Florence's Duomo complex raises ticket prices to combat mass tourism

Starting March 1, the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence will increase the combined ticket price for the Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Crypt of Santa Reparata, the Baptistery, and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo from €15 to €18. The ticket validity will be extended from 48 hours to 72 hours after first access, and the purchase window will expand from 6 days to 30 days. President Luca Bagnoli stated the goal is to encourage longer-stay tourism over 'hit-and-run' visits. Additionally, entry to the Baptistery will become free for residents of Florence and its province. The Opera's board aims to restore the Baptistery as a place of worship for locals, similar to the already-free Cathedral. Visitor numbers have surged: the Dome rose from 519,000 in 2010 to 710,000 in 2016; the Bell Tower doubled from 333,000 to 730,000; the Crypt jumped from 84,000 to nearly 500,000; and the Baptistery grew from 300,000 to over 800,000. The policy follows a similar approach by Uffizi director Eike Schmidt, who introduced dynamic pricing from March. However, the travel agency association Fiavet Toscana criticized the sudden change, arguing it disrupts tour operators' planning and may backfire without dialogue with the tourism industry.