Trilingual Renaissance And Medici Walk
4.88 · 7,774 GuruWalk reviews
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Free Things To Do In Florence
Churches, parks, and free days, each with the rule that comes attached. Plus 24 pay-what-you-want walking tours with local guides.
Free today, no condition attached:
- Piazza della Signoria free at all times
- Festa di San Giovanni and the Fochi (24 June fireworks) fireworks on 24 June
- Piazzale Michelangelo free at all times
- Giardino delle Rose free all year
- Parco delle Cascine
- 24 free walks, 22 on GuruWalk and 2 on freetour.com
- 62 places, each with the rule that applies to it
- No price anywhere: reserve free, tip at the end
Where Are The Free Things To Do In Florence?
16 free places across Florence. Green pins are free outright; amber pins are free with a condition, spelled out beside each one.
Tap or click the map to pan and zoom. Numbers match the list.
San Miniato al Monte
Entry is free with no booking needed, but the church is not visitable during liturgical celebrations.
Piazza Santa Croce
The public square is free at all times.
Free walk from here: Dante, The Inventor Of HellFlorence Cathedral nave (Santa Maria del Fiore)
The nave is free, no ticket, no reservation, Monday to Saturday 10:15 to 15:45.
Free walk from here: Storyteller Walk, 2 Hours 15 MinutesPonte Vecchio
Walking across the bridge is free at all times; shops on it are private.
Free walk from here: Duomo Walk With Renaissance QuizParco delle Cascine
The public park along the Arno is free to enter.
Piazza della Signoria
The public square is free to walk at all times.
Free walk from here: Dante, The Inventor Of HellPiazza della Santissima Annunziata
The public square is free at all times.
Free walk from here: Dark Side Mysteries WalkFesta di San Giovanni and the Fochi (24 June fireworks)
Watching the 24 June fireworks from public spots is free; the Calcio Storico final is ticketed.
Free walk from here: Dante, The Inventor Of HellPiazzale Michelangelo
The viewpoint terrace is free and open at all times.
Free walk from here: Dante, The Inventor Of HellPiazza della Repubblica
The public square is free to enter at all times.
Free walk from here: Dante, The Inventor Of HellCascine Tuesday Market
Walking through the market is free; you pay only for what you buy.
Giardino delle Rose
The municipal garden is free, with seasonal opening hours.
Free walk from here: Dante, The Inventor Of HellMercato delle Pulci (Flea Market)
The flea market in Piazza Pietro Annigoni is free to walk through.
Free walk from here: Dark Side Mysteries WalkMercato del Porcellino (Mercato Nuovo)
The loggia is free to walk through, open every day 09:00 to 19:30.
Free walk from here: Dante, The Inventor Of Hell
Free Walking Tours In Florence
Local guides, no ticket, no fixed price. You reserve a spot for free and tip what the walk was worth at the end.
Sunset Walking Tour
9.1/10 · 2,127 freetour.com reviews
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Vintage Bicycles, Helmets Included
4.95 · 78 GuruWalk reviews
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Duomo To Santa Croce Route Walk
9.1/10 · 3,361 freetour.com reviews
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Which Free Florence Walk Fits Your Day?
Three taps, and the shortlist rebuilds around your answers.
A starting shortlist of the best-reviewed options. Answer any question to rebuild it around your own plans.
Trilingual Renaissance And Medici Walk
4.88 · 7,774 GuruWalk reviews · free, pay what you want
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Duomo To Santa Croce Route Walk
9.1/10 · 3,361 freetour.com reviews · free, pay what you want
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Art And Gastronomy Walk
4.92 · 3,189 GuruWalk reviews · free, pay what you want
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Which Florence Museums And Churches Are Free, And When?
Full free museums guideRain shifts the question from where to walk to which doors open for nothing, and the answer depends on who runs the building. The Uffizi Gallery, the Galleria dell'Accademia and the other state museums take part in Domenica al Museo, free on the first Sunday of each month, with 4 October, 1 November and 6 December 2026 next in line. Civic museums such as Palazzo Vecchio and the Torre di Arnolfo sit outside that scheme and charge. The Duomo's nave is free, Monday to Saturday from 10:15 to 15:45, while Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Bell Tower and the Baptistery need their own paid passes.
