More about: Skip-the-line Tickets for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome: How to Buy, Prices and Opening Hours
Built over the tomb of Saint Peter, St. Peter's Basilica is where the Pope prays to the whole world today. Among the things you have to do in Rome, visiting St. Peter's Basilica can be a very interesting experience, but only if you know a few tips to avoid the endless queues.
Guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica
Visit the most iconic places in the Vatican without worrying about queuing
On this guided tour, lasting approximately 2.5 hours, you will explore St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums with an expert guide and skip the lines.
With this complete guided tour of the Vatican, you will enjoy a two-and-a-half-hour tour full of architecture, art and history, during which you will learn all about St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums thanks to the detailed explanations of an expert guide.
You will also be able to admire the famous paintings by Italian Renaissance artists such as Caravaggio, Raphael and Michelangelo. All this without having to queue. And if you wish, you can request headphones to hear all the explanations clearly and not miss a single detail.
Recommended if... you are short on time during your trip to Rome, this is the ideal experience as it will allow you to skip the queue and take a complete tour of St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums.
St. Peter's Basilica: Guided Tour + Dome Access
Admire Rome from the dome of St. Peter's Basilica and explore the basilica without queuing
1 hour 45 minute guided tour with an art historian, access to the dome and a tour of the basilica's treasures with direct entry.
With this guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica and its dome, you will climb to the top of the dome with an art historian, see the Renaissance mosaics up close and enjoy 360° views of St. Peter's Square, the Vatican Gardens and the skyline of Rome. On your way down, you will have direct access to the interior of the temple —without queuing— to see Michelangelo's Pietà, Bernini's Baldacchino and other sculptural gems with expert commentary from your guide.
Unlike the tour that includes the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, this experience focuses exclusively on the basilica and its dome, ideal for those who want a shorter but equally intense visit to the spiritual heart of the Vatican without repeating spaces or spending additional time in the museums.
Recommended if... you are looking for the best panoramic view of Rome and an in-depth tour of St. Peter's Basilica, all in less than two hours and without queuing.
The best way to skip the queues: the guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica
The interior of St. Peter's Basilica is so impressively rich in detail that taking an organised tour is the perfect way to make sure you don't miss a thing. On this comprehensive guided tour of the Vatican, you will have an official guide at your disposal, an expert in the symbolism and art you will see inside St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums, as well as the huge advantage of not having to queue.
If your goal is to focus exclusively on the basilica and enjoy the views from the top, you can also opt for the guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica with access to the dome. In just 1 hour and 45 minutes, an art historian will take you, without queuing at the entrance, to the mosaics of the dome and then through the treasures of the temple — ideal for those who do not want to spend additional time in the Vatican Museums.
How to book your guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica
- First of all, you should know that admission to St. Peter's Basilica is completely free. If you want to visit this place on your own, you can do so without a guide or reservation. The queues to get in without being part of an organised tour are quite long. The only way to avoid them is by booking a guided tour that gives you direct access to the interior and an expert guide!
- When you book any of the tours, you will receive a confirmation email, so it is very important that you provide a valid email address that you normally use when making purchases. Check that everything is correct in the email and save it so that you have it handy to show the guide.
- If for any reason you do not want to take the tour after booking it, don't worry, you can get a refund, but you must start the refund process within 24 hours of the tour time. You will find the instructions in the email.
Timetables and how to get to St. Peter's Basilica
- St. Peter's Basilica opens its doors at 7 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. in summer (April-September) and at 6:30 p.m. in winter (October-March). On Wednesdays, the Basilica is closed to the public for the papal audience and resumes its normal schedule at 1 p.m.
- The best time to visit St. Peter's Basilica is usually first thing in the morning, when the doors open, until 9 a.m. In any case, I recommend checking the Vatican calendar in advance to avoid any events that may alter the opening hours and visitor numbers.
- To get to St. Peter's Basilica in Piazza San Pietro, it is best to take the metro line A to the Ottaviano - San Pietro stop. Don't miss the theatrical grandeur of the walk to the square.
- As I mentioned, admission to the basilica is free. Only the Sacristy and the Treasury Museum, as well as the dome, require a specific ticket.
- Remember the dress code that applies to all places of worship in Rome: shoulders and knees must be covered, which means you cannot wear shorts, skirts or sleeveless T-shirts.
- If you have any further questions, check out my guide with the best tips for visiting the Vatican.
Also visit the Vatican Museums
This option, which includes a visit to the Vatican Museums as well as St. Peter's Basilica, is ideal, as the Vatican Museums are home to the crown jewel of the Holy See: the Sistine Chapel. There are also other rooms of great interest, such as the Raphael Rooms, the Vatican Pinacoteca and the Gallery of Maps.
Your experience at the Vatican Museums will be led by an official Vatican guide who will offer you an in-depth view of the rooms you visit.
What to do after this tour
If your visit has made you hungry and you want to grab a bite to eat in the Vatican area, beware of the tourist traps in this part of the city. Here are some places to eat near the Vatican so you can leave with a good taste in your mouth.
And after visiting the seat of Christianity at its peak, you may want to go back to the origins of this religion. A visit to the Catacombs of Rome is a fascinating experience, as you can see the tombs of some of the first popes and the artistic and religious expressions of the early Christians. For information about tours of the city's underground world, click here: Catacombs of Rome Tickets and Tours
And here's a post about what to do in Rome to help you plan the rest of your trip.