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St. Peter's Basilica Tickets
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St. Peter's Basilica ...
Dedicated Access: St. Peter's Basilica Self Guided Audio Tour(202)
€19.5
5% Cashback
Free Cancellation
Best Safety
St. Peter's Basilica ...
Guided Tour Of St. Peter's Basilica With Fast Track Entrance(287)
€27
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Best Safety
Vatican Tickets
Rome in a Day: Colosseum, Vatican & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour(529)
from €101€80.8
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St. Peter's Basilica ...
Fast Track: St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican Necropolis - Gui...€59
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Best Safety
Built over 100 years, St. Peter’s Basilica is Italy’s largest and most opulent church and comes directly under the jurisdiction of the Holy See. Located within the Vatican City in the middle of Rome, the Basilica is steeped in history and heritage and is arguably the most important church to Catholics around the world. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age owing to its mesmerizing renaissance architecture.
Post Covid-19 Safety Measures and New Rules at St Peter's Basilica
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, St Peter's Basilica has enforced several safety measures:
- Only individual celebrations and non-group visits are allowed
- The Vatican’s mess hall is closed until further notice
- Social distancing is applicable at all times (1.5 meters)
- Visitors are required to wear a mask at all times
- People attending the museum will have their temperature checked at the entrance
All St Peter’s Basilica Ticket and Tour Options
Being one of the most popular attractions in Vatican, St Peter's Basilica sees millions of tourists every year and lines can be excruciatingly long. However, there are a plethora of ticket options to choose from; from skip-the-line access to the Basilica to combo packages that take you through the church and the rest of Rome. Guided tours of St. Peter's give you access to a special ceremonial papal corridor, that goes directly from the Sistine Chapel to St Peter’s Basilica; and a knowledgeable guide leading the way.
Self-guided Audio Tour
Guided Tours & Dome Access
St Peter’s Basilica Combos
With over 5 million visitors every year, St Peter’s Basilica is one of Rome’s most popular attractions. Due to its popularity, ticket lines at St Peter’s Basilica could be rather long, and wait times could easily stretch hours. With dedicated access tickets, you can save time and choose an entry slot according to your convenience. Take cognizance of the Renaissance masterpieces, such as Michelangelo's Pieta, and Bernini’s Chair of St. Peter. You will also be able to pay homage to the tomb of St. John Paul II. Apart from the Cupola, you’re free to explore the rest of St Peter’s Basilica and soak in its rich heritage.
Why go for these tickets?
- No more crowds: With a self-guided tour, you’re in control of your tour of the heritage site and are equipped with everything you might need to make it an enriching experience. Discover the greatest church in all of Christendom at your own pace and spend time at your favorite exhibits and locations.
- Cheapest way to explore St Peter’s Basilica: This tour is one of the most cost-effective ways to visit Saint Peter, with tickets available online. As you only have to pay for the official audio-guides and entry of the Basilica, this is truly a budget-friendly way of discovering the magnificent history of St Peter’s Basilica, without losing out on the knowledge a guide could have provided to you.
- Skip the line St Peter’s Basilica Tickets: Waiting times at the Basilica could spill over a couple of hours on popular days and is therefore a very time-consuming process. With these tickets, you can skip the ticket queues and choose your preferred time slot without any hassle. On the day of your experience, you can just walk in with your audio guide and start your journey through the history of Christianity at the St Peter’s Basilica.
Recommended Experiences
Visit the largest basilica in the world; St.Peter's Basilica and enjoy a self-guided tour of its inner sanctums. You will also benefit from priority access and waste no time while you explore this Renaissance masterpiece.
The biggest advantage of a guided tour of St Peter’s Basilica is that you are accompanied by a knowledgeable guide. The guide will not only ensure that you are not lost during the tour, but will also help you understand the history behind every single attraction on the way. Depending on your ticket, your tour could include complimentary access to Michelangelo’s St. Peter’s Basilica dome, one of the most magnificent domes in the city of Rome. Gazing over the rolling green Castelli Romani hills, the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the opulent Vatican cannot get better than this; it’s an experience you’re going to cherish forever.
