Basilica of Santa Croce

Basilica of Santa Croce

Basilica of Santa Croce
4.5
Historic SitesChurches & Cathedrals
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
12:30 PM - 5:45 PM
About
This is the richest medieval church in Florence, which features frescoes by Giotto, a chapel by Brunelleschi and one of the finest of all early Renaissance tombs.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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$15.59
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: Santa Croce
Stop and stare at the beauty and symmetry of the Basilica of Santa Croce any time day or night. Unraveling around it are a number of architectural and artistic masterpieces, from the Synagogue to the Central National Library. As a hub for young people, the area gets busy with people who want to have fun: a continuous flow of tourists and locals become animated by songs and dances.
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See what travelers are saying

  • lucia m
    Milan, Italy371 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    To visit
    I believe it should be a must for anyone visiting Florence. It truly is a jewel. There are the tombs of many illustrious people, the interior is impressive, especially one of the two cloisters is wonderful. Allow at least an hour for the visit.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 16, 2024
  • Judy C
    Salisbury, United Kingdom50 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Extraordinary tour of Santa Croce
    Having read the excellent reviews of his free tours of Santa Croce we reached out to our friend Dan Harper before our visit to Florence and today enjoyed the richest 2.5 hours in his company in this extraordinary place. Dan is an expert in the history and significance of the basilica and weaves his narrative in a vivid and entertaining way. An American who is now retired in the city, Dan is passionate about this beautiful and important building, Such an illuminating visit during which the history of the Medici family was bought to life through connections with the monuments in Santa Croce. What a kind and impressive guide. Made our stay!
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 16, 2024
  • Dream26514564571
    Cape Town Central, South Africa1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Travel while your still young to enjoy all the place you want to go.
    If you want to enjoy the place stay the whole day. Go around and browse in some store . You didn't need to buy. Enjoy the place. If you want to eat find a place like Mom and Pop place where you can find authentic Italian food.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written February 25, 2024
  • disgustorama
    161 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful place
    Must do if you’re visiting Florence: the basilica is the burial place of many famous names. There are some Giotto’s paintings and two beautiful cloisters . Also, the “ Christ on the cross “ by Cimabue (1200) which was damaged by the flood in 1966 . The cappella dei Pazzi ( famous Florence family) is also part of this wonderful place. A very interesting visit
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 16, 2024
  • ondadimare
    Italy18,556 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    … ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE!!…👌⬆️💯🔝
    ...it is said to be the most beautiful Gothic church in Italy!!...it is the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence💯🔝‼️...the facade is made of marble of different colours...and consists of geometric designs!!...and with a very impressive effect spectacular!!...the bell tower is also beautiful!!...the interior has three naves...the central one is very large and bright!!...with a wooden ceiling!!...the Basilica preserves numerous tombs of important people!!...in fact along the on its walls there are tombs and funerary monuments and even on the floor you can see almost three hundred tombstones!!…I saw the tomb of Galileo Galilei…Michelangelo Buonarroti…Niccolò Machiavelli…Ugo Foscolo…Gioacchino Rossini!!…and many others!! …many artistic masterpieces!!…works by Donatello!!…by Giotto!!…I also visited the cloisters!!…and here too you can admire other masterpieces!!…I also saw Cimabue's crucifix!!…now partially restored after the serious damage caused by the flood of 1966!,...here in this Church of Santa Croce the frescoes of the most important artists are represented at the highest level!!...for this reason I would say that this Basilica in Florence is absolutely worth seeing! !…💯💯
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 18, 2024
  • Massimiliano P
    Novara, Italy47,081 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Absolutely worth seeing
    Santa Croce is one of the most beautiful and famous churches in Florence and its visit is among the most interesting also on an artistic level. Starting from the basilica, you can observe the famous funerary monuments of some of the most famous personalities in Italy, the splendid frescoes of the main altar and those painted by Giotto in the transept. Moving on to the museum area you will then be able to admire numerous pictorial canvases, Cimabue's Crucifix and the frescoes in the refectory. The visit is completed by the other rooms of the complex, such as the Pazzi Chapel and the cloisters. Overall, the result is a truly unparalleled visit due to the undeniable beauty of the place. Paid entry (8€), included and free for holders of the Firenze Card.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 26, 2024
  • Martin F
    Glasgow, United Kingdom16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must see in Florence
    Santa Croche has the tombs of Michalangelo, Galileo and Dante ans a fantastic history. I would recommend contacting my pal Dan, danharperflorence@gmail.com and he will show you around. A must see in Florence.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 30, 2024
  • tosl
    Jersey City, New Jersey1,003 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great history
    You have Michelangelo's tomb as well as Galileo's, that is reason enough to visit. The basilica itself is a bit bare compared to Rome; my daughters were a bit underwhelmed but they enjoyed seeing the tombs. Not worth a long wait to get in, but definitely pop in if it is not too crowded. Helpful staff.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 5, 2024
  • Brad
    Hong Kong, China181,205 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must See sightseeing in Florence
    This is one of the world's great Franciscan churches located upon a square by the same name in the historic centre of Florence. Opening hours are 9.30am to 5.30pm (Monday to Saturday) and 12.30pm to 5.30pm (Sundays). Entry is now (6€ per entry). You can reserve tickets online or purchase at the ticket office upon arrival. Allow 1+ hours for visits to the basilica. Historically, Santa Croce was built in the 13th-century and has a facade in the manner of what you will see at Duomo and Santa Maria Novella. Within there are 16 ornately decorated chapels. You'll see frescos by the likes of Giotto and Gaddi. This is also the location of tombs of important Florentine figures including Galilei and Michelangelo. Additional highlights include Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel, the church cloisters and the Opera Museum. Make sure to see the 13th-century Crucifixion by Cimabue as well as the Tree of Life and Last Supper fresco during your visit.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 8, 2024
  • roberto
    1,163 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unmissable
    Very beautiful basilica both externally and internally. Definitely worth visiting during your stay in Florence, the queue for entry passes quickly and the entrance ticket costs 8 euros, amply justified by the beauty of the works of art inside the structure. Visit time for a couple of hours to relax.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 12, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles9,338 reviews
Excellent
6,926
Very good
1,984
Average
327
Poor
51
Terrible
50

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
I would definitely recommend a hop on hop off Firenze city and sightseeing tour when you arrive in Florence to get orientated. This is how we heard about this wonderful church and its amazing artistic heritage, an 800 year old Franciscan basilica containing monuments and memorials to some of the Italian greatest figures including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and Rossini. A feast of works of art from renaissance onwards in a beautiful building as well as a few hidden surprises like a remnant of St Francis of Assisi’s habit and the serenely quiet cloisters for reflection. An active church which must be respected during visits.
Written October 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael O
Buffalo, NY147 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
We had an amazing English speaking tour with Dan Harper, a local volunteer who helps promote beautiful things about Florence in his role here as a docent for a local art society. Dan visited Florence 40 times and then moved here several years ago and he shared amazing insights about the artwork and design of this exceptionally beautiful and fully loaded structure. We did make a free will donation to the art society after the tour but certainly not compulsory. We just finished 2 1/2 amazing weeks all over northern Italy and this was one of the most wonderful things that we did. You can reach Dan easily at danharperflorence@gmail.com
Written October 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MadeleineR86
Leamington Spa, UK793 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Couples
A beautiful basilica in old town Florence. Tombs and monuments to great masters including Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante and Florence nightingale, definitely recommend a visit. More to see inside than the main cathedral, it was said to be the epicenter of the flood of 1966 so you can see how high the water came on their markers.
Written October 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rich H
Leicester, UK8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
We read the trip advisor reviews from the free tour offered by Dan Harper and we were pleased to get a quick response from Dan when we asked about availability.
We joined a tour on the same day and we had a great experience. Dan is such a nice guy and really brings everything to life in his tour.
The Basilica is incredible and the stories told by Dan show how much rich history this site has.
Although the tour was over 2 hours long, it didn’t feel like that and Dan filled the time from start to finish with his great presentation.
It really was the best part of our trip to Florence and we would highly recommend finding time to fit this in.
We contacted Dan by email:
danharperflorence@gmail.com
Written October 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michel T
Lespinasse, France243 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
In addition to the magnificent ornaments inside, the main interest of this basilica lies in the fact that it is the final resting place of a number of personalities. There are among others the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Rossini, Machiavelli, Dante, etc. The cloister is also worth a look. This visit, like most churches and museums in Florence, is included in the Firenze Card (which we recommend taking if you spend at least 3 days in Florence)
Google
Written August 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oceania
Rome, Italy112 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Couples
The Basilica of Santa Croce has an undeniable historical and artistic value.
It stands in the square of the same name in Florence and is one of the best examples of Gothic in Italy.
Inside there are the tombs of characters of some of the greatest minds in Italian history (Ugo Foscolo, Michelangelo, Galileo, Gioacchino Rossini, Leon Battista Alberti, Vittorio Alfieri, Leonardo Bruni and Giulia and Carlotta Bonaparte).
We were able to access the structure for Sunday Mass, but we were not made possible to visit the structure internally. The attendants made us, in fact, leave immediately without even giving us the opportunity to view the various graves at the end of the service.
The visit and access, in fact, are subject to a fee (8 euros full admission, 6 the reduced, free for children under the age of 11, residents of Florence, religious, disabled and carers).
I recommend the visit for the undeniable artistic value!
Automatically translated
Written December 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FRANCESCA C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
The basilica is truly beautiful, I live in Florence and it is not the first time I have seen it, but this time with the help of the audio guide I was able to fully appreciate every detail. The windows shine in the sun and make the atmosphere special.
I think it is the most beautiful church in Florence.
It is well maintained, the bathrooms are spotless and the staff is very kind and offers a special welcome to every visitor.
Google
Written April 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NSW5
Bathurst, Australia247 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
We arranged a tour with Dan Harper (danharperflorence@gmail.com), an accredited volunteer guide. I found his contact details on trip advisor and emailed him to see if he could give us a tour. Dan was very responsive and arranged the date and time to suit us, and emailed a couple of days prior to check. What can we say, Dan was absolutely amazing. There was a group of about 8 of us, with ages ranging from 20 to 60ish. Dan also encouraged others to join us as the tour went on. He explained a lot of Florentine history, making it interesting and helping to fill (vast) gaps in our knowledge. Santa Croce itself is incredible and now our favourite church/ basilica/ cathedral. I would go back tomorrow if I could and would also try and do another of Dan’s tours as I know that he is always learning and adding more detail into his stories. I cannot recommend Dan’s Santa Croce tour highly enough.
Written September 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Zoe
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
If you have time for only one place to visit and must choose between the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore) or Santa Croce, my advice is pick Santa Croce.
Yes, S. Croce is smaller than the Duomo, but also you can get up close to all the exhibits inside S. Croce. At the Duomo, the area directly close to the exhibits on the walls is cordoned off for the use of groups only, and so you can see paintings etc only from the central alley of the Duomo, where you can barely more around so crowded it is.
Larger as is the Duomo, with more exhibits, we ended up spending a lot more time at S. Croce, simply because we could get close to the exhibits, read about them, learn about the people there, admire the artworks.
Written June 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carmelina G
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Family
We happened to meet Dan on one of his trips to Montreal. This summer we came to Florence and we reached out to him and he gave us a tour of the Basilica of Santa Croce when we were in Florence. Im really glad we did. We had an excellent experience. Dan was very knowledgeable and easy to understand.

The amount of art and history is overwhelming, and his experience and knowledge was invaluable and gave us the opportunity to learn things we normally might have missed on our own. The explanations and information he shared was entertaining and easy to follow even for our kids (11 and 13).

Dan, thanks for making this experience a wonderful memory.
danharperflorence@gmail.com
Written June 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Basilica of Santa Croce - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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