Welcome, fellow travelers and culture enthusiasts, to our guide exploring the historic heart of Florence with the incredible Firenze Card. Imagine stepping back in time, strolling through the cobbled streets where the Renaissance bloomed, and beholding art that has inspired humanity for centuries. Florence has riches unlike many cities in the world. You can visit iconic sites, such as the Palazzo Vecchio and the captivating Uffizi Gallery, home to masterpieces like Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus.”
Walking around Florence, you are in an open-air Renaissance museum with original art (or replicas) and architecture galore to feast your eyes upon. Fabulous statues adorn public piazzas. Churches with facades dressed to the nines abound. Palaces seem around every corner.
There is a lot to see and do just walking around Florence, but sometimes you want to enter a museum, church, or palace…and that is where you might be interested in the Firenze Card.
What does the Firenze Card entail?
The Firenze Card is a 72-hour Florence day pass to over 60 sites. It’s an investment at €85, but you do get priority access at museums who generally have a long line, such as Uffizi and Accademia, that might be worth the cost to you. Although the regular Firenze Card is good only for 72 hours from entry into the first visit, you may be able to purchase an additional 48 hours with Firenze Card Restart for a reduced (sometimes free) price. Note bene: I found the Restart option clunky last time. Mine would not work and I had to wait until the tourist office was open to find the “correct” code to input to restart my card. By that time, I had missed a weekend of potential sightseeing.
How do you buy the Firenze Card?
You can purchase online at the original seller or at one of the ticket offices around Florence.
You can also buy online through our Get Your Guide affiliate link: https://www.getyourguide.com/florence-l32/florence-firenze-card-official-museum-city-pass-t446866/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher
Is there an app?
Yes, and I encourage you to download it if you buy the Firenze Card. The app has a map built in that tells you what locations are near you. It also has your pass integrated into it and will let you know if you’ve been to a place already.
What are some of the major Florence attractions you can see with the Firenze card?
You can visit famed places like the Accademia (where Michelangelo’s David is held), the Uffizi Gallery, Santa Maria Novella Church, the Bargello Museum, the Pitti Palace and more. Please note that there are other combination tickets besides the Firenze Card or tours that might be right for you.
Is there entrance to lesser-known Florence museums?
Yes, you can visit museums like Museo Horne, Casa di Dante, and others. Please note that some of the museums on the Firenze Card might be included with other passes or free. Florence’s museum circuit has lots of combination tickets where, for a slightly higher fee than one ticket, you can get admission to several. For instance, for 21€, you can get a pass to the Medici Chapels, Bargello Museum, Palazzo Davanzatio, Orsanmichele Museum and Church, and Casa Martelli. Or, for 38€, you can get the Uffizi Passepartout ticket that gives admission to the Uffizi, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, National Archaeological Museum, and the Museo dell’Opficio delle Pietre Dure for five days.
Does it include entry to the Duomo?
No, if you want to visit the Duomo complex (climb the dome, visit the church, see Santa Reparata crypt, go the Duomo Museum, see the Baptistry, or climb the Campanile), you will need to get tickets from the official desk. There are three different passes: https://tickets.duomo.firenze.it/en/store#/en/buy?skugroup_id=3006
Is the Firenzecard right for me?
Do you want to see a lot in a little amount of time or would you rather have quality over quantity? If your goal is to immerse yourself in art and history without feeling overwhelmed or rushed, transforming what could be just another trip into an enriching journey of discovery then this pass might not be right for you. Last time I used the Firenze Card, I found myself visiting 3-4 major sites each day (with smaller sites along the way) just to get the 85 euro value from the pass. I had been to some of them, like the Uffizi, many, many times (at least 15), so it was okay for me to go there and only see a couple pieces of art. If you haven’t been many times and/or don’t like to race around from museum to museum, you might want to consider other options.
Will you be there for at least a full 72 hours and will the sites you want to see be open? If you’re not going to be able to use the card to its full advantage, then I would pass. Do you know what is important to see already? If you’ve been many times and know your way around, then this might not be an issue, but if you don’t know what to see at these places, a guided tour might be better for you.
If you only have a few days in Florence or it’s your first time, you may actually want to consider getting a guided tour for the day of the major sites. We recommend LivTours, the Tour Guy, or you may want to check out Viator. Links below.
If I buy the Firenze Card, how do you recommend I best use it?
Before setting foot on Florentine soil, sketch out a plan. I’ve found the most rewarding approach is to group attractions by proximity. Simply put, the less time spent commuting between museums, the more you absorb the splendor within them. Equip yourself with a good map, and you’re halfway there. Prioritize your “must-see” sites but leave room for spontaneity—sometimes the most memorable finds are those you stumble upon by chance.
Do you think the Firenze Card is a good value for the money?
It can be, but it can also be a waste of money. 85 euro goes a long way in Florence for admission fees. A single ticket to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens is only 22€ and you could spend an entire day doing both. Many of the sites on the Firenze Card are only around 10€, so you could pop in more if needed. It also doesn’t cover any of the Duomo complex, which are “can’t miss” sites. Make sure the places you want to visit on the Firenze Card are open when you want to see them and that it is not a “free” day since the Firenze Card doesn’t give you priority on free days (generally at least once per month).
