Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore: Our most recommended tours and activities

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  1. Florence: Duomo Small Group Tour with Dome Climb

  Join in on this exciting adventure discovering the Duomo, the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral complex. Your expert local guide will share with you the stories, legends, and secrets behind this incredible architectural monument.

  Enjoy a typical Florentine gelato as you stroll around the square and its monuments, like the stunning façade of Duomo. The tour then culminates with an extraordinary view from atop one of the largest Domes in the world.

  As you climb up the famous 463 steps, enjoy stunning views of the Cathedral interior and 16th-century frescoes.

  The small group setting of 10 people or less allows for the guides to provide you with a more personalized tour that will allow you to better understand Florence. Learn more and get the most out of your experience in a small group. 

  Climbing up 300+ stairs was tough, probably the first time and last time, but it is worthy.

  Reviewed by Hiro, United States, 9/28/2021
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  2. Florence Cathedral and The Opera del Duomo Museum: Tour with Brunelleschi's Dome

  Begin your tour in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, in the religious heart of Florence. Learn about the Baptistery of Saint John, as you see it from the outside, with its famous "Gates of Paradise". Head inside the cathedral to admire the mosaic decorations and see the Crypt of Santa Reparata. Visit the Opera del Duomo Museum, home to spectacular works of art including the original Gates of Paradise, Donatello's Maria Maddalena, and Michelangelo's Pieta. After the guided portion of the tour, climb 463 steps to Brunelleschi's Dome, to enjoy the best views over the city of Florence.

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  3. Florence: Entry Ticket to Brunelleschi's Dome

  Enjoy reserved entrance to Brunelleschi's Dome, part of Florence's Cathedral, with this ticket. Meet the local assistant at the meeting point, present your voucher, and receive your tickets to begin your experience. First, enter the Dome and climb 463 steps to reach the top. Please note that the way is narrow, there is no elevator, and the climb is not recommended for people suffering from heart problems, vertigo, or claustrophobia. Marvel at the egg-shaped architecture of the Dome, which was the largest such structure in the world in its time. On your visit to the Dome’s interior, you’ll have the opportunity to see the many frescoes and stained-glass windows. Admire Zuccari and Giorgio Vasari's frescoes of the Last Judgment, and enjoy a beautiful panorama over Florence and its surroundings from the summit.

  Company rep was located exactly where instructions said she'd be, and she handed us the tickets quickly - made the visit a breeze.

  Reviewed by Amanda, 9/17/2021
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  4. Florence Cathedral: Priority Entrance Tour

  Skip the long ticket lines and enter the Cathedral quickly and painlessly. Cross the threshold and be greeted by the 3 naves of the church, as well as its stunning interior. Marvel at the light pouring through the stained glass windows, colorfully illuminating the cathedral's interior. Take a journey back in time as your local guide details the history of the Duomo. Learn about its progression from a small 7th-century church to the third-largest cathedral in the world. Hear how Brunelleschi developed innovative techniques in order to build the iconic Duomo, and be amazed at Zuccari and Vasari's massive fresco depicting the Last Judgement. Once your guided tour is over, you can stay inside the Cathedral for as long as you like.

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  5. Florence Cathedral Guided Tour

  Located in the heart of Florence, this stunning Cathedral is one of the most visited places in Europe and definitely a must-see during your stay in Florence. When you walk to the square, you'll find this monumental square with Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, and others, including the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral. With this tour, you'll have the chance to enjoy a guided tour inside the cathedral. As you explore the inside of the cathedral, your guide will show the main artworks conserved within. The construction of the Cathedral began in the 13th Century thanks to Arnolfo di Cambio and was finished later with the magnificent Dome created by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 1420s. It's a huge and massive construction. With this tour, you'll have the chance to enjoy a 1h guided tour of the Cathedral where our guide will show the main artworks stil...

  Started off bad as could not find the guide at place indicated by GYG. There are numerous tour groups in front and we checked with all five and were not the correct ones. So contacted GYG and informed them of this; they then contacted actual tour provider whom gave different location to meet tour guide. I checked the tour guide website and they gave correct meeting point, so appears GYG doesn't have correct location. Anyway, they rescheduled us for the next day, same time, and we met at the CORRECT meeting point. The first half hour was spent getting some history, and then we had to get in the same line as everyone else. However, a tour guide representative had saved space in the line, which by that time had moved up. But we still had another 15 minutes in line. So this is clearly not a skip the line tour, which is what we thought it was when booking. Just be aware of that. Once we got inside was fine. The inside is OK, but not as spectacular as the outside for sure.

