St Peter's Basilica Guided Tour in Vatican City + Dome Climb, Rome

Kelly was an amazing guide! Even though English wasn't our first language, we understood everything she explained. She m...

Zoë

History and art intermingle on this guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. For an added experience, book the option to go up to the dome!

Details

Duration

3 hours.

Language

The activity takes place with a guide that speaks in English.

Included

English–speaking guide
Admission to St Peter's Basilica
Ascent by elevator and on foot to the dome of St. Peter's Basilica

Supporting documents

Electronic voucher. Have it on your phone.

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible.

Sustainability

All services meet our

Pets

Not allowed.

Frequently asked questions

If you have other questions, contact us

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Any cancellations after this or no-shows on the day will not be refunded.

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour

Free cancellation

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour

Free cancellation

Civitavecchia to Fiumicino Airport Shuttle

Free cancellation

Meeting point

Via Vespasiano 26

Reviews of our customers

8.0

Excellent 1,299 Travelers·72 reviews

July 4, 2026
Zoë
Netherlands
Kelly was an amazing guide! Even though English wasn't our first language, we understood everything she explained. She made sure we had enough time fo...
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September 20, 2026
Anonymous
Charlestown, Ireland
Very nice to hear so much from the knowledgeable tour guide, amazing.
As a couple
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September 3, 2026
Eric
Alicante, Spain
Alishba Was our tour guide. She was friendly, patient, kind and knowledgeable. I highly recommend her!
As a couple
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April 27, 2026
Anonymous
Slovenia
The guide was lovely.
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November 24, 2025
Alejandro Valenzuela
Ushuaia, Argentina
I took the English tour because I couldn't get a spot on the Spanish one, but it was super clear and easy to understand. Titi gave us an excellent and...
Traveling solo
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February 21, 2026
Patricia
Madrid, Spain
Romina was very knowledgeable and was very kind. Thank you Romina!
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January 12, 2026
Robyn Bell
Dublin, Ireland
Anna was an incredible guide, so knowledgeable and gave us interesting facts that we will never forget. We would recommend her to all our friends!
As a couple
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August 28, 2025
Hui
Los Angeles, United States
Kelly was a fantastic tour guide. Due to the jubilee and the new pope, waiting to enter the basilica under the summer sun was not the best experience,...
Traveling solo
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May 11, 2025
Jeannette
Barcelona, Spain
Alishba was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and willing to answer our questions and keep us interested by even asking US questions. She also wa...
With friends
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April 14, 2024
Monique
Italy
Unfortunately our Basilica + Dome climb tour was cancelled due to lack of people in the group, but they suggested the Vatican museum + Sistine Chapel ...
Traveling solo
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History and art intermingle on this guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. For an added experience, book the option to go up to the dome!

St Peter's Basilica Guided Tour + Dome Climb

We'll meet at the indicated time, very close to the Vatican. From this point, we'll walk to St. Peter's Square which will welcome us with its huge colonnades.

Before entering St. Peter's Basilica, we'll explain how this spectacular temple of Christianity was conceived and which renowned artists participated in its design and construction. You'll see that every little detail in the square and on the facade of the basilica has a meaning.

Next, we'll step inside the basilica. We'll admire the countless masterpieces found there, some highlights being the Pietà by Michelangelo and St. Peter's Baldachin canopy by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. We'll learn tons of fun facts about the different pieces we see and, in addition, we'll get to go into the crypt where the tombs of the Popes are located.

After the visit to the temple, we'll hop on an elevator that will take us to the first level of St. Peter's dome.

To reach the top of St. Peter's dome we'll have to climb 320 steps on foot. The effort will be worth it because from the viewpoint located at the top, we'll enjoy the best views of Rome, the Eternal City as we have never seen before!

After marveling at the panoramic view from the dome, we'll descend back down to St. Peter's Basilica, where the tour will end after 1.5-2.5 hours of touring.

Climbing St. Peter's Dome

If you choose the option that includes a visit to St. Peter's Basilica and access to the dome, we'll take an elevator to the first level. From there, we'll climb 320 steps to the top. The effort is worth it for the stunning views of Rome from the summit, offering a perspective of the Eternal City like no other!

After soaking in the panoramic views, we'll descend back to St. Peter's Basilica. Our tour will conclude inside the basilica after about 1.5 hours.

