We are making a trip to Italy and will be visiting Rome and Florence. For those who have done both, if you had to pick one, should we climb the dome at St Peter’s or the Duomo?
Posted by
Boston
1804 posts
I've done both and enjoyed them both. I would choose Florence but first I'd read Ross King's book, 'Brunelleschi's Dome' which will greatly enrich the experience. Just knowing the Vatican dome came about 3 centuries later makes it hard to take seriously.
Posted by
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
543 posts
I've done both and would recommend both. If I had to choose, though, I'd probably select St. Peter's because of the absolutely breathtaking views you get of the interior of the basilica and the exterior (Vatican City and Rome).
Posted by
Virginia
68 posts
It's hard to choose, but I really loved the Duomo! I got to watch the sunset from up there and it was stunning.
Posted by
38 posts
While we initially planned to add in a dome climb of St. Peter's, we were so tired from walking the 7 km of the Vatican Museums on our Pristine Sistine tour that the thought of any more time on our feet would be agonizing. We were also famished and couldn't figure out how to eat and stay inside the complex. So, if it's the only thing you're doing, perhaps opt for that. Historic Florence is infinitely more walkable, and the Duomo was close enough to our hotel that we felt fresh, well-fed, well-hydrated, and ready to climb any number of steps. We immensely enjoyed our cupola climb (and a climb at Giotto's Bell Tower). There are numerous places from which you can catch an excellent view of Florence (Boboli & Bardini Gardens, Arnolfo Tower, Ufizzi, Piazzale Michelangelo/Rose Garden, San Miniato), but I was less familiar with ways to get free glimpses of Rome without considerable walking or transportation expenses from where we were staying.
Posted by
Sacramento, CA
290 posts
I have climbed both multiple times and enjoyed it every time! Without knowing your specific interests or how much time you have in each place and what other things you are doing, I recommend doing both. And even with that information, I’d still recommend both. :)
Both cities have great places to get great views of the city but it is riveting to see the architecture of these great edifices from different perspectives, inside and up close.
If you have to choose just one, I think the decision falls back on you. Which city gets your juices going more?