Kelly was an amazing guide! Even though English wasn't our first language, we understood everything she explained. She m...
Zoë
History and art intermingle on this guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. For an added experience, book the option to go up to the dome!
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Any cancellations after this time or no-shows on the day will not be refunded.
Via Vespasiano 26
If you have other questions, contact us
Zoë
NetherlandsKelly was an amazing guide! Even though English wasn't our first language, we understood everything she explained. She made sure we had enough time fo...
Anonymous
Charlestown, IrelandVery nice to hear so much from the knowledgeable tour guide, amazing.
Eric
Alicante, SpainAlishba Was our tour guide. She was friendly, patient, kind and knowledgeable. I highly recommend her!
Anonymous
SloveniaThe guide was lovely.
Alejandro Valenzuela
Ushuaia, ArgentinaI took the English tour because I couldn't get a spot on the Spanish one, but it was super clear and easy to understand. Titi gave us an excellent and...
Patricia
Madrid, SpainRomina was very knowledgeable and was very kind. Thank you Romina!
Robyn Bell
Dublin, IrelandAnna was an incredible guide, so knowledgeable and gave us interesting facts that we will never forget. We would recommend her to all our friends!
Hui
Los Angeles, United StatesKelly was a fantastic tour guide. Due to the jubilee and the new pope, waiting to enter the basilica under the summer sun was not the best experience,...
Jeannette
Barcelona, SpainAlishba was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and willing to answer our questions and keep us interested by even asking US questions. She also wa...
Monique
ItalyUnfortunately our Basilica + Dome climb tour was cancelled due to lack of people in the group, but they suggested the Vatican museum + Sistine Chapel ...
History and art intermingle on this guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. For an added experience, book the option to go up to the dome!
We'll meet at the indicated time, very close to the Vatican. From this point, we'll walk to St. Peter's Square which will welcome us with its huge colonnades.
Before entering St. Peter's Basilica, we'll explain how this spectacular temple of Christianity was conceived and which renowned artists participated in its design and construction. You'll see that every little detail in the square and on the facade of the basilica has a meaning.
Next, we'll step inside the basilica. We'll admire the countless masterpieces found there, some highlights being the Pietà by Michelangelo and St. Peter's Baldachin canopy by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. We'll learn tons of fun facts about the different pieces we see and, in addition, we'll get to go into the crypt where the tombs of the Popes are located.
After the visit to the temple, we'll hop on an elevator that will take us to the first level of St. Peter's dome.
To reach the top of St. Peter's dome we'll have to climb 320 steps on foot. The effort will be worth it because from the viewpoint located at the top, we'll enjoy the best views of Rome, the Eternal City as we have never seen before!
After marveling at the panoramic view from the dome, we'll descend back down to St. Peter's Basilica, where the tour will end after 1.5-2.5 hours of touring.
If you choose the option that includes a visit to St. Peter's Basilica and access to the dome, we'll take an elevator to the first level. From there, we'll climb 320 steps to the top. The effort is worth it for the stunning views of Rome from the summit, offering a perspective of the Eternal City like no other!
After soaking in the panoramic views, we'll descend back to St. Peter's Basilica. Our tour will conclude inside the basilica after about 1.5 hours.
Please note, with the dome ascent option, you'll need to queue twice: once for the elevator and once for the steps. Therefore, the tour could be slowed down by the influx of visitors, especially on busy days.
Like most tourist spots, the best time to visit is when it's least crowded, typically between 7 am and 9 am. The city will still be quiet, and the first rays of sunlight make it the perfect time to climb the dome of St. Peter's.
These are the opening hours of St. Peter's Dome are:
Please note that these hours are flexible and subject to change.
On certain days, depending on availability, we offer a guided tour that only includes a guided tour of the basilica.
With this, you'll take a guided tour of the basilica. For this, we'll meet on Via Vespasiano and make our way towards Piazza San Pietro to admire the beauty of the imposing columns. Afterwards, we'll make our way to the basilica and discover all of the treasures which are housed within, such as La Piedad by Michael Angelo, the Bernini sculptures and the incredible mosaics of the grand dome.
If you have other questions, contact us
Via Vespasiano 26
Zoë
NetherlandsKelly was an amazing guide! Even though English wasn't our first language, we understood everything she explained. She made sure we had enough time fo...
Anonymous
Charlestown, IrelandVery nice to hear so much from the knowledgeable tour guide, amazing.
Eric
Alicante, SpainAlishba Was our tour guide. She was friendly, patient, kind and knowledgeable. I highly recommend her!
Anonymous
SloveniaThe guide was lovely.
Alejandro Valenzuela
Ushuaia, ArgentinaI took the English tour because I couldn't get a spot on the Spanish one, but it was super clear and easy to understand. Titi gave us an excellent and...
Patricia
Madrid, SpainRomina was very knowledgeable and was very kind. Thank you Romina!
Robyn Bell
Dublin, IrelandAnna was an incredible guide, so knowledgeable and gave us interesting facts that we will never forget. We would recommend her to all our friends!
Hui
Los Angeles, United StatesKelly was a fantastic tour guide. Due to the jubilee and the new pope, waiting to enter the basilica under the summer sun was not the best experience,...
Jeannette
Barcelona, SpainAlishba was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and willing to answer our questions and keep us interested by even asking US questions. She also wa...
Monique
ItalyUnfortunately our Basilica + Dome climb tour was cancelled due to lack of people in the group, but they suggested the Vatican museum + Sistine Chapel ...
Free cancellation
Free cancellation
Free cancellation