Rome: Early St. Peter’s Basilica, Dome Climb & Crypts Tour

Meet your guide near St. Peter’s Square early morning to begin your tour of St. Peter's Basilica. This guarantees you to avoid the long queues that form in St Peter's Square during the day!

Start by navigating through the Basilica, admiring the array of statues, chapels, and pilgrim sites located here. Descend to the underground crypts where you can see where hundreds of popes and members of royalty who have been buried since the 11th century. Your guide will provide insights into the history and significance of these crypts.

After exploring the crypts, make your way to the first level of the dome by lift. Listen to your guide as they share facts and stories about the history of the dome, and everything you need to know about the Dome’s artists and Renaissance splendor.

From the first level, continue your ascent to the top of the dome. Take the spiral staircase up to the viewing balcony and admire the incredible mosaics depicting the saints, the magnificent Latin scripts circling the dome, and the top of Bernini’s canopy below. Enjoy some free time to explore at your own pace, then head above the double structure of the dome and pass by windows that give a tantalizing glimpse of the Vatican rooftops below.

After climbing 320 steps, find yourself on the viewing platform 448 feet above the basilica floor. From this vantage point, admire breathtaking and panoramic views of the city, including the Vatican Gardens below. Marvel at the monuments of ancient Rome, such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon. The only point above you is the cross containing the timbers from the True Cross.

When you're ready to descend, the stairs will bring you directly down to the basilica floor, bypassing the need to line up again. Avoid the long lines which you may have seen growing across St. Peter’s Square from the top and keep exploring the Basilica at your own pace!