What does the Brunelleschi Pass includes?
The Brunelleschi Pass works as the all-access ticket for the buildings around Piazza del Duomo in Florence. Buying it covers six entries: the climb up Brunelleschi's Dome, the climb up Giotto's Bell Tower, the Florence Baptistery, the crypt of Santa Reparata, the inside of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and the Opera del Duomo Museum. Each one allows a single visit. Three calendar days, six places, one ticket.
Validity counts from whichever date a buyer picks during checkout, not from the moment of first scan. Within those three days, the dome slot is the only fixed appointment, and the rules force it onto day one. Other monuments stay open without reservations, and a visitor can move between them in any order. Stamina, not bookings, ends up being the constraint, because two of the six visits involve serious staircases. The cathedral dome is 463 steps and the bell tower is 414, neither of them with a lift.
What's included and excluded?
Included
- Brunelleschi's Dome, with a timed reservation
- Giotto's Bell Tower
- The Florence Baptistery (Battistero di San Giovanni)
- The crypt of Santa Reparata
- The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (interior)
- The Opera del Duomo Museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo)
- Three calendar days of validity from the activation date
Not Included
- Guided tour
- Does not include fast-track access to the Cathedral
Enjoy the Brunelleschi Pass
What the Brunelleschi pass covers?
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Florence's Gothic cathedral, faced in pink, green and white marble; 153 m of nave under Vasari's frescoed dome.
- Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:15-15:45. Closed Sundays and during religious celebrations.
- Entrance: Free, no ticket required. Wheelchair access via Porta dei Canonici on the right flank.
Is the Brunelleschi Pass worth it?
Yes, if a traveler plans to climb Brunelleschi's Dome (the cupola of Florence Cathedral). The Brunelleschi Pass is the only ticket with timed access to the dome stairwell. The pass also opens the bell tower, the baptistery, the Opera del Duomo Museum, and Santa Reparata across three days. Skip the climb and a cheaper pass wins.
Who wins with this pass? First-time visitors who want every site in the complex. Panorama hunters who do not flinch at 463 steps. Travelers who came to Florence partly for the cupola itself. Booking windows open three months ahead and high-season slots empty out weeks before arrival, so the answer hinges on the climb and on whether the calendar can flex.
Who loses? A visitor afraid of heights pays for stairs they will not climb. Anyone who only wants to walk into the nave (free entry, no pass needed) overpays. On the other hand, the Giotto Pass covers the bell tower without a fixed time slot, and the Ghiberti Pass covers the cathedral, baptistery, museum, and Santa Reparata for travelers who skip both climbs.
What's good and when it's not worth it?
| What's good about the Brunelleschi Pass | When it's not worth it |
|---|---|
| Sole route up the cupola stairs | 463 steps, no elevator, knees give up |
| All five sites in three days: dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Florence Baptistery (Battistero di San Giovanni), the Opera del Duomo Museum, and Santa Reparata | Dome slot must hit day one; peak weeks book up a month ahead |
| Faster pass-holder lane at the ticketed sites | Cathedral nave: free. |
| Three calendar days of validity for spreading visits across a stay | Skipping both climbs? Ghiberti Pass covers cathedral, baptistery, museum, Santa Reparata |
So the verdict comes down to one question: does the climb matter? Answer yes, and the Brunelleschi Pass earns its keep for the cupola panorama, the Vasari frescoes up close, and every Duomo complex site on one ticket. Answer no, and the Giotto Pass or Ghiberti Pass spends less for the rest.
What's new with the Brunelleschi pass?
Since March 2024 the dome ticket carries the climber's name. Online buyers add first name, last name and nationality for everyone going up, and the names cannot be edited once printed. Opera staff check them against photo ID at Porta della Mandorla. The change targets touts who used to flip undated dome tickets at a markup.
The Baptistery entrance has temporarily moved to the South Door, while works finish on the main north door facing via dei Martelli. The South Door entry holds until 2 March 2026. Inside, restoration scaffolding still covers the 13th-century mosaic vault, but the bronze doors, the marble floor and the octagonal architecture stay in view.
Two maintenance closures fall in November 2026: the Bell Tower from 9 to 13, and the dome from 16 to 20. The pass still works for the other monuments on those dates.
