The Firenze Card is a skip-the-line ticket for top attractions and museums in Florence including time-slot reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia galleries.
The Firenzecard (Florence Card) is a sightseeing pass that offers priority access to almost all top sights in Florence for a period of 72 hours. It is a particularly good deal in the high season, when it allows skip-the-line access to many popular museums and guaranteed time-slot reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia galleries within the validity period. The Firenzecard is not particularly cheap but it can save money if used frequently, which is easy as virtually all top sights in Florence are covered by this pass (but not Duomo venues!). Public transportation is a cheap optional extra. The card may also be extended (Firenzecard Restart) for a further 48 hours anytime within a period of 12 months.
→ Top museums, churches, and sights in Florence are open mostly as normal in 2023 — see 2023: Florence New Opening Hours of Top Sights, Museums, and Churches for the latest information and opening hours. The Firenzecard is again sold but the Turbopass Florence City Pass is a good alternative that includes online timeslot reservations for both the Uffizi and Accademia.
Save with the Firenze Card in Florence
The Firenzecard (Florence Card) is a sightseeing pass sold by the Florence tourist office to cover admission to almost all top sights in the city for a period of 72 hours. At most sights, it offers skip-the-line access although at some it is still necessary to pass by the ticket window to pick up a ticket, while time-slot reservations are required for the Uffizi and Accademia galleries.
The Firenzecard is available as a plastic card or as a mobile phone app — the price is the same but the plastic card is easier used at turnstiles and never breaks when dropped. The Firenzecard Plus adds unlimited public transportation to the standard Florence Card — not available at all times but transportation is easily added as a separate card.
The Firenzecard Restart is only available as a mobile phone app — it allows anybody with an expired Firenzecard to add another 48 hours anytime within a year of purchasing the original card. It does not allow further visits to already visited sights.
Buying the Firenzecard
The Firenzecard is currently €85 (add €7 for the plus version that includes public transportation). The Firenzecard Restart is €28. The price is the same for the plastic card or mobile app and whether it is bought online or in Florence. (Even if using a physical card, or not planning on acquiring a card at all, download the useful free app which updates with the latest opening hours and other relevant news.)
The Firenzecard is a good deal for families. Although children under 18 have free admission to all state and municipal museums (and most other sights too) they usually have to wait in the standard queues. However, they may join parents with Firenzecards in the fast-track line for free. However, note the special requirements for the top sights in Florence below (Uffizi and Accademia / David) — include the children here for free reserved tickets too.
If parents have a Firenzecard+, children may accompany the cardholder for free on the local buses.
See the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries With the Firenzecard
The Firenzecard is a great option for visiting the Uffizi and Accademia galleries with time-slot reservation tickets. The pass does not give direct skip-the-line access to these two top sights but bearers are guaranteed a time-slot ticket within the 72-hour validity period.
These guaranteed reservations to the Uffizi and Accademia make the Firenzecard a great option for visitors arriving in high season without such prior reservations for Florence’s two top sights.
Visitors who plan ahead may do even better. Reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia may be made telephonically (but not online) for free even weeks before actually purchasing the Firenzecard. Remember to include children for free too. (Normally, time-slot reservations cost €4 per person.)
Simply phone the Florence Museums at +39 055-294-883. Select an appropriate language and then option 3. Mention right at the beginning that it concerns Firenzecard reservations and make appointments for the Uffizi and Accademia. Include children. A short number linked to your name will be provided as code to pick up the tickets at the Uffizi and Accademia. (The telephone line may go silent at times with some Italian in between but it really is a simple process.)
In Florence, the free reservations may also be made in person, but the desirable 8:15 slots are unlikely to be available, by showing the Firencecard at the Orsanmichele Church (shortest queues), Uffizi (entrance 2 or 3) or the My Accademia shop across the road from the gallery.
Reservations may also be made immediately if buying the Firenzecard at the Palazzo Pitti, Bargello, or Uffizi Gallery. At the Uffizi, avoid the regular ticket queue and look for the special counter for buying the Firenzecard, although the better option for shorter queues is likely at the Bargello.
Climb the Cupola of the Duomo With the Firenzecard
NOTE: In late 2022, none of the sites associated with the Duomo were included in the Firenzecard and it remains uncertain whether these cathedral sights will return to the discount pass in 2023. It may be better to see these sights the day before or after the validity of the Firenzecard and buy online time-slot reservation tickets for the Duomo well in advance.
The sights associated with the Duomo and especially climbing the dome are more complicated with the FIrenzecard. Firenzecard holders must first pick up a ticket that covers all the sights associated with the cathedral from the ticket window and then queue with regular ticket holders for the cathedral (always free admission), baptistry, bell tower, crypt, and museum.
