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St Peter's Basilica Tour: Dome, Crypt, and Art
4.7
309 Ratings
Roma
Immerse yourself in the history, architecture, and lore of St. Peter’s Basilica with this all-access tour. Avoid long lines and climb up into the titanic dome for amazing views of Rome.
Immerse yourself in the history, architecture, and lore of St. Peter’s Basilica with this all-access tour. Avoid long lines and climb up into the titanic dome for amazing views of Rome.
Duration:
2 hours, 45 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- St. Peter’s Square - Meet the guide just outside the entrance to St. Peter’s Square and bypass the crowds to enter the magnificent Renaissance-era basilica. An elevator takes you to the dome’s first terrace, where you are surrounded by stunning artwork, and then 231 steps lead you to one of the most breathtaking views of Rome—from the square below…
- St. Peter’s Square - Meet the guide just outside the entrance to St. Peter’s Square and bypass the crowds to enter the magnificent Renaissance-era basilica. An elevator takes you to the dome’s first terrace, where you are surrounded by stunning artwork, and then 231 steps lead you to one of the most breathtaking views of Rome—from the square below to the expanse across the Tiber.
- St. Peter’s Basilica - Next, embark on a journey through the basilica itself as the guide reveals the splendor of one of the most sacred sites in the Catholic world. Marvel at the intricate details of the baldachin designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, set within the space crafted by Michelangelo, and visit the renowned bronze statue of St. Peter holding the keys to heaven. Another unique experience awaits beneath the basilica, where the guide offers a rare glimpse into the crypts of the Vatican grotto. With over 100 tombs containing popes, Catholic monarchs, and notable figures, the crypts provide a journey through nearly 2,000 years of church history before you conclude the tour with the guide.
What's Included
- Pre-reserved tickets to climb St Peter’s Basilica Dome with elevator access
- Groups of max 20 people
- Expert English local guide
- Pre-reserved tickets to climb St Peter’s Basilica Dome with elevator access
- Groups of max 20 people
- Expert English local guide
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Additional Information
Maximize your visit to St. Peter’s Basilica with an all-access tour that includes priority entry, a dome climb, and a visit to the papal crypt. By starting early, you can enjoy St. Peter’s Square without the usual daytime crowds. Ascend to the top of the dome for breathtaking views of the capital. Explore the basilica to appreciate Michelangelo’s ‘La…
Maximize your visit to St. Peter’s Basilica with an all-access tour that includes priority entry, a dome climb, and a visit to the papal crypt. By starting early, you can enjoy St. Peter’s Square without the usual daytime crowds. Ascend to the top of the dome for breathtaking views of the capital. Explore the basilica to appreciate Michelangelo’s ‘La Pietà’ and other notable features, concluding with a visit to the papal crypt — a location often overlooked by other tour groups. The tour is limited to 20 participants for a more intimate experience.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- After the terrace where the elevator stops, there are still 320 steps to climb to reach the very top.
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- All guests (including children) must bring ID on the day of their tour.
- Due to the religious nature of the Vatican, all individuals regardless of gender must cover their shoulders and knees. Walks cannot be held responsible for those denied entry.
- Please note: starting December 2024, access to St. Peter’s Basilica may be limited due to the Vatican’s Jubilee Year 2025, which includes special events and ceremonies. These closures are determined by the Vatican and are beyond our control. Thank you for your understanding.
- The full names of all participants must be provided at the time of booking and must match the names on the ID/Passport. Name changes are not permitted.
- Walks Tours is an Accredited Tour Operator with an official ticketing agreement with the Vatican Museums.
Location
Piazza della Città Leonina
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at Caffè Leonina, Piazza della Città Leonina, 5. The closest metro stop is Ottaviano.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(309 Ratings)
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Tara_m
Jul 23, 2025
Wonderful! Our tour guide... - Wonderful! Our tour guide was witty, funny and full of knowledge. The trip to the dome was many stairs, but worth the view of St Peter’s square.
Review provided by Viator
Jan_a
Jun 30, 2025
Great tour as we skipped... - Great tour as we skipped the line. Sev our guide was fantastic. He had a massive knowledge of history and told all the stories brilliantly with enormous enthusiasm. We had a great time.
Review provided by Viator
Jeremy_r
Jun 26, 2025
Good tour from a great... - Good tour from a great guide. The Vatican as a whole is crazy this year, so expect the itinerary to be “loose”. Our guide was great at improvising though. Only bummer was the crypts were closed to the public.
Review provided by Viator
Maria_c
Jun 8, 2025
Excellent guide! - Ambra was an excellent guide. She was knowledgeable and led the group effectively through the extremely busy space.
Review provided by Viator
Limerick47
May 31, 2025
Lots of steps but the view is worth it all!! - This is a fabulous tour of the basillica, dome, crypts. Although it was very crowded with the Jubilee, our Guide Valentina took all the crowds and Vatican bureaucracy with ease. I really enjoyed her knowledge of the art history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laura_l
May 20, 2025
Informative. Well -paced. Enjoyable. - Very informative. Antonella was our guide. She was knowledgeable and also knew to keep it pertinent and interesting. The dome climb is arduous. Make sure you are able bodied and can handle brief tight spaces. But very worth it. Our adult kids very much enjoyed this. We did visit the day after Pope Leo’s first mass so the chairs and fencing was being taken down which caused a significant back up of humans exiting the Basilica. But that was to be expected. We had just the 5 of us and two others in our group. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Karan_d
Jul 24, 2025
Fast and Quick Tour - A good tour in terms of time saving. The guide knew the best places to go in and out fast. Did not have to queue a lot. Went to the Crypt, Dome and Bascilla. We saw the respected Pope's house and office as well (from outside).
I wish the guide (Gloria) had given more interesting information about the Bascilla itself as compared to the information rgearding the Pope's have been buried there. A lot of Catholic terminology used which not everyone in the tour would understand immediately.
Review provided by Viator
Desiree_s
Jul 2, 2025
Mass halted parts of the tour - With it being the jubilee year, we were waiting a lot for a mass to finish to be able to partake in the crypt and the Dome. We were able to climb, which was so worth every step, but couldn't see the interior until mass was over. Not the guides fault, just an unfortunate experience.
Review provided by Viator
Mary_s
Jun 29, 2025
Very good experience. The... - Very good experience. The dome was awesome! Our guide was very knowledgeable. We only had 8 on the tour which made it great.
You will not see the pieta unless you go through Holy Door. That side of the church is behind a curtain. Holy Door access is not included with this tour.
Be aware even if you have skip the access tickets there can be a long wait. We had an hour wait in the 90 degree day. They closed the Basicilia for a while prior to our tour ( Pope had a meeting) this made for a very long wait. Make sure you have water.
Review provided by Viator
Scott_a
Jun 27, 2025
Not dependable - Our tour never happened. We were at the meeting point well in advance—and confirmed the meeting point with other guides familiar with our tour company. But our tour company never showed up and did not respond to our messages for updates or guidance. And they provided no advance notice that they would not be there. We later learned that a Mass was being held at the Basilica which temporarily closed access to the Basilica—however our tour company (after repeated messages) simply replied three hours after our meeting time that they do not monitor the Viator message platform. This is only one experience, but it makes us wary of this tour company. Viator said it would help us get a refund—we shall see.
Review provided by Viator
