Tour of St Peter's Basilica with Dome Climb and Grottoes
Description
Start in St. Peter's Square, where the architectural brilliance of Bernini unfolds. Then enter St. Peter's Basilica, a realm adorned with golden ceilings, vibrant marbles, and masterpieces like Michelangelo's Pietà. Delve into the Papal grottoes underground, touching ancient walls and visiting St. Peter's tomb for a profound historical encounter. The grand crescendo awaits as you ascend to the dome's summit, offering both close encounters with intricate mosaics and panoramic views of Rome's iconic landmarks. From this lofty perch at 136 meters, immerse yourself in breathtaking vistas, spotting the Colosseum, Pantheon, and beyond. PLEASE NOTE: In the event that the grottoes or certain areas of St. Peter’s Basilica are closed, your guide will adapt the itinerary by highlighting alternative sites and artworks within the basilica. The overall duration and quality of the tour will remain unchanged. The Dome climb is by stairs only; the elevator is not included in this tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start your tour in St. Peters Square and perceive the all-embracing character of its majestic architecture. Understand the game of visual effects as were thought by its designer, Bernini, and find the two "special" spots in the square.
Then head towards the Basilica to be amazed by its magnificence. See why it took 150 years to rebuild and marvel at the golden ceilings and the impressive mosaics all around you. Let your art-historian guide lead you through renowned masterpieces of Renaissance and Neoclassic art. Be impressed by the harmonious 30-meters-high canopy and appreciate the expressive power and delicate beauty of Michelangelo's "Pietà".
Descend into the underground grottoes and visit St. Peter's tomb. Touch the ancient walls of the original 4th-century basilica and admire the beautiful frescoes.
Then climb your way up to the top of the Dome (by stairs). Enjoy a bird's-eye view over the marble floors and take an exclusive and close-up look at the mosaics of the dome. Climb even higher to find yourself at the top balcony and be amazed by the spectacular panorama over Rome and beyond. Spot the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, and other iconic monuments from the height of 136 meters. Enjoy a breathtaking view of St. Peters Square and the Vatican gardens.
All the visited areas are part of the Vatican city.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- The dome's terrace might not be accessible during bad weather conditions. In that case, you can either ask for a partial refund and visit the Basilica and the grottoes or decide to cancel the tour for a full refund
- An appropriate dress-code is required in order to enter the churches: knees and shoulders should be covered
- Please take into consideration that the lines to clear security checks at the entrance of the square might take 15-120 minutes
- We recommend to wear comfortable walking shoes
- Please note that you will be required to pass through metal detectors at the entrance of the square
- The meeting point is outside the Basilica before entering St. Peter's square and the security checks
- The Vatican Necropoli is not part of this tour
- We might not be able to accommodate, refund or reschedule late arrivals
- Strollers are not allowed in the Basilica. There is a luggage deposit at the entrance of the basilica where you can leave the stroller
- Please note that this is not a skip-the-line tour
- Please provide the full names of all travellers when booking. The tickets are nominative, therefore, failure to present a voucher with all travellers' full names may result in denied entry
- Each traveller must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the same name provided at the time of booking for a successful entry
- PLEASE NOTE: In the event that the grottoes or certain areas of St. Peter’s Basilica are closed, your guide will adapt the itinerary by highlighting alternative sites and artworks within the basilica. As a result, the overall duration and quality of the tour will remain unchanged
- Pets are not allowed inside the Basilica
- The Dome climb is by stairs only; the elevator is not included in this tour
- Not recommended for travellers with claustrophobia
- Not recommended for travellers with vertigo
Reviews(2,529)
It was a great tour. Silvia provided us with a lot of interesting historical background and side facts and guided us well through all the other visitors.
Silvia, our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Enjoyed the tour.
Franchesca was an amazing guide thoroughly enjoyed the experience with her Climbing the dome at the end was amazing and a little claustrophobic
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica guided tour with Francesca.
Valentine was a fantastic tour guide. He was very informative. A definite highlight of our stay in Italy
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica tour with Valentin.
Amazing St Peter’s Basilica tour given by Silvia from Touriks!
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica tour with us!
The tour was great. Tour guide was very helpful and knowledgeable. The inside was so beautiful. Incredible.
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica guided tour with us :)
Alysia, our guide, was amazing. Nice to have the info as we walked. Bring water bottles. The elevator up had a 40 min wait so we did the 551 stairs and it was okay. The dome allowed you to see the mosaics, piece by piece and understand how they are not painting. Very beautiful, take a moment to feel the energy of this place-very powerful.
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica tour with us.
Ting was amazing, great details, very passionate about the church, its contents and importance. Kept close eye on the tour group, very busy. Highly recommended.
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica guided tour with Ting!
Lorenzo was a very good tour guide and the bisilicca itself was very beautiful. I recommend you do the dome to view the city from the very top
Thank you, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica guided tour with Lorenzo!
Great tour guide, very knowledgeable. Learned new things and I’ve been in St Peter’s a half dozen times.
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica guided tour.
