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Vatican Tour: St. Peter's Dome, Basilica, and Sistine Chapel
4.8
1,705 Ratings
Città metropolitana di Roma Capitale
Experience an exclusive full tour of the Vatican, including a climb to the top of St. Peter’s Dome for a panoramic view of Rome. Fast track access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel included.
Experience an exclusive full tour of the Vatican, including a climb to the top of St. Peter’s Dome for a panoramic view of Rome. Fast track access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel included.
Duration:
4 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- St. Peter’s Square - Meet your expert Vatican tour guide on the threshold of St. Peter’s Square and make your way across marble paving to the steps which wind up and around the dome. There are 551 in total so of course this is too much exertion for most. We take the elevator part of the way which cuts the step count by a sizable 171, leaving 380….
- St. Peter’s Square - Meet your expert Vatican tour guide on the threshold of St. Peter’s Square and make your way across marble paving to the steps which wind up and around the dome. There are 551 in total so of course this is too much exertion for most. We take the elevator part of the way which cuts the step count by a sizable 171, leaving 380.
- St. Peter’s Basilica - From St. Peter’s Square, enter the passageways which lead up to the top of Michelangelo’s magnificent dome for superb views of the Vatican City and Rome.
- St. Peter’s Basilica - A fully guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica follows your dome climb. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and it will leave a profound impression upon your soul.
- Vatican Museums - Vast museums inside the Vatican City which house many thousands of ancient works of art and sculpture. The most important museum complex in the world!
- Sistine Chapel - Take in Michelangelo’s masterpieces including the Creation of Adam and the Last Judgement.
What's Included
- Comprehensive tour of St. Peter’s Basilica and its masterpieces
- Exclusive St. Peter’s Dome climb with panoramic views of Rome
- In-depth Sistine Chapel visit, exploring Michelangelo’s frescoes
- Skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums with an expert guide
- Access to the rarely-seen Papal Sarcophagi, known as ‘Vatacombs’
- Explore renowned sculptures in the famous halls of the Vatican
- Comprehensive tour of St. Peter’s Basilica and its masterpieces
- Exclusive St. Peter’s Dome climb with panoramic views of Rome
- In-depth Sistine Chapel visit, exploring Michelangelo’s frescoes
- Skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums with an expert guide
- Access to the rarely-seen Papal Sarcophagi, known as ‘Vatacombs’
- Explore renowned sculptures in the famous halls of the Vatican
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Additional Information
A surprisingly small number, less than 1%, of guests visiting the Vatican, make the climb to the top of St. Peter’s Dome. Recognizing this unique spectacle, we offer an exclusive tour, starting with a meeting with our experienced Vatican guide at St. Peter’s Square. Holy stairways, along with a lift, transport you to St. Peter’s Terrace, presenting a…
A surprisingly small number, less than 1%, of guests visiting the Vatican, make the climb to the top of St. Peter’s Dome. Recognizing this unique spectacle, we offer an exclusive tour, starting with a meeting with our experienced Vatican guide at St. Peter’s Square. Holy stairways, along with a lift, transport you to St. Peter’s Terrace, presenting a captivating view of the entire Rome and even extending to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Once back on ground level, we will take you around the majestic St. Peter’s Basilica. After a leisure time, we regroup for the second segment of your immersion into Vatican City, including a visit to the Sistine Chapel. Experience swift entry to view the awe-inspiring works on display in the Vatican Museums, a not-to-be-missed attraction while in Rome.
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- On days immediately surrounding religious holidays at the Vatican, alterations to tours may become necessary due to partial closings of areas normally included in this tour. In the event that the Papal tombs beneath St. Peter’s Basilica are closed, the tour of the Basilica itself will be extended and no refunds made
- Maximum 20 travelers on this tour
- Due to the route covered and/or the means of transportation used, it is not possible to participate in this tour using a wheelchair, scooter, or other aid. Please contact us to inquire about customized tour options for guests with mobility challenges
Location
Largo del Colonnato, 1
Largo del Colonnato
Meet at 7:45 AM for 8:00 AM departure by the Tiare fountain (Fontana delle Tiare), just beneath Largo del Colonnato and in front of the pillars which run around Saint Peter's Square. Your guide will be holding an ItaliaTours signboard. Google maps
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(1705 Ratings)
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Melaine_s
Oct 9, 2024
Go early and take lots of pics - Great tour! Lots of information, stunning photos. Loved hearing all the history with the tour. (Very crowded)
Review provided by Viator
Sarz1977
Oct 8, 2024
Amazing visit and tour - Fantastic tour. Really enjoyed this tour. The guide was great - she was really informative but also kept it fun and not boring. The dome climb was well worth it. The views are stunning. The whole tour was well worth doing to make sure you see all parts of the Vatican. Worth the money and being able to skip the long queues that can form was great to give you the most of your time there.
