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Where is Uffizi Gallery & how to get there?

Where is Uffizi Gallery?

The Uffizi Gallery sits on the south side of Piazza della Signoria, between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Arno river, about 800m (15-20 min walk) from Santa Maria Novella station.

Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi 6, 50122, Florence, Italy

​Find on Google maps (recommended for live walking and transit directions. Apple Maps is also reliable inside the centre)

Closest landmark: Palazzo Vecchio, 50m (Piazza della Signoria)

Neighbourhood pointers:

  • 4-min walk from Piazza della Signoria
  • 5-min walk from Ponte Vecchio
  • 8-10 min walk from Piazza del Duomo via Via dei Calzaiuol
  • 12-15 min walk from Santa Croce

Compare Your Options

Mode of transportTravel timeEst. costBest forMaps

🚶 Walking

5 to 25 mins from anywhere in the historic centre

Free

The default. Most direct, most scenic

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🚌 Bus (C1, C2, C3, 23)

10 to 20 mins from SMN area

(€1.70)

Tired feet, hot afternoons, mobility needs

Get directions

🚊 Tram (T1, T2)

5 to 10 mins to SMN, then walk

(€1.70)

Arriving from the airport or western suburbs

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🚖 Taxi / Ride-hail

5 to 15 mins from central Florence

(€8 to €15)

Mobility needs, luggage, late at night

Get directions

🚗 Car

Not recommended

(€80 to €330 ZTL fine if unauthorised)

Only if your hotel has registered your plate

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Getting to Uffizi Gallery

Uffizi Gallery - Getting There

Florence has no metro. Buses, run by Autolinee Toscane, are the main city-level option, and several lines stop within a 2 to 5 minute walk of the gallery. They're most useful when you're coming from further out (Campo di Marte, Piazza della Libertà, Oltrarno hills) or have mobility needs that make the cobblestoned walk from SMN unpleasant.

Quick stats

  • Travel time: 10 to 20 mins from SMN station; 15 to 25 mins from Campo di Marte
  • Closest stop: Galleria Degli Uffizi (Lungarno Archibusieri), 3-min walk to Door 3 and Door 1. Diaz is the next-closest, 5-min walk.
  • Timings: Most central routes run roughly 6:00am to midnight; the small electric C lines stop earlier, around 9:00pm
  • Lines: C1 (closest, stops at Galleria Degli Uffizi), C2 and C3 (stop at Ponte Vecchio or Lungarno Diaz), 23 (Lungarno Diaz, Via dei Gondi)
  • Fare: €1.70 single, valid 90 mins. Carnet of 10 tickets €15.50. €1.70 contactless tap-on with credit card on most buses. No tourist day pass exists; weekly and monthly passes are residents-only.
  • Accessibility: C1, C2, C3 are small low-floor electric buses with one wheelchair space and audio announcements. The Galleria Degli Uffizi stop is on Lungarno Archibusieri, step-free to Door 3 and the Via della Ninna accessible ramp.

Florence's tram system doesn't reach the historic centre itself, so trams won't drop you at the Uffizi. They're worth covering because they're the cheapest and most reliable way in from the airport (T2) and from suburbs like Scandicci or Careggi (T1).

  • Travel time: 22 mins airport to SMN (T2); 25 mins Scandicci to SMN (T1). Then 15 to 20 min walk to the Uffizi, or change to bus C2.
  • Closest stop to the Uffizi: Alamanni-Stazione at SMN station (15-20 min walk to Uffizi). Unità is closer at 12-min walk.
  • Timings: 5:00am to 12:30am, every 4 to 7 mins at peak
  • Fare: €1.70 single, same ticket as buses. €1.50 if you buy a carnet of 10. Contactless tap also accepted at €1.70.
  • Accessibility: All trams are step-free with audio and visual stop announcements. T2 includes a free luggage allowance of one bag up to 50x44x20cm.

Standard Uber and Bolt do not operate in Florence. You'll need to use a Florence-specific app or call directly.

  • Closest drop-off: Lungarno Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici (south side of the Uffizi building, beside the Arno). Taxis cannot enter Piazzale degli Uffizi itself.
  • Travel time: 5 to 15 mins from SMN or Piazza del Duomo; 8 to 15 mins from Santa Croce; 20 to 30 mins from Florence Airport (FLR)
  • Estimated fare: €8 to €15 from SMN or central Florence. Fixed fare €22 to €25 from Florence Airport (FLR) to the historic centre, set by city ordinance.
  • Local taxis: White cars with a TAXI roof sign. Find them at ranks outside SMN, Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Santa Croce. Call +39 055 4242 or +39 055 4390 for pickup; the dispatcher will quote a small call-out fee (usually €2.50).
  • Ride-hailing apps that work here:
    • AppTaxi: The primary app for licensed Florence taxis, used by the 4242 cooperative
    • TaxiMove: Used by the 4390 cooperative
    • Uber: Only Uber Black is bookable, significantly more expensive than a metered taxi
  • Airport pickup: Taxis at FLR queue at a dedicated rank outside Arrivals. The fixed €22 to €25 fare to the centre is non-negotiable and does not surge.
  • Accessibility: Request a wheelchair-accessible taxi through AppTaxi or by phone (ask for "taxi accessibile"). Lungarno Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici drop-off is step-free to Door 3 and the Via della Ninna ramp.

