Florence Duomo: Dome Climb, Bell Tower and Tickets Explained

Florence's cathedral is not one sight but five, sold together by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, the body that has looked after the building since the 1290s: the cathedral itself, Brunelleschi's dome, Giotto's bell tower, the Baptistery and the cathedral museum. Working out which ticket covers what is most of the battle.

What is free and what is not

The cathedral nave is free to enter. The queue forms along the south side of the building; it moves steadily but can be long in the middle of the day. Inside, the space is vast and fairly bare, with the Last Judgement frescoes by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari painted on the inside of the dome. Visiting hours inside the cathedral are shorter than the opening hours of the square suggest and change around services, so check the day before.

Everything else needs a pass:

• The dome climb (Brunelleschi's Dome)
• Giotto's bell tower (Campanile)
• The Baptistery of San Giovanni
• The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
• Santa Reparata, the remains of the earlier church under the cathedral floor

The three passes

At the time of writing the Opera sells three passes, each valid for three days from the date you choose:

Pass	Includes	Time slot needed
Brunelleschi Pass	Dome, bell tower, Baptistery, museum, Santa Reparata	Yes, for the dome and the bell tower
Giotto Pass	Bell tower, Baptistery, museum, Santa Reparata	Yes, for the bell tower
Ghiberti Pass	Baptistery, museum, Santa Reparata	No

Prices were €30, €20 and €15 for adults when we checked in October 2026, with reductions for children. Check current prices and rules on the official ticket site (duomo.firenze.it) before you book. Buy there rather than from resellers, who charge a markup for the same entry.

Since March 2025 the dome climb has required photo ID, and passes are in your name.

Climbing the dome

The climb is about 460 steps with no lift. The route goes between the inner and outer shells of the dome, which is the point: you see how Brunelleschi built a dome this size without scaffolding from the ground, in the 1420s and 1430s. Halfway up you walk along a gallery inside the dome, close to the Last Judgement frescoes, before the final, steepest section to the lantern terrace.

Who should skip it: anyone uneasy in tight, crowded stairways, and anyone with knee or heart problems. There is no way to turn back easily once you are in the narrow sections.

Your time slot is fixed. Arrive at the entrance a few minutes early; late arrivals can be refused.

The bell tower

Giotto designed the bell tower in 1334; it was finished after his death. The climb is a little over 400 steps, broken up by landings where you can rest, and the stairs are less claustrophobic than the dome's. The reward is a view that includes the dome itself, at eye level. If you only want the view, this is the better climb.

The Baptistery and the museum

The octagonal Baptistery is older than the cathedral. Its famous bronze doors on the outside are copies; the originals are in the museum. Inside, the mosaic ceiling has been under restoration in recent years, so check whether it is visible before deciding whether the Baptistery alone justifies a pass.

The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is the part most visitors skip and should not. It holds Ghiberti's original Gates of Paradise, Donatello's wooden Mary Magdalene, Michelangelo's late Pietà, and a full-size reconstruction of the cathedral's unfinished medieval facade, lined with the statues that once stood on it. It is often quiet even when the square outside is packed.

An order that works

1. Book the Brunelleschi Pass with the earliest dome slot you can get.
2. Climb the dome first, while your legs are fresh.
3. Walk round to the museum (behind the cathedral) and spend an hour there.
4. Do the bell tower later the same day or on another day within the three-day window, ideally in late afternoon light.
5. Visit the cathedral nave at a quiet moment, or skip the queue entirely if the dome walk-through was enough for you.

Practical notes

• Dress code: shoulders and knees should be covered to enter the cathedral and Baptistery.
• Bags: large bags and backpacks are not allowed on the climbs.
• Weather: the terraces are exposed; climbs can close in storms.
• Toilets: there are none on the climbs.

The square is busiest from late morning to late afternoon. For photographs of the facade without crowds, come early in the morning or after dark, when the marble is lit.