1. Milan: Milan Cathedral & Terraces Exclusive After-Hours Tour
Discover Milan Cathedral and its terraces on an exclusive guided tour after they have closed to the public. Snap photos of the city in the evening light from the rooftop. Explore over six centuries of history, marvel at the stained-glass windows up close, and watch as the cathedral is closed up. Meet your expert guides, Marilena and Victor, and get a brief introduction to the cathedral. Then, take the elevator up to visit the Milan Duomo Rooftops as everyone else is leaving. Discover a myriad of gargoyles, statues, spires, and more. Admire the stunning city views and the gold Madonnina. Then, walk down the stairs and into the empty cathedral for an exclusive tour without the usual crowds. Take in a Gothic cathedral church that was six centuries in the making — with 34,000 statues, 135 spires, 55 stained glass windows, and 150 gargoyles, you can see why it took so long. Have fun finding your zodiac sign in the marble tiles and learning how this unusual solar calendar works. Be surprised — and perhaps horrified — by the statue of the tortured St Bartholomew. Take photos of statues that have been standing on the columns in the Duomo for over 600 years. Visit the retrochoir to admire the monumental stained glass windows that draw your gaze when in the nave. Marvel at the stories from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Apocalypse, and learn about the unusual ingredients used to make the bright colors of the paints. While in this area, open your eyes wide to take in the largest musical organ in Italy — the grand organ of Milan Cathedral has 15,800 pipes ranging from a few centimeters to several meters, covered with elaborate doors adorned with scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Get exclusive access to the Feriale Chapel, which visitors don't usually get a chance to visit. See the stained glass windows and intricate carvings of the wooden choir up close. Be moved by the intimate atmosphere of this small chapel, usually used for mass when visitors take over the cathedral. Finally, watch as Milan Cathedral is closed down for the night. Witnessing all the lights that illuminate the whole cathedral be turned off before the doors are closed is a truly one-of-a-kind experience.