Florence Cathedral (Duomo)

The Florence Cathedral — formally the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore — dominates the skyline of Tuscany's capital with Filippo Brunelleschi's terracotta-tiled dome, an engineering masterpiece completed in 1436 that remained the world's largest dome for over a century. The complex occupies the Piazza del Duomo alongside Giotto's Campanile and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, all three united by the same distinctive green, white, and pink marble cladding. Entry to the cathedral nave is free and reveals the vast Gothic interior, including Vasari's fresco of the Last Judgement inside the dome's base and Paolo Uccello's famous trompe-l'œil clock above the entrance. Climbing the dome itself requires a timed-entry ticket: the ascent of 463 narrow steps winds between the inner and outer shells of the double dome, offering close-up views of Vasari's frescoes from the interior oculus before emerging on the exterior lantern terrace with a 360-degree panorama over Florence's terracotta rooftops, the Arno River, and the surrounding Tuscan hills. Giotto's Campanile, at 84 metres, provides an alternative viewpoint that includes the dome in the frame — many photographers prefer the Campanile for this reason. The adjacent Museo dell'Opera del Duomo houses original sculptures from the complex, including Michelangelo's Pietà and Donatello's wooden Mary Magdalene, and is included in the combined Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore ticket. The dome climb is the most physically demanding component; visitors with claustrophobia or mobility limitations should note the very narrow spiral staircases.