk over the ponte vecchio and keep going.....oldest quarter. Away from the disneyfied parts....then you see the real Florence. For aircon go to palazzo pitti and up to the boboli Gardens. Also take a bus up to fiesole, best views.

Santa Croce is fab and theres a little gallery there, but also a fantastic leather works in the adjoining building. Beautiful stuff. Dont buy leather in the market, go there.. The food market Mercato Centrale is great and upstairs has a food court which great for coffee and cake etc .
Definitely see David at the Academia and the Palazzo Medici with the Stunning procession of the Magi room . The Basilica di San Lorenzo is also less crowded than most and had some beautiful Michelangelo tomb carvings also . The church and amazing graveyard at Santa Maria Novella is really worth a visit ( and an easy walk though uphill) and the views over Florence are stunning . .
Also dont miss the Oltarno District which is really fantastic with lots of great cafes , craft places and little shops Dont miss the Sunday market at Palazzo Santo Spirito . And also the Basilica there which is beautiful and has as the most stunning early Michelangelo crucifix