Timetables, prices, stairs or the lift, here is everything you need to know to visit the terraces of the Milan Cathedral and enjoy the view from the most photographed roof of the Lombard capital.
A different experience, which I had never tried before in Milan and which I was able to experience recently, was getting on the Milan Cathedral. It had been years that I wanted to climb to the top and enjoy the spiers of the Duomo and finally I succeeded, also thanks to Kayak Activities with whom I booked the climb.
Le terraces of the Milan Cathedral have always fascinated all tourists and inhabitants of the Lombard capital who for one reason or another pass through Piazza del Duomo. Visiting them up close, being able to touch them, admire them, photograph them and also enjoy the splendid view of the streets around Piazza del Duomo, is certainly an activity that intrigues all passers-by, foreigners and yes, even Italians.
There are two ways to get to the top of the terraces, take the stairs or take the elevator, I preferred to make the bedside table and not use the stairs. To go up to the top you need to take only one lift that takes no more than 8 people at a time uphill and as many downhill. While the stairs are located on the left side of the Duomo, the row for the lift is on the left side almost completely behind the Duomo and Piazza di Milano.
When I went, on a Sunday morning around 10, there was no line, just a couple of people ahead of me, and I was able to go up, see the spiers and admire the view, do it alone and go down in about an hour . At the entrance there is a metal detector and soldiers in uniform who kindly ask to open backpacks and handbags, the rest is to be enjoyed.
Those who want to save a little something and prefer to take the stairs, should know that there are approx 200 steps to climb to get to the top. From up there you can admire the Cadorna skyscraper, the Sfornisco Castle, the Branca Tower, the Velasca Tower, the Porta Garibaldi towers, the Pirelonne, the Breda tower, the new Palazzo della Lombardia and much, much more.
Yes, because the surface of the terraces is 800mq and still today the terraces are in continuous maintenance and restoration, so much so that the project Adopt a Spire has reached over 4000 donors and over 6000 € raised in 2016. You can participate in the Adotta una Spuglia project at any time, making donations, but also making solidarity favors or Christmas gifts or solidarity initiatives.
From above you can admire the flying buttresses, the falconature, the 135 spiers of the cathedral, the over 180 statues and above all the very famous Madonna gold that protects Milan from above. The terraces of the Duomo also offer exceptional locations for fantastic photographs, as a couple, with friends or for breathtaking selfies.
But let's move on to prices and to times.
To access the terraces you can go up from 9 to 19 every day of the week and the cost is € 9 for the ascent on foot (reduced € 4.5) or € 13 for the ascent by lift (reduced € 7).
Skip the line with Kayak Activities
My experience of visiting the terraces of the Milan Cathedral was special thanks to the booking made with Kayak Activities. I report it here and recommend it for one big reason, the skip the line. Yes, because with this booking you have the right to skip the entire line present both at the ticket office (of course you can do the ticket online but in any case you have to go to the ticket office to validate it and to get an audio guide - which you will receive after presenting and leaving a valid identity document), which at the entrance of the Cathedral. Despite the long line at the entrance to the Duomo, they made us all pass in a separate line, where there was just us, and we were able to see everything in about an hour.
