What to see at the Pitti Palace in Florence: timetables, prices and advice

Residence of the Medici family, of the King of Italy and home to some museums of fundamental importance for the history of art, Palazzo Pitti is one of the most structured museum complexes to visit , but also one of the most beautiful. Let’s discover together the wonders that make it one of the must-sees in Florence.

What to see and how to visit Palazzo Pitti
Palazzo Pitti is a very complex structure, which has grown over the years, becoming a real museum complex. To visit it you can take advantage of various options, which will allow you to choose between a faster or a more complete visit. Its structure, consisting of three floors, sees the immense Boboli Gardens on the back, while the part of the main entrance sees a large square that takes the name of Pitti.

The best way to visit Palazzo Pitti is undoubtedly by areas and thematic areas , which you will find described below.

1 – Galleria Palatina

The Galleria Palatina and the heart of Palazzo Pitti . Here are the major works of art ranging from the sixteenth to the seventeenth century. Among the names of the artists you will find in this aria we point out Raphael, Rubens, Titian and many others. Inside, they cannot fail to be seen:

• Sala di Prometeo : inside there are the Tondo Bartolini by Filippo Lippi
• Hall of the Iliad : seat of the opera Maria Maddalena and Giuditta with the head of Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi
• Sala di Saturno : contains the works of Raphael

2 – Royal Apartments

They are the ancient residence of the Medici family first, and later of the Lorraine ones. From 1865 these rooms rich in brocades and gold hosted the King of Italy during the period in which Florence was chosen as the capital of the nation. The royal apartments have nothing to envy to the other areas of the palace, thanks to the presence of some works not to be missed:

• Throne Room : built for King Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy, with Japanese vases from the 17th and 18th centuries
• Blue Room : contains the portraits of the Medici family made by Justus Sustermans in 1600

3 – Gallery of Modern Art
Inside you will find more than 2,000 works created from Neoclassicism to today , which include paintings and sculptures. Canova, Hayez and the Macchiaioli are only a small part of all the artists who worked on the works preserved here:

• Canova : bust of Calliope
• Hayez: I due Foscari

4 – Museo degli Argenti
Photo by After Antonio Franchi. In this section, also known as the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, there is an important collection of precious objects from all over the world, many of which come from the Medici family itself. Among these works, not only in silver, but also in ivory, semi-precious stones, crystals and much more, we point out:

• Treasure of Anna Maria Luisa de’Medici : a collection of animals of Flemish origin
• Vases by Lorenzo de ‘Medici : they are semiprecious stone vases dating back to the fourteenth century

5 – Museum of fashion and costume
This is a unique museum, the first of its kind in Italy , which preserves more than 600 specimens of stage costumes used in theater and cinema, which also bear the names of masters of fashion such as Armani , Valentino and Versace . All these items, ranging from the sixteenth to the twentieth century, are located in the Palazzina della Meridiana, built by Pietro Leopoldo di Lorena.
Among the works not to be missed are the 16th century clothes worn by the Grand Duke Cosimo I de ‘Medici, by his wife Eleonora and his son Garcia.

6 – Porcelain Museum
In this museum a huge collection of porcelain objects has been gathered, which belonged to the families who lived inside the Pitti palace. From Capodimonte ceramics to French and Viennese porcelain, they are only a small part of what you will see. Not to be missed:

• the collection of pieces created for the court of the Grand Duke Cosimo I de ‘Medici
• porcelain from the Doccia Factory

7 – Boboli Gardens

The Boboli Gardens are one of the most famous gardens in all of Italy . Among the best examples of Renaissance gardens in the world, it even inspired that of the palace of Versailles . Conceived in 1400 and finished only in 1900, it has been continuously remodeled up to the current version. Do not miss the Buontalenti Grotto, decorated with water features and stalactites, the original seat of Michelangelo’s Prisons.

SEE ALSO : visit to the Boboli Gardens – how to get there, prices and advice

Timetables and prices

• Hours: Tue-Sun 8: 15-18: 50, closed 1 January, 1 May, 25 December
• Best time to avoid queues : avoiding queues is very difficult. The ideal is to arrive very early, even slightly before the opening time
• Ticket cost: full € 16.00, prices can be viewed on the official website
• Reductions : € 8.00 for EU citizens between 18 and 25 years old
• Free : free on the 1st Sunday of each month

Online tickets and guided tours

Useful tips for visiting the attraction

1. Get up early : the ideal would be to reach the entrance by 8:15
2. Buy the Firenze Card : with this card, admissions to museums are free for school and tourist groups, teachers, ICOM members, disabled people, and children under 18
3. Buy the single ticket : you can buy a single ticket that includes the Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens and the Uffizi
4. Skip-the-line ticket : a skip-the-line ticket is recommended even on days with free admission
5. Beware of restrictions : in some attractions and museums it is not allowed to bring water or food. Avoid flash photography in the presence of paintings
6. Minimum time : we recommend that you consider a minimum of 6 hours for the visit. The ideal would be to be able to dedicate two days to the structure, since only the Boboli Gardens provides for a 3-hour visit

Where is it and how to get there

• On foot : it is 2.7 km from Florence Central Station, which can be reached in 18 minutes on foot. From the station it is necessary to head towards the Arno and cross it. Palazzo Pitti will be visible after a few hundred meters – Get directions
• By bus : from the Central Station you can take the C4, which will take you to Palazzo Pitti in 15 minutes

Historical notes and curiosities: what to know in brief
Palazzo Pitti, home to illustrious families for centuries, was built in 1457 by the Pitti family. Not long after, however, the Medici came to live in its rooms, which thus became the residence of the family of the Grand Duke Cosimo I de ‘Medici. Only later the palace was enlarged, and the famous Boboli garden was added, today an integral part of the palace.