Santa Maria Novella Basilica Tickets with Multimedia Guide Florence

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Duration1 hour
Open onOn your booked date and time slot
Meeting pointThe ticket point to the right of Santa Maria Novella, Piazza della Stazione 5

Santa Maria Novella Basilica Tickets with Multimedia Guide Florence

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Overview

Santa Maria Novella is one of Florence's great churches, a Dominican basilica whose green-and-white marble facade blends Gothic and Renaissance design. This ticket gives you admission with a multimedia guide, so you can walk the nave and chapels while hearing the story of the frescoes, tombs and altarpieces, and you skip the ticket queue on your chosen day. It suits art and history lovers, and it is a good first stop because it stands right beside Florence's main railway station. The visit is self-guided, with no live guide and no hotel pickup.

Highlights

Admission to Santa Maria Novella with skip-the-ticket-line entry on your chosen day
Multimedia guide in English, Italian, Spanish, French or German
Masaccio's Holy Trinity, a landmark of Renaissance perspective
Ghirlandaio's frescoes in the Tornabuoni Chapel and Giotto's painted crucifix
The elegant marble facade completed by Leon Battista Alberti
Right beside Florence's main railway station, so it is easy to reach

Full Description

Santa Maria Novella and its facade

Santa Maria Novella was begun by the Dominicans in the thirteenth century, and its interior is a fine example of Florentine Gothic. The facade was completed in the fifteenth century by Leon Battista Alberti, who used geometric marble patterns and classical proportions to create one of the first Renaissance church fronts.

If you are searching for Santa Maria Novella tickets, you will find the basilica facing a wide square beside the main railway station, so it is often the first monument visitors see. Michelangelo is said to have called the church his bride, which tells you how much it was admired.

Masaccio's Holy Trinity and the art inside

Inside, the great treasure is Masaccio's Holy Trinity, painted around 1427, a fresco that shocked viewers with its convincing depth. It is one of the first paintings in Western art to use linear perspective, and it changed how painters approached space.

Giotto's large painted crucifix hangs above the nave, and the chapels contain frescoes by Filippino Lippi and Domenico Ghirlandaio. The multimedia guide is helpful here because the important works are spread through the church, and it explains who painted what, which families paid for the chapels and why the subjects were chosen.

The Tornabuoni Chapel and the chapels of the choir

The Tornabuoni Chapel behind the main altar is covered with Ghirlandaio's frescoes on the lives of the Virgin and John the Baptist, painted in the 1480s. The scenes show Florentine society in the clothing and architecture of its own day, and the portraits of donors look almost like a family album.

Nearby, the Strozzi Chapel holds Filippino Lippi's frescoes, while other side chapels have altarpieces and monuments. Give yourself at least an hour to walk around the church slowly, and longer if the admission on your chosen day also opens any of the adjoining cloisters or museum spaces.

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

Santa Maria Novella is a few minutes on foot from the Santa Maria Novella railway station, and about fifteen minutes from the Duomo. Opening hours change by season and on Sundays and religious holidays, so check the slots in the booking panel. The best time to visit is early on a weekday.

Because it is an active church, dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered. The multimedia guide is included with your ticket, but a live tour guide is not. Bags and large backpacks may need to be left at the entrance, and photography rules can differ between areas.

Itinerary

Arrive at Piazza di Santa Maria NovellaMeet at the church entrance beside the railway station at your chosen time and show your ticket.
Collect the multimedia guidePick up your guide and choose your language.
The nave and Masaccio's Holy TrinityWalk the nave and stop at the Trinity fresco and Giotto's crucifix, about 30 minutes.
Tornabuoni and Strozzi chapelsSee Ghirlandaio's and Filippino Lippi's frescoes in the chapels, about 30 minutes.
Free timeReturn to your favourite chapel or walk back to the square to look at Alberti's facade.

What's included

Santa Maria Novella admission ticket
Multimedia guide

Not included

Tour guide

Is this right for you?

Great for

Families with children — a child price for ages 6–10
A short visit — about 1 hour

Not suitable for

Visitors who want a live guide, as this is a self-guided ticket with a multimedia guide
Guests who are not willing to dress modestly for a church
Travellers who expect hotel pickup, which is not included

Meeting point

There is no hotel pickup. Go to the entrance of Santa Maria Novella on Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, right beside the main railway station in Florence, at the time of your booking, and show your ticket. It is about fifteen minutes on foot from the Duomo.

Important information

Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, since this is an active church
Opening hours change on Sundays and religious holidays; check the slots in the booking panel
The multimedia guide is available in English, Italian, Spanish, French and German
Bags and large backpacks may need to be left at the entrance
Photography rules can differ by area; follow the signs
Wear comfortable shoes for standing and walking on stone floors
Choose the date carefully because the ticket is valid for one day

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

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

How much does the Santa Maria Novella 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 an entry ticket with a multimedia guide. The church is beside Florence's main railway station and about fifteen minutes on foot from the Duomo.

How long does a Santa Maria Novella visit take?

Plan on about one to one and a half hours, or longer if you want to listen to the whole multimedia guide.

Is Santa Maria Novella suitable for children?

Yes for children who can walk and listen quietly for an hour. It is an active church, so dress and behaviour should be respectful.

What should I wear or bring?

Cover your shoulders and knees, wear comfortable shoes and bring your phone with the ticket. Large bags may not be allowed inside.

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. Book early for summer weekends, when the church is busiest.

What is Santa Maria Novella famous for?

It is famous for its Gothic and Renaissance architecture, Alberti's marble facade, Masaccio's Holy Trinity and Ghirlandaio's frescoes in the Tornabuoni Chapel.

Is the multimedia guide included?

Yes. The ticket includes a multimedia guide in English, Italian, Spanish, French and German. A live tour guide is not included.

Is Santa Maria Novella worth visiting?

Yes. It has some of the most important Renaissance frescoes in Florence and is much less crowded than the Duomo area.

How do I get to Santa Maria Novella?

It stands on Piazza di Santa Maria Novella beside the main railway station, so it is a short walk from the station and about fifteen minutes from the Duomo.