Florence Cathedral (Duomo) & Brunelleschi's Dome

Free cathedral, paid climb — get the split right

The single thing to understand about the Duomo is that it is really two visits. The cathedral nave is free — you queue, you walk in, you stand under Brunelleschi’s dome and look up at Vasari’s Last Judgement without paying a cent. What you pay for is going up: the dome climb, Giotto’s bell tower, the Baptistery, the crypt and the museum all sit behind a ticket. So do not buy a pass expecting it to “let you into the cathedral” — it does not, because nothing does; the cathedral is open to all.

The catch with the free entry is the security queue, which is often the longest in Florence and can run past an hour in July and August with no shade. Go first thing (it opens around 10:15) or accept the wait. If all you want is the interior, that is the whole plan — there is no ticket that skips this line.

Which pass, and book the dome weeks ahead

To climb, you need the Brunelleschi Pass (€30, about £26), which covers a timed dome slot plus the bell tower, Baptistery, Santa Reparata crypt and the Opera del Duomo museum, valid 72 hours. The dome is the only part with a fixed time you must honour — and those slots are capped for safety and routinely sell out two to three weeks ahead in season. Buy only at the official tickets.duomo.firenze.it; resellers cannot create extra dome capacity, so a “sold out” official site means sold out everywhere. Bring photo ID — it is checked at the climb. If you do not care about the dome, the Giotto Pass (€20, ~£17) swaps it for the bell tower, and the Ghiberti Pass (€15, ~£13) is the museum, Baptistery and crypt only.

The climb itself, and is it worth it?

It is 463 steps and no lift, up a tight stone staircase that runs between the dome’s two shells, with a gallery stop right beside the painted ceiling before you come out on the rooftop lantern for the best view in Florence — terracotta roofs, the bell tower at eye level, the hills beyond. Allow an hour to an hour and a half for the whole loop including the queue. Our verdict: if your knees can take the stairs, this is the climb to do over the bell tower, because you get the close-up of the frescoes that the tower cannot. If stairs are a problem, take the bell tower instead — slightly fewer steps and the bonus that the dome is in your photo rather than under your feet. Pair either with a free wander through the cathedral and you have a proper morning before the queues build.