Guided Tours

St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour with Dome Access

Name: St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour with Dome Access
Start: 2024-11-21T08:45:00
End: 2024-11-21T10:45:00
Location: Rome

Tour guide leading a group towards the St. Peter’s Basilica Dome in Rome, highlighting its architectural grandeur

Statues on the St. Peter’s Basilica Terrace

Tour guide leading a group towards the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica Dome in Rome, Italy

St. Peter's Basilica Dome interior view during guided tour, Rome, Italy.

Climb to the very top of Michelangelo’s St. Peter’s Basilica dome, and bask in unparalleled views of the rolling green Castelli Romani hills, the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the opulent Vatican!

Highlights

An expert guide takes you on a journey through the world's largest church and beacon of the Vatican.
Get breathtaking views of the hills all around from your unique vantage point at the crest of the St. Peter’s Basilica's Dome, the highest point in Rome.
Discover the Papal Tombs and artistic wonders housed in the Basilica, like Michelangelo's Pieta sculpture.
Fuel up for the adventure ahead! Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast with an upgraded English or French guided tour.
Fun fact: Bernini designed the square so St. Peter's Basilica stays the focal point. Look closely, every line leads to the basilica!

Inclusions

Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica and Dome with entry
Expert English, Spanish, French, German or Italian-speaking guide
Access by elevator to the base and stairs to the top
Breakfast (for French and English options, if selected)

Exclusions

Entry to Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Entry to the Necropolis / St. Peter’s Tomb / Scavi

Cancellation policy

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

Reviews

4.2

3K ratings

5/5

1.9K

4/5

522

3/5

130

2/5

152

1/5

317

Valdeci

5/5

Nov, 2024

The visit was very pleasant! The view of St. Peter's Square from the top of the dome is incredible! Valentina was our tour guide, and she was very friendly and professional! It was very worthwhile! I recommend it!

View original review in Portuguese

Linda

4/5

Nov, 2024

Great visit to St Peter's & the dome climb was awesome. Guide was very informative & did a good job, only let down was some parts of the church inside covered up for restoration & Saint Pope John Paul ll tomb covered by curtains.

Valentino

5/5

Nov, 2024

The truth is that the guide Valerio (I don't know if it is written like that) French, a genius, speaks perfect Spanish and made the wait and the whole tour of the basilica was excellent. Highly recommended.

View original review in Spanish

Lau

4/5

Nov, 2024

Our guide told us a lot of things and interaction was great. It was a small group, not many people in Vatican City that morning in November 2024. The dome is a must. Thank you

Andrés

5/5

Nov, 2024

Great tour that we did, in Spanish, by the guide Lili, very recommendable experience to know a little more of the Basilica. Climbing the dome is a must of the visit, definitely a great experience.

View original review in Spanish

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Your experience

Ascend to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica

Avoid the crowds and get an intimate glimpse of the treasures of the Vatican on this early-morning guided tour. The tour begins with an exciting climb that involves both a staircase and an elevator to the highest point of Rome’s iconic St. Peter’s Basilica. The view from here is simply breathtaking. The city of Rome, a striking and glorious confluence of the ancient and the modern, stretches past the wetlands and forests of the Riserva Naturale, and all the way to the Tyrrhenian Sea in the southwest. You will see the Vatican and some of Rome’s most famous landmarks bordered by the Castelli Romani hills. Your guide will point out all the attractions and tell you more about these fascinating places in Rome.

Explore St. Peter’s Basilica and the Holy Papal Tombs

Walk back down to terra firma and enter the Basilica after a short break near the entrance. An artistic and architectural marvel designed by geniuses of the Renaissance like Donato Bramante, Lorenzo Bernini, and Michelangelo, St. Peter’s Basilica has become one of the world’s most ostentatious symbols of Christianity. Your guide will tell you all about the beliefs that surround the real location of the tombs of St. Peter and the first Bishop of Rome. Explore Piazza Risorgimento and Piazza San Pietro areas. Admire some of the artistic masterpieces of Bernini and Michelangelo before heading to see the Papal Sarcophagi of the Basilica.

Know before you go

What to bring

Comfortable shoes are recommended.

What's not allowed

Strict dress code: knees and shoulders must be covered for all guests.
Mobile phones must remain in silent mode inside the Basilica.

Accessibility

This experience is not accessible by wheelchair and pram/strollers.
The climb to the Dome's top involves a substantial number of steps and requires a decent level of physical fitness. It is not recommended for people with heart/back conditions, mobility issues, or late-stage pregnancy.

Additional information

Expect a considerable wait at security, especially during peak times. Patience is key, it could take over 2 hours!
Around religious holidays at the Vatican, parts of the tour such as the Papal Tombs may not be open. In this case, the tour of the Basilica itself will be extended.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.
Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled time of your tour to avoid any delays.
Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.