  Reviewed by Joseph, United States, 9/21/2021
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  6. Florence: Dome Skip-the-Line Guided Tour

  Climb to the top of Florence’s Dome with your expert local guide. Skip the lines waiting to enter and enjoy an exclusive 1.2-hour guided tour. Brunelleschi’s Dome, with its egg-shaped architecture, was the largest such structure in the world in its time. On your visit to the Dome’s interior you’ll have the opportunity to see the many frescoes and stained-glass windows. Admire Zuccari and Giorgio Vasari's frescoes of the Last Judgment. Climb the 463 steps to the top and enjoy impressive views of Florence.

  Giacomo was our guide and we really liked him. He was very personable, great at remembering names and very knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed him and the tour in general.

  Reviewed by Jane, 7/9/2021
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  7. Florence Cathedral: Skip-the-Line Small Group Guided Tour

  Skip the long lines and enter the Cathedral. Admire the white and green marble of the Dome of Brunelleschi– an architectural marvel. Cross the threshold and you will be greeted by the 3 naves of the church, as well as it’s stunning interior. Marvel at the light pouring through the stained glass windows, colorfully illuminating the evocative rosette of the façade. Take a journey back in time as your local guide details the history of the Duomo. Learn about its progression from small 7th-century church to the 3rd largest cathedral in the world. Hear how Brunelleschi developed innovative techniques in order to build the Duomo. Be amazed at Zuccari and Vasari's massive fresco depicting the Last Judgement. Once your guided tour is over, you can stay inside the Cathedral as long as like. Enjoy this must-see monument at your own pace.

  An excellent, intelligent female guide with super English and wonderful historical information!! The small group Flash Tour of the Duomo Is highly recommended!!! Elizabeth

  Reviewed by elizabeth, 9/28/2021
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  8. Florence: Historical Center Bike Tour

  Climb onto a comfortable bicycle to experience Florence from a different perspective. See sights such as the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, and the Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno. Visit areas that the tour buses can’t reach, and cycle down streets with little traffic in the historic center. Explore the Oltrarno quarter, where many of the city’s most notable sights are found. Cycle through the artisans' area to the Renaissance palace of the Palazzo Pitti. Continue to the famous covered bridge of the Ponte Vecchio, and bike into Piazzale degli Uffizi to see the façade of the Uffizi Gallery. Admire the palaces of Piazza della Signoria in the heart of Florence and the pavement cafés of Piazza della Repubblica. See Brunelleschi’s iconic dome on top of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. At stops along the route, your guide will tell you all about Florentine Republic and the Renaissance.

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  9. Florence: Duomo Complex Guided Tour

  Discover the heart of Florence and learn all the secrets and the history that lies behind the Duomo Complex. Santa Maria del Fiore, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, is the third largest church in the world and was the largest church in Europe when it was completed in the 15th Century. Your local guide will show you the main sights while telling you interesting anecdotes on how this masterpiece was created. You’ll also visit the Duomo Museum in which you’ll discover masterpieces of Arnolfo, Ghiberti, Donatello, Luca della Robbia, Antonio Pollaiolo, Verrocchio, and Michelangelo. This is the largest concentration of Florentine monumental sculpture in the world. Last but not least, admire the stunning Baptistry of San Giovanni, one of the most ancient churches in Florence, which sits opposite the city's cathedral, the church of Santa Maria del Fiore and its incredible East Door - that Michel...

  Very knowledgeable guide ! Erica shared insightful info about the cathedral and many interesting details which helped us get a better understanding of the cathedral’s unique structure and story. Visiting without her would have been a shame :) Would also recommend getting the full tour, baptistery and the museum as well, since there is some valuable knowledge to get there !

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 8/24/2021
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  10. Florence: Small Group or Private Tour at the Duomo Complex

  Visit the magnificent white, pink, and green marble cathedral complex with its famous dome, dedicated to the Santa Maria del Fiore. Discover why this place is considered one of the several must-see attractions in Florence and enjoy pre-reserved tickets to see Brunelleschi's dome to enter this architectural masterpiece by joining this small group or private walking tour of Florence with a local professional guide. This tour is a wonderful way to learn the salient facts about this magnificent Renaissance city as you stroll around plazas, museums, and paved streets checking out the grandiose buildings that date back to the 13th-century. The trio of buildings within the pleasant historic center of Florence date back to 1296 and are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Your tour of the complex includes St. John's Baptistery, Brunelleschi's famous dome, and the Duomo Museum. The basilica is the ...

  Chiara was very knowledgeable and great host. She gave us many historic and artistic details during the tour

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 11/19/2019