Why go for these tickets?
- Expert Local Guide: On a guided tour of St Peter’s Basilica, you are accompanied by a professional guide. Once you meet your guide at the designated meeting point, they will ensure that you are guided to the priority access points and top attractions at St Peter’s Basilica. They will also explain the history of every major attraction at the basilica, including the dome.
- Access to St Peter’s Basilica Dome: The tour begins with an exciting climb that involves both a staircase and an elevator to the highest point of Rome’s iconic St. Peter’s Basilica. Soaking in an eagle’s view of Vatican City from Michelangelo’s St. Peter’s Basilica dome is a truly unparalleled experience; one you should not miss.
Recommended Experiences
Explore the St. Peter’s Basilica’s charming interiors and the Papal Sarcophagi after your visit to the top of the dome. From atop Vatican’s most renowned dome, you’ll get to see the Vatican and some of Rome’s most famous landmarks bordered by the Castelli Romani hills. Your guide will point out all the attractions and tell you more about these fascinating places in Rome.
Skip the morning crowd and get hassle-free priority access to St. Peter's Basilica and enter the church through a dedicated entrance. Enjoy an informative tour of the most important church in Christianity with a local expert and check out stunning works of art and architecture by Bernini, Donato Bramante, Carlo Maderno, and more.
Experience a semi-private guided tour of Rome with skip-the-line entry to the stunning Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum. You’ll be able to soak in the beauty of Rome’s most important art collections at the museum’s halls and marvel at the Gallery of Tapestries and Geographical Maps, following which you’ll be guided to the world-renowned Sistine Chapel. Once you’ve soaked in the beauty of the frescoes of Michelangelo crafted upon the ceiling, you’ll then visit St. Peter’s Basilica as you walk through the story of Christianity and its various important monuments, including St Peter’s Chair and Tomb.
Why go for these tickets?
- Experience Rome like never before: Depending on your ticket, you’ll get to see Rome’s top attractions including the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum, apart from everything the Vatican has to offer, including St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums.
- Visit the Vatican Necropolis: Some combo tickets take you through an in-depth tour of a couple of Vatican’s top attractions, one of them being the Vatican Necropolis. The necropolis is located 10 meters beneath St. Peter's Basilica, below the level of the Vatican Grottoes and in the central nave of the Basilica. On the tour, you’ll get to see the Roman cemetery, placed next to the Nero’s Circus, where coexisting graves date back to the period between I and IV century. You can also pay your homage at the tomb of Apostle Peter, the first "Pope" of Christianity.
- Multi-lingual guide: Exploring a vast place like the Vatican or Rome can be a daunting task because of the sheer number of attractions. With an expert local guide accompanying you on your tour, you will not only get to see all the top attractions but also learn about their history and significance. You can choose a guide who can speak your preferred language and apart from guiding you through Rome/Vatican, they will also take care of all your documents and tickets to ensure that you have a hassle-free experience.
Recommended Experiences
Discover the best of Rome on a full-day, semi-private guided combo tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum. Make the most of your time with skip the line entry.
Experience the symbolic history of St. Peter's Basilica and soak in its magnificent Renaissance architecture. Visit the Vatican Museums and walk through the vibrant history of one of the world's most premier art collections. Make your way to revered Sistine Chapel and witness some of the most famous frescoes in the world, including the famous ceiling and The Final Judgement painted by Michelangelo.
