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Tour of St Peter's Basilica: Guided Dome Climb and Grottoes Exploration in Small Groups
4.6
1,801 Ratings
Roma
Embark on an extensive guided exploration of St. Peter’s Basilica and ascend to its dome for the most stunning panoramic view of Rome.
Witness the splendors of art and architecture produced by globally renowned Renaissance artists. Opt for a semi-private group capped at 10 members or a small group limited to 20 participants.
Duration:
1 hour, 45 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- St. Peter’s Square - 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.
- St. Peter’s Basilica - 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”.
- Vatican Grottoes - 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.
- Cupola di San Pietro - Then climb your way up to the top of the Dome. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view over the marble floors and take an exclusive and close-up look at the mosaics of the dome.
Go 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.
What's Included
- Professional art-historian guide
- Thorough guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica
- Sterilized headsets to hear clearly your guide
- Guided tour of St. Peter Dome
- Entry fees to the top of the Dome
- Full on-site assistance
What's Not Included
- The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are not part of this tour
- This tour does not skip the line (neither the security checks one nor the dome’s elevator one)
Additional Information
- 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 Museums and the Sistine Chapel are not part of this tour
- 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
- Not recommended for travellers with claustrophobia
- Not recommended for travellers with vertigo
Location
Largo del Colonnato, 5
Largo del Colonnato
Meet your guide at Largo del Colonnato, 5, by the first columns of the Colonnade. Look for a yellow label with TOURIKS written on it. Please be at the meeting point 20 minutes before the starting time. The meeting point is outside the Basilica before entering St. Peter's square.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(1801 Ratings)
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Clifford_s
May 25, 2024
A great tour of St Peter’s Basilica - The size & beauty of the Basilica.
Valentin was a very knowledgeable and pleasant guide . He made the tour fun .
Review provided by Viator
Iliyanau2024
May 24, 2024
Wonderful - Great experiense with Valentin as our guide. He was very Kind and gave us so much information about the history of St Peter's church
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_a
May 22, 2024
Paul at Saint Peter’s Bascilica - Whirl wind tour of Rome……..St Peter’s Basilica was the best tour we experienced. Paul, our tour guide was very knowledgeable and passionate for Saint Peter’s. Where the Spirit of God and frailty and flawed essence of man come together. Leaving with a more full heart for Rome, the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Small group (10) made the presentation very intimate and interesting. The 2 hours passed in a flash. Highly recommend. Would love to tour the entire city with this guide.
Review provided by Viator
Sandra_c
May 21, 2024
Fantastic tour! - What an awesome tour from start to finish.
We had Paul as our tour guide and my only regret was that he was so “chill” we didn’t realize he was not coming with us for the dome climb at the end and missed being able to tip him. He was incredibly knowledgeable and we learned so much from him. We loved his vibe and would recommend this tour outside of the long line wait (if you have a bad back)… standing still for long periods was hard on us and the line took over an hour… that said, we knew what we signed up for and this would be a possibility. It was not a “skip the line” tour. We loved the tour, the guide and the organization of it all!!
Review provided by Viator
Alex_r
May 21, 2024
Great Tour Guide - The toure guide made the whole experience so much more memorable. Her knowledge of the history and the artifacts was delivered in a way that made it interesting and fun.
Review provided by Viator
740sarandah
May 21, 2024
Really great! - Silvia was great, such a friendly and kind guide, gave us a lot of information! We enjoyed it a lot! Thanks again Silvia, keep up the great work!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bradbilski
May 20, 2024
Definitely worth the trip! - Our guide was so knowledgeable about the topic and history of St. Peter's. He was funny and polite. Our time in line passed quickly.
Review provided by Viator
Donna_p
May 26, 2024
Ok option - Lines were long so highly recommend finding a skip the line option. Guide’s English was a little hard to follow. She did find a way for us to bypass the line to climb the dome.
Review provided by Viator
William_g
May 26, 2024
Don’t try this - especially on a weekend - We bought tickets and then waited in line 4 hours in the sun and never got in because we were told 20-120 min. We did not get a refund. Please also note that tickets cost an additional $20 in fees. It seemed like a great idea. It was not.
Review provided by Viator
Samuel_w
May 20, 2024
Not worth the money - Not worth the money. Had to wait two hours to get in. Language needs to be specified more obviously. The whole tour was in Italian. Left because we couldn’t understand anything. It’s actually free to go inside the church. I would’ve rather just went in and looked around for free.
Review provided by Viator
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