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Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
4.5
Historic SitesReligious SitesChurches & Cathedrals
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Tuesday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Wednesday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Thursday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Friday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Saturday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
About
The cathedral's iconic dome was an architectural feat designed by famed Renaissance architect Brunelleschi. Climb 463 steps to the cupola for panoramic views of Florence.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Duomo
Florentia, as it was called by Latins, is permeated by an eternal beauty spread in all corners of the city. The historic center is characterized by the immensity of the Duomo, able to transport tourists into the brightest age of Florence: the Renaissance. Who does not know the Brunelleschi Dome, San Giovanni Baptistery and the Giotto’s Campanile? Everything is enclosed here and it would be easy to imagine the city as it was in ancient times, with maids walking in the main square and horses carrying coaches. Nowadays, roads are busy with street artists. Rustic Tuscan bakeries give way to fashion shops; just stop for a few minutes in the middle of Piazza della Repubblica to enjoy the colors and sweet melody of the carousel that will bring back great memories from anyone’s childhood.
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See what travellers are saying
  • activenretired
    New Lenox, Illinois822 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Individuals can skip the line and go to mass in the Duomo
    If you are Catholic, skip the line and go to morning mass. You can wander a little before the service and see the gorgeous stained glass, and beautiful carvings when the Duomo is relatively empty. We went to the 8:30 am mass. Look for the employee stationed at a side door. And bring a few Euros for the collection---this lovely basilica must cost a lot of money to maintain!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 October 2023
  • Richard M
    Hampstead Norreys, United Kingdom949 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The most beautiful church
    The Duomo is simply incredible for a number of reasons. Firstly it is simply immense. It dominates the whole city and you can see it from everywhere. Secondly the exterior is beautiful with its white, pink and green marble. Finally, it is definitely worth the trip both inside and up to the top of the dome. Halfway up you get to see the interior of the dome with its incredible paintings of a host of angels and devils. The view from the top is just amazing. A great place.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 22 October 2023
  • GoingGuide
    Nottingham, United Kingdom2,461 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must-do if in Florence
    Fabulous impressive building consisting of so many magnificent features, including the unique exterior of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Campanile de at different the Battistero. The Cathedral is free to enter the main building, which consists of an impressive dome showing the amazing artwork telling the story of Jesus' life. In addition, there is the grotto which you have to purchase a ticket for but is well worth it as it shows a wide range of Roman mosaics, amongst other things. The Campanile de Giotto requires a ticket but is well worth the money as the views are stunning and spectacular. Be aware that it takes a bit of effort to climb the 400+ steps to the top. The Battistero is also worth a visit to see its amazing artistic work by various artists. The pieces are simply breathtaking. There are various packages you can buy at different prices to visit whichever of the buildings mentioned you wish to. Prices vary according to how many you wish to visit. I recommend all of them - a must do experience.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Ali921
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom1,541 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth the pain of all those steps
    Book well in advance to get the time slot that suits your plans. The trip to the top is well organised and worth the trip. Make sure you drop off your bags beforehand, they are very strict. Lastly there a lot of steps but it is possible to rest in places and let others pass if you tire.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 October 2023
  • nantona
    Kazanlak, Bulgaria1,019 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
    The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is the spectacular highlight of Florence. The huge building is fully decorated with extremely detailed reliefs and statues. It can be visited free of charge from 10.15 to 15.45, excluding Sundays and holidays. Beautiful stained glass windows and Brunelleschi's amazing dome frescoes can be seen in the cathedral.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 6 November 2023
  • Aero3926
    364 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Climb the dome if you're able
    If you are physically able, climb to the dome. There's a wonderful view, it's exciting to be in such a historical place. It is a challenging climb though. Don't take it on unless you feel confident. We elected to only climb the dome even though our ticket included the bell tower. The outside was as beautiful, perhaps more so, than the inside.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 November 2023
  • Timothy M
    San Francisco, California293 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Duomo
    Beautiful cathedral in Florence. The outside is a sight to behold. Very ornate with a striking dome. The interior however is rather plain and unadorned. Except for the paintings on the interior of the magnificent dome. You are able to go up into the dome for lovely views of Florence. Next to the church is the bell tower which you are also able to accent for the views.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 12 November 2023
  • Andrew K
    34 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best in Milan
    Definitely reserve in advance before getting in the lines. No regular sized backpacks or larger allowed, you must drop them off at the free lockers behind the Duomo. There are multiple lines for various parts of the Duomo, such as the main cathedral, crypt, and dome. The left side entrance is where the start of the dome climb is. The walk up to the dome was very exciting. Amazing views of the ceiling of the cathedral, as well as a 360 degree view of Milan walking along the top of the dome. Highly recommend also visiting the nearby bell tower, museum, and bapistery. Overall, no complaints for this experience.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 8 December 2023
  • papillon2020
    Brisbane, Australia700 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible Architecture
    This is a EXTRAORDINARY cathedral ... the outside has to be seen to be believed for the detail and massive size. Be sure to walk around the entire building to get a sense of how amazing this is. We found the inside interesting but the outside is truly the star.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 19 December 2023
  • MtEverest
    245 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great dome
    First, the basilica itself is free. The line looks imposing but it moved fast. Having seen the spectacular facade, the interior was underwhelming. We did buy the Duomo ticket. Climing the dome and the tower was not too bad. We were more dizzy than tired, because the windy stairs. The Baptisty was under renovation so there was not much to see. The small archeological museum was nothing to speak off. But we almost forgot the Duomo museum, which was right next to the locker storage. The best part of the museum is the terrace - you get a great view of the Dome itself.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 December 2023
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4.5
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Leesw8
London, UK334 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
The exterior is better than the interior. I had visited before and never got to stand under the dome yet. Long queues get shorter in the afternoon but you can sit at a pavement cafe and admire the facade with a drink in the shade. Entry to the cathedral is free but there are tickets to the museum, to climb the dome, climb the tower and to visit the terraces, and visit the baptistery all of which add up if you wanted to do them all
Written 27 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

daveandsarah777
Nantwich, UK57 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
When we arrived in Florence we walked past the Duomo on the way to the hotel, it’s fair to say we were amazed, even in the dark.

