Views & landmarks
Giotto's Campanile
What it is
Giotto's Campanile is the 84-metre bell tower standing next to Florence Cathedral on Piazza del Duomo. It was designed by Giotto, who died before it was finished, and completed by other architects. The tower is faced in the same pink, white, and green marble as the cathedral and the Baptistery, and its exterior panels (many now replaced by copies, with originals in the nearby Museo dell'Opera del Duomo) depict biblical and allegorical scenes. Visitors climb it mainly for the view over the Duomo's dome and the Florence rooftops, without the ticket queues that the dome climb often involves.
Getting there
The campanile sits in the historic centre, an easy walk from most central hotels — typically 10-15 minutes on foot from areas like Piazza della Repubblica or the Ponte Vecchio. The nearest reference point is Piazza del Duomo itself, right at the base of the tower.
Time to allow
The climb involves several hundred steps with no elevator and several narrow landings along the way, so allow at least an hour once you're inside, including pauses to rest and take in the views from the different levels.
When to go
Because the stairwell is narrow, it can feel congested when both ascending and descending visitors share the same space at busy times, particularly around midday. Going earlier or later in the day tends to mean shorter waits and cooler conditions for the climb, since there's no shade inside the tower.
What to combine it with
Everything of interest is clustered right around the tower. The Florence Baptistery with its bronze doors, including the celebrated Gates of Paradise, is about 0.1km away, and Piazza del Duomo itself connects all these sites. The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, which holds the original sculpted panels removed from the campanile for preservation, is essentially adjacent, making it a natural stop before or after the climb.
Updated September 20, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
GetYourGuide
Klook
Tiqets
KKday
WeGoTrip
Booking.com
Hotels.com
