Giotto's Bell Tower, Florence: Tickets & Which Pass (2026)

Everyone climbs the dome. Then they stand on top of it and realize the one thing they came to photograph is now under their feet. Giotto's Bell Tower is the fix. From its terraces you look across at Brunelleschi's dome, not down from it, and the climb is 49 steps shorter. On the Brunelleschi Pass it needs no time slot either.

In 3 minutes

• There is no tower-only ticket: you buy the Giotto Pass (€20) or the Brunelleschi Pass (€30).
• 414 steps, no elevator. The Brunelleschi Pass needs no tower slot; the Giotto Pass does.
• The tower gives the better photo of the dome. The dome gives the higher climb and the fresco.

Which pass includes the bell tower?

The Opera del Duomo sells three passes, each valid for 3 calendar days. The tower sits in two of them.

• Giotto Pass: €20 (€7 ages 7–14): bell tower, Baptistery, Opera del Duomo Museum, and the Santa Reparata crypt. You choose a timed slot for the tower, and it cannot be changed.
• Brunelleschi Pass: €30 (€12 ages 7–14): everything in the Giotto Pass plus the dome climb. With this pass the tower needs no separate slot — walk up any time in the three days.
• Ghiberti Pass (cheapest): Baptistery, museum, crypt. No tower, no dome.

Want the dome too? The Brunelleschi Pass is the only way in, and the tower comes without a slot. Skipping the dome? The Giotto Pass saves €10. When we checked the official site on 1 October 2026, every dome slot for mid-October was gone, while each tower slot still had more than 80 places.

What to look for

• Notice three builders before you go in: Giotto's marble base, Andrea Pisano's lozenges and niches, Francesco Talenti's big windows at the top.
• Look for the three marbles: white from Carrara, green from Prato, red from Siena, the same palette as the cathedral.
• Turn toward the dome at each of the three landings. It sits across the rooftops in front of you, the angle you lose once you are standing on it.

What do most visitors wish they knew before climbing?

The tower is under major restoration in 2026: the top terrace stays open, but the official site warns views may be partially reduced.

Climb early: the tower opens at 8:15 and local guides rate the central hours as the worst. Allow about 45 minutes. Medium and large bags must go to the luggage storage at Piazza Duomo 38/r.

Two dates to watch this autumn: the tower is closed for maintenance 9–13 November 2026, and the dome 16–20 November. Each week, the other climb stays open.

Weighing the two climbs? Read the Brunelleschi's Dome guide; for the city pass, the Firenze Card guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can you buy a ticket just for Giotto's Bell Tower?

No. There is no campanile-only ticket. The tower is included in two of the Opera del Duomo passes: the Giotto Pass (€20) and the Brunelleschi Pass (€30). The cheaper Ghiberti Pass does not include the tower.

Do you need to book Giotto's Bell Tower in advance?

It depends on the pass. With the Giotto Pass you pick a timed slot for the tower, and it cannot be changed. With the Brunelleschi Pass you walk up any time within the 3 days, no slot. Tower slots rarely fill; the dome is what sells out.

Is Giotto's Bell Tower better than climbing the dome?

For the view, many think so: from the tower you see Brunelleschi's dome across the rooftops, which you cannot do from on top of it. In 2026 restoration work may partly reduce the tower views. The dome climb is higher and passes the Last Judgment fresco.

Climb it for the dome you can actually see. Skip it only if 414 steps are 414 too many.