St. Peter’s Basilica Priority Access Tour with Dome & Crypt
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Rome, Italy
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
St. Peter’s Basilica is one of Rome’s most visited sites. This tour offers priority entry to avoid crowds, a visit to the papal crypt, and a climb to the dome’s summit for panoramic city views. Admire Michelangelo’s “La Pietà” and other highlights while your guide shares the basilica’s rich history. Headsets are provided for clear commentary throughout the experience.
- Skip-the-line tickets make for hassle-free sightseeing
- Access St. Peter's dome and crypt, which many visitors miss
- Learn about this UNESCO–listed landmark's centuries-old history
- Choose from several start times to suit your busy Rome sightseeing
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Unlike shorter tours, this in-depth visit includes both the Vatican Grottoes and St. Peter’s Dome.
What's Included
- Expert English-speaking guide
- Skip the line access to St. Peter’s Basilica
- Pre-reserved ticket to St. Peter’s Basilica dome (with elevator access)
- Headsets
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Piazza della Città Leonina, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at Caffè Leonina, Piazza della Città Leonina, 5. The closest metro stop is Ottaviano.
End point
- Saint Peter’s BasilicaPiazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
Itinerary
At your appointed time, meet your guide and group near St. Peter’s Square.
See the Swiss Guard in their colorful attire as you make your way to St. Peter’s Basilica. With skip-the-line tickets, head right inside the basilica. See highlights such as "La Pietà," an early Michelangelo masterpiece. Rub the foot of a sacred statue for luck, and hear the history that’s steeped into the walls of the grand basilica.
With your guide, take the elevator to the dome’s first terrace to admire its intricate mosaics and other close-up details. The summit of the dome sits atop 231 steps; there’s no quick way up, but the view from the top rewards your efforts. Have your camera ready to capture a stunning panorama of Rome, stretched out from St. Peter’s Square to the Tiber River and beyond.
Before you leave, visit the papal crypt. Discover the most significant tombs, and listen to stories about the men whose bodies were laid to rest in the crypt.
See the Swiss Guard in their colorful attire as you make your way to St. Peter’s Basilica. With skip-the-line tickets, head right inside the basilica. See highlights such as "La Pietà," an early Michelangelo masterpiece. Rub the foot of a sacred statue for luck, and hear the history that’s steeped into the walls of the grand basilica.
With your guide, take the elevator to the dome’s first terrace to admire its intricate mosaics and other close-up details. The summit of the dome sits atop 231 steps; there’s no quick way up, but the view from the top rewards your efforts. Have your camera ready to capture a stunning panorama of Rome, stretched out from St. Peter’s Square to the Tiber River and beyond.
Before you leave, visit the papal crypt. Discover the most significant tombs, and listen to stories about the men whose bodies were laid to rest in the crypt.
1
St. Peter's Square
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
St. Peter's Basilica
1 hour 45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- After the terrace where the elevator stops, there are still 320 steps to climb to reach the very top.
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- All guests (including children) must bring ID on the day of their tour.
- Due to the religious nature of the Vatican, all individuals regardless of gender must cover their shoulders and knees. Walks cannot be held responsible for those denied entry.
- The full names of all participants must be provided at the time of booking and must match the names on the ID/Passport. Name changes are not permitted.
- Walks Tours is an Accredited Tour Operator with an official ticketing agreement with the Vatican Museums.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 7 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 321 reviews
Harry_S, Mar 2026
It should have been a bad experience given the horrendous line caused by sites planning, it wasn’t the tour operators fault. Kylie the tour guide gave us a full free history of Rome lecture while we waited. She made the difference and looked after us all. She was the star of the tour!
David_S, Mar 2026
Our guide was very knowledgeable. She spoke good English and answered any and all questions. You must go to the top of the dome.
Rebecca_E, Nov 2025
Excellent tour! Worth every penny. We had a great deal of time in the Cathedral and then we climbed to the roof and the top of the Dome. After the tour, we spent another hour closely examiningg more of the artwork and statuary in the Cathedral. Our guide was excellent
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you found the tour worthwhile and enjoyed your time exploring the Cathedral, including the climb to the roof and the top of the Dome, such a memorable experience!
It’s great to know you were able to spend extra time afterward appreciating the artwork and statuary. We’re also thrilled that your guide helped make the visit even more meaningful.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on another tour in the future!.
Kind Regards,
Walks Feedback.
Patricia_C, Nov 2025
Beautiful indescribable and you need many hours to see everything.. crowded please go in a small group.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Patricia, thank you so much for your review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed your visit to St. Peter’s Basilica and agree — there’s so much to see that it truly is indescribable. Small group tours are perfect for navigating the crowds and making the most of your experience. We hope to welcome you back for another Devour adventure soon!
