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St. Peter's Basilica: Early Morning Guided Tour + Dome & Vatican Grottoes Access

Enjoy a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica and gaze over Rome from the dome

★ 4.7 · 204 ratings2 hr 15 min

From€60.26Price updates with your selection.

Ornate, gold-trimmed church ceiling with detailed frescoes, a central dome, and decorative pillars. Bright light shines from the dome.

Marble statues featuring a seated figure with a raised hand, surrounded by other figures and intricate carvings in an ornate setting.

Ornate interior of a grand cathedral with golden domes, columns, and religious inscriptions. A black altar stands in the center.

Front façade of a classical building with statues of robed figures and Latin inscription on the pediment.

Aerial view of St. Peter's Square in Vatican City with an obelisk at the center, bordered by colonnades and buildings.

Duration2 hr 15 min

LocationRome

Languages3 tour languages

The experience

Enjoy a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica and gaze over Rome from the dome

Gaze over the rooftops of Rome from the pinnacle of St. Peter's Basilica, and enjoy the most spectacular sightseeing experience in the Eternal City.

Join an expert Vatican tour guide and make your way up the steps to the magnificent dome of St. Peter's Basilica, where the panorama of Rome's epic cityscape will unfurl before you. Descend from the dome and make your way inside the world's largest and most beautiful church on a tour of masterpieces by Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and more.

After seeing some of the most prestigious art to ever come out of the Renaissance, it's time to descend to the crypts of Christendom's most famous church. The Vatican Grottoes contain the tombs of around 90 popes, including John Paul II.

What’s included

Early access to St. Peter’s Basilica
Entry ticket to St. Peter’s Dome
Access to the Vatican Grottoes
Live guide
Guided tour
Headset to hear the guide

Not included

Skip-the-Line service

Where to go

St. Peter's Basilica

Fontane delle Tiare, Largo del Colonnato

View meeting point mapLocal timezone: Europe/Rome

Before you book

Important visitor information

Must know

Not wheelchair-accessible

Tour subject to weather and liturgical events

Entry to St. Peter's Basilica is free of charge. In peak times, you could wait in line for up to 25 minutes to enter

Before purchase

Kids under 6 can join for free, no ticket required

There is an elevator for a part of the dome ascent, but you must still climb 380 steps to get to the top

Good to know

You do not have to climb the dome if you do not feel comfortable doing so! Families with small children, senior visitors, or anyone who can't or doesn't want to climb the steps can wait at the café area.

How to use

Meet at 7:45 for a prompt 08:00 departure by the Tiare fountain (Fontana delle Tiare). If you are facing St. Peter's Basilica, follow the pillars to the right until you come to the fountain to the right of two archways

Your guide will be holding an Italia Tours signboard

Do not go through the metal detectors before meeting the guide

After the tour you can stay inside the basilica

To access St. Peter's Basilica, please consider that from June to the end of August there could be long lines and the waiting time could be up to 30 minutes

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