Medici Chapels Reserved Entry Tickets Florence

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Duration1 hour
Open onOn your booked date and time slot
Meeting pointThe Medici Chapels entrance on Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini, behind San Lorenzo

Medici Chapels Reserved Entry Tickets Florence

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Overview

This reserved ticket takes you into the Medici Chapels, the burial complex of Florence's ruling family, attached to the Basilica of San Lorenzo. You see the Princes' Chapel with its towering octagonal dome and inlaid marble, and Michelangelo's New Sacristy with its famous tomb sculptures. Your entry is booked for your chosen date so you do not queue for a ticket, and a digital audio app is included for your phone. It is a self-guided visit with no hotel pickup, and it suits art lovers and history fans.

Highlights

Reserved entry to the Medici Chapels museum next to the Basilica of San Lorenzo
Michelangelo's New Sacristy with the tombs of Lorenzo and Giuliano de' Medici
The Princes' Chapel, an octagonal baroque hall covered in precious inlaid stone
Digital audio app for your smartphone included in the ticket
Crypt with the burial places of Medici family members
Central Florence location, a short walk from the Duomo and the San Lorenzo market

Full Description

The Medici Chapels at San Lorenzo

The Medici Chapels are the mausoleum of the family that ruled Florence for three centuries, and they sit behind the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the family's parish church. If you are searching for Medici Chapels tickets, note that the museum has its own entrance at the back of the church, separate from the basilica entrance, and that your reserved ticket is for the chapels.

The complex includes the crypt, the Princes' Chapel and the New Sacristy, and the visit follows one route through them. Allow about an hour, longer if you like to read every detail or use the audio app fully.

The Princes' Chapel

The Princes' Chapel, or Cappella dei Principi, is the grandest room in the complex. Begun in the early seventeenth century for the grand dukes, it is an octagonal hall crowned by a high dome, and every wall is covered in inlaid marble and semi-precious stones in the Florentine pietra dura technique.

The effect is deliberately overwhelming, a statement of dynastic wealth in stone. Look at the coats of arms of Tuscan cities on the walls and at the sarcophagi of the grand dukes. Because the room is so decorated, an audio guide is useful, and the app included in your ticket explains what you see.

Michelangelo's New Sacristy

The New Sacristy is the reason many people come. Michelangelo began work on it around 1520 for the Medici popes, and it contains his tombs of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino, and Giuliano, Duke of Nemours, with the reclining figures called Night and Day, and Dawn and Dusk. The architecture and the sculpture were conceived together as a single composition.

It is quiet, calm and surprisingly small, so it rewards slow looking. Visiting the Medici Chapels is worth the time even for those who know little about the family, because the room is one of the essential Michelangelo sites in Florence and rarely feels overcrowded when you have a reserved time.

Planning your visit: hours, tickets and how to get there

The chapels are a short walk from the Duomo and the central market, and from Santa Maria Novella station in about ten minutes. Opening hours change by season and the museum is closed on certain days, so check the slots shown in the booking panel. The best time to visit is early in the day.

Your reserved ticket covers the Medici Chapels museum only. A physical audio guide, the basilica of San Lorenzo and the Laurentian Library are not part of this ticket, though the digital audio app is. Bags and large backpacks may need to be left in a locker before entering.

Itinerary

Arrive at the museum entranceGo to the Medici Chapels entrance behind the Basilica of San Lorenzo a few minutes before your entry time.
Show your reserved ticketPresent your ticket on your phone and start the digital audio app if you want commentary.
CryptPass through the crypt, the burial place of members of the Medici family.
Princes' ChapelAdmire the octagonal hall with its dome and inlaid marble walls, about 20 minutes.
New SacristySpend time with Michelangelo's tombs and sculptures, about 20 minutes.

What's included

Reserved entry ticket to the Medici Chapels museum in the Basilica of San Lorenzo
Digital audio guide app (download it to your smartphone)
Booking fee

Not included

Tour guide
Physical museum audio guide (can be added to your booking before checkout)

Is this right for you?

Great for

Families with children — a child price for ages 0–17
A short visit — about 1 hour

Not suitable for

Visitors looking for a live guided tour, as this is a self-guided reserved ticket
Anyone who expects a physical audio guide, which is not included
Travellers who want to see the basilica and library on the same ticket

Meeting point

There is no hotel pickup. Go to the entrance of the Medici Chapels museum, which is behind the Basilica of San Lorenzo in central Florence, a few minutes before the entry time in your booking. Have your ticket ready on your phone. The entrance is a short walk from the Duomo and around ten minutes from Santa Maria Novella station.

Important information

Your ticket is for the date and entry time you choose, so arrive on time
The museum is closed on certain days and hours change by season; check the slots in the booking panel
A digital audio app for your phone is included; a physical audio guide is not
Bring headphones and a charged phone if you plan to use the app
Bags and large backpacks may need to be left before entering
Dress respectfully, as the chapels are a burial site
The ticket does not include the Basilica of San Lorenzo or the Laurentian Library

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.

How much does the Medici Chapels ticket cost?

The price depends on the option you choose and on the age category. The booking panel on this page shows the current price for each option, for adults and for children, so you can compare before you book.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. This is a reserved entry ticket only. The museum entrance is behind the Basilica of San Lorenzo, about a ten-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella station.

How long does the Medici Chapels visit take?

Most visitors spend about an hour. The route is short, but the Princes' Chapel and the New Sacristy are worth slow looking.

Are the Medici Chapels suitable for children?

Yes for older children with an interest in art or history. The visit is quiet and requires walking and standing, so it is less suitable for very young children.

What should I wear or bring?

Comfortable shoes and modest clothing, since the chapels are a burial place. Bring your phone with the ticket, headphones and a small bag.

Can I book for today or tomorrow?

Yes, as long as there is still availability. Pick your date in the booking panel and it will show which dates and time slots are open. Time slots for the same day can sell out, so book early for the time you prefer.

Is there an audio guide?

A digital audio app that you download on your smartphone is included. A physical audio guide is not included.

Are the Medici Chapels worth visiting?

Yes. The New Sacristy is one of Michelangelo's most important architectural and sculptural works, and the Princes' Chapel is among the most lavish rooms in Florence.

What are the Medici Chapels opening hours?

Opening hours change by season and the museum is closed on certain days. The booking panel shows the entry times available on your chosen date.

How do I get to the Medici Chapels?

Walk about five minutes from the Duomo or ten minutes from Santa Maria Novella station to the Basilica of San Lorenzo, then go round to the museum entrance behind the church.