Warm regards,
The Devour Tours Team
Karin_M, Oct 2025
Our guide was wonderful! Very knowledgeable! The climb to the dome was a little strenuous but worth it! Beautiful views! The crypt was amazing! Much more to see than I expected!
Lisa_R, Sep 2025
Excellent tour from start to finish - communication was great, information given on meeting point etc was clear and concise, the tour guide was well organised and very experienced and knowledgeable and she was very interesting to listen to, thoroughly enjoyable
Gary_W, Sep 2025
Very knowledgeable and took and answered many new questions for us. Timing worked very well for the entire group
Sharon_A, Sep 2025
Our tour guide was excellent. The headset was easy to use and hear the guide. We enjoyed our tour to the Vatican very much.
Sai_K, Aug 2025
Detailed tour of Vatican Basilica. Can go on top to see view of Rome. Good for English speaking people.
Christine_G, Aug 2025
Our guide, Maria Grazie, was wonderful and also funny! We had a great visit. We visited with our children, 11 and 12, and they really enjoyed the visit and stayed very interested. The walk the remaining steps were fun and our kids loved it. The view from the top is amazing. We even were able to enter through the Holy Doors, which was one of the 4 we were here to see. Thank you, MG!!
Denise_R, Aug 2025
Fabulous tour. Lots of information. M.G. Is a great guide. Views from the top were amazing. The tour added greatly to our appreciation of this inspiring location
Annette_L, Aug 2025
I wholeheartedly recommend this guided tour! There was absolutely no waiting in line and our group was small. Our tour guide was absolutely amazing. She had tons of experience and was so knowledgeable about everything. I went to Saint Peter’s totally in awe and moved to tears with the beauty and God‘s presence.
Karan_D, Jul 2025
A good tour in terms of time saving. The guide knew the best places to go in and out fast. Did not have to queue a lot. Went to the Crypt, Dome and Bascilla. We saw the respected Pope's house and office as well (from outside).
I wish the guide (Gloria) had given more interesting information about the Bascilla itself as compared to the information rgearding the Pope's have been buried there. A lot of Catholic terminology used which not everyone in the tour would understand immediately.
Tara_M, Jul 2025
Wonderful! Our tour guide was witty, funny and full of knowledge. The trip to the dome was many stairs, but worth the view of St Peter’s square.
Desiree_S, Jul 2025
With it being the jubilee year, we were waiting a lot for a mass to finish to be able to partake in the crypt and the Dome. We were able to climb, which was so worth every step, but couldn't see the interior until mass was over. Not the guides fault, just an unfortunate experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We're sorry to hear that the timing of the Jubilee events affected parts of your visit — we completely understand how disappointing that can be, especially when you’re looking forward to a full experience.
That said, we're glad you still found the Dome climb worthwhile — the view really is something special! We appreciate your understanding that these delays were outside the guide's control, and we hope the rest of your visit was enjoyable.
Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope to welcome you on another tour soon — hopefully under smoother circumstances.
Kind Regards
Walks and Devour Feedback Team
Jan_A, Jun 2025
Great tour as we skipped the line. Sev our guide was fantastic. He had a massive knowledge of history and told all the stories brilliantly with enormous enthusiasm. We had a great time.
Mary_S, Jun 2025
Very good experience. The dome was awesome! Our guide was very knowledgeable. We only had 8 on the tour which made it great.
You will not see the pieta unless you go through Holy Door. That side of the church is behind a curtain. Holy Door access is not included with this tour.
Be aware even if you have skip the access tickets there can be a long wait. We had an hour wait in the 90 degree day. They closed the Basicilia for a while prior to our tour ( Pope had a meeting) this made for a very long wait. Make sure you have water.
Scott_A, Jun 2025
Our tour never happened. We were at the meeting point well in advance—and confirmed the meeting point with other guides familiar with our tour company. But our tour company never showed up and did not respond to our messages for updates or guidance. And they provided no advance notice that they would not be there. We later learned that a Mass was being held at the Basilica which temporarily closed access to the Basilica—however our tour company (after repeated messages) simply replied three hours after our meeting time that they do not monitor the Viator message platform. This is only one experience, but it makes us wary of this tour company. Viator said it would help us get a refund—we shall see.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
We're very sorry to hear about your experience and completely understand your frustration. As the tour provider, we would have tried to reach out regarding any changes to the tour, including availability of key inclusions like the Last Supper. We sincerely apologize if this was not communicated clearly after your booking.
If you haven’t already, we kindly encourage you to contact us directly — we’d be happy to review your case and discuss possible compensation for the portion of the tour that was missed. We value your feedback and regret that your experience did not reflect the high standards we aim to maintain.
Walks and Devour Feedback Team
Jeremy_R, Jun 2025
Good tour from a great guide. The Vatican as a whole is crazy this year, so expect the itinerary to be “loose”. Our guide was great at improvising though. Only bummer was the crypts were closed to the public.
