Florence Tip: Free Duomo tours
One of our favorite must-sees in Florence is the Duomo, or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (sometimes known as Florence Cathedral). And, lucky for us Cheapos, it’s free to enter the main sanctuary daily.
Duomo do!
But, get this. Did you know that every 40 minutes Florence’s Center for Art and Culture also offers FREE guided tours of the church? Highlights of the jaunt include a look into the care and craft of that gorgeous facade, why the church was originally built, and more. Tours are available in English and Italian.
Before you go…
If you plan to take a tour, enter the sanctuary via the left-side doors. The church is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and on Fridays from 10 AM to 5 PM; Thursday it’s open from 10 AM to 3:30 PM; Saturday it opens at 10 AM and closes at 4:45 PM. On Sunday, the sanctuary is only open from 1:30 PM to 4:45 PM. And, the first Saturday of each month the church is only open from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. For information on special holiday hours and more, visit the Duomo’s official tourism site.
Note: If you want to see more of the basilica and travel up the stairs to the top of the dome, you’ll need to shell out €8. (Hint: We think it’s worth it.)
For more information and lots of budget tips for Florence, go here.
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Must the free Duomo tour be pre-arranged or you just wait your turn for the next English-speaking tour? How does it work exactly? Thanks for the great tips!
Yes, I agree. we received a great overview about the Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore) during our cruiser bike tour in Florence http://www.italycruiserbiketours.com
Yes, I agree. The hike up can be a tad daunting, but so worth it. I saw a group of older women turn back. A woman in front of me had a bit of a panic about the close quarters too. You just have to keep reminding yourself that it will soon be over and you’ll have the most incredible view (as you say Ray) ever.
Thanks for the comment.
The claustrophobic hike up the stairs to the top of Florence’s Duomo is definitely worth it. I did see some people turn back because there are nearly 400 steps going up and the path gets very narrow and tight in some places. But when you get to the top, you can see all around Florence; spectacular views. Here is one of the views: http://www.raysadventures.com/italy/Italypage4/Duomo5-Florence-Italy.html