Tickets are sold on arrival, subject to availability, or reserved online at a fixed time. A dome ticket includes basilica entry, used at least 90 minutes before the dome time. No, the elevator does not reach the top: it stops at the terrace, and the last 320 steps end in a narrow sloping passage.
A full visit takes about one hour. Visitors may turn back if the ascent becomes difficult, but the final spiral is one-way. Rain does not close the climb; only extreme weather does. Children who climb stairs unassisted manage it; it is unsuitable for small children and anyone with heart problems, vertigo, claustrophobia, or limited mobility.