The Galleria Palatina
Whole walls of Raphael and Titian in the old princely hang.
Yanko Malinov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Almaak — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Francesco Bini — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Johann Rudolf Rahn — Public domain
The Pitti is Florence's most massive palace: a titanic stone block on the south bank begun by a Medici rival who meant to outdo them — and ended up owned by them, then housing every ruler of Tuscany after, down to the kings of united Italy. Today it is five museums in one building, led by the Galleria Palatina: royal rooms hung the old way, entire walls of Raphael, Titian and Rubens under gilded ceilings — the world's largest gathering of Raphaels outside the Vatican. Above are the furnished Royal Apartments, with costume, silver and modern-art museums for those who want more. Behind it spread the Boboli Gardens — a separate ticket — so pair them into your calm southern day, away from the Duomo bank's crush.
Whole walls of Raphael and Titian in the old princely hang.
His largest holding outside the Vatican — the Madonna della Seggiola its jewel.
Tuscany's rulers' rooms in their silk and furniture, as lived in.
Piazza de' Pitti 1, 50125 Florence
Boboli GardensBoboli is the Pitti Palace's royal garden and the mother of all Italian gardens:1 minute walk4.1
La Specola Natural History MuseumIn a quiet room off Via Romana, a wax woman lies on a silk cushion, real human h3 minutes walk4.6
Basilica of Santo SpiritoAround 1492 a boy of about seventeen struck a bargain with the Augustinian friar4 minutes walk4.5
Ponte VecchioThe Ponte Vecchio is Italy's most famous bridge and its strangest survivor: a 135 minutes walk4.6
Basilica di Santa TrinitaStand in Piazza Santa Trinita, walk through the door, and you will find the same7 minutes walk4.5Uffizi first, always — its art-history arc is irreplaceable. The Pitti is the sumptuous sequel: far thinner crowds, masters hung as princes wanted rather than as historians sorted. Those wearied by Uffizi queues find near its level here at twice the comfort.
Two hours for the Palatina and Royal Apartments — that is the core. Add an hour for Boboli behind. Costume and silver are for particular interests, not the general itinerary.
Gilded rooms impress briefly, then boredom — the rescue is Boboli behind: grottoes, statues, running room. Palace first, garden as the reward.