We'll be visiting the end of June, and I want to climb St. Peter's dome and the tower of Pisa. We're older, so it won't be as easy. I'm "training" for it, but I'm not sure my sister-in-law will be able to make it up and back.
Can climbers "change" their mind half way up and turn around? Or are the narrow steps one-way only, with no way to get to the Down steps while we're enroute?
Thanks for answering this rather dumb question, but it would help if we knew. Thanks.
I can reply for the tower of Pisa. Yes, you can turn around and go back down, no problem.
When we walked up, they allowed only a certain number in the tower at one time, you waited until your time was called and you went up. they didn't chase us off the top, we could stay as long as we wanted, but 10-15 min was enough to look around, take a few photos.
I can tell you that the climb up the tower is a bit like being sea sick...since the tower leans...you lean with it, it's a "funny" feeling!
You can take your time, no one is rushing you to make it to the top, so if need to rest to catch your breath, don't worry, just enjoy the experience.
I can reply for St. Peter's. No, you can't really turn around. The stairs are narrow and steep in places. They alternate between being curved (spiral) and straight like regular stairs. The 'down' steps are on the opposite side of the Dome, accessible from the top of the Dome only.
My advice, if you aren't sure you can make it, is to take the elevator up to the roof. There is a gift shop and a little cafe up there if any members of your party feel like they can't make it. Given that it will be warm, carry a bottle of water with you. There are sections as you climb up where you can "pull over" to rest and let people behind you pass, however there are no benches or places to sit down inside or on top of the Dome and you still have to make it back down again!
I've climbed the Dome twice, and I don't want to discourage you, but it definitely requires some stamina (and I'm 26!).
My kids groan now as soon as they see a tower because they know I have to climb it and want to drag them along ;-) So yes, of course I have been on both.
The tower of Pisa is not very high. You don't need special stamina to be able to make it. However, Ellen is right: The leaning provides for a rather weird feeling while climbing up.
For St Peter's I posted my experience here:
If you have some claustrophobia, the steps up into St. Peter's dome are deceptive at first. They appear very open and it's only after you start up them that you see that it narrows way down, and since you're actually climbing in the space between two domes, it starts to close in at an angle very quickly. There's enough room to change your mind only at the very beginning but the view from the top is spectacular.
Great, thanks to everyone for their detailed reports, these are excellent! Didn't realize St. Peter's could get so narrow going up, but it makes sense since we're following the curve of the dome. Pisa sounds do-able. As for St. Peter's, we'll take the elevator and see how we feel. But it's good to know that the steps can look deceptively roomy and easy at first, so now we have a better idea of what to expect. Wish us luck, or at least cooler weather!
