Florence Duomo: Private tour with dome climb & guide

4.63

(19 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“Is it really 463 steps?” I asked our guide, Francesca, as we eyed the curve of Brunelleschi’s Dome from below. She just grinned and said, “Don’t count.” That was about the moment I realized this private Florence Duomo tour was going to be more than just staring at old stones. The square outside was buzzing — school kids chasing pigeons, someone selling roasted chestnuts (that sweet burnt smell everywhere), and the marble of the Cathedral almost glowing in the morning light. We skipped a line that looked like it belonged at an airport, which honestly felt like magic.

Inside, Francesca kept pointing out details I’d never have noticed — like how the Baptistery’s golden mosaics catch different light depending on where you stand. She told us stories about Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise that made me want to touch them (don’t worry, I didn’t). The Opera del Duomo Museum was quieter than I expected; there was this hush around Donatello’s statues that made me slow down without thinking about it. I tried to pronounce “Santa Reparata” properly — Li laughed when I tried to say it in Italian, probably butchered it. But nobody cared; everyone seemed happy we were trying.

The dome climb itself? Let’s just say my legs still remember it. The stone steps spiral up so tight you can hear your own breath echoing off the walls. At one point there was this tiny window — just a sliver of Florence rooftops and laundry flapping in the breeze. When we finally reached the top, all sweaty and a bit out of breath, Francesca pointed out where Michelangelo grew up (“over there, near San Lorenzo”). The view wasn’t just pretty — it felt like standing inside a painting you’ve seen your whole life but never really understood until now. And after all that, knowing we could still climb Giotto’s Bell Tower later if we wanted… well, maybe after lunch.