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Florence has more great art per square kilometre than almost anywhere on earth, and its most famous sights are also among the busiest in Europe. The Uffizi, Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia and Brunelleschi’s dome all work with timed entry, and in high season the best slots are gone days or weeks ahead. With the right tickets booked in the right order, you can see all three in comfort; without them, you can lose half a day in queues.
This guide explains which tickets to book for each museum, what the Duomo passes include, opening days and the mistakes that cost visitors the most time.
Book Before You Go
Florence’s Big Three at a Glance
| Sight | Open | Book ahead? | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uffizi Gallery | Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 to 18:30; closed Mondays | Yes, timed entry | 2.5 to 4 hours |
| Accademia Gallery (David) | Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 to 18:50; closed Mondays | Yes, timed entry | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Brunelleschi’s Dome | Daily, by time slot | Yes, mandatory slot | About 1 hour for the climb |
| Duomo complex (Baptistery, museum, bell tower) | Varies by monument | Yes, via a pass | Half a day for everything |
Hours are those published for 2026; both galleries occasionally open late on Tuesday evenings. Always confirm before your visit, especially on public holidays.
The Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi holds the greatest collection of Italian Renaissance painting in the world: Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio, and room after room of masterpieces arranged roughly in chronological order. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 to 18:30, with last entry at 17:30, and closed on Mondays.
Book a timed Uffizi ticket and choose an early slot: the first hour is the calmest, and you will want energy for the Botticelli rooms. Large bags are not allowed inside, so travel light. If you want to understand what you are seeing rather than just walking past it, a guided skip-the-line tour is worth the extra cost.
The Accademia and Michelangelo’s David
Most people come to the Accademia for one sculpture, and it does not disappoint: Michelangelo’s David stands at the end of a long gallery lined with his unfinished Prisoners, figures still emerging from the marble. The gallery also has a collection of musical instruments and Renaissance paintings. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 to 18:50, with last entry at 18:20, and closed on Mondays.
The Accademia is smaller than the Uffizi, but its queue can be even longer. The priority entrance ticket with audio guide combines it with the Uffizi, and the combined timed-entry ticket schedules both on the same day, with the Accademia in the morning and the Uffizi a few hours later. Note that this ticket cannot be rescheduled, and names of all visitors are required at checkout.
The Duomo: Which Pass Do You Need?
Entry to the cathedral itself is free, with no ticket required; it is open Monday to Saturday from 10:15 to 15:45 and closed on Sundays and religious holidays. Everything else in the cathedral complex, the dome, the bell tower, the Baptistery, the museum and the ancient crypt of Santa Reparata, is covered by three official passes, each valid for three calendar days:
| Pass | Includes | Adult price |
|---|---|---|
| Brunelleschi Pass | Dome, bell tower, Baptistery, museum, Santa Reparata | €30 |
| Giotto Pass | Bell tower, Baptistery, museum, Santa Reparata (no dome) | €20 |
| Ghiberti Pass | Baptistery, museum, Santa Reparata | €15 |
Official prices as published by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore in 2026; children up to six enter free.
The dome is the one that sells out. With the Brunelleschi Pass, your dome time slot is mandatory and cannot be changed or cancelled, entry is at the start of the slot, and you must show an identity document with your ticket. The climb has 463 steps and no lift; Giotto’s bell tower next door has 414. If you can only climb one, the bell tower has the advantage of a view of the dome itself. A guided tour of the cathedral and dome adds context, and our article Inside the Florence Duomo covers the history in depth.
Places of worship in the complex require covered shoulders and knees for everyone; avoid tank tops, short shorts and miniskirts.
Beyond the Big Three
- Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens: the Medici palace across the river, with the Palatine Gallery and the terraced Boboli Gardens behind it. The galleries close on Mondays; the gardens close on the first and last Monday of each month.
- The Bargello: Italy’s great sculpture museum, with works by Donatello and Michelangelo, far quieter than the Accademia. Closed on Mondays.
- Palazzo Vecchio: the town hall on Piazza della Signoria, with frescoed state rooms and a tower to climb. It closes early on Thursdays.
All of these, and many more, are available on the Florence attractions page, so you can keep all your tickets in one place.
What Not to Miss Inside
A timed ticket gets you through the door, but the hours inside are what you will remember. These are the pieces worth planning around.
In the Uffizi
- The Botticelli rooms: the Birth of Venus and Primavera hang close together, and they are busiest from late morning. If you arrive at opening, walk straight there and come back to the earlier rooms afterwards.
- Leonardo: the Annunciation and the unfinished Adoration of the Magi show him at the very start of his career.
- Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo: a rare finished panel painting by an artist who preferred marble, still in its original carved frame.
- Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio: the Madonna of the Goldfinch, the Venus of Urbino and Caravaggio’s Medusa, painted on a ceremonial shield.
- Artemisia Gentileschi: her Judith Slaying Holofernes is one of the most powerful paintings in the building, and easy to miss if you rush.
Leave time for the corridor windows. The view down the Arno towards the Ponte Vecchio is one of the best in the city, and the café terrace looks straight across at Palazzo Vecchio.
In the Accademia
Michelangelo carved the David between 1501 and 1504. It stood outside on Piazza della Signoria until 1873, when it was moved indoors for protection; the statue in the square today is a copy. Walk around it slowly: the hands and head are deliberately oversized, because it was originally meant to be seen from below. Before you reach it, the four unfinished Prisoners show how Michelangelo worked, freeing figures from the block. Do not skip the hall of plaster models at the back or the musical instruments from the Medici collections.
In the Duomo Complex
Climbing the dome takes you along an inner gallery right beneath Vasari and Zuccari’s Last Judgement fresco, a view you cannot get from the cathedral floor. Inside the Baptistery, look up at the golden mosaic ceiling. The Opera del Duomo Museum holds the originals of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise (the doors on the Baptistery are copies) and Michelangelo’s late Florentine Pietà, which many visitors never see because they run out of time.
When to Go
From April to October, the queues are long all day, and dome slots for weekends disappear first. Book the moment your dates are fixed and take the earliest slots you can. In winter, Florence is far quieter: you can often choose your times a few days ahead, and the light in the galleries is softer. Whatever the season, the first slot of the morning and the last two hours before closing are the calmest times inside the Uffizi and the Accademia.
A Smart Order for Two Days
Day one: Accademia at opening time, a late morning walk through the centre, lunch, then the Uffizi in the afternoon. Day two: an early dome slot, then the Baptistery, museum and bell tower on the same pass, and the afternoon in the Oltrarno and the Boboli Gardens. Avoid Mondays for the galleries, and remember the cathedral itself is closed to visitors on Sundays.
Our perfect day in Florence and luxury guide to Florence help you fill the rest of the time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Arriving on a Monday: the Uffizi, Accademia, Bargello and Pitti galleries are closed.
- Booking the dome too late: in high season, popular slots go first; book as soon as your dates are fixed.
- Missing your dome slot: it cannot be changed, so allow time for security and the walk.
- Bringing a large bag: backpacks and suitcases cause delays or are refused. Leave luggage nearby if you are arriving or leaving that day.
- Dressing for the beach: shoulders and knees must be covered in the cathedral, Baptistery and crypt.
Prefer to explore at your own pace?
Self-guided audio tours play on your phone, work offline and let you pause for coffee whenever you like. Good options here are the Uffizi ticket with famous paintings audio tour or the Accademia priority entry with audio tour and city walk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book the Uffizi in advance?
In practice, yes. Timed tickets control the flow of visitors, and walk-up queues can be very long from spring to autumn.
Can I see the Uffizi and the Accademia on the same day?
Yes. Start with the Accademia early, then visit the Uffizi in the afternoon. Combined tickets schedule both for you.
Is the Duomo free?
The cathedral itself is free to enter, Monday to Saturday. The dome, bell tower, Baptistery, museum and crypt require one of the three passes.
Which Duomo pass is best?
The Brunelleschi Pass if you want to climb the dome; the Giotto Pass if you prefer the bell tower and its view of the dome; the Ghiberti Pass if you do not want to climb at all.
How many steps are there to the top of the dome?
463, with no lift. The bell tower has 414.
Where can I see the original Gates of Paradise?
The original bronze panels by Ghiberti are in the Opera del Duomo Museum, which is included in all three Duomo passes. The doors on the Baptistery today are copies.
Where to Stay: compare hotels and current prices in Florence on Trip.com.
Plan Your Stay
Arriving by air? A pre-booked transfer from Florence Airport takes you straight to your hotel, and an eSIM for Italy keeps your tickets on your phone. For where to stay, see the best luxury hotels in Florence, and for an evening with wine, our guide to Florence and wine.
Related guides: read our articles on the best day trips from Florence and Leaning Tower of Pisa tickets.
For wine lovers, see also our guide to wine tours from Florence.
South of the Arno, do not miss Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens.
To follow the Medici through the city, see our guide to Medici Florence: Palazzo Vecchio and the Medici Chapels.
For fashion, shopping and artisan workshops, see our guide to Florence for fashion lovers.
