Rome: St. Peter’s Basilica and Papal Tombs Tour

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Rome, Italy

Popular pick

Booked 10+ times last week!

1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
Offered in: English

Overview

Whether it's Michelangelo and Bernini’s masterpiece frescoes, the history of the Catholic faith, or the towering, opulent architecture, there’s a lot for tourists to discover in Vatican City. On this guided tour, explore the intricately designed St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica, before descending into the sacred papal tombs to learn about the popes buried there.

St. Peter’s Basilica and papal tombs guided tour
Includes a headset so you can hear your guide throughout
A chance to snap photos of the basilica’s opulent architecture
Learn the stories of the various popes interred in the tombs

What's Included

Tour Guide
Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica
Sterilized headsets to hear clearly your guide

The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are not part of this tour
Skip the line
Tickets for the dome climb (elevator access)

€15.00 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Largo del Colonnato, 5, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Upon reaching the designated meeting point in front of the shop Galleria San Pietro, look for the tour coordinator holding a red sign labeled "Tix & Tours." It's crucial to have your voucher ready for check-in.

End point

Saint Peter’s Basilica
Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City

Ticket Redemption Point

Largo del Colonnato, 5, 00193 Roma RM, Italy

Itinerary

La Pieta

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. Peter's Basilica

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

The Vatican Grottoes

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Most travelers can participate
"Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
Kindly note that the security checks at the entrance of the square may require a waiting time of 5-45 minutes.
Not recommended for travellers with claustrophobia
This tour is not recommended for those who experience vertigo.

We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes as this tour involves a moderate amount of walking.
The meeting point is outside the Basilica before entering St. Peter's square and the security checks
The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are not part of this tour
The Vatican Necropoli is not part of this tour
We might not be able to accommodate, refund or reschedule late arrivals
Not recommended for travellers with claustrophobia
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.4

based on 16 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Crushable Crowds!!

Kay_M, Oct 2025

Do this tour in the dead of winter! We went mid-October and the crowds were so crushing, rude, and overwhelming. We got very little appreciative enjoyment from the tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. October is indeed one of the busiest months, especially during Jubilee events, which can make the experience feel crowded. We appreciate your feedback and hope you’ll visit again during a quieter season to enjoy the Basilica in a more peaceful setting.

Islam was very...

Michelle_O, Oct 2025

Islam was very knowledgeable and personable. Learned a lot and he also gave us time to take pictures. Good tour!

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the tour with Islam and had time to learn and capture memories along the way.

Eduardo rocks!

Sierra_B, Sep 2025

The tour guide, in our case Eduardo, was flush with knowledge about the Vatican that you wouldn’t otherwise learn. Very informative and superbly narrated throughout!

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that Eduardo’s knowledge and narration made your tour so informative and enjoyable.

Well worth paying for a guide

Kevin_S, Sep 2025

Very busy and crowded early afternoon in September. But, the experience was still very good thanks to our guide, Max. I would recommend a guided tour as there's so much to take in and I wouldn't have had a clue what is was looking at had it not been for Max,'s knowledge and delivery style.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your feedback! Even with the crowds, we’re glad Max’s knowledge and engaging style made your visit enjoyable and informative. A guided tour really does make all the difference—thanks for recommending us!

To crowded and I have been before

Carol_H, Sep 2025

It was so busy crushing with other tours at peters was lovely but again to many in there couldn’t understand guide and other tour guides speaking it was not a pleasant experience

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for sharing your honest feedback. We’re glad you found St. Peter’s Basilica beautiful, but we’re sorry the large crowds and overlapping tours made it hard to enjoy the experience and hear your guide clearly. Unfortunately, the basilica can become very busy at peak times, but we’ll review how we can better support our guides and guests in these situations. Your comments are valuable and will help us improve for future visitors.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Informative and Professionally Handled Tour

kevin_m, Sep 2025

This was a very informative tour, and our guide, Islam, did a fantastic job — even when a few curve balls were thrown his way. His English was clear and easy to understand, and he was well-informed about the history of St. Peter’s Basilica and the surrounding structures. Despite some guests who challenged his knowledge and were a bit overbearing at times, Islam handled the situation respectfully and professionally, making sure the rest of us stayed engaged and informed. There were some unexpected hiccups — like the tombs being temporarily closed upon our arrival, which led to a significant backup of visitors. Still, Islam remained calm and ensured we saw each crypt, and reassured us that we could return at the end to revisit anything we missed due to the crowds. Inside St. Peter’s, he guided us to several key areas and shared thoughtful insights throughout. I truly appreciated his patience, knowledge, and professionalism. I would definitely recommend this tour and would request Islam again for future visits. Well done!

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful review! We’re so pleased to hear how much you appreciated Islam’s knowledge, clear communication, and professionalism, especially when things didn’t go perfectly. Managing unexpected closures and busy crowds can be tricky, and we’re glad Islam’s patience and calm approach kept the tour enjoyable and informative for everyone. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we’d be delighted to welcome you back for another visit in the future!

Absolutely breathtaking experience.

Vivian_L, Oct 2023

The Basilica is amazing. A truly must see experience. The view from the dome was spectacular. We stayed longer after the tour to observe as much as we could.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you for your kind review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Basilica and the stunning view from the dome. It truly is a remarkable experience. We're glad you took the time to soak it all in. We hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable moments in the future! Best regards, Tix & Tours

Good tour of St Peter, but could be organized better

Renate_P, Dec 2021

Informative guide, beautiful cathedral, great view at and from the cupola, but not well organized at meeting point and walk up to cupola.

Response from Host, Jan 2022

Thank you for your review

A tour well worth taking

Jane_Y, Oct 2021

Grateful the tour happened with just 2 of us, with an excellent tour guide who was excellent... knowledgeable and patient with our constant photo taking. It is a tour well worth taking, to get a grasp of key historical and cultural facts. Our only comment is the tour description says skip the line. Surprisingly, that was not an issue to enter as lines were short. But at the end to climb the dome, we had to wait in a queue for about 20-25 minutes. This is not meant to be a big deal, but feel the description should indicate the dome climb queue is wait-in-line, so we could be prepared to wait. Otherwise, this is an excellent tour with an excellent guide, with good communication between the customer and local operator.

Response from Host, Jan 2022

Thank you for your review.

A guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica to recommend

Johan_J, Oct 2025

A very interesting tour of St. Peter's Basilica and the Popes' Tombs. Contentful and pleasant to listen to. Eslam was very knowledgeable, kept the group together in a commendable way.

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Response from Host, Oct 2025

Tack så mycket för din fina recension! Vi är glada att höra att du uppskattade turen och Eslam’s kunnighet och engagemang.

Beautiful visit

Yves_L, Sep 2025

Very nice visit with our guide Kathia who is excellent. Very good explanation and she showed us around the basilica. The ideal is really to visit the basilica in the morning because there are fewer people inside.

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Response from Host, Sep 2025

Merci beaucoup pour votre retour ! Nous sommes ravis que Kathia ait rendu la visite agréable et instructive. Merci également pour votre conseil sur la visite le matin, c’est en effet idéal pour profiter pleinement de la basilique.

Rozczarowany, że nie dostałem przewodnika

Tomasz_W, Feb 2022

Nikt w miejscu spotkania. Kontakt telefoniczny wyłączony. Nikt w Bazylice nie wiedział, kim jest Rocco. Na koniec musiałem ponownie kupić bilet na szczyt kopuły i odwiedzić go sam.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Z przykrością dowiedzieliśmy się o Państwa nieprzyjemnym doświadczeniu związanych z naszą usługą. Chcielibyśmy poinformować, że aktualnie pełnimy funkcję nowego zespołu zarządzającego Tix & Tours, i podejmujemy wszelkie działania, aby poprawić nasze procesy oraz zapewnić, że każdy nasz klient cieszy się wyjątkowymi wrażeniami. Pragniemy zapewnić, że sytuacja, którą Państwo doświadczyli, nie jest zgodna z naszym standardem obsługi. Niestety, nasz poprzedni zespół nie przekazał Państwu niezbędnych informacji dotyczących wycieczki, co skutkowało niepotrzebnymi problemami. Jako nowy zespół zarządzający, dokładamy wszelkich starań, aby nasi klienci zawsze byli dobrze poinformowani i przygotowani do wycieczki. Pracujemy nad doskonaleniem naszej komunikacji i responsywności wobec klientów, aby uniknąć sytuacji, podobnych do tej, której Państwo doświadczyli. Bardzo chcielibyśmy mieć możliwość naprawienia popełnionych błędów i zrekompensowania Państwu negatywnych wrażeń. Zachęcamy do kontaktu z nami, abyśmy mogli omówić najlepsze rozwiązanie dla Państwa. Dziękujemy za poświęcony czas i uwagę. Z poważaniem, Nowy zespół zarządzający Tix & Tours.