Duomo Climb and Giotto's Bell Tower

I have been to these places twice and neither time reserved a time slot. I just got in line with my ticket for the duomo climb. Later in the day usually means a shorter line. I never faced a line at the bell tower. Again, we went later in the day.

Sun-Baked, the Duomo climb now requires reservations. I think it's been that way since last November. I'm not sure about Giotto's Tower.

Yes, the dome requires reservations now.

That's the only website I know of for making them unless you're, say, booking a tour. I'm guessing your problem is that the 14th is Good Friday, the duomo may be particularly busy, and reservations went quickly?

Other posters have mentioned that the Bell Tower (reservations suggested but not mandatory) often doesn't have much of a queue, if at all. I'm not sure what the situation will be on Good Friday but will cross fingers that'll be the case!

Thanks so much, Kathy! I wasn't certain if reservations for Giotto's Bell Tower were mandatory or not so thanks for the info! I'll definitely plan on that and maybe as early as I can! I'm not even certain if I could have made the climb up the dome in the first place or even the tower...not too in shape but I really don't want to have the choice taken from me. Lol

It looks like there are three towers we can climb, that I know about, in Florence: Palazzo Vecchio has a tower (page 491, Rick steves Italy 2017) has a tower, and the Duomo’s dome (page 472) or the Campanilo Bell Tower (page 473). Is climbing just one of these towers good enough?

How do I know whether I should bother to visit the Duomo complex? I was raised Jewish (I am reformed or secular now) - I suppose the place wouldn't be spiritually meaningful to me and I wouldn't know what I am missing if I skip it. I probably will see it anyway, but I am just asking to see what you or others say.

I was raised Catholic but what its draw is for me personally is the frescoes and the history. I hear that the climb up is magnificent. I didn't know Pallazo Vechio has a tower?

Mike, it may be best if you open new threads for your questions? It can become confusing trying to answer more than one person in a discussion, and Eve has already determined that the Duomo is worthwhile for her.

That said, we go to see the important religious sites - regardless of their affiliation - for the art, architecture and history. The mosaics in the duomo's baptistry, Andrea Pisano's doors and Lorenzo Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise" (originals in the duomo's museum) are stunning, and Brunelleschi's dome is a miraculous work of Renaissance engineering. The museum was sadly under restoration when we were there but it has a wonderful collection, including a Michelangelo "Pieta" with his own likeness on the supporting figure; it'll be top of our list next we're in Florence. And, of course, the exteriors of the Cathedral, bell tower and baptistry are beautiful; just part of a city with so many treasures that the entire historic center is a UNESCO heritage site.

The website for the complex is very good; spend some time with it.

https://www.museumflorence.com

Eve, the view from up on Piazzale Michelangelo is also breathtaking, and old San Miniato (just above the piazza) is well worth seeing. Make it your backup for the dome? I doubt you'd be disappointed. :O)

Read the book "Brunelleschi's Dome" before climbing the Duomo, and you will appreciate what you see so much more.

Grazie mille, Kathy! I am so excited to visit Italy. It's becoming more real to me with each passing day. I'm a writer and so I hope to be inspired by all of the sights and sounds of a place I've dreamed of visiting for decades.

I also suggest reading "Brunelleschi's Dome". It is a wonderful read and makes the climb have more meaning. I am sure you will be inspired. Italy inspires me more with every trip. Also if you have Netflix check out "The Medici" it is set in Florence. Have a wonderful trip.

You're welcome, Eve! Google up some snaps of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo and you'll see what I meant. There were a couple of open-air cafes up there too; we stopped at one for a drink and to give our feet a little break. Hopefully they're open when you go! And San Miniato is a gem.

Just a sample (not my shots):
http://media.travelblog.it/6/632/piazzale-michelangelo-a-firenze-586x404.jpg

http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/7d443f9561fe4397a267a8a95479ec05/overview-of-florence-and-the-river-arno-from-the-piazzale-michelangelo-d6xgwc.jpg

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000pnCW7xinN90/fit=1000x750/Florence-San-Miniato-al-Monte-1-Final.jpg

Eve - if those options don't work out, we did the tower in the Palazzo Vecchio and enjoyed it very much. There were no reservations, we just arrived as it was opening so the line wasn't long. I don't think it is quite as high, but I liked that the view I got had the Duomo with tower and dome in it. That was my deciding factor. Hope you have a lovely trip!

Kathy, those pictures are amazing! I'm definitely doing that! I bet at sunset, it's amazing! And thanks for the info Tamara. I'm going to reserve Pallazo Vecchio for Easter Sunday (it's open) so maybe I'll check out the tower also.

I have done all three towers. The views from any of them are great. Palazzo Vecchio has a lot of history to it. Worth learning some of the history if you are visiting Palazzo Vecchio. As far as exertion goes - I found the duomo dome climb easier to do. It's a more gradual rise. The bell tower has platforms at different levels that divide the stairs. But, the stairs are steeper. If you can only do one - I would do the duomo dome. Brunelleschi's brickwork is amazing. The dome is such a great engineering feat. You can find documentaries about it online. The cathedral was built without anyone knowing how to put a dome on it. The citizens believed that sooner or later an engineer would show up who could complete the church. The duomo was built and had no dome for decades before Brunelleschi tackled the dome. It's unlike any other dome.

Eve, we are both traveling alone to the exact same sites; I am traveling 2 months after you are. The official website you listed is the only website you should buy tickets and reserve times on. It looks like you can log in again and reserve a time, if you didn't pick a time at the time you paid, using your same e-mail you provided, and the customer number you get on the confirmation page after you pay with a credit card or in your confirmation e-mail. Somewhere, the fine print says that the tickets are valid for 48 hours from the time they are first validated at the site; so I guess you can enter the Duomo complex as late as 48 hours after the first time you enter. Buying the ticket and reserving times to enter the parts of the Duomo, are two separate concepts. Can you try logging back into the site and reserving times?

Eve said in her first post that her problem was that after she'd purchased her tickets through the website, she "... tried to reserve times to discover none were available for the day I need them."

So it sounds like she already logged back in to try and pick a time slot but they'd already booked up.

Eve, I have a related issue for the same time frame...I bought tickets for my group of six and could only get 4 time slots for one group and 2 for another...so either we have to split up or we need to do some sweet talking of a security guy. Not really sure how it's going to work! Anyone know what to do?
And there were zero slots for the campanile on our date (4/13). Such a bummer.

Mimi, they very likely sell by time slot because of the maximum amount of people which can safely - maybe even legally - be allowed at one time, and sweet-talking isn't going to get you anywhere. Attendants/security at top-10 attractions don't tend to be lenient so plan on splitting up.