| Museum or monument | Quartiere or area | Normal admission | Free to everyone when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domenica al Museo (national first Sunday) | Across Florence | Temporary exhibitions may still be charged. | Free entry to state museums, monuments and gardens on the first Sunday of every month, all year, at normal opening hours; booking recommended or required only where the site says so. |
| Domenica Metropolitana (civic museums, residents) | Across Florence | Non-residents pay normal prices. | On the day named, all residents of the Florence metropolitan area (not tourists) visit the Musei Civici Fiorentini and Palazzo Medici Riccardi free, with activities. Next: Sunday 4 October 2026. |
| Firenze WiFi (free public network) | Citywide | Free every day | Free in enabled areas of the city for residents and visitors, best effort, 24/7. Limit: 1 GB of traffic per day at full speed, then speed is cut until disconnection. |
| Public drinking-water fountains (fontanelli) | Citywide | Free every day | Free chilled still and sparkling drinking water at public fountains; bring your own bottle. |
| Bus and tram fares (Autolinee Toscane) | Citywide | Urban single ticket EUR 2.00; bought from the driver EUR 3.00; ten-journey urban ticket EUR 18.20 (at-bus.it). | Public transport is not free for visitors. |
| Festa di San Giovanni and the Fochi (24 June fireworks) | Citywide | Seat tickets for the Calcio final are separate. | Free to watch the fireworks ("Fochi") fired at 22:00 on 24 June from the hill of Piazzale Michelangelo; a good spot is the Lungarni along the Arno. The Calcio Storico final the same day is ticketed. |
| Christmas Market, Piazza Santa Croce | Santa Croce | Free every day | Free to enter. 14 November to 20 December 2026; Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 22:00, Friday to Sunday 10:00 to 23:00; over fifty wooden stalls. |
| Church or monument | Quartiere or area | What is free | What you still pay for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence Cathedral nave (Santa Maria del Fiore) | Duomo | Free, no ticket, no reservation: Monday to Saturday 10:15 to 15:45. Closed to visitors every Sunday and during religious celebrations. | The dome, bell tower, baptistery, crypt and museum are SEPARATE paid records and do not inherit this status. |
| San Miniato al Monte | San Niccolo | Free to enter, no booking needed for individuals or groups. Monday to Saturday 09:30 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 19:00; Sunday 08:15 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 19:00. | Nothing to pay at the abbey. The hill's tower-style paid attractions do not apply here. |
- Uffizi GalleryPiazza della Signoria EUR 25 bought on the day of entry, EUR 29 bought before the date of entry. From 1 January 2026 the ticket is EUR 16 for entry from 4 p.m. onwards. Groups of 11 or more pay an extra EUR 70. Paid state museum. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month (Domenica al Museo), with NO reservation and NO priority pass on that day; the next one is Sunday 4 October 2026.
- Palazzo PittiOltrarno EUR 16 on the day, EUR 19 with advance reservation. Combined Pitti + Boboli EUR 22 on the day, EUR 25 in advance. Reduced EUR 3 per the Uffizi price table. Paid state museum complex (Palatine Gallery, Modern Art Gallery, Costume Gallery, Treasury of the Grand Dukes).
- Boboli GardensOltrarno EUR 10 on the day, EUR 13 in advance. Combined Pitti + Boboli EUR 22 / EUR 25. Combined Boboli + Bardini Gardens EUR 15, sold only at ticket offices on the day, from 3 March 2026. Paid state garden. Free on the first Sunday of each month (Domenica al Museo); next Sunday 4 October 2026. The garden is NOT free on other days even though it is open air.
- Bargello National MuseumSanta Croce Full ticket EUR 12; reservation EUR 3 (bargellomusei.it ticket page). B-Ticket is named there as the only channel authorised by the Ministry. Paid state museum. Free on the first Sunday of each month (Domenica al Museo); next Sunday 4 October 2026. Reduced EUR 2 for EU citizens 18 to 25.
- Medici ChapelsSan Lorenzo Full ticket EUR 11, reduced EUR 2 (EU 18 to 25), per cultura.gov.it. Closed Mondays. Paid state museum, separate from the free-to-look San Lorenzo square and from the EUR 9 San Lorenzo basilica ticket.
- Palazzo DavanzatiSanta Maria Novella A paid ticket is needed on every day except the first Sunday of the month. Paid state museum (Museo della Casa Fiorentina Antica). Free on the first Sunday of each month; the Bargello's own 5 July 2026 notice names it.
- Orsanmichele (church and museum)Duomo Church and museum full ticket EUR 10, reduced EUR 2 (EU 18 to 25), reservation EUR 3 (bargellomusei.it). Paid state complex. Free on the first Sunday of each month (named in the Bargello notice).
- Museo di San MarcoSan Marco Full ticket EUR 11, reduced EUR 2 (cultura.gov.it). Monday closed. Paid state museum (the convent of Fra Angelico). Free on the first Sunday of each month (listed by the Ministry).
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di FirenzeSantissima Annunziata Full ticket EUR 8, reduced EUR 2 (cultura.gov.it); hours 08:30 to 13:15 daily on that page. Paid state museum. Free on the first Sunday of each month (listed by the Ministry).
