Combo (Save 5%): Castel Sant’Angelo & Passetto di Borgo + St. Peter’s Basilica Entry Tickets

An all-encompassing experience of Rome’s religious and political history with priority access. You can leisurely wander through the museum and venture into the secret passageway. At St. Peter’s Basilica, you get fast track entry to enjoy its religious atmosphere at your pace.

Getting started

At Castel Sant’Angelo, go to the main entrance at Lungotevere Castello 50 and show your ticket at the counter. After check-in, you can begin your visit at your own pace. At St. Peter’s Basilica, arrive at the security gates at St. Peter’s Square, display your tickets with a valid photo ID to start exploring.

What to expect

Castel Sant'Angelo

Your visit begins at the spiral ramp, once used to carry urns of cremated emperors and later to move soldiers and supplies to the upper levels.

Papal residences

Castel Sant’Angelo became a papal refuge under Pope Nicholas III, who turned it into a fortified residence. Inside the papal apartments, you’ll see beautifully decorated ceilings with frescoes by Renaissance artists like Girolamo Siciolante da Sermoneta.

Prisons

From there, pass through the Court of Alexander VI to reach the old prison cells. Some torture instruments used on prisoners are still preserved here.

Terrace and Archangel Michael's statue

Your visit ends at the rooftop terrace, where you get a panoramic view of Rome. Here, you’ll also see the iconic bronze statue of Archangel Michael by Peter Anton von Verschaffelt.

Passetto di Borgo

At the terrace, you will find a westward extension which is the entrance to the elevated corridor. Enter through the entrance into the passageway running along the Vatican walls.

Walking through the corridor

Along the way you can see its striking defensive features such as thick walls and enclosed ceiling. The passage discreetly blends into the Leonine Walls making it a lucrative for popes’ escape through the route. The tour ends as the passage approaches the Vatican grounds.

St. Peter's Basilica

Your visit into the basilica starts with Michelangelo’s Pietà, a delicate sculpture of Mary holding the body of Christ.

Nave, main altar, & dome

Walking down the central nave, you’ll reach the main altar, set directly above St. Peter’s tomb. Above it soars Michelangelo’s dome, richly decorated and a symbol of Renaissance art. The Baldachin by Bernini, a bronze canopy, marks the high altar and adds to the grandeur.

Vatican Grottoes and papal tombs

Beneath the basilica, you can explore the Vatican Grottoes, where many popes, including St. John Paul II, are buried. It’s a solemn and spiritual part of the visit.