textraveler

I'm hoping that someone with first-hand experience of climbing the Duomo and/or the Campanile in Florence can tell me what the actual stairs and railing are like in each.

We are three couples, 55+, who range from very physically fit to so-so, and in height from 6'4" to 4'11". Some have been to Florence before, and some are first-timers. It will be late September, if that makes any difference in the heat factor involved in climbing.

What I am wondering is in the Campanile, for instance, is there a single winding staircase (such as in a fairy-tale castle) and if so, is there a hollow central core that you wind around? Might people fall into the abyss? Or is there a solid core? Are there any landings or rest areas, and if so, do they provide a view to the outside? Is there a very low ceiling? And finally, is a rail provided?

I'm told the view is better from the Duomo, however. How does this climb compare in terms of railing, landings, clautrophobia factor? We do have one who feels claustrophobic sometimes, but her desire for the view might overcome that.

textraveler

Oops! Posted too soon! The question was supposed to say "Can anyone TELL ME what the conditions are like?"

Also, I want to thank everyone in advance for helping me with this!

TexTraveler

susanteach

I (5'8" at 32) climbed at the Duomo last summer--very tight and I could see that my 6'7" DH would never have fit if he had come. I think there are over 450 steps and some people have reported claustrophobia on this site before. My sister (37 and 5'2&quot refused to go up and I got a little mad at her, but she has had ACL issues and I realized that I shouldn't be pressuring someone else to do something they don't care to try. The physically fit members of your group will do okay. The others can go have a drink and meet you about an hour later.

P_M

Age 39 at that time, 5'3 and I had no trouble climbing the Duomo. Back then I was not into running like I am now, but even being slightly out of shape I did all right. I don't recall the railing situation, I'm tempted to say there's not railing everywhere and some of the stairs are pretty steep.

I am very glad to have climbed the Duomo and I don't want to talk you out of it. Just take your time, take it easy and I think you'll be OK. The biggest problem I can see is clausterphobia, so if that's the case then do not climb.

And most importantly, remember this: Make sure you have plenty of camera supplies before climbing!! I cannot describe to you the sad, sinking feeling I had when I reached the top of the Duomo, only to find I had just ONE shot left on my roll of film and no spare rolls!! I went around asking if anyone would sell me a roll, and of course I was offering a very nice premium. A kind man had a spare roll and wouldn't take the premium, he only wanted me to pay him what he had paid for it.

Thankfully I now have a digital, but do check supplies first.

I have not climbed the Campanile, I hope someone else can help.

camelbak

This is my experience climbing the Duomo last October....Just excerpted it out of my journal, which I updated while I was in Florence.

*****************

...Now we were originally going to climb the Campinile, which is the tower that is in the Piazza with the Duomo, but eh....bite the bullet right? So off we headed over to the Cupola entrance to the Duomo. We were going to climb to the top.....and a climb it is. All 463 steps..winding around and around and around....oh yeah...and around...always going up.

The staircase not wide enough for two people to pass one another, so you have to wait for people to come up, or step aside into these little tiny nooks...makes me wonder what summer season must be like!!

Now..the great part of this climb is that at one part you come out..and you are at the bottom of the dome, in the Duomo and you look up and there is the frescos staring down at you. Un-freaking-believable.....then you look down...if you get the nerve, and you are staring right at the Duomo's main altar. You can walk around the entire perimeter of the ceiling and take as many pictures as your heart desires (as long as there is no flash) and stare at the wonder of the gigantic frescoe painted by hand.

Anyways, then you go back into the stairwell and up, up, up, winding, winding, winding....then you come out..and you are even CLOSER to the ceiling. I mean, they have a protective covering against the wall, but if you reach up a little bit you can actually...if you are silly enough and have no thought for anyone else in the world, can actually touch the paintings....you are that close...you can see the paint strokes....just incredible. I took THE most amazing pictures which I know that my brother and sister are just going to freak over.

Then back in the stairwell, and up, up up...then all the sudden you notice that the walls are sort of slanting inwards and you have to duck at some points to go under beams and under jutting walls, and then...then...you come to this stairwell which is more like a ladder...and you can see a light at the top.

So you climb, climb...and then hit another ladder..up the ladder and you break through and you are staring at all of Florence before you. And it is very, very far down. This is, of course, the tallest structure in Florence (most buildings don't go above three stories, even the Pitti Palace is only three stories) and the view is so grand you just want to take picture after picture (which I did, hee hee). Got a fabulous shot of San Lorenzo sitting down below the Duomo...and a nice shot of the hillsides, but I have to admit that I didn't get too close to the railing, since I am not the best when it comes to heights. hee hee

Then...down, down, down.....All in all, it took about a 1/2 hour to get up, and about 15 to get down....much faster than either DF or I anticipated.

