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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.