St Peter's Basilica in Rome with Dome Climb and Vatican Grottoes Tour
by Touriks
Choose from 18 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€108Overview
This guided cultural tour lasts about 1 hour and 45 minutes and starts in St. Peter's Square, where the guide explains Bernini's architectural design and points out the square's two special viewing spots. Next, participants enter St. Peter's Basilica to view its golden ceilings, mosaics, and artworks including Michelangelo's Pietà, with commentary from an art-historian guide. The tour continues underground to the Vatican Grottoes, visiting St. Peter's tomb and the ancient 4th-century basilica walls with frescoes. Finally, the group climbs to the top of the dome to see the mosaics up close and then reaches the upper balcony at 136 meters, offering panoramic views over Rome's landmarks such as the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Castel Sant'Angelo, as well as St. Peter's Square and the Vatican gardens. The tour includes entry fees to the dome's summit, a professional guide, sterilized headsets, and full on-site assistance. If the grottoes or parts of the basilica are closed, the guide adjusts the itinerary to other artworks within the basilica without affecting the tour length. Visitors should note this is not a skip-the-line tour and that security lines and dome elevator waits can occur. The meeting point is outside the basilica before the security checks.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
St. Peter's Square
The tour begins in St. Peter's Square, focusing on Bernini's design and the visual effects he created. The guide points out the two special spots within the square where the perspective aligns perfectly.
10 min
St. Peter's Basilica
Visitors enter the basilica to observe its golden ceilings and mosaics. The guide explains why the basilica took 150 years to rebuild and highlights artworks from the Renaissance and Neoclassic periods, including Michelangelo's Pietà and the 30-meters-high canopy.
40 min
The Vatican Grottoes
The group descends to the underground grottoes to visit St. Peter's tomb, touching ancient walls from the original 4th-century basilica and viewing frescoes.
15 min
St. Peter's Basilica
Climbing to the top of the dome, participants get close views of the dome's mosaics. The tour continues to the top balcony at 136 meters, offering panoramic views of Rome landmarks including the Colosseum, Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, St. Peter's Square, and Vatican gardens.
40 min
Vatican City
All visited locations during the tour are situated within Vatican City.
Meeting point
Meet your guide at Largo del Colonnato, 5, by the first columns of the Colonnade. Look for a yellow label with TOURIKS written on it. Please be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the starting time. The meeting point is outside the Basilica before entering St. Peter's square.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
St Peter's Basilica in Rome with Dome Climb and Vatican Grottoes Tour
by Touriks
Choose from 18 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€108Overview
This guided cultural tour lasts about 1 hour and 45 minutes and starts in St. Peter's Square, where the guide explains Bernini's architectural design and points out the square's two special viewing spots. Next, participants enter St. Peter's Basilica to view its golden ceilings, mosaics, and artworks including Michelangelo's Pietà, with commentary from an art-historian guide. The tour continues underground to the Vatican Grottoes, visiting St. Peter's tomb and the ancient 4th-century basilica walls with frescoes. Finally, the group climbs to the top of the dome to see the mosaics up close and then reaches the upper balcony at 136 meters, offering panoramic views over Rome's landmarks such as the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Castel Sant'Angelo, as well as St. Peter's Square and the Vatican gardens. The tour includes entry fees to the dome's summit, a professional guide, sterilized headsets, and full on-site assistance. If the grottoes or parts of the basilica are closed, the guide adjusts the itinerary to other artworks within the basilica without affecting the tour length. Visitors should note this is not a skip-the-line tour and that security lines and dome elevator waits can occur. The meeting point is outside the basilica before the security checks.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
St. Peter's Square
The tour begins in St. Peter's Square, focusing on Bernini's design and the visual effects he created. The guide points out the two special spots within the square where the perspective aligns perfectly.
10 min
St. Peter's Basilica
Visitors enter the basilica to observe its golden ceilings and mosaics. The guide explains why the basilica took 150 years to rebuild and highlights artworks from the Renaissance and Neoclassic periods, including Michelangelo's Pietà and the 30-meters-high canopy.
40 min
The Vatican Grottoes
The group descends to the underground grottoes to visit St. Peter's tomb, touching ancient walls from the original 4th-century basilica and viewing frescoes.
15 min
St. Peter's Basilica
Climbing to the top of the dome, participants get close views of the dome's mosaics. The tour continues to the top balcony at 136 meters, offering panoramic views of Rome landmarks including the Colosseum, Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, St. Peter's Square, and Vatican gardens.
40 min
Vatican City
All visited locations during the tour are situated within Vatican City.
Meeting point
Meet your guide at Largo del Colonnato, 5, by the first columns of the Colonnade. Look for a yellow label with TOURIKS written on it. Please be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the starting time. The meeting point is outside the Basilica before entering St. Peter's square.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.