Plan your visit to St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City
Timings
Getting to St Peter's Basilica
Best Time to Visit
1. What are the opening hours of the St Peter’s Basilica?
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday; 7 am - 6:30 pm
House Opening: Monday to Sunday; 7:30 am - 5 pm
House Opening: Monday to Sunday; 7:30 am - 5 pm
2. When can I attend the mass at St. Peter's Basilica?
Week Days
8:30 AM- Blessed Sacrament Chapel In Italian
9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM - Altar of St. Joseph (Left Transept), In Italian
5:00 PM - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) In Latin, with singing, homily in Italian
Sunday and Holy Days
9:00 - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - Mass for the Parish, in Italian
10:30 - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - Solemn Mass in Latin, with singing, homily in Italian
11:30 - Blessed Sacrament Chapel - In Italian
12:15 - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - In Italian
1:00pm - Altar of St. Joseph - (Left Transept), In Italian
4:00pm - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - In Italian
5:45pm - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - In Italian
Please note that these are subject to change due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Please visit the official website of St Peter’s Basilica before you plan your visit.
8:30 AM- Blessed Sacrament Chapel In Italian
9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM - Altar of St. Joseph (Left Transept), In Italian
5:00 PM - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) In Latin, with singing, homily in Italian
Sunday and Holy Days
9:00 - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - Mass for the Parish, in Italian
10:30 - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - Solemn Mass in Latin, with singing, homily in Italian
11:30 - Blessed Sacrament Chapel - In Italian
12:15 - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - In Italian
1:00pm - Altar of St. Joseph - (Left Transept), In Italian
4:00pm - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - In Italian
5:45pm - Altar of the Chair (Cattedra) - In Italian
Please note that these are subject to change due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Please visit the official website of St Peter’s Basilica before you plan your visit.
3. How long does it take to tour St Peter’s Basilica?
Exploring everything that the historical basilica has to offer, including the grottos and museums will take you between 1 hour and 3 hours, depending on the attractions you choose to visit. If you’re looking to attend a mass as well, you could easily end up taking over 4 hours to finish your St Peter’s Basilica tour.
1. How do I get to St Peter’s Basilica?
St Peter’s Basilica is located in the Vatican city, which is located towards the north of the Rome city center. You can get to Vatican City via public transport, Metro, Hop On Hop Off buses or private cabs.
2. How do I get to St Peter’s Basilica by Metro?
To reach St Peter’s Basilica, you have to take the Rome Metro and get down at Ottaviano-S. Pietro, which is just outside the Vatican. Line A direction Battistini, Ottaviano or Cipro stations of the Metro have trains running every few minutes. It's a 5-minute walk from the Metro to both St Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums.
3. Can I get to St Peter’s Basilica by bus?
To reach St Peter’s Basilca, you have to take either one of the following;
Bus 49 - stops at the square in front of the Vatican Museums
Buses 32, 81, 982 - stops at Piazza del Risorgimento
Buses 492, 990 - stops at Via Leone IV / Via degli Scipioni
These bus stations are the closest ones to St Peter’s Basilica.
Bus 49 - stops at the square in front of the Vatican Museums
Buses 32, 81, 982 - stops at Piazza del Risorgimento
Buses 492, 990 - stops at Via Leone IV / Via degli Scipioni
These bus stations are the closest ones to St Peter’s Basilica.
1. What is the best time of day to visit St Peter’s Basilica?
As the basilica opens quite early, it is recommended that you visit the monument between 7 am and 9 am to avoid the crowd. The number of people visiting St Peter’s Basilica tends to increase by midday. On Wednesday, in lieu of the Papal Audience, there is generally a huge crowd at the basilica.
What is the best time of the year to visit St Peter’s Basilica?
Fall (autumn) is the best time of the year to visit St Peter’s Basilica. St Peter’s Basilica tends to get crowded during Christian festivals and holy days. The time between September and November features the lowest number of Christian holy days, making it the best season to visit the Vatican and to avoid crowds.
Explore the St. Peter's Basilica
St Peter’s Basilica is an Italian Renaissance Church and the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture in the world. It is also the largest church in the world and was designed by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Besides its obvious historical and artistic significance, it has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".
