Vatican Scavi: Underground St. Peter’s Tomb & Basilica VIP Tour

Rome, Italy

High interest

Booked 2 times today.

2 to 4 hours (approx.)
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.5

· Mary_W ·

Jun 2026

Exceptional experience! Go deeper than the catacombs into roman mausoleums and see St Peters tomb. Uneven ground with stairs and occasional low ceilings. We enjoyed our own walk around St Peters Basilica following, with amazing climb up to the view from the dome.

· JoAnn_P ·

Jun 2026

Tour guide was so knowledgeable, everything about the tour was great. We were able to check off many items on our bucket list on this tour. Have already recommended the tour to others.

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St. Peter's Basilica Reserved Entrance Tour + Castel Sant’Angelo

Rome, Italy

4.2

(181)

St. Peter's Basilica Reserved Entrance Tour + Castel Sant’Angelo

from $22

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Overview

St. Peter’s Basilica is an incredible feat of art, architecture, and engineering. Rather than make it an afterthought to your Sistine Chapel tour, give its beauty the time it deserves on this small-group tour with a guide every step of the way. As well as seeing Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s canopy, descend into the necropolis to see the tombs of popes, monarchs, and St. Peter's Tomb. Discover even more with an upgrade to St. Peter’s Dome for dazzling city views.

Choose from a variety of options to see every level of St. Peter's
Gain access to St. Peter's Tomb—a rare privilege sought after by many
For extra insight, ask your guide questions as you explore the basilica
Choice of morning or afternoon departures lets you plan your day

What's Included

Exclusive access and Guided tour to the Underground Vatican Scavi/Necropolis
Visit to St. Peter’s Tomb
Professional licensed guide
VIP skip-the-line entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica
Guided tour inside St. Peter’s Basilica (if option selected)
Small-group experience for a more intimate visit
Ticket for optional self-guided climb to the Dome (if option selected)

Food and drinks
Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off
Not suitable for children under 10 years old.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Largo del Colonnato, 5, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Meeting Point: Largo del Colonnato, 5, in front of the Galleria San Pietro Shop (near St. Peter's Square). Please go to the meeting point to collect your tickets & to meet your Guide. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. For any questions, contact us at +39 328 001 0018.

End point

Saint Peter's Square
Piazza San Pietro, 00120
The tour will end outside St.Peter's Basilica

Itinerary

St. Peter's Square

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Necropolis of Saint Peter

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Meeting Point: Largo del Colonnato, 5, in front of the Galleria San Pietro Shop (near St. Peter's Square). Your guide and our staff will be there to welcome you. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before departure to ensure a smooth check-in. For assistance, please call +39 328 001 0018.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Not suitable for children under 10 years old.
All participants must carry a valid identification document (passport or ID) to enter the sites. Entry may be denied without a valid document, with no refund.
A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements

There is no refund on reservation fees and tickets of monuments that are closed due to event that is out of our control.
If this is not possible, we will operate the tour and will include other sites to compensate for the site/s being closed. No refund is given on unused tickets due to events that are out of our control.
Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time due to managing and organizational reasons.If you arrive late for the meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, unless you pay for the activity again. As per "No Show" rules you will not be entitled to a refund.
Cancellations, changes or issues due, security and events held by the monument are beyond our control and are directly decided by their administration team. These issues will be reviewed by us and dealt with on an individual basis but are the responsibility of the monument.
Please note that St. Peter’s Basilica may close without prior notice. Refunds are only available for options that include a guided tour of the Basilica.
The Necropolis is managed directly by the Fabbrica di San Pietro; timing variations are beyond our control. The tour start time may vary even more than30 minutes.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

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

4.5

based on 61 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Sort by: Most insightful

Very cool experience

Mona_S, Aug 2026

Based on photos online, there’s so much of the necropolis to see. I’m wondering if the tour is specific to the tour guide, or it’s the same for everyone. I enjoyed the story our guide was building throughout each site. But I wish we got to see more.

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Dear Guest, Thank you for your review and for sharing your experience with us! We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and especially the way your guide **built the story throughout the different sites**, bringing the history of this extraordinary place to life. Regarding your question, we would like to clarify one important point: **THE SCAVI ROUTE IS NOT DECIDED BY THE TOUR GUIDE.** Access to the Vatican Necropolis is **strictly regulated by the Vatican**, and visitors can only enter the areas that are authorized and accessible at that particular time. Unfortunately, not everything that can be seen in photographs online is necessarily included or accessible during every visit. We completely understand your wish to see more — the Necropolis is an extraordinary place, and it naturally leaves you wanting to discover even more! Thank you again for choosing our experience and for your positive comments about the guide and the storytelling. **Warm regards, Tour in the City Team**

Sabrina was phenomenal

Tyler_M, Aug 2026

Sabrina was the best tour guide! She had so much energy, which really helped us get through a long tour. It didn’t feel long at all thanks to her sense of humor. The Scavi was a memory we will have for a lifetime. It was so moving to pray at the Tomb of St. Peter. Sabrina expertly explained each and every element of the basilica. She knew every work of art and statue, and you could tell she loved talking about them. This is a must book experience if you want to truly take in all that St. Peter’s Basilica has to offer.

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your **wonderful review and recommendation!** We are thrilled to hear that **Sabrina was phenomenal** and made your experience at St. Peter’s Basilica and the Scavi so special. Her **energy, knowledge, passion and sense of humor** are exactly what make a long and detailed tour feel engaging from beginning to end. We are especially happy that her explanations helped you appreciate the incredible art, statues and history of the Basilica. Knowing that visiting the **Tomb of St. Peter** and having the opportunity to pray there became a memory that you and your family will carry with you for a lifetime means a great deal to us. We will make sure to share your beautiful words with Sabrina. We know she will be delighted to hear how much you appreciated her passion and dedication. Thank you again for choosing us and for calling this a **“must book experience.”** We hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable tour! **Warm regards, Tour in the City Team**

Both guides were very...

Tara_P, Jul 2026

Both guides were very informative and we could see their enthusiasm. Saint Peters was absolutely amazing and as catholics an experience we won’t forget

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that both of your guides made the experience so enjoyable through their knowledge and enthusiasm. Sharing the history and spirituality of these extraordinary places with passionate guides is exactly the experience we strive to provide. We're especially pleased that St. Peter's Basilica was such a meaningful visit for you. Knowing that, as Catholics, this was an experience you will never forget is the greatest compliment we could receive. Thank you for choosing to tour with us. We hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable experience. Warm regards, Tour in the City Team

Sabrina was the best tour...

Fernando_F, Jul 2026

Sabrina was the best tour guide ever! She was on early, had clear directions, extremely knowledgeable, organized, and joyful to be around. She guided us before and after the Scavi tour smoothly and provided great historical presentations throughout. Sabrina is the best tour guide in her field and even knowledgeable of the Vatican surrounding stores and facilities of best times and places. She is always happy to help and I would recommend this tour with her a million times.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are absolutely delighted to hear that Sabrina made your Vatican Scavi experience so memorable. Her professionalism, knowledge, enthusiasm, and genuine care for our guests are exactly what we strive to provide, and your kind words perfectly reflect her dedication. We will be sure to share your compliments with Sabrina—they will mean the world to her. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable experience!

The actual Scavi Tour of...

Jackie_W, Jun 2026

The actual Scavi Tour of the Necropolis was unbelievable and amazing. The two parts ahead of that were a little confusing. First, the tour guide from Tour in Rome picks you up and hands you off to a worker and this worker brings you to the Scavi Office where you wait around 25 minutes for a Scavi tour guide to take you into the Necropolis. The Scavi guide, Patrick, was incredibly knowledgeable, passionate and clear. The site itself is incredible. It is only that the situation before the proper tour starts is a little confusing and unclear. I suppose this is because they are buying extremely difficult to obtain tickets on our behalf that the process is a bit convoluted and odd. It was not clearly explained and a bit confusing when it began. But, ultimately, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your review. We always contact our customers to communicate any updates, including changes to the meeting point when they are caused by unforeseen events or circumstances beyond our control. This information is sent in advance whenever necessary. As for the waiting time, it is clearly stated both in the tour description and on the voucher that the tour may start later than the scheduled time, as access to the Vatican Necropolis is managed exclusively by the Vatican authorities. You are actually proving our point: these tickets are extremely difficult to obtain. That's exactly why so many people choose our service. With us, the booking process was easy for you because we handled all the complexity behind the scenes. The only confusing part seems to have been your interpretation of how the experience works. Once the official Vatican guide took over, as you correctly pointed out, the experience was "unbelievable and amazing" and Patrick was "incredibly knowledgeable, passionate and clear." We're glad you ultimately enjoyed what is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Exceptional experience!...

Mary_W, Jun 2026

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed this unique experience beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. Exploring the ancient Roman mausoleums and reaching the area traditionally recognized as St. Peter’s tomb is truly a remarkable journey through history. We're also glad you took the opportunity to continue exploring the Basilica on your own and enjoyed the climb to the top of the dome—one of the most breathtaking views in Rome! Thank you for choosing Tour In the City and for sharing your experience. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future. Warm regards, The Tour In the City Team

Vatican

JoAnn_P, Jun 2026

Tour guide was so knowledgeable, everything about the tour was great. We were able to check off many items on our bucket list on this tour. Have already recommended the tour to others.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you very much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Vatican Scavi Tour and that our guide’s knowledge helped make the experience so memorable. Visiting St. Peter’s Tomb, the Vatican Necropolis, and St. Peter’s Basilica is truly a unique opportunity, and we are glad we could help you check so many items off your bucket list. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable tour in the future! 😊 Best regards, The Tour in the City Team

Scavi tour

VIVIAN_U, Apr 2026

You are unable to take pictures and the air quality can be musty and humid. The time in the chapel was very memorable for me. Our tour guides were very knowledgeable for the scavi and St. Peter’s Church tour

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate your comments and are glad to hear that you found the time in the chapel memorable and that our guides were knowledgeable during both the Scavi and St. Peter’s Basilica tour. Regarding your observations, we would like to clarify that the restrictions on photography and the environmental conditions (such as humidity and air quality) are inherent to the Scavi area itself and are strictly regulated by the Vatican, not by tour operators. These measures are in place to preserve this highly sensitive and sacred archaeological site. We are pleased that, despite these limitations, you were able to enjoy such a meaningful and enriching experience.

Great tour

Steven_B, Apr 2026

This was our highlight of our trip to Rome. The visit to the Vatican crypt was amazing. Our tour guide, Sabrina, took us through Saint Peters. She had an amazing knowledge of the church and was very fun. I would highly recommend this to her.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that this tour was the highlight of your trip to Rome. The Vatican crypt is truly a unique and moving experience, and we’re glad you enjoyed it so much. A special thank you for your kind words about Sabrina—her knowledge and enthusiasm make every tour engaging and memorable, and she will be delighted to hear your feedback. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon for another unforgettable experience.

Do Not Use

Steven_F, Mar 2026

We were 15 feet from I guess the meeting spot. The had no signage and they where changing the signage on the building so they left at 1027 on a 1045 tour saying that they could not wait. Even though we where there sense 10. They cannot offer refund because they just don’t even if they leave you.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Dear Mr. Fritz, We are sorry that you felt dissatisfied; however, several statements in your review do not accurately reflect what happened. For transparency, we would like to clarify the situation for future readers. First of all, the scheduled meeting time for this tour was 10:15 AM, not 10:45 as mentioned in your review. The guide and the entire group were present at the designated meeting point and all other guests were able to locate it and join the tour without any issues. While the group was still waiting, at 10:21 AM we sent you a message through the Viator messaging system informing you that the group was waiting and asking whether you were nearby. In addition to this message, we attempted to contact you multiple times using the phone number provided in your booking (+1 405-589-XXXX) through the following methods: • phone calls via regular phone line • WhatsApp calls and messages Unfortunately, none of these attempts received a response. Despite these repeated attempts to reach you, your first message was received only at 10:42 AM, which was well after the scheduled meeting time and after the group had already entered the Vatican Necropolis. It is important to understand that the Vatican Scavi (Necropolis) tour is one of the most restricted visits in the Vatican, with strictly controlled entry times managed directly by the Vatican authorities. Once the allocated entry time passes, it is not possible to delay or reschedule the entry for late arrivals. Even after the group had entered, we still attempted to assist you by offering two alternative solutions in good faith: • the possibility to reach the group and participate in the second part of the tour, and • the opportunity to rebook the Necropolis visit on another day at a heavily discounted price. Unfortunately, both options were declined. We would also like to clarify that all Necropolis tickets are nominal, time-specific, and strictly non-refundable, as they are issued in advance and regulated directly by the Vatican authorities. Finally, it is important to note that in the Viator chat you requested a refund while stating that you would otherwise leave a negative review. This communication is documented in the message history and has already been shared with Viator for review. Our team made multiple documented attempts to contact and assist you before the group entered, but we did not receive a response until well after the meeting time. We always do our best to assist our guests, and the fact that all other participants successfully located the meeting point and joined the tour on time confirms that the meeting instructions were clear and accessible. Kind regards, Tour in the City

Incredible tour! Sabrina...

