Walks (Take Walks) · Piazza San Marco
Walks starts at the Accademia with Michelangelo's David, then takes you to the cathedral and up to its north terrace, a rooftop walkway the public only reaches with a guide, before you climb the rest of the dome alone. Pick it to fold David, the terraces and a held dome slot into one morning without booking three things separately.
Walks, the company behind Take Walks, meets you at the statue of General Manfredo Fanti in the middle of Piazza San Marco, under a yellow WalksDevour sign. The first hour is the Accademia: David, then Michelangelo's unfinished Slaves, figures still half inside the marble. The Accademia ticket (24 euros with the booking fee) is in the price. It's nominative, so every guest, children too, needs ID that matches the booking.
Then you walk to Piazza del Duomo for the Baptistery doors and about an hour in the cathedral with the guide. The part other tours here can't sell is the north terrace: a walkway along the cathedral roof at about 32 metres, which the Opera opens only with its own companions or guides. The guiding ends up there. The rest of the 463-step dome climb, past the Last Judgment fresco to the lantern, you do alone, and one guest notes you can stop at the terrace if your legs say no.
Two caveats. Walks is on the Opera's list of official 2026 partners, but the Opera still sells no skip-the-line service; what you get is pre-booked entry. And Sundays don't work: the cathedral is closed to visitors, and a guest who booked one got an extended walk instead of the cathedral and dome. At $193 this is the priciest tour on the site. Separate official bookings cost far less, but nobody walks you onto the terrace.
Find the yellow WalksDevour sign at the Manfredo Fanti statue in the centre of the square.
Timed entry with the group. David first, then the Slaves. The visit centres on Michelangelo, not the whole gallery.
A short walk south to the Baptistery doors (copies; the originals are in the museum) and the facade.
Inside the cathedral with the guide, then up to the north terrace for the view along the roof. The guided part ends here.
Carry on up at your slot time, past the gallery under the fresco to the lantern terrace. The tour ends in Piazza del Duomo.
★★★★★Excellent guide and tour. Perfect amount of time and the guide provided a lot of interesting information that helped to make the tour come alive!
★★★★★The walk was pleasant and not very long, the stairs to the top of the Duomo were a workout, the hallways were tight and the windows small, but the view from the top made it all worth it.
★★★★★After the tour you can walk to the very top. She climbed to the bottom of the dome and we walked along the top of the church with her. [...] Reminder - don't bring backpacks, cover shoulders, and don't wear something too short.
★★★★★Also, you may not know before booking, that there is an option to just see the terraces at the 160 or so step mark and not proceed further to the top of the dome.
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Only to the terrace. The guided part ends on the north terrace, and you continue to the top of the dome on your own. Allow about 45 minutes for that last stretch.
Walkways along the cathedral roof at about 32 metres, reached by 150 steps with no lift. The Opera opens them only with its own companions or guides, so a tour is the practical way up. Details on the Opera's terrace page.
Avoid it. The cathedral is closed to visitors on Sundays, and a guest who booked one got a longer walking tour instead of the cathedral and dome. Pick Monday to Saturday.
Yes. The Accademia ticket (20 euros plus a 4 euro booking fee) is in the price, and you get about an hour inside with the guide. Bring ID: the gallery checks every name.
Ready to book
Michelangelo's David, the cathedral's rooftop terraces with a guide, then your own climb up the dome. One morning, everything booked.
Duomo Tour with Brunelleschi's Dome ClimbTwo guided hours in the Baptistery and museum, then a held slot on the dome. The 463-step climb itself is on your own.★ 4.9 · 3 hours · from $125
Best of Florence: David, Accademia and the DuomoDavid at the Accademia, the cathedral and the old town on foot, ending at Ponte Vecchio. A separate morning; no dome climb.★ 4.7 · 2.5 to 3.5 hours · from $63
Museum Tour and Dome Climb with WalkaboutA guided hour in the Opera museum, then the dome climb with a 72-hour pass. Guests report the guide climbs with the group.★ 4.9 · 2.5 hours · from $137