Please note, with the dome ascent option, you'll need to queue twice: once for the elevator and once for the steps. Therefore, the tour could be slowed down by the influx of visitors, especially on busy days.

When Is the Best Time to Go St Peter's Dome?

Like most tourist spots, the best time to visit is when it's least crowded, typically between 7 am and 9 am. The city will still be quiet, and the first rays of sunlight make it the perfect time to climb the dome of St. Peter's.

Opening Hours

These are the opening hours of St. Peter's Dome are:

From October to March: from 8 am to 5 pm
From April to September: from 8 am to 6 pm

Please note that these hours are flexible and subject to change.

Fun Facts About The Dome

The dome measures 136.57 meters (448 feet), from the base to the cross that crowns it.
Although it was designed by the artist Michelangelo in 1546, he died before seeing it finished.
Its diameter is 42.56 meters.
It was inaugurated in 1590.
The basilica's iconic design has inspired many buildings over the years. For instance, you can see a similar dome in the Cathedral Basilica of Mary Queen of the World in Montreal.

Practical Information

St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic church, so it's important to be respectful of the worshippers and pilgrims who are there for religious reasons. Please keep in mind that they will get preference over guided tours.
We'll go through a specific entrance and security checks, so on days with bigger crowds, it might take us longer to get into the basilica.

Don't Want to Go up to the Dome?

On certain days, depending on availability, we offer a guided tour that only includes a guided tour of the basilica.

With this, you'll take a guided tour of the basilica. For this, we'll meet on Via Vespasiano and make our way towards Piazza San Pietro to admire the beauty of the imposing columns. Afterwards, we'll make our way to the basilica and discover all of the treasures which are housed within, such as La Piedad by Michael Angelo, the Bernini sculptures and the incredible mosaics of the grand dome.

Points of interest in Rome

The Pantheon Piazza Navona Piazza di Spagna Trevi Fountain Vatican Museums Vatican Museums Colosseum Roman Forum Castel Sant'Angelo Campo de' Fiori Trastevere Capitoline Museums Baths of Caracalla

Types of activities in Rome

Guided tours and free tours Airport Shuttle Busses in Rome Sightseeing Bus Tours in Rome Day Trips from Rome Food & Wine Experiences in Rome Opera Performances in Rome Amusement parks

Other activities in Rome

Civitavecchia to Fiumicino Airport Shuttle Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour Rome Free Walking Tour Colosseum Tour + Gladiator's Gate Rome Underground Tour Mamertine Prison Ticket + Audio Guide Galleria Borghese Guided Tour Rome: Angels and Demons, the Illuminati Adventure Quest Audience With Pope Leo XIV OMNIA Rome & Vatican Card

History and art intermingle on this guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. For an added experience, book the option to go up to the dome!

St Peter's Basilica Guided Tour + Dome Climb

We'll meet at the indicated time, very close to the Vatican. From this point, we'll walk to St. Peter's Square which will welcome us with its huge colonnades.

After the visit to the temple, we'll hop on an elevator that will take us to the first level of St. Peter's dome.

After marveling at the panoramic view from the dome, we'll descend back down to St. Peter's Basilica, where the tour will end after 1.5-2.5 hours of touring.

Climbing St. Peter's Dome

After soaking in the panoramic views, we'll descend back to St. Peter's Basilica. Our tour will conclude inside the basilica after about 1.5 hours.

When Is the Best Time to Go St Peter's Dome?

Opening Hours

These are the opening hours of St. Peter's Dome are:

From October to March: from 8 am to 5 pm
From April to September: from 8 am to 6 pm

Please note that these hours are flexible and subject to change.

Fun Facts About The Dome

The dome measures 136.57 meters (448 feet), from the base to the cross that crowns it.
Although it was designed by the artist Michelangelo in 1546, he died before seeing it finished.
Its diameter is 42.56 meters.
It was inaugurated in 1590.
The basilica's iconic design has inspired many buildings over the years. For instance, you can see a similar dome in the Cathedral Basilica of Mary Queen of the World in Montreal.

Practical Information

St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic church, so it's important to be respectful of the worshippers and pilgrims who are there for religious reasons. Please keep in mind that they will get preference over guided tours.
We'll go through a specific entrance and security checks, so on days with bigger crowds, it might take us longer to get into the basilica.

Don't Want to Go up to the Dome?

On certain days, depending on availability, we offer a guided tour that only includes a guided tour of the basilica.

St Peter's Basilica Guided Tour