St Peter's Basilica Dome
Designed by Michelangelo, the dome was completed by Giacomo Della Porta, Michelangelo’s pupil. The dome, with an inner diameter of 42.56 metres measures 136.57 metres from the base to the top of the cross. There is a viewing platform at the base of the lantern from where you can enjoy an unparalleled panorama over Rome, which can be reached by stairs or elevator. This dome was used as a model for other domes in the western world, like Saint Paul’s in London (1675), Les Invalides in Paris (1680-1691) and the Capitol building in Washington (1794-1817).
St Peter’s Basilica Architecture
The basilica was completed around 349AD on the orders of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor of Rome, and was marked for renovation by Pope Nicholas V in the late fifteenth century. However, once he died, the restoration plans were halted, until almost a century later, Pope Julius II decided to build a completely new church and appointed architect Donato Bromante to structure the iconic high dome. The dome was further worked upon and modified heavily by architects and designers like Michelangelo Buonarroti, Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Maderno.
Grottoes
The grottos contain chapels dedicated to various saints and tombs of kings, queens and popes, dating from the 10th century, and are found sandwiched between the Renaissance Basilica and Constantine’s 4th century basilica. The holiest spot here is Peter’s tomb, containing the "memory", built in the 4th century on the spot were the Apostle’s tomb was venerated. The monuments to Paul VI (1978) and Pope John Paul II (2005) are also in the grottos. There is also a fresco by the 14th century Roman painter Pietro Cavallini called “Madonna della Bocciata”, because of Mary’s swollen face. According to an old legend, her face bled because a drunken soldier had thrown a bowl into the holy image after he lost a game of bowls.
Vatican Necropolis
The Vatican necropolis, or scavi, is often confused for the grottoes, the latter of which resulted from the construction of St. Peter's Church and is located on the ground level of the old Constantinian basilica. It was originally a burial ground built on the southern slope of the Vatican Hill, adjacent to the Circus of Caligula. In accordance with the Roman law, it was forbidden to bury the dead within the city walls. For this reason, burial grounds sprang up along the roads outside of the city cemeteries. It is thought to be the site of Apostle Peter’s tomb.
St Peter’s Tomb
Saint Peter's tomb is located under St. Peter's Basilica and includes several graves and structures built to enshrine the location of Saint Peter's grave. Quite a few Popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian period as it is the burial site of St Peter and is hence one of the four highest-ranking churches or ‘Major Basilicas’ in the world. It is the only one to be located in Vatican City and is directly under the jurisdiction of the Holy See.
The Chair of St. Peter
The Throne of St. Peter, a wooden throne that was supposedly used by Apostle Saint Peter, the leader of the Early Christians in Rome and first Pope, is on display at St Peter’s Basilica. The relic itself is described as an oaken chair damaged by cuts and worms, while the back and front are trimmed with carved ivory. The wooden throne was a gift from Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Bald to Pope John VIII in 875. The spiritual significance of the chair is a symbol of the special mission of Peter and his Successors to tend Christ’s flock, keeping it united in faith and in charity.
FAQs
1. What should I wear while visiting St Peter’s Basilica?
As St Peter’s Basilica is a holy place, there are strict dress codes in place. Sleeveless blouses, miniskirts, shorts and hats are not permitted and it is advised that you keep your shoulders covered throughout your visit.
2. Can I take photographs at St Peter’s Basilica?
Yes, photography is allowed almost everywhere in Rome, except inside the Sistine Chapel. While photography is allowed inside St Peter’s Basilica, the use of flash is strictly prohibited.
3. Am I allowed to carry food or water inside St Peter’s Basilica?
Yes, you are allowed to carry a few snack food items/drink within day packs. However, you will have to exit the basilica in order to eat any food item as this is prohibited inside the basilica.
4. Are there any new rules and regulations in light of the coronavirus crisis?
There are some basic regulations in place to fight the pandemic. Only individual and non-group visits are allowed at St Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican’s mess hall is closed until further notice, which could mean that you might not be able to buy any food items from the stores in and around the Basilica.
5. Can I cancel/reschedule my St Peter's Basilica Tickets?
Yes, you can cancel (or reschedule) your tickets up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.