Most popular, and touristy, square in Florence. Located in the midst of the Duomo, there's no shortage of eateries, shops and panhandlers in this square. Beware of belongings though as pickpockets do work the crowd and others at times try to sell you cheap knockoff items. Come for the pictures and to visit the Duomo and the sites, then move on as the best eateries are not located in this square.

The area is vast and circles the Duomo cathedral. There are places to sit and just take in the stunning building. There are many restaurants / cafes and shops surrounding the square. Here you can people watch the many visitors to Florence, just be careful of you belongings as it’s pickpockets paradise.

Thankfully we rebooked online our trek up the Duomo. Sold out slots on the day as so busy! Truly magnificent buildings. The climb up was pretty easy. Two stops along the way. Incredible views both inside and outside of the Duomo. You simply must visit!

The outside of the cathedral is amazing and very beautiful. The interior is interesting and the dome spectacular. Also in the basement you can see some of the original structure from 5 centuries ago. However, the cathedral in Siena has a much more spectacular interior. We didn't climb the hundreds of steps to the dome nor the hundreds of steps in the bell tower.

I'm hijacking this review to write a sort of Ode to Florence here: Florence has become my favorite place in the world, and I'm sure many people share the same sentiment. Like any person, place, or thing that gets an abundance of love; criticism and hate will follow. Florence gets a lot of criticism. "It is overrun with tourists,"... "I've had much better food in Italy" ... But they never built a statue for a critic. Well I just looked it up and I guess Roger Ebert has a statue. Fairplay Robert. From the first time I came here when I was 16, I have felt a special connection to this place like nowhere else. I didn't know what it was then but have started to scratch the surface. After quitting my job, I decided to take 10 days and just soak in the city and the culture. This is the birthplace of the renaissance, which to me, is the birthplace of modern day life and culture. It placed an emphasis on individualism which I believe is the spark of creativity, ideas, and innovation. One can almost feel the presence of the talented artists, innovators, and leaders that used to walk these streets. It hurts my head to think that Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Vespucci, Raphael, Brunelleschi, Donatello etc. all walked these streets around the same time. They competed against one another, but also collaborated. This blend of competition and collaboration formed an unparalleled amount of innovation and progression. It's so inspiring and motivating to learn how much came from this one small city in the middle of Italy. Its ideas and culture spread like a virus across the world through time and space inspiring everyone from Rembrandt to Steve Jobs, who sites Da Vinci as a major influence. I feel the creativity almost rub off on me when I am walking through these streets, thankful that so much of this place is intact from the 16th century. You can walk through the narrow streets appreciating the architecture, looking up and seeing Brunelleschi's dome in the skyline at literally anywhere you are in the city. You can see the house Michelangelo grew up in. The Ponte Vecchio is the same bridge that these legendary Florentines used to walk across. Where else can you walk the same streets that these geniuses used to walk and get the best gelato you've had in your life? THANK YOU FIRENZE! IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

The Dumo is a really impressive and imposing building which forms the centre piece of the square. The façade appears white at night – almost fake. We purchased the Brunelleschi pass which gives you access to 5 attractions (Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistery, the Opera del Duomo Museum and the Church of Santa Reparata with a single ticket). We queued 10 minutes before our appointed time and the tour is incredible taking you high up internally to the ornate and intricate ceiling of the dome and then externally after several narrow flights of staircases. The effort is wel worth it with stunning views of the City.

Located in the heart of Florence's historic center, Piazza del Duomo is undoubtedly the epicenter of Florence's recognition by the UNESCO World Heritage Site as the centre of Renaissance humanism. With the Florence Cathedral taking centrestage, surrounded by the Giotto's Bell Tower, the octagonal Baptistery of St John, and the Opera del Duomo Museum, this public square is the starting point of your Florence Renaissance adventure. Unlike most public squares in Italy or around Europe, my first impression of this piazza is the lack of sense of space with buildings haphazardly cluttering around the square, with no one spot where you can get a view of all its buildings. Nevertheless, it is still an excellent place to stroll or simply to relax whilst enjoying gelato from one of Italy's best gelato shop located right at the square itself, Gelateria Edoardo il Gelato Biologico.

We stayed outside, but could not get in due to the long queue- it is really important to book in advance, though there was a queue of ticker holders to enter longer than the queue for tickets. The outside is amazing, an essential Italian Piazza experience. Choose your season if you really want to save time. Must do.

This is the public square where you can find the iconic and landmark Duomo, Campanile di Giotto and Baptistry buildings in the Historic Centre of Florence. There are other attractions in the area such as Loggia del Bigallo (museum), lots of souvenir shops, casual eateries and unfortunately massive crowds of tourists as well due to the relative small size of the square where people congregate to visit the Duomo attractions. If you want leisurely visits wandering the square, visit first thing in the morning prior to the attractions opening and the tour groups arriving. Or pass by in the evening when the majority of people have left and returned to their hotels. However, it is difficult to beat viewing the remarkable buildings here during midday when skies are blue and sunlight shines upon the charming marble patterned building facades. Note that you can enter Duomo (free) but do expect quite a queue as everyone else is doing the same and they actively try to manage the number of people going inside to see the inner frescos of Brunelleschi's Dome. If you want to climb the dome to get up close look at the frescos, you need to acquire one of the Duomo Pass tickets that includes this attraction. Passes also include different combinations of access to Baptistry, Duomo Museum and a climb up the steps of Campanile as well.

Piazza del Duomo is an absolute must-visit when in Florence. The square is surrounded by magnificent historical buildings, including the breathtaking Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its stunning facade and iconic dome. The intricate details and grandeur of the Baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile add to the overall splendor of the piazza. It's a vibrant spot bustling with energy, yet you can still find moments of tranquility to soak in the beauty and history. Whether you're an architecture enthusiast or just looking for a beautiful place to visit, Piazza del Duomo will leave you in awe. Don't forget to climb the dome for an unforgettable panoramic view of Florence!