I will have only one afternoon/evening in Milan and I would like to go to the Duomo rooftops. I have found a one hour tour with veditalia.com for 32 euros which fits my timing. Has anyone taken that tour? They offer some other appealing tours, but they don't seem to fit with my timing. (I arrive in Milan at 12:15 and need to go to my lodging and then get to the Duomo and other sights.)
Or would skipping a tour and just buying my own entry ticket be a better choice? Can I get some tips on that? Best times to avoid lines/crowds? Where to buy the ticket? Best times to go to the rooftop?
On another topic......vegan restaurant recommendations?
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15794 posts
I went up to the rooftop on my own, it was 11 years ago. The tickets were sold in the back of the Duomo and there was an elevator - possibly optional. Go up on your own, it's interesting to see the carvings up close and there are good views of the surroundings.
For vegan - go to happycow.com
Posted by
US
605 posts
I agree with Chani, you can do this on your own. We did it on our first trip without any difficulty. Buy your elevator ticket at the booth....(if nothing has changed since our visit) facing the cathedral, walk around the right side until you see the ticket office. Take the elevator as far as it will go, then you'll need to climb some narrow steps to the actual rooftop. It was wonderful to see everything up close. Buon viaggio!
Posted by
Kansas
124 posts
This thread might help
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/milan-duomo-tickets-in-advance
Posted by
NC, USA
4 posts
1227betty, we did a similar 1hr Duomo tour in May although ours was booked through Viator and operated by Raphael Tours. We could have toured the duomo on our own but we booked the tour mainly for the narration from the tour guide. We'd rather listen to the information than read a guide book to learn about what we're seeing.
Posted by
Eugene, Oregon, USA
967 posts
Normally we just buy the entrance ticket to a site and explore it on our own. The Milan Duomo Roof, is one of the few times, we wished we had taken a guided, narrated, tour. The complexity of the roof is overwhelming. We had no way to comprehend what we were looking at. Awestruck, we spent the rest of the day, after the visit, attempting to answer some of the questions that the site generated. Like, how long did it take to build? How many figurines where there? Where do the spiral staircases go? Were people always allowed to go up on the roof? When and how was the elevator installed? Has this survived any earth quakes? Endless questions. A tour would have given us a frame work of better understanding. :)
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
As with almost any tourist site, a good guide will make the experience richer. But you certainly don't need one to enjoy the roof. It's just beautiful up there. Your call.
Happy travels.