St. Peter's Basilica Dome Climb & Grottoes Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore St. Peter's Basilica's rich history
- Climb to the Dome for panoramic city views
- Discover the Vatican Grottoes' hidden treasures
- Learn about Renaissance art and architecture
- Experience Vatican's spiritual ambiance
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica
- Climb to the top of the Dome
- Visit to the Vatican Grottoes
- Skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums
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.
Pass by: All the visited areas are part of the Vatican city.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates in English; check availability for other languages
- Children under 6 years old are free; discounts may apply for children 6-18 years old
- Booking in advance is recommended due to limited group sizes
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable footwear suitable for climbing stairs
- Be prepared for a moderate physical activity level
- Photography is allowed, but tripods are prohibited
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- 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
Traveler reviews
They pushed our tour back...
They pushed our tour back by half an hour the day before due to "overcrowding at the basilica" really it seemed like they had two under sold tours they wanted to add together. Hearing the tour guide chew gum in your ear for three hours was gross and off-putting. I ended up taking out my ear piece and reading plaques. The tour is listed as 1.5 hours but that doesn't account for the hour line to get it that they don't tell you about beforehand. The tour itself took 1.5 hours before we even got into the line to go up the dome which was going to take another hour minimum and at that point we had already missed other afternoon plans and would have been late for dinner reservations so we left before the only part that actually requires a ticket (which they hadn't pre-bought anyway)
Excellent guide. Shared...
Excellent guide. Shared lots of interesting information. Moved at a comfortable pace. Very friendly. The group was a nice size of 20. This was our 3rd tour of Italy with Viator. All 3 had excellent guides! Highly recommend!
Incredibly impressive and informative
Lorenzo, our guide, was really excellent. He was able to tell us many interesting things, making it a well-rounded experience with a personal touch. He is a German guide, but Italian. One parent is German, so he spoke very good German. And very entertaining.
Wow! An amazing Vatican tour with Brigette…
Our tour guide, Bridgette, was not only knowledgeable and smart, she was also very passionate about her subject. In addition, she made us feel comfortable about asking questions. We feel fortunate to have had her as our guide. The next time we visit the Vatican, we will definitely use your tour company.
Truely enjoyable worth booking
This was an exceptional tour our guide Valentino? truely great so knowledgable. We really enjoyed this our favourite tour of Italy.