I recommend that you look at the Firenze Card website and make a list of all the attractions on it that you want to visit. This is what I do. I then look at the admission for each and do the math. Generally, I don’t buy the Firenze Card because even if I want to see many attractions, they still don’t add up to the price of the pass. As I’ve already mentioned, there are other combination tickets that are less costly and might meet your needs better, too. I usually get the Firenze Card Passepartout, so that gives me access to many sites and is less than half the cost. If you only have a few week or fewer, you might find it better to buy a couple strategic tours punctuated with some individual entries to smaller museums. See the next question for my recommendations for tours.
What are other options other than the Firenze Card to see Florence attractions without waiting in line?
I highly recommend taking a guided tour. Combination tickets, whether the Firenze Card or Uffizi Passepartout, can provide savings on admissions and skip the lines, but they miss out on the most important, at least to me, part of visiting these places—experiencing them with someone who is a local expert on the place. A small tour with a guide (LivTours only have six people) can offer you the same skip-the-line access as a Firenze Card, but also provides you with someone who knows the city and the places inside out. They will point out architectural features you wouldn’t have noticed, they will beeline right to the most important works in a museum, they’ll highlight features around Florence, and tell stories of the past so you know where Michelangelo, the Medici, da Vinci, and Botticelli strolled.
Do you still need reservations with Firenzecard?
Most of the sites do not require reservations but some do. I recommend always checking with the official site for changes and updates, but as of right now (2025): Reservation is mandatory for the following museums: Uffizi Galleries, Accademia Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio Museum, Brancacci Chapel, Tower of Palazzo Vecchio (Arnolfo Tower.). Reservation is optional for the Stefano Bardini Museum and the Novecento Museum.
For Palazzo Vecchio Museum, Museo del Novecento and Stefano Bardini Museum, you can make reservations online, through the Firenzecard app, or on their website, firenzecard.it.
For the Uffizi Galleries, the Accademia Gallery, Tower of Palazzo Vecchio (Arnolfo Tower.) and the Brancacci Chapel, consult the Firenzecard frequently asked questions area.
I hope I have equipped you with savvy tips and insights to truly maximize your Florence experience. I’ve purchased the Firenze Card a few times over the years. I generally visit about four sites a day with it and am worn out. But if you’ve been to Florence and seen its attractions many times, then it might be a good option for you to “refresh” yourself on what Florence has to offer.
My Favorite Florence Tour Companies
After more than a decade of traveling to Italy and months at a time spent there, I’ve learned that the right tours and accommodations can completely shape your experience. These are the companies I personally use when I travel—and the ones I recommend to readers.
LivTours
If you want a more personal, in-depth experience, this is my top recommendation. Their semi-private tours (max 6 people) are ideal if you actually want to engage with the history rather than just follow a crowd. I’ve used LivTours multiple times in Italy and consistently had excellent guides and experiences.
Book here: https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61
Save 10% with code AMYRH10 (on 2+ tours)
The Tour Guy
A great option for first-time visitors who want engaging, story-driven tours of major highlights like the Colosseum or Vatican. Their guides are knowledgeable and make complex history easy to follow. Browse tours: https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi
Viator
Perfect if you want to compare a wide range of tours, read reviews, or find unique experiences and day trips…often at affordable prices. Explore options: https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selectorGetYourGuide
Best for flexible planning and last-minute bookings, with lots of free cancellation options. Great for keeping your itinerary flexible. Check availability:https://www.getyourguide.com/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher
Amy French, Ph.D., is the voice behind Roaming Historian. A professional historian and seasoned traveler, she shares stories that blend history and travel to give readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.
Book Your Florence Hotel with Booking.com
I use Booking.com to find great hotel stays in Italy. It’s easy to compare locations, read reviews, and find places with flexible cancellation. My biggest tip: prioritize location—you’ll enjoy Italy so much more when you can walk everywhere. Find your hotel: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=6776&awinaffid=1985445
Don’t Skip Travel Insurance
It’s easy to overlook, but I always recommend having travel insurance—especially for international trips. You can compare options through my travelinsurance.com affiliate link before your trip. https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44
Traveling Soon? Trusted Tour & Travel Partners
Planning your trip? Here are our trusted travel partners — thoughtfully chosen for quality, reliability, and exceptional experiences.
- LivTours (high-quality semi-private and private European tours led by expert guides)
Save 10% with code AMYRH10 (valid on two or more tours).
https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61 - The Tour Guy (engaging small group & private European tours)
https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi - Viator (compare thousands of tours, day trips, and experiences worldwide)
https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector - GetYourGuide (flexible booking options for tours, attractions, and local experiences)
https://www.getyourguide.com/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher - Shore Excursions Group (high-quality shore excursions with lower prices and return-to-ship guarantees.)
https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com - Booking.com (global hotels, apartments & flexible booking options; flights; car rentals)
https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=6776&awinaffid=1985445 - Expedia (flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages)
https://expedia.com/affiliate/p7ZcFsz - Hotels.com (book hotels globally and earn free nights through their rewards program)
https://www.hotels.com/affiliate/rdDAFaG - VRBO (private homes and unique stays ideal for families and longer trips)
https://vrbo.com/affiliate/KvF3nms - Travel Insurance.com (compare policies side-by-side to protect your trip at no extra cost)
https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44
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Roaming Historian may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support the research and storytelling that go into every article. All opinions are always our own.