Maria_C, Jun 2025
Ambra was an excellent guide. She was knowledgeable and led the group effectively through the extremely busy space.
Laura_L, May 2025
Very informative. Antonella was our guide. She was knowledgeable and also knew to keep it pertinent and interesting. The dome climb is arduous. Make sure you are able bodied and can handle brief tight spaces. But very worth it. Our adult kids very much enjoyed this. We did visit the day after Pope Leo’s first mass so the chairs and fencing was being taken down which caused a significant back up of humans exiting the Basilica. But that was to be expected. We had just the 5 of us and two others in our group. Highly recommend.
Susan_A, May 2025
This was a great experience while seeing St Peter’s! The views from the dome were amazing. Lots of stairs to climb. Be ready! ;)
Anne_F, May 2025
Fed was a great guide. Educational and interesting stories. St Peter’s absolutely a must. Learned so much and so beautiful on the inside. Loved this tour!
Shelly_L, Apr 2025
Had an excellent tour guide that was extremely knowledgeable! The done climb was amazing and not as difficult as I had thought it would be!
Marc_G, Apr 2025
It was very well organized and executed. Our guide Ambre, was so knowledgeable that it made our time a great learning experience. Definitely one of the best tours I’ve taken.
Christine_D, Jan 2025
Fantastic tour !!! Good early we walked right in. Our tour guide was wonderful she had a passion and knowledge for the history .She was an Archaeological, any question you had she knew the answer.
We were able to see the holy doors and pass through them it was such a beautiful experience.
brian_m, Dec 2024
Excellent guide. PhD with decades of experience. Good communicator. Perfect tour. Group size of 20. 8am start was great to avoid crowds. No line at security.
Mark_H, Nov 2024
Our tour guide, Julia, was excellent. Her knowledge and sense of humor made the experience memorable.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you so much for your fantastic review!
We’re thrilled to hear that Julia made such a positive impact on your experience. Her passion for sharing knowledge and her great sense of humor truly make a difference, and it’s wonderful to know that it helped make your tour so memorable. We believe that a great guide can turn an ordinary experience into something extraordinary, and it sounds like Julia did just that!
We appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you on another adventure in the future.
Thank you again for choosing us. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
Best regards,
Sarah
Walks and Devour Tours
Christine_W, Oct 2024
We had a great day despite the wet weather.
Our guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Unfortunately there was a service in the tombs which meant our tour guide had to leave us wander through without him. The dome is spectacular from inside and the rooftop views of the Vatican gardens was a real treat.
Sarah_J, Oct 2024
The guide, Sev, was amazing. He presented so much information in an engaging manner. He was able to answer any questions asked. Sev was one of the best guides I have had. The early morning start time was good to avoid as much of the crowd as possible, as the lines to enter the basilica and to use the elevator to the Dome become very long later in the morning. The views from the Dome are beautiful, but the stairs become very narrow and steep at points, so people with mobility issues or claustrophobia may have difficulty with that part of the tour if they choose to do the climb.
Likely to Sell Out
From $68.96
per personup to 7 days in advance
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Likely to Sell Out
St. Peter’s Basilica Priority Access Tour with Dome & Crypt
321
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$68.96
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Shore Excursions
- Port Transfers
- Bus Tours
- Travel & Transportation Services
- Private and Luxury
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Rome
- Shore Excursions - Vatican City
- Port Transfers - Vatican City
- Bus Tours - Vatican City
- Shore Excursions - Lake Bracciano
- Port Transfers - Lake Bracciano
- Bus Tours - Lake Bracciano
- Shore Excursions - Isola d'Ischia
- Bus Tours - Isola d'Ischia
Attractions in Rome, Italy
- Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci) Tours & Tickets
- Ara Pacis Museum (Museo dell'Ara Pacis) Tours & Tickets
- Castel Gandolfo Tours & Tickets
- Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati (Basilica dei Santi Quattro Coronati) Tours & Tickets
- Lake Bracciano (Lago di Bracciano) Tours & Tickets
- Villa Borghese Tours & Tickets
- La Pietà Tours & Tickets
- Colosseum Tours & Tickets
- Ancient Rome Tours & Tickets
- Appian Way and Aurelian Walls (Via Appia Antica e Mure Aureliane) Tours & Tickets
- Case Romane del Celio Tours & Tickets
- Borghese Gallery (Galleria Borghese) Tours & Tickets
- Pompeii Archaeological Site Tours & Tickets
- Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia (Necropoli Etrusche di Cerveteri e Tarquinia) Tours & Tickets
- Museo Leonardo Da Vinci Experience Tours & Tickets
- Temple of Hadrian (Tempio di Adriano) Tours & Tickets
- Piazza Navona Tours & Tickets
- Piazza Venezia Tours & Tickets
- Vatican Museums Tours & Tickets
- Trinità dei Monti Tours & Tickets