Walking is the most direct and the most scenic way to the Uffizi from anywhere in the centre.

  • From SMN station: head down Via dei Cerretani, past the Duomo, then south on Via dei Calzaiuoli to Piazza della Signoria. The gallery is on the right at the south end of the square. 15 to 20 mins, all flat.
  • From Piazza del Duomo: 8 to 10 mins south on Via dei Calzaiuoli, then left at Piazza della Signoria.
  • From Ponte Vecchio: 3 mins along Lungarno Archibusieri, or through the Vasari Corridor side.
  • From Santa Croce: 12 mins via Borgo dei Greci and Piazza della Signoria.

Accessibility: Via dei Calzaiuoli is paved and flat but cobblestoned in parts; the surface around Piazza della Signoria is uneven traditional pietra forte stone. For step-free wheelchair access, approach from Lungarno Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici and use the Via della Ninna ramp to Door 1.

Driving to Uffizi Gallery

By car

Driving to the Uffizi is strongly not recommended. The gallery sits inside Florence's ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato), where cameras photograph every plate at the entry points. Non-residents without a permit are automatically fined €80 to €335, with a notice mailed to the registered owner weeks later. Rental cars are not exempt; agencies pass the fine and an administrative fee straight to your credit card.

Driving route (only if your hotel has registered your plate):

  • Travel time: 15 to 30 mins from FLR airport in light traffic; 35 to 50 mins at peak (8 to 10am, 5 to 7pm)
  • Distance: 8km from FLR airport; 95km from Pisa
  • ZTL hours: Mon to Fri 7:30am to 8pm, Sat 7:30am to 4pm. Sunday and public holidays the ZTL is suspended, but blue-line metered parking still applies. Summer night ZTL (Thu, Fri, Sat 11pm to 3am) is also active from first Thursday of April to first Sunday of October.
  • Restricted zone fine: €80 to €335 per camera crossing
  • Accessibility: Holders of a valid EU disabled parking badge can apply to the Comune di Firenze for a temporary ZTL access permit before the trip.

Parking

All parking spots lie outside the ZTL:

  • Garage SMN (Stazione Santa Maria Novella): Under the train station, 15 to 20 min walk to the Uffizi via the Duomo route. €3 first hour, €1.50 per half hour thereafter. The closest large garage; pricey for long stays.
  • Parcheggio Fortezza Fiera (Fortezza da Basso): 20 min walk to the Uffizi, €1.60/hr, €20/day. Best value for a full day. May fill up during trade fairs at Fortezza da Basso.
  • Parcheggio Beccaria (Piazza Beccaria): 15 to 20 min walk to the Uffizi via Santa Croce, €1.70/hr.
  • Parcheggio Sant'Ambrogio (Piazza Annigoni): 10 to 12 min walk to the Uffizi via Santa Croce, €1 first hour then €2 to €3/hr.
  • Villa Costanza park-and-ride (off the A1 motorway): Max €7/day, then T1 tram to SMN for €1.70 each way. The cheapest option for a day trip into Florence.

Accessible bays: Designated blue-badge spaces exist at SMN, Fortezza Fiera and Beccaria garages, free for valid badge holders. Lungarno Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici (along the Arno, south of the gallery) has a short-stay drop-off zone that is step-free to Door 3.

Which entrance should I use?

The Uffizi has two entrances around Piazzale degli Uffizi, and using the wrong one is the single most common arrival mistake. Map your ticket type to the right door before you set off.

Door 1 (left side of the building, under the colonnade)
Best for: Pre-booked ticket holders, large tour groups, school groups, Firenze Card holders, and visitors with reduced mobility.
Closest transport: Galleria Degli Uffizi bus stop (C1), 2-min walk; Lungarno Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici taxi drop-off, 3-min walk.
Notes: Security screening (metal detectors, bag check) happens here, allow 10 to 20 mins in peak season. Free cloakroom for umbrellas, large bags, and backpacks under the Eastern colonnade just past the entrance. Wheelchair access is via the Via della Ninna ramp alongside Door 1; the info desk is on this side of the piazza.

Door 2 (centre of the main facade)
Best for: Same-day walk-up ticket purchases only.
Closest transport: Same as Door 1
Notes: This is where the long Uffizi queue forms. 60 to 90 mins April to October. Avoid Door 2 if you have any pre-booked ticket; head to Door 1 instead.

​Read more about Uffizi's entrances

Other transport services

Florence bus tours

Florence City Sightseeing's red HOHO buses stop at Piazza della Stazione (SMN) but cannot enter the ZTL, so the closest stop to the Uffizi is Piazza del Duomo, a 10-min walk. Useful for combining the Uffizi with Piazzale Michelangelo and the Duomo in one ticket.

Train tickets

Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN) is the main station, 15 to 20 mins on foot from the Uffizi. Trenitalia's Frecciarossa runs to Rome Termini in 1hr 30min from around €25 booked in advance, to Milan Centrale in 1hr 45min, and to Venice Santa Lucia in just over 2 hrs. Italo offers comparable times and pricing on the same routes. Regional trains to Pisa, Lucca and Siena run from SMN frequently and don't require advance booking. Book ahead for Frecciarossa and Italo to lock in the cheapest fares; regional services are flat-priced.

Frequently asked questions about Uffizi Gallery location

The Uffizi Gallery is located in Florence, Italy along the banks of the Arno River around the main square of the city, Piazza della Signoria.

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