Tours and Tickets to Experience Basilica of St. John Lateran (Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano)

There are plenty of ways to experience the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Between Holy Doors
• Rome: Underground Temples and Crucifixion Relics Walking Tour
• Christian Rome with English Speaking Driver
• Secret Rome Basilicas and Hidden Underground Catacombs Tour
• Rome Walking Tour of Holy Sites: Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, San Giovanni in Laterano and Scala Santa

If you want to visit the basilica only, then there is no entrance fee; this is a functioning site of worship, so you can simply step inside. That said, there is a €7 charge for visiting the cloister (students and seniors typically receive a slight discount), and a separate fee for audio guides.

Yes. While most visitors claim that St. Peter’s is Rome’s more impressive basilica, you won’t find those hours-long lines at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. That said, the basilica is a 20-minute walk from the Colosseum; so if you have limited time in Rome, you may want to stick to attractions that are closer to the historical city center.

Yes, easily. The Basilica of St. John Lateran is located in the San Giovanni neighborhood of Rome, adjacent to the Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs, where worshippers ascend a staircase on their knees to revere a Byzantine icon. The area can be reached on foot, by bus, or by metro.

Yes. You’ll have to leave the shorts and tank tops at home, even in the sweltering heat of summer. Modest clothing is required to enter the basilica, so that means keeping shoulders, chests, and knees covered. Unlike elsewhere in Europe, Roman churches have no qualms about turning away inappropriately attired travelers.

Yes, photography is permitted inside the basilica for personal (meaning non-commercial) use. Refrain from using flash photography, which can damage the paintings and artifacts inside and disturb other visitors. Typically, tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed, and you’ll have to ask in advance if you’re interested in commercial photography.