St. Peter's Basilica Tours and Tickets

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

• Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica

• Skip-the-Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's | Small Group

• Skip the Line: Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel + Optional Basilica

• Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and Basilica Guided Tour

• Rome: Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St Peter Small Group

Admission to St. Peter’s Basilica is free, but most visitors reserve a guided tour or timed-entry ticket in advance to avoid waiting in line. Timed reservations for St. Peter’s Basilica cost €7 and include an audio guide, while combination tickets that let you climb the dome are €22.

Yes, St. Peter's Basilica—one of the largest and grandest churches in the world—is well worth visiting. While the exterior, as seen from St. Peter's Square, is impressive, you'll need to head inside to see Michelangelo's famous Pietà, the papal tombs, and spectacular monuments by artists such as Bernini. For a more complete visit to all of Vatican City's major attractions, choose a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. Not only do these tours offer skip-the-line access, but they often include time to climb the basilica's dome.

Per one customer who booked the Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica, "The line to get into Vatican City was so long, I was beyond thankful that we paid to skip the line. Our tour guide Lorenzo was very knowledgeable and fun as well! He gave so much history on the Sistine Chapel, when we went in I knew what the paintings meant. I was glad we had him to explain everything because it wouldn't have meant as much had we went without a guide. Seeing the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica is something I'll never forget. So much beauty in one place! I'd definitely go again!"

That depends. You can visit alone and do not need St. Peter’s Basilica tickets to access the church. However, this gem of Renaissance architecture is stuffed with important paintings, sculptures, and other cultural treasures that are better understood with a tour guide's in-depth explanations and insights.

It takes about an hour to cover the highlights inside the church—consider an extra 30 minutes if you decide to climb to the top of the dome. Remember that there is often a long security line to enter the church, however, which can add up to two hours to your time there.

No, bypassing the security line to enter the church from St. Peter’s Square is impossible. The security line at the internal entrance between the Sistine Chapel and the church is often much shorter, but you can only access this entrance via the Vatican Museums.

Yes, visitors must wear clothing that covers knees, shoulders, and midriff to enter the church, and the guards are pretty strict about enforcing the rules. Longer shorts and skirts are acceptable, as are shirts with short or cap sleeves. Visitors can also cover their bare shoulders with a wrap or shawl.

No, though St. Peter's Basilica sits in the independent country of Vatican City, visitors do not need a passport to enter the confines of the city-state or the basilica. You can, however, send mail from the Vatican post office in St. Peter's Square with a Vatican City stamp.

One great way to avoid getting caught in the long security line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica is to beat the crowds by arriving early. The church opens at 7am each morning—except for the first Wednesday of the month when the papal audience is held—so get in line around 6:45am.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting St. Peter's Basilica. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Rome:

• Colosseum

• Roman Forum

• Vatican Museums

• Sistine Chapel

• Palatine Hill

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Rome.