6 Reasons to Visit the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor in Florence

What do you know about the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor? And why visit these landmarks when you are sightseeing in Florence? Read on if you want to know more about these iconic places and the key reasons to check them out in person…

One of the world’s great art museums,  the Uffizi Gallery in Florence boasts the most astonishing collection of Renaissance art on the planet. Here you can stand in front of and gawk at iconic works by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Rafaelo, and Botticelli, among many others. 

And then there’s the unique Vasari Corridor, only recently becoming open to the public. This series of zigzagging elevated corridors allowed the powerful and wealthy Medici family to amble from one palace to another across the Arno River without having to mingle with ordinary Florentines. These days, anyone can walk the halls of the Vasari Corridor.

The best way to experience both places is to take a tour called Secrets of the Uffizi: Renaissance Art and Vasari Corridor Tour . This is a small-group guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor. Why take a tour? Because you get skip-the-line access into the Uffizi, then you get to stroll around the museum with an expert on Renaissance art where you’ll be able to get a deeper appreciation of the masterpieces on display. And finally, you’ll be able to amble down the Vasari Corridor, literally walking in the footsteps of the once-powerful Medici family. 

To prepare you for your visit, here are some things you may not have known about the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor. 

Even the architecture of the Uffizi Gallery is spell-binding!

6 Reasons to Visit The Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor

Your Visit to the “Offices” 

The Uffuzi – meaning “offices” in Italian – were just that before it became an official art gallery. The uber-rich Medici family began hanging their private collection of art here. But since the 16th century, the collection has been open to visitors (by request, at first) and then officially open to the public in 1769. When it was clear that the Medici line was going to die out, Anna Maria Luisi, the last matriarch of the Medici family, donated the artwork to the city of Florence. In 1865, the Uffizi officially became a museum. 

The Uffizi Gallery boasts one of the world’s most extensive collections of Renaissance art.

Eight Is Your Lucky Number

On the piano nobile of the Uffizi, the architect Bernardo Buontalenti was given the job of constructing an octagonal room in 1584 in order to hang the Medici family’s art masterpieces. The room, called the Tribuna deghli Uffizi. It’s not a coincidence that the room has eight sides. In Christian numerology, the number eight draws closer to heaven. The room, of course, still exists and you’ll see it and learn more about it on a small-group guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor. 

The Mona Lisa Once Hung in the Uffizi

A little known fact: the Uffizi was once home to the Mona Lisa. Yep, that’s right: the queen of the art world, known for its home in the Louvre in Paris, was on display in Florence. In 1911, a Florentine stole it from the Louvre, insisting that the Da Vinci painting should be displayed in Florence. When he gave it to the Uffizi, museum officials contacted the Louvre on the whereabouts of Mona Lisa. And until Paris officials came to retrieve it, she hung on the walls of the Uffizi. Other famed paintings that are in the Uffizi today include a handful of iconic paintings by Sanddro Botticelli, works by Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Michelanglo’s only free-standing painting. 

Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo can be seen at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Walk in the Footsteps of Cosimo

The Vasari Corridor zigzags its way from the Palazzo Vecchio, across the Arno River on the Ponte Vecchio, and to the Palazzo Pitti. The approximate length is 3,280 feet, or about one kilometer. Duke Cosimo de Medici hired famed Florentine architect Giorgio Vasari to design the corridor (hence the name) in 1565.

One of the motivations for the construction of the private corridor was that Cosimo did not want to appear in public, perhaps an early prophecy of 21st-century celebrity culture. And now you can walk in his steps, getting unique views of Florence through the various windows of the corridor. You can get a deeper knowledge of the Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor by taking a guided tour. 

Follow in the footsteps of Cosimo and take a walk down the Vasari Corridor. Photo credit: www.uffizi.it

You’ll finish the corridor at the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, where you’ll get to explore the Fountains of Neptune and the mysterious grottos. If you want a better appreciation of the gardens, give this article a quick read. 

Ponte Vecchio: From Meat Market to Jewelry

Until the Vasari Corridor was built, the Ponte Vecchio, the iconic bridge over the Arno River, was Florence’s main meat market.

But Cosimo and other members of the Medici family detested the smell of raw meat while crossing the bridge via the corridor, so Cosimo had the meat market moved. Jewelry makers and goldsmiths moved in thereafter, and even today the bridge is still occupied by jewelers and gold shops. 

Florence’s Ponte Vecchio spanning over the Arno river.

The Church of Good Fortune

The Vasari Corridor passes by the Church of Santa Felicita, or “Holy Fortune” (“Felicita” could also be translated from Latin as “Luck” or “Happiness”). The Medici family had a window installed from the Vasari Corridor that looks down into the church so that they could “attend” services without having to rub up against ordinary people. 

Why You Should Take a Guided Tour

Over five million people visited the Uffizi Gallery in 2024, making it the most visited art museum in Italy (and second most visited museum, in general, behind the Colosseum). During peak times, the wait can be up to five hours. So, all the more reason why it’s highly advisable to take a small-group tour of the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor: the skip-the-line access to the Uffizi is worth the price in and of itself. 

The explanations and stories of a local expert guide can really make the difference between a great visit and an excellent visit!

FAQs – Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor

What are the benefits of taking a tour? 

A small-group guided tour has many benefits: you’ll get to spend a few hours with a local expert and will give you a deeper sense of the culture and history of the palace. In this case, you’ll learn more than you ever thought you would about Renaissance art at the Uffizi Gallery and then about the once-mysterious Vasari Corridor. Plus, you’ll get skip-the-line access to the Uffizi, which is a seriously awesome benefit. 

When is the best time to go to Florence? 

Florence is best visited in the shoulder season—April and May, September and October—when the temperature is more ideal for enjoying the outdoors and the levels of tourism are lower than in summer. 

What other attractions are worth seeking out in Florence? 

You could spend nearly a week ambling around Florence visiting its most famed sites, monuments, and churches. Some places that should be on your must-visist list include, the Duomo (Florence’s famed cathedral); the Ponte Vecchio, the famed covered bridge over the Arno River; and the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s most iconic work, “David.” 

One of the world’s most famous sculptures, David, at the Duomo!

You’re going to be in Florence for at least a couple of days and the Uffizi is probably near the top of your list to visit, right?

Give yourself the best souvenir—the gift of having a deeper appreciation and knowledge about the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor by taking a great guided tour.