Visiting Galileo, Michelangelo & More at Santa Croce, Florence

Only having a few hours in Florence is a TRAVESTY. However, if you’ve got less than a day to explore, I’d definitely recommend having the church of Santa Croce on your list.

Why the Church of Santa Croce?

When you think of Italy, you can’t not think of the fascinating history and people that emerged as artists, philosophers, engineers and great thinkers of their time. It may be a little morbid, but most of the famous people you can think of are still chilling in Florence… in their crypts at the gorgeous Italian Gothic Church, Santa Croce.

The outside is decorated with pretty and incredibly intricate sculptures, and inside you can find the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Da Vincci and more! One of the funniest things that I learnt whilst on my little whirlwind tour of Florence was the depths of the rivalry between Michelangelo and Galileo, which has been translated and extended into their death as their crypts are not only facing each other, but the statue heads are looking away from each other in disdain. That’s what you call art after death.

Overall impressions:

It’s a stunning church and a lot bigger than I thought from the outside. If you’re into architecture and beautiful paintings and statues it’s well worth visiting. Plus it’s a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the crowds, or even just cool down - especially if you’re visiting in Spring / Summer time! Although it was a little bonkers to visit Florence for a few hours (one of my biggest niggles with cruise trips!) this was the perfect place to visit, whilst having time to dig into some gorgeous Italian pastries, which, let’s face it, is always a priority!

Tickets:

Tickets start at only 8 euros. The price goes up to 12 euros with an audio guide and 25 euros with a guided tour.

You can get tickets online directly through the Santa Croce website, or at the ticket desk at the church itself. There are usually lines of people waiting though, so getting tickets in advance helps you to get the most out of your time (especially if you are on a cruise tour or similar as it’s one of the smaller ‘attractions’ to visit and tickets are usually readily available even if you book online just 10-minutes before you go).