Guided visit to Florence Cathedral, Restoration Workshop and Baptistery with skip the line entry

Art, history, tradition and breath-taking views... all in one tour! Thanks to our 'Guided Visit to the Bottega del Restauro, the Baptistery and the Duomo of Florence', you can jump back in the past and discover wonderful works of art accompanied by our experienced local guide.

The tour will begin with a visit to a truly fascinating place that will take you back in time and let you breathe the same ancient atmosphere: the Bottega del Restauro dell’ Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore. Here, craftsmen and restorers dedicate themselves professionally and passionately to the restoration and maintenance of the priceless heritage of the Duomo Complex, using the same techniques and instruments used in the Renaissance era. But let's take a step back and spend two words on this inspiring workshop, founded in the distant 1296. It was originally located behind the apse of the Cathedral and was then transferred to a nearby building, currently the seat of the Museum of the Opera of Santa Maria del Fiore, where sculptors used to work under a large canopy now abandoned. Around the nineteenth century the workshop was permanently moved to its present location, just a few steps from the Duomo. Over centuries the purpose of the workshop has clearly varied: once it was used to make sculptural and architectural decorations for the Cathedral and Bell Tower (let us not forget that this is where Michelangelo carved ‘David’, one of his most famous works), whereas nowadays it is used to keep these masterpieces alive, so that they can continue to be admired.

At the end of the visit, you will attend an introductory lesson on the creation and restoration of traditional-style mosaics... and maybe at home you can try this original art!

The second stop of the tour will be at the Baptistery of St. John, where you can see the works of art in their original context. Externally recognisable for its Prato white and green marbles and an eight-segment dome that reflects its characteristic octagonal base, the Baptistery contains many masterpieces, starting with the precious mosaic that adorns the interior of the dome depicting the theme of the Last Judgment. Noteworthy are also the three splendid bronze doors: Porta Sud, Porta Nord and the famous Porta del Paradiso, made by Ghiberti and other artists, including Luca della Robbia.

Inside the Baptistery there are also other amazing works of art, such as the Silver Altar and Maddalena by Donatello, now on display at Museo dell’Opera del Duomo for conservation purposes.

The last part of the tour will allow you to visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in a truly exclusive way and by skipping the queue that usually builds up in front of the entrance. The guide will illustrate all the wonders the Duomo has to show: the frescoes, the marble floor with its geometric shapes and the majestic 24-hour clock painted by Paolo Uccello, just to name a few. You will also visit the Crypt of Santa Reparata, where the remains of the namesake church are preserved as well as tombstones and fragments of pictorial decorations, and the grave of the great Filippo Brunelleschi. But that's not all! Crossing a series of open-air corridors, closed to the public for centuries and scarcely known to Florentines themselves, you will reach the North Terrace of the Cathedral: a spectacular view of Brunelleschi’s Dome and the city will open before your eyes and leave you speechless! Come and discover the secret part of the Cathedral and get ready to live an unforgettable experience!

To give you the chance to admire the most important monuments of Florence, your ticket will be valid for 48 hours allowing you to independently visit the other wonders of the Duomo Complex:

• Brunelleschi’s Dome, the largest masonry dome ever built and – incredible, but true - without the help of any scaffolding! Its 463 steps will take you inside, where you can admire Giorgio Vasari's splendid frescoes - finished by Federico Zuccari - on the 'Last Judgment'.

• Giotto's Bell Tower, considered the most beautiful bell tower in Italy, which overlooks the entire square from its 85 metres of height. A magnificent example of Florentine Gothic architecture of the fourteenth century, it is covered with white, red and green marbles recalling the ones on the Cathedral.

• Nuovo Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, where there are precious works of art from the Baptistery, the Cathedral and Giotto's Campanile, as well as the largest collection of Donatello's works in the world after the Bargello National Museum.

Take part in one of the most original tours in Florence, a unique experience that will allow you to discover the artistic heritage of this beautiful city and enjoy a truly unique view over the timeless 'Cradle of the Renaissance'.