How to Avoid Monreale, Sicily's 100 Stairs to Duomo.

Linda,
I don’t recall any stairs. There’s a public bus that can take you from Palermo to Monreale.
The bus drops you off at an intersection which is around a 5 minutes walk (a bit uphill) to the cathedral.
You can also take a taxi, if that is a better option for you, of course.

The Monreale cathedral is lovely and I do hope you get to see it.
Don’t miss the Cappella Palatina (Palatine Chapel) in Palermo which is also magnificent!

Do you have Rick Steve’s Guidebook?

Enjoy your trip!

We didn’t climb any staircase at Monreale like you describe. Are you thinking about going up on the roof ?
Not necessary.

What stairs?
You just walk into the cathedral from the road, all on one level.
If you are taking the bus there from Palermo, you have to walk up an inclined road to the town centre with the cathedral, but a taxi would drop you off right outside on a flat road.

As said, a taxi or private driver ( your hotel can most likely arrange one). or probably a small group daytour will drop you off right in the piazza at the church. That outside area is flat, a few steps here and there but relatively step free. Same for the church interior. As others have said maybe you are confused about steps up to the rooftop. That is optional and not essential. I have been there twice and also avoided the steps up to the top but my friends went and said the views were fantastic. While at the cathedral make sure you also visit the cloisters. Very pretty mosaic columns there and also flat. Also if you have the time there are some neat mosaic workshops and gift shops on the piazza and neighboring streets.

This youtube video shows you where the steps are. They are from the car park. It also indicates you can take a taxi from the car park.
https://youtu.be/RArC4Bc-CMM

I'm glad there is a way to avoid those stairs.
On the RS tour I was on, we were dropped off at the base and walked up. Our guide called them the Stairs of Death, because they were a bit uneven and you had to step carefully. A woman had injured herself on a previous tour she had led. I was annoyed because touts had draped their wares over the handrails.

Thank you for all for your quick responses and the valuable information! You all sound like experienced and fun travelers, and I am hoping to meet people like you on our trip; maybe even you! I do have Rick Steves' guide book, which is my favorite and his guidebooks have made travel so much easier for my husband and I for several years now. We will actually be in Sicily for a few weeks, and hope to see everything you all have mentioned and more; and are really looking forward to it all. The video is great; it helps to know what the stairs are like. I am so impressed by the helpfulness that abounds here. It makes me that much more excited to see Sicily!

Our B&B in Monreale was down the hill from the Duomo so we walked up to it. When we took the bus back from Palermo we were dropped off right in town. It was level with no stairs.