Private Tour of St Peter's Basilica with Dome Climb and Grottoes
Description
Combine a thorough guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica with a climb to the top of the dome (by stairs) for the best panoramic view of Rome. Discover marvels of art and architecture created by world-famous masters of the Renaissance with a private art historian. 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. The Dome climb is by stairs only; the elevator is not included in this tour.
Tour Options
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.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note that you will be required to pass through metal detectors at the entrance of the square
- Wear comfortable walking shoes: a moderate amount of walking is involved
- Please be aware that the lines to clear security checks at the entrance of the square might take 15-120 minutes
- 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
- The meeting point is outside the Basilica before entering St. Peter's square and the security checks
- Please note that this is not a skip-the-line tour
- St. Peter Basilica or its dome can be subject to partial unforeseen closures due to Vatican Administration
- 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
- Not recommended for travellers with claustrophobia
- Not recommended for travellers with vertigo
Reviews(44)
Sara Cristofanelli was an excellent guide. Spoke good English, was very efficient with our time, experienced guide with in depth knowledge of the history and art - paintings, mosaics, fresco’s, and sculptures. We would ask for Sara again for a private tour in the future.
Thank you so much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our St. Peter's Basilica guided tour with Sara!!
This really was an excellent tour which included St Peters square, the Basilica, a climb to the top of the Cupola providing outstanding views of Rome and a visit to the Grottoes beneath the altar of the Basilica. Our guide was full of facts and interesting information, which were put across in a friendly conversational manner. Thoroughly recommended!
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the guided tour with us at St. Peter's Basilica!
This was a well organised tour conducted by Francesca whose knowledge was considerable but focussed on the main sights of interest. The dome climb was challenging but well worth the effort for the stupendous views of Rome.
Thank you. We truly appreciate the feedback about our guided tour and Francesca who made the experience better for you!
Very good explanations from Barbara , very professional guide who gave us very important historical information
Very good visit done by Barbara ! Interesting and very knowledgeable person. Sometimes she speaks and walk too fas but she is very dynamic
A Very pleasant visit with Barbara ! We recommand her. It was a pleasure. We will come back for sure. Ciao and Grazie Barbara !!!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback! We are very happy to hear you enjoyed your time inside the St. Peter's Basilica with Barbara and we hope to see you again very soon on one of our tours here in Rome! :)
We had an extremely good guide. We already visited the Sint Pieters basiliek before but our guide Volodymyr had so much more to tell and knew every detail of the basiliek. We could ask him everything so the tour was really very custom made.
Thank you very much for sharing your feedback! We are very glad to hear you enjoyed your tour of the St. Peter's Basilica with Volodymyr and we hope to see you again in the future on one of our tours here in Rome! :)
One of the best tours I’ve ever done. Tom made the waiting time in line fly by and had my young kids engaged all the time. He is very knowledgeable and nice. Worth it
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour with Tom!
It was great. The private tour is the way to go when visiting the Basilica. We would recommend to anyone.
Thank you so much for your feedback! We hope to see you again on one of our other tours in Rome :)
A fabulous experience with a friendly and extremely knowledgeable guide that made the dome, basilica and grotto come alive. As someone who has toured the basilica with guides before I was delighted to find a guide that enhanced the experience more than any previous visit had done.
Thank you so much for your feedback! We hope to see you again on one of our other tours in Rome :)
