Tours and Tickets to Experience Vatican Obelisk (Obelisco Vaticano)

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

• Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, & St Peter's Small Group Tour
• Rome & Vatican: Angels and Demons Self-Guided Escape Game Quest
• Meet Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter Square, Vatican City
• St. Peter's Basilica: Early Access Guided Tour
• Best of the Vatican in one full day: Museums, Sistine Chapel, Dome, & more

Visiting the Vatican Obelisk is free, as it stands in the public square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. If you’d prefer to see it with a guide, book a Vatican City highlights tour—prices generally include admission to the basilica, Vatican Museums, and Sistine Chapel and start at US$50.

Aim to see the Vatican Obelisk in the early morning or later in the evening, when St. Peter’s Basilica is closed and the square empties of most tour groups. Avoid visiting during the papal audience, when the piazza fills with spectators who may obstruct your views of the obelisk and basilica.

Located in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican Obelisk is best reached on foot along Via della Conciliazione so you can take in the basilica’s imposing architecture. Cross the Tiber River into Vatican City along Ponte Sant’Angelo for the most scenic walk. The closest Metro stop, Ottaviano, is a 15-minute walk from the Vatican Obelisk.

The Vatican Obelisk reached Rome from Egypt in the 1st century and is said to have remained standing ever since—even when a crew moved the massive relic to its current location in 1586. Partly due to the rumor that its decorative globe contained Julius Caesar’s ashes, it is one of the most famous of Rome’s 13 obelisks.

Yes, a variety of guided tours visit the Vatican Obelisk. For the best experience, consider booking a skip-the-line tour of Vatican City’s main attractions. This will get you not only a look at the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square, but also guided admission to the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica.