Palazzo Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery Tour Via the Vasari Corridor Overpass

After 150 years, the passageway from Palazzo Vecchio to the Uffizi Gallery has been reopened. This covered overpass between the two buildings is the first section of the Vasari Corridor, commissioned by Cosimo I de Medici and realized by Giorgio Vasari in 1565.
The Vasari Corridor, which runs through the heart of the city's historic center, allowed the Medici family to safely move without mixing with the public crowds. It connects the Palazzo Vecchio, once the seat of Florentine government, to the former administrative and legal offices at the Uffizi and to the splendid residence of Palazzo Pitti across the Arno River. Over the years, Francesco I, son of Cosimo de Medici, designated part of the Uffizi as his own private gallery. The entire path through the palaces and the corridor is called the 'Path of the Prince.'
During the tour, your expert guide will first introduce you to Palazzo Vecchio and its elegant interiors. The palace, built during the Middle Ages, still preserves the austere architecture of the 14th century, with its crenellated top that surrounds the imposing Arnolfo’s Tower. You will admire the charming Michelozzo courtyard, the famous Hall of the 500, the intimate study of Francesco I de Medici, the beautiful private apartments of Eleonora of Toledo and Cosimo I de Medici, and the sumptuous and stunning boardrooms. Admire an incredible series of frescoes, paintings, decorations, and statues of the greatest Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, Donatello, Verrocchio, Vasari, Ghirlandaio, and Bronzino.
Then, using the overpass connecting the two buildings, venture through the first part of the Vasari Corridor for direct access to the Uffizi Gallery. Here you can admire numerous works of art deriving from the private Medici collection, including pieces by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Giotto, Cimabue, and Masaccio. Hold your breath in front of Primavera and The Birth of Venus and let your guide satisfy your curiosity about the Medici family and the artists of their day.
The guided visit ends at the Uffizi Terrace, where you can enjoy an amazing and exclusive view of the city’s most important monuments from a privileged location. Once the tour is over, you can stay inside the museum if you like.