Hello. Please help me select the best ticketing time for the Duomo. We would like to do the stairs option late afternoon. Website says last entry 6pm, closes at 7pm. Is this ticket considered "Skip the Line" or is there a chance if we book the 5pm or 5:30pm ticket we could get stuck in line over an hour and not be able to access Duomo or roof tops? I'm leaning to the 5pm entry.

Also, myself and 2 teen boys will be visiting Milan sights all day. And the stairs will get us a bit sweaty I am sure. Are they really that strict with kids/teens in shorts? We would not have time to go back to hotel to change.

Thank you.

Your tickets would be for a reserved entry time. If you get 5:00 p.m. tickets, you will be allowed in at 5:00 p.m. Not before, and I don't know how long they would hold your slot if you're late... perhaps 10 minutes. So, don't be late. The point of timed entries is to control the amount of traffic on the stairs and, to a lesser degree, the number of people on the roof.

There are tickets for only the climb to the rooftop, and there are tickets that include the climb and entry to the cathedral, archeological area below and the cathedral museum. If you're only interested in climbing the stairs, just buy the Rooftops ticket. They won't care about shorts. If you want to see the inside of the cathedral and buy the tickets that include entry, all of you need to be dressed appropriately. It's a church, and there may very well be worshippers in the pews.

Google translation from the official website (awkward, but you get the drift):

"The Customer, in order to access the Monumental Complex, must be dressed in a decent way. In particularly, inside the Duomo Cathedral of Milan are not allowed clothes with arms and / or low-cut, shorts, miniskirts and hats. At the end of the visit of the Terraces of the Duomo of Milan and della Cava the Customer must wear "comfortable" shoes, taking note of the fact that VFD does not may be held responsible, for any reason, for the consequences deriving from any imprudent and / or negligent behavior of the Customer, any exception already removed by the Customer."

"To access and remain within the Monumental Complex, the Customer must also respect the sacredness of places of prayer, respecting silence and not disturbing the tranquility of others, even activating the silent mode of the mobile, avoiding a high tone of voice and depositing in advance in the appropriate spaces, if any, suitcases, bags, voluminous backpacks and umbrellas, of which VFD cannot be held responsible for any reason, in case of damage, loss and / or theft and that must be compulsorily withdrawn by and under the full responsibility of the Customer at the end of the visit."

https://www.duomomilano.it/it/doc/55...3cc13f80/view/