Stephen_J, Feb 2026

Incredible tour! Sabrina our tour guide knew everything about St Peter’s. She was very nice and enthusiastic. If you want to learn about the history and art surrounding the Vatican, definitely take this tour. We couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are truly delighted to hear that you had such an incredible experience on the Vatican Scavi tour. Sabrina will be especially happy to know that her knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion for St. Peter’s made your visit so memorable. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we are grateful that you chose to explore the history and art of the Vatican with our team. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!

I really cant imagine not...

Adam_F, Dec 2025

I really cant imagine not doing this. The deep expertise made it easy to connect the dots fro out other tours

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that the deep expertise of our guide helped you connect the dots with what you had already seen on your other tours. That broader understanding is exactly what we aim to offer with this experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable tour in Rome! Warm regards, The Tour in The City Team

Learned so much!

kim_g, Dec 2025

Very thorough and informative guide. We learned so much about the artwork and history of the various popes. Really enjoyed the tour.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you found the tour thorough and informative, and that you enjoyed learning more about the artwork, history, and the stories of the Popes. Our guides are passionate about bringing the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica to life, and it’s wonderful to know the experience met your expectations. Thank you for choosing us—we hope to welcome you again on another tour in Rome! Warm regards, The Tour Team

Our guide was extremely...

Nicholas_W, Oct 2025

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Vatican. He keep us very interested in the tour. He also took the time to take photos and videos of us that came out beautiful. Would recommend this tour to others.

Our guide was wonderful;...

Molly_C, Apr 2025

Our guide was wonderful; so upbeat and knowledgeable and without question one of the best parts of the visit

Disorganized and not the private your we paid for.

Scott_P, Jul 2023

The tour was not private but semi private even though we paid for private. I was told by the guide and not called by the company. The tour was fine and it was not the guides fault but when I called the operator he said oh I should have called you. He claims he is giving me a partial refund but I haven’t seen it processed and if I wanted to pay for a semi private, I would have booked it.

Excellent!! +++

Meredith_T, Jun 2023

Martin was an excellent guide full of knowledge way beyond the basic info. He was friendly and personable and fun. We had a great time and he took lots of pics of us along the way. Excellent tour that I would highly recommend!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Monica B was very informative. She...

David C, Jan 2018

Monica B was very informative. She helped us navigate the truly massive Vatican museum. It was very cold in the museum (not Monica’s fault!) but it’s worth noting that they’re essentially open to the outside air. Dress warm in winter!

This is the only way to go to see...

Michael B, Oct 2017

This is the only way to go to see the Vatican.Go early morning with your guide and skip those long lines. Even though there are thousands of people...it is organized and moves fast. We had 16 people in our group and our guide took incredible care of us making sure we heard the history and explaining so many things to us. She was interesting and insightful and I will always remember this as being one of my favourite tours.

The art, sculpture and history of...

Tami M, Oct 2017

The art, sculpture and history of the Vatican and St Peters Basilica is amazing, truly awe-inspiring! The throngs of people, however are almost oppressive. Our tour guide, an expat American, seemed fun and quirky at first, however she rarely answered a question directly and often responded with sarcasm. If you have any level of curiosity around the religious and political historical context of the periods represented, I would recommend a private tour, or most certainly a smaller group.

Our tour was extremely unorganized...

Tara S, Sep 2017

Our tour was extremely unorganized. We were asked to arrive at 7:45 a.m., but the woman who needed to check us in did not arrive until almost 8:10. Then, there were two lines to check in, one being a Spanish only line though it was an English speaking tour. Nonetheless, we did not enter into the Vatican until around 8:45. Since the tour was running late, the guide had to rush through and speak quickly. Plus, it is not worth it to spend the extra money to enter in early, as there are already so many other tours entering at that time and by the time your guide explains everything and shows you other areas of the Vatican, you enter the Sistene Chapel toward the end of your tour anyway.

-Poorly organized: we arrived at...

TimArthur M, Aug 2017

-Poorly organized: we arrived at 7:45 as requested only to wait till other people in our tour were done registering / paying. All the people who had not paid yet, were forced to pay cash as the system was down. -The tour guide arrived after 8 am - There were over 30 people in the tour even though we signed up for a tour with 30 people -We did not skip the line, instead we had to wait 40 minutes before the tour began -we were rushed from spot to spot and were left little time to see what was being explained during the tour. We would have been better off going on our own and getting an audio guide. This was not worth our time or money. We were very unsatisfied and Viator should consider dropping this partner as it is only going to damage Viator's reputation.

Excellent guide!Jumped the very long...

Catriona C, Aug 2017

Excellent guide!Jumped the very long queues.It what could turn into avery long hot day we were done within 3 hours overall and left feeling as though we had seen what was needed.

Likely to Sell Out