- Cenacolo di Sant'ApolloniaSan Marco Full ticket EUR 5, reduced EUR 2 (EU 18 to 25). Paid state museum (Castagno's Last Supper). Free on the first Sunday of each month (listed by the Ministry).
- Cenacolo di Andrea del Sarto a San SalviSan Salvi Full ticket EUR 5, reduced EUR 2. The page shows limited opening days. Paid state museum, out of the centre. Free on the first Sunday of each month (listed by the Ministry).
- Opificio delle Pietre Dure MuseumSantissima Annunziata Full ticket EUR 6, reduced EUR 2 (cultura.gov.it). Open Monday to Saturday. Paid. It is NOT in the Ministry's published first-Sunday list for Florence, and it is closed on Sundays, so it never takes part in the first-Sunday scheme.
- Palazzo Vecchio MuseumPiazza della Signoria Museum EUR 18 full, EUR 12 for ages 18 to 25. Guided tours and activities EUR 8, EUR 4 for metropolitan-area residents. Ticket office closes one hour before closing. Paid civic museum. NOT part of the national first-Sunday scheme (it is not a state museum). Free for everyone under 18.
- Torre di Arnolfo (Palazzo Vecchio tower)Piazza della Signoria Tower and battlements EUR 20 full, EUR 13 for ages 18 to 25; under-18 free (musefirenze.it). Paid, separate from the museum ticket. The tower never inherits anything from the piazza below it.
- Museo NovecentoSanta Maria Novella EUR 13 full, EUR 9 for ages 18 to 25 (musefirenze.it). Paid civic museum; not in the national first-Sunday scheme. Under-18s free; metropolitan-area residents free on Domenica Metropolitana.
- Brancacci ChapelOltrarno EUR 15 full, EUR 10 for ages 18 to 25 (musefirenze.it). Guided tours EUR 8. Paid civic museum inside the church of Santa Maria del Carmine. Not part of the national first-Sunday scheme. Free for under-18s and disabled visitors with a companion.
- Museo Stefano BardiniSan Niccolo EUR 10 full, EUR 7 reduced (musefirenze.it). The reduced price also applies to holders of a regular ticket to Torre San Niccolo, Torre della Zecca or Porta San Frediano. Paid civic museum. Under-18s and listed categories free. Not part of the national first-Sunday scheme.
- Forte di BelvedereSan Niccolo Non-residents EUR 8 full, EUR 5 reduced; guided tours EUR 4 for residents, EUR 8 for non-residents. Seasonal, CLOSED IN WINTER: open 24 June to 26 October 2026, Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 20:00, closed Monday. Free for residents of the Florence metropolitan area; paid for everyone else.
- Palazzo Medici RiccardiSan Lorenzo A paid ticket is needed, except for metropolitan-area residents on Domenica Metropolitana. Paid. Residents of the Florence metropolitan area visit free on Domenica Metropolitana (4 October 2026). Closed Wednesdays per the MUS.E page.
Is It Free? Florence Landmarks At A Glance
15 places people ask about, answered the way each operator answers it.
| Place | Verdict | The condition | Free walks within 1 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opificio delle Pietre Dure Museum | Paid | Paid entry, no free days | 23 |
| Palazzo Vecchio Museum | Paid | Under-18s; residents on Domenica Metropolitana | 22 |
| Torre di Arnolfo (Palazzo Vecchio tower) | Paid | Under-18s only | 22 |
| Museo Novecento | Paid | Under-18s; residents on Domenica Metropolitana | 24 |
| Brancacci Chapel | Paid | Under-18s; disabled visitors with companion | 15 |
| Brunelleschi's Dome | Paid | Paid, timed reservation required | 24 |
| Giotto's Bell Tower | Paid | Paid, needs a pass | 24 |
| Baptistery of San Giovanni | Paid | Paid, needs a pass | 24 |
| Crypt of Santa Reparata | Paid | Paid, part of the passes | 24 |
| Museo dell'Opera del Duomo | Paid | Paid entry | 23 |
| Giardino Bardini | Paid | Paid | 10 |
| Giardino dei Semplici (Botanical Garden) | Paid | Paid entry | 7 |
| Fiesole Roman Theatre and Archaeological Area | Paid | Paid | 0 |
| Bus and tram fares (Autolinee Toscane) | Paid | Not free for visitors | 0 |
| Giardino dell'Iris | Condition | Voluntary donation; spring only | 0 |
Walk counts are the free walks' meeting points within 1 km of each place, measured from their coordinates.
What Visitors Need To Know This Season
What Walkers Say About Florence Free Tours
Real GuruWalk reviews of the guides, quoted as written. They review the walks, not this site.
This is a great tour to gain historical information on Florence to better enjoy and understand the sights. Angela was an excellent guide.
4.73 across 1,872 GuruWalk reviews
Alessandro was funny! Entertaining and informative. We learned a lot and despite very large crowds today because of a running rave he made sure everyone was with the group and made time to talk to everyone. I would highly recommend a tour with Allessandro
4.92 across 3,189 GuruWalk reviews
Such a great tour guide and good timings. Very interesting to learn about Florence history.
4.9 across 470 GuruWalk reviews
Great tour about Dante and his writings. Sergio was very knowledgeable and personable. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who is interested in Italian literature and history!!
4.32 across 22 GuruWalk reviews
The Duomo Complex: What Is Free And What Needs A Pass?
The cathedral nave of Santa Maria del Fiore costs nothing and needs no ticket: it is open Monday to Saturday, 10:15 to 15:45, and closed to visitors on Sundays and during religious celebrations. The rest of the complex is separate. Brunelleschi's dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistery, the Crypt of Santa Reparata and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo each require a pass, and none of them inherits the nave's free entry. A dress code applies, and large bags are not allowed inside.
| Part of the complex | Free or pass | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Cathedral nave | Free | Free, no ticket, no reservation: Monday to Saturday 10:15 to 15:45. Closed to visitors every Sunday and during religious celebrations. Dress code for a place of worship; luggage and bags not allowed. |
| Brunelleschi's Dome | Needs a pass | Paid, by timed reservation, via the Brunelleschi Pass only. The dome slot applies to the first day of the pass. |
| Giotto's Bell Tower | Needs a pass | Paid. Needs a Giotto or Brunelleschi Pass. No timed reservation is required to climb it, only a pass inside its 3-day validity (official page). |
| Baptistery of San Giovanni | Needs a pass | Paid. Needs a Ghiberti, Giotto or Brunelleschi Pass. Entered from the North Door. The vault mosaics are under restoration and not visible for the next few years (official home page). |
| Crypt of Santa Reparata | Needs a pass | Paid. Part of the Ghiberti, Giotto and Brunelleschi Passes. It is the remains of the earlier cathedral under the nave. |
| Museo dell'Opera del Duomo | Needs a pass | Paid. Part of the Ghiberti, Giotto and Brunelleschi Passes. A separate museum from the cathedral. |
Free Things To Do In Florence, Answered
What Does Pay What You Want Mean?
Every walk on this site is free to reserve, and the tip at the end is the only payment. You book a place, turn up at the meeting point, and when the walk finishes you hand the guide whatever those hours felt worth. Nothing is sold here and no tour is operated here: the guides are independent locals, and reservations happen on GuruWalk or freetour.com, the only two platforms named on these pages. Whatever you decide to give goes straight to the person who led you through the city.
Is a free walking tour in Florence actually free, and what happens at the end of it?
Every walk on this site is free to reserve and free to take, and that is the whole price structure: there isn't one. These are pay-what-you-want tours run by independent local guides on GuruWalk and freetour.com. You book a spot, walk the route, and at the end you hand the guide whatever the walk was worth to you. Nothing is fixed in advance and nothing is demanded, so a tight budget never locks you out.
How do you choose between the walks if you only have one free day in Florence?
The 24 walks here fall into five themes: essential Florence, history and art, mysteries and legends, Oltrarno and evening, and bikes and games. Most run in English, but not all. Several are Spanish only, one pairs Spanish with Italian, and the vintage bicycle tour covers English, Spanish and Italian. Each walk's page states its languages exactly, so read them before reserving.
Is the Duomo in Florence free to enter?
The cathedral nave costs nothing on its stated days and hours: free entry, no ticket, Monday to Saturday 10:15 to 15:45, closed Sundays and during religious celebrations. The dome, bell tower, baptistery, crypt and cathedral museum are separate paid parts covered by the Brunelleschi, Giotto and Ghiberti passes. Walking into the nave tells you nothing about the price of climbing the dome, because the two never share a status.
Which state museums in Florence can you enter free on the first Sunday of the month?
Domenica al Museo opens the state museums free on the first Sunday of each month, and the next dates are 4 October, 1 November and 6 December 2026. The scheme covers museums under separate state operators, including the Gallerie degli Uffizi, the Galleria dell'Accademia e Musei del Bargello and the regional state museums. The civic museums of the Comune, among them Palazzo Vecchio and the Torre di Arnolfo, take no part in it and charge on those same days.
Do you have to book a free walking tour in advance?
Reserving a walk happens on GuruWalk or freetour.com, where each guide runs their own page. Pick a walk, choose a date, and the platform holds your free spot; you pay nothing up front because the walk itself is free, pay what you want. Twenty-two of the walks here are GuruWalk listings and two, both run by Another Florence, are listed on freetour.com. For cancellation terms, read the guide's own page, since the walk data here does not cover them.