6 insider tips for climbing the Duomo in Florence

There is no way to visit Florence without seeing the Duomo. It towers over the city, looming in the background on practically every street corner: outside a train window as you approach Santa Maria Novella train station, from a terrace cafe in the historic center, and while walking down Via dei Servi. The 37,000-ton engineering marvel is unmissable.

While the street-level views are fantastic, the cathedral is just as majestic from above, as I quickly discovered when I moved to the city. I frequented places like the hillside town of Fiesole, the panoramic Piazzale Michelangelo, and rooftop bars like Divina Terrazza at the Grand Hotel Cavour for the breathtaking views.

Yet, nothing beats experiencing the Duomo from the inside if you truly want to get up close and personal. Yes, you'll have to climb its 463 steps, but the effort is well worth it.

As Florence's main landmark, attracting an average of 1,875 visitors daily, you'll need to be prepared. If you don't plan ahead, you could spend hours waiting in line, or worse, miss out on tickets altogether. Here are some practical tips I learned to ensure your visit to the Duomo is as smooth as possible.

Tickets need to be booked at least three weeks, and can be booked as early as seven months, in advance. They are offered daily on the Opera di Santa Maria Del Fiore website (the official ticketing site for the Duomo). Many private tours also include a Duomo climb in their itineraries, including tours from Keys of Italy and Fat Tire Tours.

If you want to climb the Duomo without a guided tour, the Brunelleschi Pass, from the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore website, will give you access to all of the monuments in the Duomo complex. It includes ascending the bell tower (campanile) and visiting the baptistery, cathedral, Brunelleschi’s tomb, and the Opera del Duomo Museum.

Bonus tip: A Brunelleschi Pass gives you three days to see the monuments, starting with the date you go to the Duomo, and reservations can’t be changed.

Tickets are booked in 45-minute slots with 125 tickets available for each, starting at 8:15 a.m. until 3 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. (depending on the daylight). The Duomo only closes due to severe weather, and that’s rare.

Bonus tip: Although Florence is a popular year-round destination, visiting the Duomo in the morning and winter may offer fewer crowds.

There are 463 steps to the top (and the same way down), with a steeper, narrower, and shorter stairwell, as you get closer to the summit; it’s a mix of spiral and straight stairs, with and without railings. If you're over 5 ft. 7 in., you’ll need to hunch during the final stairs, and the climb isn’t accessible for travelers with limited mobility.

Wearing layers will help you adjust to the change from cool to hot during the trek up. Keep in mind, you’ll need to follow the cathedral’s dress code: cover your legs and shoulders, and remove hats and sunglasses. Flip-flops are also not permitted in the cathedral, which is for the best as sneakers are more comfortable anyway.

If you’re out for the day and need to store your stuff, there’s an area next to the Opera del Duomo Museum for backpacks and large bags (included in the ticket price). Forgot to drop it off? Don’t sweat it. When you climb up to the cupola, you’ll be asked to check your backpack at the cathedral entrance.

Bonus tip: Watch your time. There’s a five-minute grace period for the ticket. If you’re stuck in line at the bag check and are late, you may risk losing your reservation.

Expect to go with the flow of traffic, but you may step aside or ahead as needed. Halfway rest points in both directions include a view of Giorgio Vasari’s Last Judgement frescos decorating the cupola’s interior in a plexiglass-walled gallery.

Within the dome, you'll see the genius of its mastermind—clockmaker, goldsmith, and sculptor, Filippo Brunelleschi. Following the 15th-century stairs that masons used, some of that mystery is revealed as you pass in the space between two connected domes.

Bonus tip: At the top, get your camera ready for Florence views, but know that you’ll have no more than 10 minutes before you’ll have to make your way back down.

Climbing the Duomo is one way to see and learn about the cathedral and its monuments in the Piazza del Duomo. By planning a full day, you’ll have time to climb the Duomo and see the complex’s other monuments, too.

With a combined ticket, and as part of many guided tours, you’ll have access to the campanile bell tower, climbing its 414 steps to see the Duomo next door. I like this climb because it is less crowded than the cupola and not as tight for space.

Many of the sculptures adorning the cathedral and its baptistery are copies, to save these masterworks from the elements. But you can see the originals in the Opera del Duomo Museum behind the cathedral. The museum has 28 rooms, so save at least a full afternoon to explore it.

The Duomo climb begins inside the cathedral, but once you’ve finished, you’ll be forced to exit. Though the lines can be long and it’s often closed for religious events, Santa Maria del Fiore is free to enter and can usually be visited until 3:45 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Without a timed ticket, plan to come to the cathedral in the early morning when crowds may be thinner and lines shorter.