St. Peter's Basilica Dome, Basilica & Underground Grottoes Guided Tour | La Vacanza Travel

St. Peter's Basilica Dome, Basilica & Underground Grottoes Guided Tour

Duration: 3 hours
Destination: Italy, Lazio, Rome
from
55.82

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  • 3 hours
  • Rome
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

Overview

Climb to the top of the highest point in the Vatican City, the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, and get panoramic views over historic Rome and the Vatican state from this Renaissance masterpiece. Along with getting fast access inside the basilica after your ascent, you can experience and explore the basilica treasures and the Vatican Crypts with your expert English-speaking guide.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Vatican City, Vatican City, Lazio

Climb to the top of the highest point in the Vatican City, the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, and get panoramic views over historic Rome and the Vatican state from this Renaissance masterpiece.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: St. Peter's Square, Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy

The welcoming arms of St. Peter’s Square is just near where you’ll meet your expert English-speaking guide for the climb to the highest point in the Vatican. To get started, they will take you by elevator up to the balcony viewing platform inside the majestic dome. Once there, they will show you Michelangelo’s windows that circle you, Bernini’s bronze canopy that was built to protect the altar and the mosaics which give the dome it’s signature blue and gold colors.

Your guide will leave you at the spiral staircase where you start your approach to the top viewing platform on the dome. From here, you climb at your own pace up the 320 steps. When you reach the top, you’ll be standing on the highest point in Vatican City.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Cupola di San Pietro, Piazza san Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy

You will start your visit of the Basilica by climb your way up to the top of the Dome. Enjoy a 360 degrees view over the marble floors and take an exclusive and close-up look at the mosaics of the dome, designed by Michelangelo. Go even higher to be at the top balcony and be amazed by the incredible scenery over Rome. You will be able to see the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, and more from 136 meters above ground.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy

One of the advantages of climbing inside the dome is that it allows you to descend right into the basilica. You can ignore all those lines that are waiting to get inside the basilica. You can go straight in by following the stairs down.

Here the guide will take you through the main highlights. You will discover the incredible Papal Altar under Bernini’s Baldachin, and marvel at Michelangelo’s other timeless masterpiece, La Pietà, as you explore the most important church in the Christian world.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Vatican Grottoes, Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City Italy

Your tour ends with a visit to the subterranean crypts of the Basilica, where many famous Pope’s have their monumental tombs. Once outside again, you can admire Bernini’s clever optical illusion in St. Peter’s Square, spot the balcony from which the Pope delivers his public addresses and snap photos of the basilica’s heavenly façade, having covered the Vatican and St. Peter’s from top to bottom!

Duration: 15 minutes

Inclusions
  • Entrance into St. Peter’s Dome by lift
  • Entrance into St. Peter’s Basilica & Underground Crypts with the Pope Tombs
  • Expert, English-speaking tour guide
  • Headsets when appropriate
  • Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Square
  • Entry/Admission - Cupola di San Pietro
  • Entry/Admission - Vatican Grottoes
  • Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Basilica

Exclusions
  • Food/Beverage
  • Hotel pick-up/drop-off
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
  • Not recommended for those who suffer from claustrophobia and/or vertigo
  • Please note that the dome’s elevator only takes you to the first terrace. In order to climb to the top of the dome you will have to use stairs (320 steps). Please allow yourself approximately 20 extra minutes if you wish to climb up to the dome of St Peters from there.
  • We may experience delays in getting through mandatory security checks when entering these venues
  • Only small bags are allowed
  • Tickets for the dome cannot be pre-bought. The group will have to queue for the guide to acquire them on the day of the tour.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Departure Point

Piazza della Città Leonina, 00193 Roma RM, Italy


Return Details

Returns to original departure point

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

3 hours


User's Reviews

james_c

27 Mar, 2024

Our guide was fantastic he definitely made the tour that much better!! I think he might be the best tour guide in Rome!! Thank you eddy with a Y! :)

Isabela_M

21 Mar, 2024

The comments provided by the tour guide during the visit of the Vatican were sparse and inadequate. We definitely do not recommend this company.

vanessa062_11

13 Mar, 2024

Truly amazing morning tour with Manuela, who anticipated timing and lines to our group's advantage, led us expertly through and around the crowds, provided a wealth of information in an engaging way and stayed after the formal tour to answer additional questions. She also provided directions back into the Basilica for those of us who wanted to take another look. Highly recommended. Note: it is not necessary to climb to the top of the dome on this tour- due to hip issues, I did not. There is an elevator to the terrace level, and then some stairs and a ramp to see the dome itself and access the exit point. Manuela provided clear directions and time for a post-climb meeting point- I stayed on the lovely terrace and took photos, got some water at the small coffee shop, had a biobreak and felt refreshed for the remainder of the tour.

Patricia M

12 Mar, 2024

Tour guide was very informative. She explained everything in detail and answered all of our questions. Made getting inside so easy! Definitely would use again.

Mark_S

17 Feb, 2024

Wonderful experience! Our guide was a great story teller and very informative and knowledgeable. Appreciate her perspective as a believer. Beautiful sights and scenery.

User's Picture Gallery

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Very informative

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Best tour and tour guide I could have wished for!

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Very knowledgeable guide

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Art experience

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Italy

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Amazing experience!

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Great tour!

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The best experience guided by Elena Kyrylova

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Amazing tour

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Excellent

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Wonderful tour!

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Vatican Tour

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Superb

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Awesome

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Super guide

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Dome and basilica.

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Horrible audio, a lot of waiting and standing around

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5* trip with 5* guide

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Amazing tour

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An adventure you must do!

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Fabulous Dome Climb

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Great experience with Eduardo as guide

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Thank you Elena

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Abbiamo visto tutto con...

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