Hours, monument by monument
| Monument | Mon–Fri | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathedral (free) | 10:15–15:45 | 10:15–15:45 | Closed to tourists |
| Brunelleschi's Dome | 8:15–18:45 | 8:15–16:30 | 12:45–16:30 |
| Giotto's Bell Tower | 8:15–18:45 | 8:15–18:45 | 8:15–18:45 |
| Baptistery | 8:30–19:30 | 8:30–19:30 | 8:30–19:30 |
| Opera del Duomo Museum | 8:30–19:00 | 8:30–19:00 | 8:30–19:00 |
The Santa Reparata crypt is visited from inside the cathedral and follows its hours. Last entry is generally 45–60 minutes before each monument closes.
The scheduling trap: three rules
- The cathedral has the shortest window (10:15 am–3:45 pm): it — not the dome — is the bottleneck of your day.
- Sunday flips the plan: cathedral closed to tourists, dome only from early afternoon. Move the baptistery, bell tower and museum here.
- Religious holidays change everything: the Duomo is a working church. Around Easter, Christmas and local feasts, always check the calendar on duomo.firenze.it.
The perfect day, by the clock
- 8:15 am — Dome with your booked slot: cool air, raking light, no crowd.
- 9:45 am — Baptistery: golden mosaics before the groups.
- 10:30 am — Coffee break while the cathedral queue grows without you.
- 2:00 pm — Cathedral and crypt: the queue eases after lunch.
- 4:00 pm — Opera del Duomo Museum until 7 pm: the least crowded stop in the complex.
The bell tower? Save it for another day — two climbs in one afternoon is a punishment, and that's exactly why the pass lasts 3 days.
When to go across the year
- November–February (outside holidays): minimal queues, slots available near the date.
- March–May and September–October: the sweet spot between weather and crowds; still book ahead.
- June–August: heat inside the dome cavity and sold-out slots — book weeks ahead and pick early morning or late afternoon.