I think it’s also fair to say it’s more impressive from the outside than than the inside, although the painting on the interior of the dome is stunning.
Entry to the Duomo is free , but be prepared to wait in a long queue, from what I could see the line was shorter after lunch
Written 28 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachel Prime
75 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
If you’re a culture vulture/history buff and find yourself in Florence the Duomo is an absolute must. That’s how I felt, I just wish I hadn’t felt that was in August!! I imagine that the queue for the Duomo is pretty long most of the time but In August it was massive! The queue actually snaked around the entire building and tailed off a good 100 feet away. The Duomo was the main reason we went to Florence so I was determined to see it. We waited for two hours. Standing around you had plenty of time to appreciate the beauty and grandeur of the outside of the building. The queue was pretty disorganised though, with restaurant managers having to move the people themselves so people could get to their entrances. No one from the Duomo came out to manage the line of people which I thought they should have to maintain some sort of order.
Now this part is my own fault for not doing my research, the line foot you in the the Duomo but not the Dome. You could go in to the Duomo for free, light a candle and say a prayer. Inside was very serene after the hot wait outside, but there’s not a lot in there. I had thought you could walk freely and then take your turn to climb the steps to the Dome. This is not the case at all! You have to pay extra to climb the Dome and even then you have to book (this was August so you may not have to book to get inside in the other months)
We paid to get in to the museum, at this point I’d waited two hours and I felt like I needed to see something more. The museum was more of a large basement room with a glass walkway built so you could appreciate the different levels of building found underneath the Duomo.
I would go again but next time I wouldn’t go in August and I would book in advance to Climb the dome because that’s what I really wanted to do!
Written 26 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SimonNSW18
London, UK57 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
Stunning building, astonishing to walk around and appreciate the sheer scope. However if you want to see anything other than the main entrance area you have to pay for at least if not two tours which seems excessive. If you are not paying don't bother queuing more than 5 minutes as what you can see inside is so limited.
Written 17 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bill B
Pueblo, CO1,381 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
The Cathedral is absolutely beautiful. The que line was very short. We walked through the Cathedral in the morning on our way to Old Bridge and then came back in the afternoon for the museum, tower, dome, and baptistery views. The cost for the museum which includes the tower climb, dome, and baptistery was 18 EUR. They do not have an option to purchase just a segment of those. The crowds inside were small and you could stay as long as you desired.
Written 17 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eddy Hoover
Washington DC, DC180 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I definitely really badly wanted to see the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore and was going to make sure we were not going to miss it while in Florence! Very, very glad we didn't. Unlike the other attractions such as the Dome, Duomo Museum and the Baptistry, you can go into the Cathedral free of charge. There is always a huge line, so I recommend getting there early before it opens at 10 AM. However, just seeing the outside is unbelievable- it is so grand and huge you really cannot believe it. All along the exterior there are many lavish decorations and frescos that blow your mind, and it continues inside. Although it is quite empty, the marble floors and paintings up to the inside dome is truly extraordinary to see, even if it means only popping in. In addition, you can get tickets to climb up to the top of the Dome; we didn't do this, however I hear it is very impressive with amazing views of Florence, Cannot get much better.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ray F
Island of Gozo, Malta279 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
The main architectural attraction in the amazing city of Florence.Worth buying an 18 euro ticket that gives you access to all the related sites,ie the belfry,the cupola,the battistero and the museum.Entrance to the Duomo itself is free.
The edifice in itself is an architectural marvel.The dome that dominates the city of Florence skyline, by Brunelleschi , is the largest masonry dome in the world.The decoration of all the facades of the duomo , belfry and battistero in colourful Italian marble is exceptional and unique in more ways than one. This must rate as one of the most amazing ecclestiastical edifices areound the world.... a truly not to be missed historical monument.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ArunK
New Delhi, India1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
This cathedral and its square is always crowded with tourists and locals alike. This is home for numerous shopping stores which includes everything and anything right from clothes to jewelry. Watches ranging from few euros too few thousand euros are available here. I suggest if you have time to climb to the top you can enjoy a fantastic view of the whole city of Florence. Highly recommended.
Written 20 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Zenzar123
Essex, UK262 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
The best view is from the outside of the architecture of the Duomo. The exterior is worth viewing from all sides. You can also visit inside and climb steps to view from inside and get city views.

Suggest get a ticket to skip the lines - entry to the cathedral is free and need a ticket to climb the dome, climb the tower and to visit the terraces, and visit the baptistery all of which add up if you wanted to do them all
Written 30 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John C
Nottingham, UK4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
I had an amazing day, but the ticket office was lacking a lot of useful information.

The ticket lasts 3 days and covers the church, cathedral, dome roof, crypt, museum and tower.
You need to book a time with a machine in the ticket office to visit the dome roof.
You don't have to book a time for everything else and can go when you like.
The best time for the dome roof is just before sunset.
It is worth it for the views of the city.
There are a lot of steps to climb, maybe don't do the tower and the dome roof conservatively unless your in really good shape.
Information boards are in English and Italian
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

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