This church in Milan is one of the largest in the world and took just over 500 years to complete. The inside of the cathedral is a sight to behold for there are hundreds of statues and gargoyles. It is hard to describe this cathedral in words - it is so ornate and beautiful that you are at a loss for words.

You can climb (250 steps) or ride to the roof in which the view is absolutely stunning. Take the stairs to get more of the experience and when you get to the top, it'll be worth the strenuous effort!

Getting to the Duomo is easy for it is accessible by two metro lines (Lines M1 and M3, stop Duomo). From there, it is a simple short walk. Metro tickets cost €1 apiece. The cathedral is open daily from 7am to 7pm whereas the roof is open from 9am to 5:45pm. The stairs are cheap (€4) whereas the elevator cost a bit more (€6).

Tip: Please dress appropriately and make sure your shoulders are covered and that you do not show your knees.

Construction of this ancient church began in 1386, but not completed until the 19th century - when Napoleon was crowned king of Italy.

We walked around the entire Duomo to get our bearings . . . more like gazed wide eyed and open jawed and somehow managed to move one foot in front of the other. Totally amazing . . . you have to see it to truelly understand. The statues and the spectacularity of the details is truelly astounding. Everything seems to tell a story even the doors. And the whole time, I felt as if I was lower on the 'ladder' of life than the sinners as the bottom sculptures. The doors were kinda creepy -- like the ones in the film The Haunting.

Being inside was a conflicting experience. On the one hand we were intruding on people's place of prayer, on the other I wanted to see all the items described in the DK guide book. There's supposed to be a nail from Jesus' cross on display, but the limited access made it difficult to see properly. The stained glass windows also seem to give me the 'bottom of the ladder' feeling. There's an ancient bapistry that you can pay to enter. It's where St Ambrose baptised St Augustine in AD387 -- just remember that all info's in Italian.

And then the big moment we paid to walk up to the roof. Considering how hot it was during our stay (+30 degrees Celcius most days), the step climbing could have been avoided by taking the (more expensive) lift. If you're only in Milan for one day, or a few hours . . . you HAVE to get up to the roof of the Duomo. It's mandatory. I went camera trigger happy up there. And that was just taking pics of the actual Duomo's roof, let alone the city view!

Just be careful to avoid the pigeon feeders as you cross the piazza to get to the Duomo -- they tend to put the feed in your hands without your consent and then . . . the pigeons come.

The spacious interior can keep a congregation of 40.000 god-botherers inside on a good praying day. The cathedral is said to house a nail from Christ's cross, which is publicly displayed once a year (2nd sunday of September). Far more accessible is the Christian baptistry (entrance inside the church, €1), which is build around 378 AD and so predates the church itself by a millenium.

A stairway on the north side of Duomo leads up to the rooftops of the magnificent cathedral (entry €3) - an elevator is also avaliable for those weak of heart or foot, for a slightly steeper price (€5). The rooftop terraces provide an unparalleled close look at the architecture of the Duomo - and one of the best panoramas of Milano. The walk up allows you to burn off some of the italian-food-induced calories and get ready for your next large meal with something akin to a clear conscience.