Churches in Florence

Few cities wear their wealth as visibly as Florence does in its churches. The great basilicas double as art museums, with frescoes by Giotto, tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, and architecture by Brunelleschi. We cover seven of them here, six a few minutes' walk apart in the centre, one crowning the hill above the Arno.

The seven churches at a glance

The landmark is Florence Cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, with Brunelleschi's vast dome, facing the Baptistery of San Giovanni and its gilded bronze doors. Santa Croce is the burial church of the greats - Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, while San Lorenzo was the Medici family church, built with Brunelleschi's architecture and Donatello's pulpits. Santa Maria Novella holds groundbreaking early Renaissance frescoes, and the former grain house Orsanmichele combines a guild church with a sculpture gallery. For the best view, climb to the Romanesque San Miniato al Monte above Piazzale Michelangelo.

If you're short on time, start at the Duomo, the one true must-see. San Miniato al Monte makes the quiet counterpoint: free, rarely crowded, with the best view over the city.

Tickets, prices and what's free

Admission in Florence isn't run on one system but split across three. Only San Miniato al Monte is free to enter (no booking needed). The interior of Santa Maria del Fiore itself is also free and ticketless (Mon-Sat 10:15-15:45, closed Sundays), admission is only charged for the dome, campanile, baptistery and museum.

These cathedral monuments and the Baptistery have only been sold as combined Opera del Duomo passes since 2022, not as single tickets - Ghiberti Pass €15, Giotto Pass €20, and the Brunelleschi Pass €30 (the only one that includes the dome climb). Each pass is valid for three calendar days; the cheapest way to the Baptistery is the €15 Ghiberti Pass.

The remaining basilicas sell their own single tickets - Santa Croce €10 (concession €6), the San Lorenzo complex €9, Santa Maria Novella €7.50 (concession €5), and Orsanmichele €10 (concession €2 for EU citizens aged 18-25).

What to watch for in 2026

San Lorenzo isn't a single visit but three separately managed sites with their own entrances and tickets, the basilica complex €9, the Biblioteca Laurenziana €7 (Mon-Fri only), and the Medici Chapels from €11 (run by the Musei del Bargello). There's no combined ticket covering all three.

Orsanmichele also belongs to the Musei del Bargello group and has had new opening hours since 15 March 2026 (Tue-Sun 8:15-18:50, closed Mondays). At the Baptistery, the golden mosaic ceiling is covered for restoration in 2026 and not visible. And the dome climb at Florence Cathedral needs a fixed time-slot booking with strictly limited slots, book online early.