Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore : Guided Tour or Audio Guide
Description
Discover the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore! Choose the experience that suits you best and immerse yourself in 1,500 years of history, art and faith in the heart of Rome. • Behold one of Rome’s four papal basilicas, with their golden roofs and mosaics, which are among the oldest and most valuable in Christendom. • Visit the tomb of Pope Francis and learn about his deep devotion to this temple venerated by Popes over the centuries. • With a guide and in a small group of up to 8 people, discover the treasures that house the basilica, such as the Lodge of Blessings, the Sacred Cradle, the Hall of Popes and the masterpieces of the museum. • With the option of entrance + audio guide, you decide how much time to spend on the visit and what to see on your own and with complete flexibility
Tour Options
Itinerary
With the entrance + audio guide, explore the heart of the basilica, admire the magnificent mosaics of the fifth century, which are among the oldest in Christendom, and the venerated relic of the Sacred Cradle. Discover the fascinating legend of the miraculous August snowfall that gave birth to the basilica and stop at the place Pope Francis has chosen for his eternal rest.
If you prefer a more exclusive experience, choose the semi-private guided tour with a maximum of 8 people : an expert guide will reveal all the secrets of the basilica, including the tomb of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and accompany you to an exclusive area, the Basilica Museum, where you can admire the majestic Hall of Popes, tour the famous Staircase of Bernini and look at the historic Lodge of Blessings, from where the pontiffs blessed the faithful.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(10)
Excellent tour!!!
Estimado 708angeloz, ¡muchas gracias por su opinión! Saludos,
The Basilica of Santa Maria la Mayor is impressive, both for its history and for its exquisite design and decoration. A gem. Pope Francis and other popes are buried here, along with the sculptor Bernini. Additionally, the museum and the underground remains of a Roman house are visited. We congratulate the guide Laura B. It is a pleasure when someone enjoys their work and conveys their enthusiasm to you.
Estimado Manuelcarlosf, ¡gracias por su opinión y por su valoración de nuestra guía Laura! Saludos,
Very beautiful basilica. Impressive decoration. With great historical value. In addition to the tomb of several Popes, there is that of Pope Francis and Bernini's. Also. Visit to the museum and the remains of a Roman house, beneath the Basilica. Laura B. guided us through the visit wonderfully; it is evident that she enjoys her work.
Estimado mar_aolimpias2026, ¡muchas gracias por su opinión! Nos alegra saber que disfrutó de la experiencia durante nuestro tour. Reciba un cordial saludo,
The tour was very informative. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and professional. We had a lovely time seeing the basilica and all of its different levels. We enjoyed learning the history of the basilica.
Dear Marian_D, thank you for your review! We are happy that you enjoyed our Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore tour! Best regards,
We didn't know this church before this visit. How is our second trip to Rome we wanted to see something less touristic. The church is spectacular and has so many curiosities and things to see that the tour got short. Probably in my top 10 to see in Rome! Highly recommended
Estimada elviradF7789CE, ¡muchas gracias por su opinión! Saludos,
Terrible experience - we booked this sunrise tour advertised as early bird exclusive access to the Santa Maria Maggiore and Underground, arriving early as suggested at 7:10am to get set up. We waited until 7:45am with an admin, and our tour guide was over 35 minutes late! By the time we started, the church was full, we were rushed through with no introduction or welcome, half of our headsets not working, with crappy audio. We were here to have a personal, meaningful tour and take in the magnificence of the church, but our experience was the opposite! A quarter of the way through we were told we weren’t allowed underground (what we all paid to see) and at that point, we left the tour. We had a better time exploring the church ourselves, which we could have accessed for free. An impersonal, unprofessional waste of time. Will be seeking compensation for this poor experience.
Dear 431amief, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We regret that the experience did not fully meet your expectations. We will certainly review your comments with the guide involved, as all our tours are led by officially licensed Vatican guides, chosen for their professionalism and enthusiasm. Please note that December 8th is a major religious holiday in Italy (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception), and for this reason a larger number of visitors inside the church is to be expected. Best regards,
Avoid! Attended a tour today where the guide was late (because she was 'having breakfast' whilst we had none to be there on time), meaning by the time it started the church was already full. Not very early bird! She didn't stop to introduce herself or make sure our group could hear her OK through the headphones. We couldn't, and when we asked her to speak into the microphones, she replied with annoyance that she needed 'both hands.' The tour was rushed and extremely difficult to follow with no time for photos. We couldn't see the cradle of the Christ, which was not explained to us until we were in the church and then rushed along, which greatly upset several members of the group. At this point we decided to leave the tour, so I cannot say how the remainder of the tour through the museum was. Overall, you will have a much better time just going into the church (for free, I might add) or buying an additional ticket to the museum for 8 euro. The church is beautiful, but overall this experience was extremely disappointing.
Dear avagovanstone1998, We are sorry to read that your experience did not meet your expectations. We will check with the guide to better understand what happened, as our guides are usually official Vatican guides, selected for their expertise and passion. Regarding the number of people inside the church, as December 8th is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, higher attendance is to be expected due to the holiday. Best regards,
Wonderful to have a private tour at this magnificent Basilica. We would recommend an early tour. Great cafes in the area.
Dear Tonine_M, thank you for your review! We are happy that you enjoyed your tour! Best regards,
I highly recommend this tour, there is a lot of history behind such a colossal monument, our wonder and charm would not have been the same without Matilda, our guide, an enthusiastic person of art history who immerses you in the most important events of the time!
Estimado ailisf2025, ¡muchas gracias por su opinión! Saludos,
I did the Colosseum tour with Giulia... it was very kind and funny, as well as explaining very well! Well Enterprise, respond quickly x WhatsApp if you have any questions!
Estimada 527carlaandread, ¡gracias por su opinión! Nos alegramos de que haya disfrutado de la experiencia de nuestro tour. Saludos,
