How to choose "real" Skip-the-Line David tours

Michelangelo’s David is the most famous statue in the world: it is located inside the Accademia Gallery in Florence Italy. Maybe you have a David tour included in larger Florence tours like a full-day Florence tour, or in a Florence Duomo tour, or maybe you just want to see the statue of David, and this article will tell you the best way to do this. Many agencies sell one-hour skip-the-line David tours, but are they really skip-the-line? Here is how things work at the Accademia Gallery: agencies can pre-book your tickets, choosing a predefined time. Every 5-10 minutes, the Accademia Gallery allows around 40 people to enter the museum from the “privileged” skip-the-line queues; that’s because the metal detector slows down the entrance. As a result, during peak time, which is from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, you can expect to stay in line for 30-40 minutes if you are in a group, and 20-30 minutes if you are in a party with less than 10 people. This doesn’t mean that buying skip-the-line tickets is a bad idea: if you don’t, you’re setting yourself up for staying hours in line instead: only 20 people every 30 minutes are allowed to get inside from the standard queue. Are there ways to avoid this hassle? Yes, there are ways to minimize the time you will stay in line. The best way is to book David tours that start at 8:15 am and get in front of the Accademia Gallery at 8 am. You will be among the first 40 visitors allowed inside the museum, or at worst in the first group that will enter right after the first 40 individuals. The other way is booking a tour which starts as late as possible, after 5 pm, even though this method is not as safe as the early morning strategy. Another reason why I prefer the early tours is that, once your one-hour guided tour is over, you have as much time as you wish to continue exploring the Accademia Gallery. If you opt for a late afternoon tour, you won’t have this chance. Ready to hear about the top David tours? Read on.

Accademia Gallery tour at sunset (Saturday only)

This is the top David tour if you happen to be in Florence on a Saturday night, when the Accademia Gallery exceptionally stays open until 11 pm. The tour starts at 7 pm and has a duration of one hour and 15 minutes, which is more than sufficient to be told all you want to know about Michelangelo’s David by a local tourist guide. You won’t find any queue at this time, and most probably your group won’t be too large. For a price of € 38/person, it is a very good deal, but this tour also has options to add: an Italian aperitif (price becomes € 51/person), or a three-course dinner (price all included € 72/person). If you are so lucky to stay in Florence during the weekend, this tour is something you can’t miss; it’s a way to see Michelangelo’s David avoiding any hassle, because there won’t be any line and the museum will basically be empty.

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Early morning Accademia with breakfast

Viator Exclusive: Early Access to the Accademia Gallery in Florence with Breakfast

If you are not in Florence on Saturday night, this is your best option: a tour which starts at 8:15, right when the Accademia Gallery opens. I have provided many David tours in my career as tourist guide of Florence, and I must say that this is the one that makes people happy. You will meet your guide at 8 am in via Ricasoli 51, which is in front of the Accademia Gallery (but on the other side of the street). Being in time (you and the other members of the group) is essential to get in front of the Accademia doors together with the first 40 visitors of the day. The group is small, limited to 15 people, but it’s uncommon to have more than 10. After showing you Michelangelo’s David and other attractions inside the Accademia Gallery, your guide will leave you there around 9:15 am, and you will have time to explore the museum on your own. After you’re done with the Accademia, you can use your voucher for a free Italian breakfast at a cafè close to the museum.

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Private David tours

If you want a five-star treatment, you can book a private David tour. Now you choose the best time to go (but bear in mind my recommendations). The only problem with David tours is they are short tours, generally one hour, so either you add something else, like a walking tour or a visit to the Uffizi, or be prepared to pay your local guide for at least two hours, because nobody will move for one hour only. Your guide will take care of booking your skip-the-line tickets and can pick you up at your hotel, if you prefer. We offer a visit to the Accademia Gallery as part of our walking tour, our Michelangelo tour, or as part of our Florence in a day tour. Else you can contact us for a Florence custom tour.