Private Saint Peter’s Basilica Tour + Optional Dome & Tombs
- 1h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Explore the beauty of St. Peter’s Basilica on this PRIVATE tour, led by Mike or one of his hand-picked expert guides. Just you and your family will enjoy a more personal experience, the chance to ask questions, and fascinating stories, humor, and insights that bring history to life. Your guide will show you where a priest can bless your religious items. Discover Michelangelo’s breathtaking Pietà, visit the tomb of Pope John Paul II, learn about the Holy Doors, and hear the dramatic story of St. Peter’s crucifixion. Your guide will reveal the secrets behind the basilica’s treasures, including Bernini’s works and Michelangelo’s iconic dome. At the end of the tour, choose between an optional climb to the top of St. Peter’s Dome for views over Rome and Vatican City, or descend to explore the Papal Tombs under the basilica. Your guide loves making history fun and memorable and is great with kids, making this a fun experience for the whole family.
Inclusions
What's included
- Bring a religious item—our guide explains how to receive a priest’s blessing.
- Fun tour St. Peter’s Basilica: Pietà, John Paul II, look @ Holy Doors, Bernini, and papal monuments.
- Entrance to the Tombs after the tour (guide will show you where to go)
- Radios to hear the guide at all times
- Easy to understand FUN guide that explains the whole Basilica (not recorded audioguide)
- Guide points out the Vatican Post Office, where you can send postcards home.
What's not
- Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel
- Dome climb is an extra cost that can be paid to Vatican after tour (guide will show you where to go)
- Postcard mailing costs are at the guest’s expense.
Itinerary
Discover the grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica on this comprehensive tour of its magnificent main floor. Our expert guide will bring history and art to life as you explore the Basilica’s most iconic treasures. Marvel at Michelangelo’s breathtaking Pietà, a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, and visit the serene tomb of Pope John Paul II. Stand before the Holy Doors, a symbol of faith and renewal, and witness the preserved body of Pope John XXIII. Learn about the architectural brilliance of Michelangelo’s dome, towering above as a testament to his genius, and admire Bernini’s stunning bronze Baldachin, the centerpiece of the Basilica’s altar. Along the way, discover various monuments dedicated to the popes, each rich with history and symbolism. This tour offers an unparalleled journey through one of the world’s most remarkable landmarks.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 5114
- 41
- 31
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 116 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- The meeting point is on the sidewalk outside the McDonald’s. Directly across the street there is an ice cream shop named Vizio.(so you know you're in the right place) PLEASE make sure you're at the BORGO PIO McDonalds, as there are a few.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Landmarks & Laughs
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Rome
- Its from-price is 57% below the median of the 8352 experiences we list in Rome.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 665 of 8352.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Rome
Rome layers nearly three thousand years of history into one walkable city, from the Colosseum and Forum to Baroque piazzas and Vatican art.
Ancient Rome is still in plain sight. The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill sit together at the city's heart, the Pantheon still stands with its open oculus, and fragments of temples and aqueducts turn up between apartment blocks. Across the Tiber, Vatican City holds St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Top-ranked sights in Rome: Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel.
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