Climbing the dome always requires a reservation. Firenzecard holders may only make the reservation in person at the ticket office by first collecting the Duomo combination ticket and then try to make a reservation on the touch screens. There is no guarantee that space will be available within the 72-hour period. Also note that if the Firenzecard has not yet been activated, the 72-hour period of validity starts the moment the combination ticket is picked up, NOT the actual time of the reservation to climb the cupola.
Is the Firenze Card Value for Money?
The Firenzecard is not particularly cheap but visitors spending three days in Florence certainly may save money using the card. A major bonus of the card during the high season is that it gives skip-the-line access to most sights and guaranteed time slots within the 72-hour period for both the Uffizi and Accademia.
Families also save with the Firenzecard as children under 18 enjoy free admission (and free (or cheap) reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia) when accompanying parents. These free tickets are generally also granted at sights where the free admission age cut-off is lower than 18.
The basic Firenzecard is €85 so visitors need to spend nearly €30 on sightseeing per day to make it work (if not primarily bought for the skip-the-line benefits).
Time-slot reservation tickets purchased online in advance — generally, a very good idea — for the Accademia are around €20, for the Uffizi €24 (or €38 for the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti (€16) and Boboli (€10) gardens combination) and €20 for the monuments and museums associated with the Duomo for a total €74 for these top sights. Two or three further sights will make the Firenzecard profitable, e.g. the churches of Santa Croce (€8), Santa Maria Novella (€10) or San Lorenzo (€9); museums such as the Bargello (€9), Cappelle Medicee (€9), San Marco (€8), Palazzo Vecchio (€12.50), Misericordia (€5), Spedale Degli Innocenti (€9), Salvatore Ferragamo (€8), Galileo (€10); and several villas near Florence. Small discounts are also given at some shops and restaurants.
The Firenzecard has the further advantage that it is not a waste of money to enter a museum to see just one section, or even just one work if it is of particular interest.
Online timed reservation tickets are almost essential to see some of the top sights in Europe and Italy during the high season that is increasingly longer with Florence particularly busy in May, July, August, Easter, and the Christmas holiday season. If not using the Firenzecard, skip-the-line tickets for specific time slots are sensibly bought online in advance at any time of the year for the Uffizi and usually for the Accademia too.
More Articles on Florence Sights
The high season in Florence is increasingly long: Easter, May, July, August, and the Christmas holidays are especially busy. November and January to mid-March are the only quiet months. Plan and book time-slot reservation tickets and tours when available in advance — the Accademia and the Uffizi are again sold out weeks in advance. Top sights are quieter directly at opening time or in the late afternoon.
→ → Special opening hours for top sights in early 2023 — most sights are open normal hours in early 2023 but advance time-slot reservations are always sensible.
- Tips on Buying Tickets for the Uffizi Museum
- Tips on Buying Skip-the-Line Tickets for the Accademia (Michelangelo’s David)
- See Michelangelo’s David in the Galleria dell’ Accademia
- Visit the Duomo sights: Cathedral (Duomo), Baptistery (Battistero), Bell Tower (Campanile), Dome (Cupola), Museum (Museo), and Tickets + Opening Hours
- Visit the Bargello Museum of Sculpture (Donatello’s Davids)
- Visit San Marco Museum to see the frescoes and altarpieces painted by Fra Angelico.
- Visit Santa Maria Novella Church and Museum to see medieval and Renaissance Art.
- Visit Santa Croce for Giotto Frescoes and Michelangelo’s Grave
- San Lorenzo complex: Visit the Basilica for Renaissance Art, See the Laurentian Medici Library by Michelangelo, and Visit the Medici Chapels (Michelangelo Statues)
- Save on Sightseeing in Florence with the Firenze Card (again available but not including transportation or the Duomo sights, or consider the Turbopass Florence City Pass that includes online timeslot reservations for both the Uffizi and Accademia.
- Travel to Pisa to see the Field of Miracles and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
- Visit the magnificent Romanesque-Gothic cathedral in nearby Siena.
- Save on top Italian designer fashion at The Mall Factory Outlet Stores.
Florence Resources
- The official Firenze Tourist Office website is a bit cumbersome but has very useful information. Especially the pdf (alternative link) with the opening hours of all major sights. Unfortunately, it is only available for the current month but it is the second last line on opening hours — the final say is the guard at the door, NOT the ticket window!
- Get Your Guide offers tours of all major sights while Tiqets sells online tickets for many top sights in Florence.
- Book luggage storage online and explore Florence easier on foot.
- Omio is good for online train tickets in Italy and most of Europe.
