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Best cathedrals to visit worldwide

A cathedral is the church that holds a bishop’s throne, and that one fact explains why so many of them are the largest and richest building in their city. The ones travellers book most are the great Gothic and Renaissance names: Florence, with Brunelleschi’s dome and its timed climb; Milan, where the ticket that matters is the one for the roof terraces; Seville, with the Giralda bell tower included; Wawel in Kraków, the coronation church of Poland; and Notre-Dame de Paris, reopened after the fire. Spain adds the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Toledo, Santiago de Compostela and Palma, and Sicily adds the gold mosaics of Monreale.

Cologne Cathedral

Cologne, Germany

The cathedral is free to enter and there is no ticket for the nave, which surprises visitors to Germany's most…

4 tickets & tours

Helsinki Cathedral

Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki Cathedral stands at the top of a broad flight of steps above Senate Square in the centre of Helsinki, Finland,…

4 tickets & tours

Lugo Cathedral

Lugo, Spain

Lugo Cathedral stands in the centre of Lugo, Galicia, Spain, inside the Roman walls, which are a UNESCO World Heritage…

4 tickets & tours

Naples Cathedral

Naples, Italy

The cathedral is free to enter. What costs money is the layered archaeology and the treasury: a ticket covers the…

4 tickets & tours

Palermo Cathedral

Palermo, Italy

The church is free to enter; the paid parts are sold as a combined ticket and are worth the small sum.

4 tickets & tours

Bari Cathedral

Bari, Italy

Bari Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Sabinus, stands in the old town of Bari, Puglia, a few minutes'

3 tickets & tours

Berlin Cathedral

Berlin, Germany

One ticket covers the church, the Hohenzollern crypt and the dome walk, and there is no cheaper version worth buying,…

3 tickets & tours

Cusco Cathedral

Cusco, Peru

The cathedral is covered by the religious circuit ticket, which also includes San Blas church, the church of San…

3 tickets & tours

Gloucester Cathedral

Gloucester, United Kingdom

Gloucester Cathedral stands in the centre of Gloucester, England, and entry is free, with donations welcome;

3 tickets & tours

León Cathedral

Leon, Spain

León Cathedral stands on the Plaza de Regla in the centre of León, Castile and León, Spain, and it is ticketed, with an…

3 tickets & tours

Lisbon Cathedral

Lisbon, Portugal

The nave is free; the cloister and the treasury each charge a small separate fee, and a combined ticket covers both.

3 tickets & tours

Lund Cathedral

Lund, Sweden

Lund Cathedral stands in the centre of Lund, a university town in southern Sweden, about fifteen minutes by train from…

3 tickets & tours

Orvieto Cathedral

Orvieto, Italy

The cathedral charges a modest ticket, and the Orvieto Carta Unica combines it with the underground city, St…

3 tickets & tours

Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Entry is free and there is no ticket desk; a small museum of sacred art in the basement charges a token fee.

3 tickets & tours

Uppsala Cathedral

Uppsala, Sweden

Uppsala Cathedral stands in the centre of Uppsala, Sweden's fourth largest city and a university town, about forty…

3 tickets & tours

York Minster

York, United Kingdom

One ticket covers the minster, the undercroft museum and the chapter house, and it is valid for twelve months, which is…

3 tickets & tours

Almudena Cathedral

Madrid, Spain

The cathedral asks for a small donation rather than a ticket, so entry is effectively free.

2 tickets & tours

Amalfi Cathedral

Amalfi, Italy

Amalfi Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Andrew, dominates the main square of Amalfi, at the top of a wide flight of steps,…

2 tickets & tours

Bagrati Cathedral

Kutaisi, Georgia

Bagrati Cathedral stands on Ukimerioni Hill above the city of Kutaisi, in western Georgia, and entry is free.

2 tickets & tours