Tour of St Peter's Basilica: Guided Dome Climb and Grottoes Exploration in Small Groups

Experience a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, including a climb to the top of the dome for breathtaking views of Rome. Explore the art and architecture of the Renaissance in small groups.

Duration: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • St. Peter’s Square - Begin your tour at St. Peter’s Square and take in the grandeur of its majestic architecture. Discover the visual effects crafted by its designer, Bernini, and locate the two “special” spots within the square.
  • St. Peter’s Basilica - Next, proceed to the Basilica to be awestruck by its splendor. Learn why it took 150 years…
What's Included
  • Professional art-historian guide
  • Thorough guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica
  • Sterilized headsets to hear clearly your guide
  • Guided tour of St. Peter Dome
  • Entry fees to the top of the Dome
  • Full on-site assistance
What's Not Included
  • The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are not part of this tour
  • This tour does not skip the line (neither the security checks one nor the dome’s elevator one)
Additional Information

Embark on an extraordinary journey commencing at St. Peter’s Square, where the architectural brilliance of Bernini unfolds.
Then enter the awe-inspiring St. Peter’s Basilica, a realm adorned with golden ceilings, vibrant marbles, and masterpieces like Michelangelo’s Pietà. Delve into the Papal grottoes underground, touching ancient walls and visiting St….

Location
Largo del Colonnato, 5
Largo del Colonnato
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.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(2081 Ratings)
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Karen_c
Feb 20, 2025
Tour of St Peter’s Basilica with Dome climb - If you have anything else planned for the day, be aware that it’s hard to know how long this activity will take, because you can’t predict how long the line will be for security to get into the Vatican. For us, the line was only 30 minutes (in February, which is not peak season). Our tour guide did a great job, she was very knowledgeable! The dome climb is strenuous- lots of steep steps both up and down. Don’t do it if you are claustrophobic or afraid of heights. The view is amazing, though!
Review provided by Viator
Paulc_g
Feb 17, 2025
Our tour guide,... - Our tour guide, Francesca, was very knowledgeable, charismatic, and wonderful! Lots of Roman history mixed with religious history. Very interesting.
Review provided by Viator
Joseph_g
Feb 14, 2025
Vatican and dome tour. - On time. Friendly. Professional. Informative. Patrizio did a great job. I would recommend this tour as a great overview of the vatican and dome.
Review provided by Viator
Tanjat2015
Feb 8, 2025
Nice and interesting - Very nice roundtrip guided by Valentin. Knowing a lot about the place. Also making it funny with games throughout the walk
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lauren_j
Jan 31, 2025
Stairs - I took this tour with my mum (75 yrs) she is quite fit and able to walk 10000 steps a day easily but she has knee problems. She was able to manage the climb, going in winter was good as there were less crowds and she was able to take 2 rest stops on the way up. The effort was worth it. She was very happy she made it to the top and our guide was very kind and thoughtful (Ting). Ting adjusted the speed of the climb to my mother’s speed and managed the group well. We were both very happy to have completed this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Janice
Jan 27, 2025
Fantastic experience - It was fantastic. Our guide was Gabriel. He was so knowledgeable. He brought everything to life. The visit itself is incredible.... no words. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Sarah
Jan 21, 2025
St Peters Bastille - Fantastic tour. Definitely would recommend. Our guide Ting was very enthusiastic about the tour and very informative. She was very helpful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lawrence_b
Jan 18, 2025
This was an excellent... - This was an excellent tour. Our guide was amazing. The architecture of the basilica is amazing and ornate. It was a humbling experience. To top it off we climbed to the top of the dome. This isn’t for the weary and was a good work out, but the view of St Peter’s Square was amazing. Our guide was funny and knowledgeable, he was a pleasure to have net. Highly recommend the tour.
Review provided by Viator
Marlos_b
Jan 14, 2025
I had an amazing... - I had an amazing experience during the guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and shared fascinating insights about the history, art, and architecture of this magnificent place. His engaging storytelling made the tour both informative and captivating. He answered all our questions with patience and enthusiasm, making the visit truly memorable. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Amanda_c
Feb 5, 2025
Great tour but company is greedy - The grottoes were interesting and our guide showed us new things I had never noticed before inside the Basilica. The climb to the tower was somewhat harrowing but exciting. The tour group changed our tour time the night before and we found out they did it to another couple in the group citing a "sick person." We believe the company moved us to capitalize on more people signing up. Neither we nor the other couple was happy and we think it's a scam which causes last minute stress for travelers. We ended up having to leave another tour early because of it. So be forewarned: if the company calls you and asks to move your time, they're doing it to make an extra buck, so I wouldn't.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
February 2025
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