Add dates

St. Peter's Basilica

The center of the Catholic world, this magnificent basilica was built on the burial site of the apostle Peter.

St. Peter's Basilica: Our most recommended tours and activities

Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel Tour & Basilica Entry

1. Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel Tour & Basilica Entry

Discover the art collection inside the Vatican Museums on a tour with an art historian guide, with an optional entry to Castle Gandolfo. Walk through the galleries and admire masterpieces by Michelangelo inside the Sistine Chapel.  Meet your guide, an art historian who will tell you all about the masterpieces you will be encountering. Hear fascinating facts and stories as you visit the Gallery of the Maps, the Gallery of the Tapestries, and the Gallery of the Candelabra. Round off the tour with by encountering the marvels of the Sistine Chapel, complete with frescoes by Michelangelo. Be awed by coming face-to-face with Michelangelo’s most famous artwork: The Last Judgement. You can also make the most of your experience by taking advantage of additional entry to Castle Gandolfo (if option selected).

Rome: Guided Tour of St. Peter's Basilica with Dome Climb

2. Rome: Guided Tour of St. Peter's Basilica with Dome Climb

Join a private or shared guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica and experience this iconic attraction. Marvel at the magnificent interior of the Basilica and learn why the church took 150 years to rebuild. Discover the colorful marbles, golden ceilings, and the impressive Michelangelo's Pietà while your guide shares stories about the history of this Renaissance-style church. Take the elevator with your guide up to half the height towards the top of the Dome. Then take the steps and continue your climb to the the viewing deck at the very top. First contemplate the interior mosaics of the dome close up, then marvel at the striking views of St. Peter's Square and the Vatican Gardens from above. Admire Rome from a height of 136 meters, and spot the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, and other historic sites.

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-the-Ticket-Line Tour

3. Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-the-Ticket-Line Tour

Take a 3-hour guided tour of the holiest site in Christendom on a guided walking tour of the Vatican Museums including a comprehensive visit to the Sistine Chapel. With exclusive skip-the-ticket-line access through the Vatican Museums partners' entrance, save the long wait in the lines that usually form outside one of the world’s most popular attractions. Considered one of the most important places in the history of human civilization, start your tour at the museum to see the important collections of art that various popes have acquired throughout the centuries. Look out for renowned sculptures and masterpieces of Renaissance art. Feel the weight of history and get a sense of the sacred as you spy paintings by Raphael, Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio and Michelangelo, including his masterwork in the Sistine Chapel.

Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Tour

4. Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Tour

Discover the best of the Vatican in a single visit. Skip the ticket line to the key attractions and see outstanding examples of art and architecture in the company of your expert guide. Enjoy an optimized itinerary designed to allow you to get the best out of your visit to the Vatican Museums in a limited time frame, taking in the remarkable Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms, and St. Peter’s basilica among other highlights in the company of one of our expert guides. Visit the Sistine Chapel, where you’ll get the chance to gaze up at Michelangelo’s ceiling as your guide explains the secrets behind Michelangelo’s masterful paintings. Close to the Sistine Chapel is the suite of private papal apartments known as the Raphael Rooms. These exquisitely decorated rooms contain some of the finest examples of Raphael’s work, including the “School of Athens," a group portrait of antiquity's most famous philosophers, many of them in the guises of Raphael’s contemporaries. Often overlooked by visitors who are in a hurry to get to the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms deserve more than a brief pitstop — your guide will ensure that you have plenty of time to admire Raphael’s works at your leisure. Your visit to the Vatican Museums is a great opportunity to discover its remarkable collections of ancient sculptures, including the legendary Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere. These classical artworks had a profound impact on the artists of the Renaissance, and their muscular anatomies and psychological intensity strongly influenced the work of Michelangelo and Raphael. Accompanied by an expert art historian, you’ll learn all about these ancient masterpieces and gain a greater appreciation of Greek and Roman art. Walk through the famous Gallery of Maps, admire the Pinecone Courtyard and visit the Belvedere Courtyard. Although it’s impossible to see the entire extent of the Vatican’s enormous collection in a few hours, on this tour, you'll see a series of unmissable highlights. After exiting the Sistine Chapel, enter St Peter’s Basilica directly, without having to wait in line. The basilica has been enriched over the centuries by the hands of countless artists and architects. During your St Peter’s Basilica tour, your guide will tell you the fascinating history of the basilica and put it in the context of Christian history, from its origins as a burial ground to its current state of splendor and international importance.