************

So all in all, a great experience...but no, not for people that don't enjoy tight spaces...I got a little dizzy coming down (all that going around and around in circles), but I knew gelato was waiting for me at the end.

I plan to climb it again this fall when I bring my DH to Florence...and the Campanile!!

Have a wonderful time!

Myer

About 25 years ago i climbed the Duomo.

At the time I felt they should give out t-shirts indicating you had completed the climb.

I don't know if they've changed anything up there.

The upper portion of the climb was actually between the inner and outer skin of the curved part of the dome.

While the lower part is a stair case the upper part was almost a ladder.

Great climb and great views.

At this time of my life I passed on climbing the Belfry in Brugge.

textraveler

Thanks everyone, for the info so far. Anyone with Campanile experience? My biggest concern is that I might fall into a hollow central core!!! What about railings?

Does anyone monitor how long you spend up at the top of either the Campanile or Duomo? After climing up I'd like to relax a bit and take in the view.

TexTraveler

ronin

I didn't climb the Duomo - ah, another regret, to be remedied next trip! - but did climb the Campanile in May this year. Virtually had the place to myself, maybe a dozen people in the upper part of the tower at the time I went. Some seemingly happy with the last major landing that provided a nice place to rest and some good views (screened, however). Second the claustrophobic advisory, and being 6'3" myself - it was an exercise in side-stepping when a group of students came rollicking down just after I entered, and a little dark in some of the single-file passages. I climbed the stairs to my 14th floor office once a day to prepare my knees for the effort. Take your time, and rest assured that your time will neither be the slowest, or fastest, time ever recorded! ;-) I was wearing chino's in Florence, and they were loose and comfy with my exertion in the humidity we encountered. I wore slacks to climb the Duomo in Milan and was miserable with the clingy fabric and the rise-and-run of the the distinctly non-code stairs!

2Italy

Just climb it. Yes, there is room to step aside in most places and let people pass. My wife and I are 55 and 54 last year, and we climbed it better than most younger folks. My wife is NOT in the best condition, 54, bad hip, not in shape, and she did better than a lot of the 20-40 year olds. Some areas have lots of room others don't. Not a difficult climb. We did the Duomo, the Campanile, and also the Leaning Tower of Pisa on this trip and we are NOT young or in great shape. You'll be fine, take your time, it's not a contest.
[email protected]

KenP

textraveler, climbed the Campanile on July 4th with my wife. We're 43 and in decent shape. Don't worry about central core. You climb an enclosed winding stair case with railing. I believe their were 3 large landings to rest / sit and view the scenery. We also rested on the way up the staircase as people coming down squeezed by us. Take your time...no one's in a hurry. You have plenty of areas to rest. The views at the top are outstanding and well worth the 419 steps.

TuscanTweety

Y'all have been very reassuring to a 31 year old and her 36 year old husband We've been taking the stairs to our eighth floor office every day to get used to the idea.

Thanks, Text, for the OP. One of those questions I was too chicken to ask.

missypie

I posted a "tower climbing" thread a few months ago. I had read the number of stairs in all the towers and was concerned. I was climbing the fire stairs at work, but was dead after 10 stories - now way would I be able to do the equivalent of 20!

It turned out to be no big deal at all. Make sure you aren't the lead folks in your group. In some places the line to climb "backs up", so you almost always get a breather somewhere.

I didn't feel winded like I feared I would. At the Campinile, you climb in multiple levels.

HowardR

The climb to the top of the Duomo is exactly 463 steps. It's not that bad a climb, as there are spots to stop and rest. One great bonus when you climb to the top of Duomo is that you get a close-up view of the magnificent mural in the dome on the way up.
And, oh yes, as others have said, the view at the top is truly wonderful.

Jim_Tardio

Rest assured, TexTraveler, there is no central core to fall into. There is a railing all of the way.

I climbed both the Duomo and the Campanile. The Duomo has more of a spiral staircase, while the Campanille has more conventional stairs and landings at different intervals.

In September it will be hot & stuffy, and possibly a bit humid, but you should have no problem. As others have said, just take your time. Step aside and let the young & fast ones pass you.

You'll be glad you did it.