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Guided Tours

St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour with Dome Access

St. Peter’s Basilica Dome view from the rooftop in Rome during a guided tour.
Statues on the  St. Peter’s Basilica Terrace
Visitors on St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Terrace in Rome, Italy, overlooking cityscape.
View from St. Peter’s Basilica Dome overlooking Vatican City rooftops and Rome skyline.

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

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4.2
3.1K ratings
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Guests from United States, France, Spain and over 71 countries have loved this experience
Ligia Ioana Damian

Ligia

5/5

Feb, 2025

We had a great experience visiting for the first time the great Basilica St Peter. We had an amazing guide, her name is Alexandra from Best Tour and we recommend her 100%. She managed to give life to everything by telling stories and facts about the whole Basilica. We can not imagine this experience without a guide like her.
Harold Halberstadt

Harold

5/5

Feb, 2025

Percussing the tkts was easy and you were the only company that has tkts for the day I wanted. The tourguide for the cathedral visit was something special and she added tons to the splendor of the site.
THU THUY NGUYEN

Thu

5/5

Feb, 2025

Karen was an amazing guide! You can tell she's passionate about her job and love sharing what she learned about the basilica. Was very satisfied with the tour.
Diampanga MAKITO Benito

Diampanga

5/5

Feb, 2025

Visit of February 4, 2025: I'd like to take the time to write this review because the visit I had to St. Peter's Basilica in the "Vatican" and (not Rome ^^) was one of my favorites that I've done all-Time. Indeed, a big big up to the guide I'll always remember, Federico, who was incredible, making the experience immersive and unique for me and my 2 other friends, who aren't much into guided tours and aren't too interested in history. I imagine the impression was the same for the other people who had taken part in the tour. We had selected a tour in French, and Federico frankly blew us away with his level of French, which I find charming and captivating. This tour was unique, and he made us feel privileged in that he gave us funny but important anecdotes that all the other guides didn't have at all, given that he had worked for a long time as a guide at the basilica. Funny, cultured and amusing, there's no shortage of superlatives to describe this guide, who impressed me: as a guide myself at the Louvre, Orsay, Château de Versailles and other monuments in Paris, I was so proud and happy to attend his visit, since his acting and information alone enhance and elevate our profession as guides. What's more, thanks to his contacts and friendliness with his colleagues at the Basilica, he got us to the places we wanted to visit much more quickly, and avoided us waiting in line in many places: at the security checkpoint, then access to the church and many other places besides. He told us at the start of the tour that he didn't consider himself to be the best guide to the Vatican and Rome, but I'm not afraid to say that there aren't any better than him at the moment, and even in France he'd outrank quite a few. There are a lot of photos, but here are just a few of those taken during our visit, and of Federico, who was a wonderful guide. Thank you to the agency for giving us this guide. If I come to Rome again, I won't hesitate to book with you, you made our Vatican day unforgettable. Benito
View original review in French
Gaby Florencia Loyola

Gaby

4/5

Feb, 2025

The experience itself was good, but the guide did not speak Spanish clearly, a lot of mixture between Italian and Spanish which made it difficult for us to understand, but we still managed to understand something.
View original review in Spanish

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.

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.

  • 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.

Meeting point

  • Please check your final voucher for the meeting point details and specific instructions.

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