Rome: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour

5. Rome: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour

The open-top, double-decker bus provides fantastic views and a great atmosphere to enjoy Rome's charm. From the iconic Colosseum and the famous Spanish Steps to the stunning Vatican, the city's history and majestic architecture will take your breath away. A fully narrated audio tour allows you to discover over 10 locations throughout the city with daily departures from the starting point at Termini Railway Station. You have the option to join the tour from any of the stops on the route. You may also experience the “eternal city” on foot with fantastic digital, self-guided walking tours. Some of the locations you can see on the tour route include: Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore Colosseum Roman Forum Circus Maximus San Giovanni Piazza Venezia Piazza Navona Pantheon Castel Sant'Angelo Vatican St. Peter's Basilica Trevi Fountain Spanish Steps Piazza Barberini Termini Railway Station

Rome: Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter Tour

6. Rome: Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter Tour

Be led behind the doors of Catholicism in the holy Vatican City on an early entry walking tour. Avoid crowds and lines and experience the Vatican with the comfort of a very small group. Go on a journey made of mesmerizing history, breathtaking masterpieces, and mysticism led by an expert in art and religion. Enjoy your skip-the-line entrance and follow a tour guide on a visit to the Vatican Museum, a chest of countless masterpieces including the astonishing gallery of statues, the interesting gallery of maps, the gallery of tapestries, and the Raphaels rooms. Learn about the great artists who helped to intricately embellish one of the most fascinating sovereign states in the world. Enter the Sistine Chapel and lift your head up to one of the most admired ceilings in the world. Immerse yourself in The Last Judgment, the seemingly never-ending fresco magnificently adorned by Michelangelo’s life-like, potent figures of Adam, God, and many saints. Try to spot the artist’s self-portrait on the torso of Saint Peter. Explore the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica. Marvel at the incredible mosaics, Michelangelo’s Pietà, and Bernini’s Baldachin in all their glory.

Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour

7. Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vatican City on a guided tour of all of its most important treasures. Discover the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica with fast-track entrance access to make the most of your day. Begin your experience by discovering masterpieces of art in the Vatican Museums by some of the world’s most distinguished artists. Follow a guide in your chosen language to the most important areas of the museum, including the Gallery of Maps and Gallery of Tapestries. Enter the Sistine Chapel to contemplate the glory of Michelangelo’s acclaimed masterpiece, “The Last Judgment”, one of the most famous pieces of art ever made. Then, experience the magnificent interior of St. Peter’s Basilica with fast-track entrance. Be awed by one of the holiest sites in the world and admire Michelangelo’s stunning “La Pieta”.

Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Tour

8. Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Tour

Discover some of the most popular attractions in Rome on a guided walking tour of Vatican City. Visit the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica with your guide, and admire the ornate interiors and the famed artworks housed here. Meet your guide close to the entrance to the Vatican Museums and follow them as you set out to explore the most interesting galleries within the museum. See the Rotunda, the Gallery of Tapestries, and the Gallery of Maps. Take in the ornate ceilings in each room and see the ancient statues, frescoes, and tapestries that adorn the walls. Then, enter the Sistine Chapel and marvel at the intricate fresco that covers the entire ceiling and walls. Painted by Michaelangelo between 1508 and 1512, the Sistine Chapel represents a cornerstone work of High Renaissance art. From the Creation of Adam to the Last Judgement, Michelangelo dedicated some of his greatest years to the Sistine Chapel, working day and night – even sleeping in the chapel – to satisfy the popes of Rome. The artist also expressed his frustration through hidden meanings in his work, which have since been uncovered and deciphered. Listen as your guide lets you in on Michelangelo's private jokes. Finally, head to St. Peter's Basilica for the final leg of your guided walking tour. The cathedral is one of the most renowned works of Renaissance architecture and holds the title of the biggest church in the world. Explore the interior of this magnificent structure with your guide and discover the many masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque art that fill the cathedral. Admire the famous Pietà by Michelangelo and the elaborate St. Peter's Baldachin by Bernini. Your tour comes to an end outside the cathedral. From here, feel free to wander around Saint Peter's Square or visit the nearby Castel Sant'Angelo on your own. 

Rome: St. Peter's Basilica Dome to Underground Grottoes Tour

9. Rome: St. Peter's Basilica Dome to Underground Grottoes Tour

Explore iconic sights in Rome on this guided walking tour. Stroll through St. Peter's square and take in the views of the city from the top of St. Peter's Basilica. Admire artwork like Michelangelo's emotive 'Pietà' statue and go below the Basilica to uncover St. Peter's final resting place. Meet your guide in St. Peter’s Square then start the tour by climbing your way to the top of the Basilica’s dome. Enjoy an exclusive look at the Dome’s impressive mosaics then head further up to the top balcony. From here, marvel at panoramic views across the city, spot the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and other iconic landmarks. Descend into the Basilica and admire its impressive interior and discover why it took 150 years to build. Gaze at the colorful marble, golden ceilings, and intricate mosaics that surround you. Learn about the renowned works of Renaissance and Neoclassic artists that are housed here.  Next, head underground to the Basilica’s historic grottoes and visit St. Peter’s Tomb. Touch the ancient walls of the original 4th-century Basilica and admire its beautiful frescoes. Finish the tour in St. Peter’s Square and soak up its majestic architecture. 

Vatican: St. Peter's Basilica Access & Early Bird Dome Tour

10. Vatican: St. Peter's Basilica Access & Early Bird Dome Tour

Explore the beautiful surroundings of St Peter’s Square and the Vatican City on an extraordinary tour with a local guide. Climb the dome and visit the basilica in the early morning before the crowds arrive with skip-the-line tickets. You will see the first viewing point through the elevator of the dome. Start climbing the remaining steps toward the summit while hearing fascinating facts and stories from your guide. Witness a breathtaking view of Vatican City and its iconic seven hills. Keep your camera ready to click photographs of the beautiful panoramic views from the top of the famous Vatican summit.  After admiring the splendid views, come down from the dome to enter the basilica. Enjoy the privilege of instant access and stroll through the area at your own pace. Marvel at the magnificent creation of St. Peter's Baldachin and Michelangelo’s Pietá. Discover every tiny detail of the historic building and admire the masterpieces adorning the space.  

Available activities

244 activities found
Sort by:
Page 1 of 16

Other Sightseeing Options in St. Peter's Basilica

Want to discover all there is to do in St. Peter's Basilica? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about St. Peter's Basilica

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 108,130 reviews

Marzi was exceptional. She was very detailed in her description of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter's. Her discussion on "The Ceiling", "The Last Judgement", and "The Sistine Chapel" was excellent. We really enjoyed the detailed discussion she provided. Good work!

Amazing experience with amazing guide! Vatican is a beautiful place full of history, but definitely needs a good guide, otherwise you will miss all the cheeries on the cake.

It was an amazing experience. Our guide was Marianne and she was fantastic. She had a ton of great information and was a very fun guide.

Our Guide, Lindsy(?) from Netherlands was amazing and very passionate about the tour and content and stories etc.

Great tour, great guide. Place itself was very growded, so it was convenient to visit with the guide.