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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 08 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

Completed in 1436, this multi-colored marble megalith is crowned with one of the marvels of the Renaissance world; Brunelleschi’s vast double-shelled dome – built without scaffolding – was a breathtaking feat of engineering.

If time is short, skip the cathedral’s barn-like interior and visit the dome (463 steps) and Giotto’s magnificent bell tower (414 steps).

While you’re there

Head across the road to the Cathedral Works Museum to see Michelangelo’s Pietà along with sculptures from the Duomo’s façade and the original bronze doors of the Baptistery.

The octagonal, Romanesque Baptistry is thought to date from the Dark Ages making it one of the oldest buildings in the city. It’s famous for its three sets of ornate bronze doors made by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti: the originals are in the Cathedral Works Museum.

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Price from: £16
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The Duomo is a 10-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella train station.

To circumvent the inevitable long queues, book a tour (group or individual), or you can book to see different combinations of the buildings you’re interested in (museum, dome, bell tower, baptistery and the crypt of Santa Reparata). There are also audio guides available at an audio guides desk inside the cathedral.

When to do it

The cathedral is open all year round, seven days a week. Different elements open at different times of the day. If you’re pre-booking, go in the early morning or early evening when views are at their most spectacular.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Florence: Duomo Cathedral Guided Tour

Florence: Duomo Cathedral Guided Tour

Florence

Discover one of the most gorgeous cathedrals in the world. Learn the fascinating stories of Florence and the cathedral from our licensed gui...

€16 | Rating 4 / 5 [13 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Duomo Dome Skip the Line Tour

Duomo Dome Skip the Line Tour

Florence

Enjoy our exclusive 1h 10m  dome skip-the-line tour and have a breathtaking view of the city. Climb up to the top of the famous Cupola along...

€69 | Rating 4.21 / 5 [307 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Best of Florence: Small Group Tour Skip-the-Line David & Accademia with Duomo

Best of Florence: Small Group Tour Skip-the-Line David & Accademia with Duomo

Florence

Experience the Tuscan capital's top attractions on a small-group walking tour through Florence. Begin with skip-the-line access to view Mich...

€74 | Rating 4.79 / 5 [459 ratings]

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Florence Baptistery The Opera del Duomo Museum: Tour with Brunelleschi's Dome

Florence Baptistery The Opera del Duomo Museum: Tour with Brunelleschi's Dome

Florence

• 1.35-hour guided tour with an expert guide. This includes Duomo Square with a full explanation of the Baptistery's Paradise gate, history ...

€75 | Rating 4.30 / 5 [26 ratings]

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Helvetia & Bristol

Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.3 miles]

A historic hotel well-deserving of its five-star status, the Helvetia & Bristol enjoys a fabulously central location and offers sumptuous rooms, bags of atmosphere and top-notch service.

Official star rating:

In Piazza della Signoria Hotel

Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.4 miles]

This elegant guest house offers warm hospitality and an atmosphere of genteel ‘Old Florence’ steps from Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery.

Official star rating:

The Place

Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.5 miles]

One of Italy’s first boutique hotels offers sophisticated interiors, a club-like atmosphere and top-notch service in the heart of Florence.

Official star rating:

Hotel Continentale Florence

Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.5 miles]

Cool, edgy Ferragamo-owned design hotel by the Ponte Vecchio in the heart of the city – the perfect base for sightseeing.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Tuscany

Tuscany, Italy

The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.

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Baptistery of St. John
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Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.1 miles]

The octagonal, Romanesque Baptistery, thought to originate in the Dark Ages, is one of Florence’s oldest buildings. It is famous for its three sets of ornate bronze doors although the ones you see today are copies (the originals are in the Cathedral Works Museum).

Best for ages: 18+ | £4

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Bargello Museum

Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.3 miles]

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Gucci Museum

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Dresses to impress at this museum dedicated to 90 years at the forefront of fashion. Admire gowns worn to the Oscars, along with oddities such as Gucci bicycles, sledges and scuba-diving fins.

Best for ages: 8+ | £6

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This traditional Easter festival sees a towering cart laden with fireworks pulled through the city by white oxen accompanied by a procession of flag throwers and drummers in colourful Renaissance garb. In Piazza del Duomo, a mechanical dove swoops down from the cathedral to light the blue touchpaper.

Best for ages: 10+ | Free | 1 day

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Magi Chapel
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Magi Chapel

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Palazzo Strozzi
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Palazzo Strozzi

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This 16th-century palazzo is home to one of Italy’s most innovative public art galleries. Rotating exhibitions showcase artists as diverse as Jeff Koons, Ai Wei-Wei and Bill Viola and Bronzino, Donatello and Pontormo. The ‘Strozzino’ gallery in the basement focuses on contemporary art and peripheral cultural events.

Best for ages: 18+ | £13

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night view of Old Palace (Palazzo Vecchio) in Florence, Italy
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Palazzo Vecchio

Florence, Tuscany, Italy[0.4 miles]

This imposing palace on Piazza della Signoria has been at the centre of power in Florence since its construction in 1299 and still functions as the town hall. Now partly a museum, its sumptuously decorated rooms reveal magnificent frescoes, coffered ceilings and hidden chambers. Book skip-the-line tickets online here.

Best for ages: 18+ | £8

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Round-ups that include this experience

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The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.

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