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DELECTABLE TIDBIT : The hidden passageway atop the Ponte Vecchio in Florence

January 6, 2014 by Denis 5 Comments

Ponte Vecchio.

Millions of tourists flock to Florence (Firenze) every year, but only a handful get to take what may well be the best walking tour in the city. Actually, few tourists even know about the existence of the Percorso del Principe (Passageway of the Prince) tour, and even fewer visitors plan their trip sufficiently ahead to make the required prior tour reservations with the museum office!

IMG_1346 (1)

Ponte Vecchio in Florence (Firenze)

Called the Vasari Corridor, the passageway lined with treasures from the Medici collection occupies the top floor of the structure sitting on top of Ponte Vecchio and links the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery on one side of the Arno river with the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens on the other side. The Grand Duke Cosimo de Medici ordered the construction of this elevated enclosed passageway in 1564, using a design by Giorgio Vasari, in order to have his own private and secure passageway between his residence at Palazzo Pitti and his office at Palazzo Vecchio. You can see a very detailed history and description of the corridor and of the tour on a 2010 blog posting by the Tuscan Traveler.

The Percorso del Principe walking tour starts at the Palazzo Vecchio, goes thru the Uffizi Gallery, then along the top floor of the Ponte Vecchio, finally reaching the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens. Taking this tour is basically the only way for most of us to visit the Vasari Corridor, and the tour is restricted to a few times on selected weekdays (currently Wednesday, Thursday and Friday).

As an aside, it is always amazing to see the long lines of visitors waiting to buy tickets to get into the Uffizi Gallery, because it is relatively well known that you can buy your ticket online before going and, by doing so, avoid all the lines when you show up at the museum. But the real delectable tidbit here is that you can take a very extraordinary tour in Florence, literally walking in the footsteps of the Medicis, if you have the time and the foresight to book your Percorso del Principe tour in advance. It is preferable to call the museum office directly (Tel: +39-055-2654321 or 055-294883) but you can also book the tickets online. 

The Percorso del Principe tour is the most unique tour in Florence and consequently is usually sold out months in advance, so plan early. A Delectable Tidbit from BonVoyageurs.com!

Stay tuned to BonVoyageurs.com for more Countries of the World as we share our joie de vivre from around the world.  Luxury escapes and city breaks to Quebec City, New York, Washington, Buenos Aires. In Europe, places like Paris France, Nice France, Provence and the Cote d’Azur (French Riviera), Tuscany and Florence in Italy, Rome, Napoli and the Amalfi Coast. In Asia, countries like China, India, Nepal and so much more!

Filed Under: City Breaks, Europe, European Classics, Florence, Italy, Travel Tales Tagged With: around the world, Boboli, city breaks, Firenze, Florence, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Medici, Pitti, Ponte Vecchio, Quebec City, Travel, Vasari Corridor

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Comments

  1. Maurice Tremblay says

    January 7, 2014 at 10:43 am

    I wish that I knew you a few years ago when we were there.Thanks for great work that you are obviously passionate about.
    Maurice Tremblay

    Reply
  2. Tina Novit says

    January 7, 2014 at 6:34 pm

    What a delectable tidbit!

    Sent from my iPhone

    Reply
  3. The GypsyNesters says

    January 16, 2014 at 5:22 pm

    Wow, been to Florence many times and had no idea that this existed. Something new to see next time.

    Reply
  4. Test Force Xtreme review says

    January 20, 2014 at 9:52 pm

    My partner and I stumbled over here by a different web page and thought I
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    you. Look forward to going over your web page again.

    Reply
  5. bruce says

    January 21, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    Best time to do it is in the Winter – when there are fewest tourists blocking your views of the Bottiocellis

    Reply

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Meet the Crew.

TOP 10 travel experts and influencers on social media and rated as one of the most influential travel bloggers in the world, Denis and Lynn Gagnon have been circling the globe for more than 45 years. Former international business travelers, they know how to travel - with class, comfort, and style. Members of the National Press Club, PTBA , NATJA and SATW. Wish to connect? Email them at [email protected].

A NEW addition to the BonVoyageurs team is Atlanta-based travel writer and culinary expert Dominique Gagnon, and travel photographer Justin Ellis. By day, Dominique designs and grows new meaningful consumer brands, while Justin is a neuroscientist and psychiatrist researching early brain development. By night, they are watching Chef's Table while plotting their next culinary and sport adventure.

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