climbing steps in Florence

The more your feet hurt, the better the Schiacciata & Grappa will taste!

You'll be surprised how many under-prepared and inadequately 'befooted' people will be doing the same thing right along side you. If you're already practicing stair climb, you'll be just fine.

I have done it but wouldn't again. It wasn't my feet- it was my calves! I got terrible cramps from it and then all night couldn't sleep from the pain which kept causing violent calf cramps that moved into thigh cramps. I do a lot of walking and am in excellent shape but those steps are steep and there are so many of them!

You age and weight will be a equal factor. Terri might tells where she fits in the range.

I've done both...the Duomo once, like 10 years ago and the Torre 2x.(once with my husband on another trip and once with my son last fall. The line to climb the Duomo was impossible.

The line to climb the Duomo was unbelievable. It was at least 100+ people long and didn't seem to move. They only allow a certain # of people in at a time, so it moves very slowly. To avoid the line, you could buy the Firenze Card, but that is so expensive now, not worth it. We checked several times during the day to see if the line got shorter, but it never did...

The Torre, on the other hand, had no line at all. I think most people don't realize you can go up the tower.

Both climbs are NOT easy if you are not in shape. In the bell tower, just when you think you've hit the top, you realize just across the way is another set of stairs, then another set of stairs.

The nice thing about the bell tower is you get to see the Duomo....the nice thing about the Duomo is, you are a bit higher than the tower, and you can see the old city walls and get a nice 360 view of the surrounding countryside. (on a clear day that is)

Big suggestion, don't take a backpack, but do take water. Hit the bathroom before you get in line and be prepared to stand and stand in the Duomo line...2-3 hours perhaps.

Hint: the Duomo line is on the left side of the church as you face the front, go when you will be in the shade, I can't image standing outside in the sun, and plan to be harassed by the traveling junk sales people, peddling all kinds of crap. (although the police will come once in a while and "raid" That's fun to watch these guys RUN away with their junk to avoid being taken away in the police car.

If you are training, the only way to train is to climb stairs...lots of them. There are not very many places where you can rest...you will be in the way of people climbing up, and coming back down. If you are fit enough, it's not that difficult to do both in one day.

Ellen, why no backpack? Just because it could get heavy? I'm training by doing steps....but dh thinks he's just going to whiz right up and down them......silly man!

I understand the calf issue. I'm hoping my stairs training will enable me to make the trek as painfree as possible.

Thank you for posting your experiences! I'm in decent shape and am 52.

It's absolutely doable! Go to the Duomo first thing in the morning and the line won't be that long. Take a break between the two climbs and have an espresso, pastry (food in Florence is so fantastic) then climb the tower. The view from the top is fantastic! And in the duomo there is a point where you go halfway around the inside of the dome and are up close and personal with the frescoes -- amazing! Take a look at Gord and Julie Brauns scrapbook contest entry (they were on our tour ...fantastic folks!) and you'll see they did both climbs. I say go for it!!!

ps -- if you are 52 and in good shape, you will absolutely be able to do this!

The only thing I can say is the steps are old and can become very narrow. Any of these places that we have climbed in Italy the climbing is hard because the steps are all different sizes and height. Also some places can be very narrow. If it is crowded it is usually a very slow go.

We did both in a day, and it was no problem, but we are relatively young and fit. However, I don't think it would be that bad even if you are not used to it. In any case, there are many platforms on the Campanile, so you can choose to head back down at any point if it gets to be too much.

I think your impulse to see the inside of the Brunelleschi''s dome is dead on. Walking up the curved passageway, seeing the herringbone pattern of the bricks... it's so wonderful--right up there with the other amazing art experiences you will have in Florence.

I might disagree with the other commenter's advice to not purchase the Firenze card. Your time is precious. Trade money for time -- we have zero memories of standing in lines in Florence, because we never had to (the line to the Duomo was incredibly long and slow-moving while we were there, during a light drizzle. It was great not to stand in that, plus it allowed us to fit in the wonderful Strozzi museum as well...no line waiting there, either!). It is pricey, but the Euro is really falling right now, so I'd say go for it.

My husband and I were in Florence in Nov 2014. We were able to climb the Duomo and Bell Tower in a day. We did the Bell Tower first, took a lunch break then climbed the Duomo. It wasn't the easiest thing we had ever done but it wasn't torture. In fact, it was quite fun. We had cool weather and there were no lines for either sites. Perhaps that was what made it enjoyable. I'm not sure when you're going but I do remember telling my husband that I couldn't imagine climbing all those stairs in the crowded summer season. Enjoy your trip!

I did it, but that was a long time ago.
You don't say what time of year you're doing this--hopefully not in the summer, as the temperature would be a factor.

29 April, this year (do you like the way I put the date.....already acclimating to Europe)!

I know it won't be the easiest thing we've ever done but nothing easy is rarely worth doing, right? I recently watched a PBS documentary of "Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance" and the prevalent storyline of the show was the building of the dome. I'm very anxious to see it in person.

We'll be on the RS 21 day tour and I don't know that buying the Firenze card would be cost effective. Seeing the whole campus (sans the museum, due to closure) for only 10€ makes my money belt happy. I think we will get up bright and early to get in line for the dome and do the bell tower when we can fit it in to the day's plans. Our only scheduled activity is Uffizi Gallery that afternoon then we have the rest of the day free.

If you go early to the Duomo you will avoid the line. The first time I went was in July and we quickly made it through the short line.

My experience of climbing lots of stairs was that the way up wasn't too bad; it was the way down that got me. I did climb the Duomo but I was 20 and had no problems. Twenty-year-olds can get away with anything! :)

That said, in 2012 when I was 31 I climbed to the top of St. Paul's in London. That was fine. But on the way down, my legs started shaking and I had to sit down for 10 or 15 minutes when I reached the ground. Other people have told me that their legs shook when they went down lots of stairs, like in the Statue of Liberty, so I don't think it's uncommon. I don't know why it happens on the way down and not the way up. Keep in mind that it may happen, and you may need to sit down for a little while.