VIP David & Duomo Tour: Early Accademia Tour & Skip the Line Dome Climb with Exclusive Terrace Access

The best experience possible at Florence's top atractions

There is so much to do in Florence but two attractions stand head and shoulders above the rest: the Florence Duomo and the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s David. With so much demand, these sites can become crowded, particularly in the summer months.

We guarantee that you'll have the best experience possible on this, our most exclusive Florence tour. Combining careful timing, skip the line entry and special access, we set you apart from the crowds. Along with an expert local guide, you’ll visit extra sites usually overlooked by the public, and cross velvet ropes to get up close and personal with the two giants of Florence.

Skip the crowds wiith early entrance at the Accademia Gallery

Your tour starts early with a reservation for first entrance at the Accademia Gallery. Arriving before the crowds, you’ll have a little more space to explore not just Michelangelo’s David, but also his unfinished Slaves and a number of other priceless works often overlooked by visitors. Traveling in a small group of just 15 people or fewer, and with headsets for every guest, your tour will be intimate and your guide easy to question.

Unappreciated gems at the Baptistey & Duomo Museum

After the Accademia it’s on to another site often (misguidedly) skipped by visitors: the Florence Baptistery. If these walls could talk, they’d tell you stories about the Medici family, all of whom were baptized here along with the poet Dante. They can’t, but thankfully your guide can. They’ll give you the inside scoop and help you decipher the beautiful gold mosaics that cover the ceiling.

The most famous feature of the Baptistery is its copper-plated doors, but few visitors are aware that these are just a replica. You’ll see the real deal at your next stop, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (or Duomo Museum). You’ll also see Michelangelo’s other ‘Pietà’ in here, the one he created for his own tomb; along with a sculpture of Mary Magdalene by Donatello.

Skip the line Florence Duomo climb

The final leg of your visit will be inside the Duomo itself, where special access will give you more space than the average visitor. The floor of the Duomo has recently been roped off. While normal visitors circulate on paths around the walls of the cathedral, you’ll cross velvet ropes to wander the floor as you wish, getting closer to the details of the Duomo. You’ll also gain access to a special hidden room, where the Duomo stores original statues from its façade.

The cherry on your cake comes last as you ascend to the Duomo Terrace for incredible views and an up-close view of Brunelleschi’s enormous dome (the largest brick dome in the world). This is incredibly exclusive access (very few visitors even know this level exists!), with a maximum of two tour groups visiting during your time. At this level, you’ll also have access to a special door from where you can climb to the top of the Florence Duomo without waiting in line for hours.

The views from the terrace are fantastic for examining Florence Duomo up close, but from the top of the dome you’ll see not just Florence, but far into Tuscany. Give yourself some time to soak up the red roofs and rolling hills; it will be a long time before you see another view quite like this.