Information received before-hand for the meeting place was accurate and the guides were really helpful and friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Freshegg
Oct 8, 2024
A thorough, informative and efficient way to see the Vatican highlights - Nadia and (I'm sorry I can't remember the other guide's name, but she was Belgian) were amazing. We started at 8:00 am with the dome climb, then got a very thorough tour of St Peter's basilica without feeling rushed. After a break for lunch, Nadia spent the next two and a half hours with us through the Vatican museums, culminating in the Sistine chapel. I don't think she stopped her running commentary for a single second during all that time. Thanks to the audio connection we were provided, we could hear her clearly even amongst the crowds of visitors. Our brains were crammed with information, but it was all so interesting and entertaining. We definitely could not have seen and learned everything we did without these two wonderful guides, and all finished by 3:00 pm. I strongly advise taking this combination of tours and not attempting the Vatican on your own!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Donnaf2018
Oct 8, 2024
Fun, fast moving, beautiful! - Our guide, Marianna, was very informative. She made sure we saw as much as possible in our allotted time & made accommodations for those not able to climb all the way to the top of the dome. There is a lot of walking & not always slowly, so be prepared to keep up. The information & artwork was worth the sore calves & feet!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert_w
Oct 6, 2024
Great job - Our tour guide was very knowledgeable on the tour.She was kind , friendly, knowledgeable, and very friendly and helpful to everyone. She made sure EVERYONE WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
I would recommend this tour to everyone
Good Job
Review provided by Viator
Vicki_h
Oct 3, 2024
Vatican City and Sistine Chapel - Just note there is NO skip the line for St Peter’s. We waited 45 minutes in line to get to security. The lift does not always work and wasn’t working when we arrived so we climbed 551 steps. Not for those knee problems. The view from the top is worth it but you can climb to the terrace (or take the lift if it’s working - great option for those that can’t do stairs). If you do climb the dome be prepared if you are claustrophobic as some spaces feel right but only for a few seconds. Coming down was easy!
The second part of the tour was to visit the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. Paula was our guide and she was excellent. Ensure you are dressed appropriately, shoulders and knees covered. The museum is HUGE and amazing- the Sistine Chapel was beautiful and certainly a highlight and a must. We went later in the afternoon so if you can go early and visit the Sistine chapel then, it may not be so crowded, or even at the end of the day when crowds are depleting. Either way if it’s on your bucket list it won’t matter as it is still an amazing experience.
Review provided by Viator
Tammyshah528
Sep 29, 2024
Dome climb/ St Peters/ Sistine Chapel - This was a fabulous tour. From the meeting point to the goodbye everything was fantastic. The climb to the top is the dome was challenging and so rewarding. Our guide Sabrina was extremely knowledgeable , she shared lots of information with intermittent humor…..long day, lots of people but worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lissette_v
Sep 20, 2024
Once in a lifetime experience - Our tour guide was Sandra. She was easy going and informative. Very good use of time, meaning while waiting in lines she provided us with tons of great information about the Vatican. This tour boasts of climbing the St. Peter’s Dome. It is 300 steps up, much of it a spiral staircase. So two things to consider- this could make you feel claustrophobic and may induce vertigo. But the view is worth the climb. A once in a lifetime experience.
Going early is a must! The crowds were crazy and got worst the later in the day. Love this experience and am grateful for the tour guide and her expertise .
Review provided by Viator
Stephen_f
Sep 23, 2024
Informative tour guide - Great tour! She didn't stop talking the entire time! Super informative and her knowledge of the Vatican was great.
Review provided by Viator
Heidi_b
Sep 23, 2024
Vatican in a day! - Loved climbing the dome and seeing the basilica. The tour guide was knowledgeable and made sure we all stayed together. Once we got to the Vatican we were more focused on Roman pieces and not religious ones so we split off from tour and took our time in the Roman sections. This is a long tour but our guide gave many breaks for restroom and even food. Great experience!
Review provided by Viator
