Ultimate St. Peter's Basilica Dome Climb and Tour

Free CancellationSkip the Line

See Michelangelo's La Pietà up close and climb the dome for stunning views of Rome and the Vatican

4.94

(165)


2.5 h


Max 25 Guests

Visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and its dome on your own can mean dealing with crowds and waiting in line for hours. Our early-morning tour, led by a captivating local guide, ensures you skip the hassle with privileged access and insider knowledge, including the best times to climb for awe-inspiring views. Explore the stunning Basilica, take in breathtaking panoramas and take it all in. This is a a truly immersive experience.

You’ll meet your friendly local guide at Largo Del Colonnato, near St. Peter's Square. Then, you'll begin your journey to the top of the Dome. Taking the elevator to the first level to admire the elaborate mosaics, you can ascend the narrow, ancient stairway to the very top, where you’ll have an unbeatable view of Rome and the Vatican.

Afterwards, your guide will give you an in-depth tour inside the Basilica itself before entering, where you’ll learn its history and see the artistic mas...

Select participants and date

Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance!

Private, friendly guide

Climb St. Peter's Dome

St. Peter's Basilica

La Pieta

Panoramic views of Rome

Elevator access

Max 25 guests

Private, friendly guide

Climb St. Peter's Dome

St. Peter's Basilica

La Pieta

Panoramic views of Rome

Elevator access

Max 25 guests

Guide gratuity

Meals

Guide gratuity

Meals

Hotel pickup

Meet your guide at Largo Del Colonnato

Your tour begins with a warm welcome from your guide at Largo Del Colonnato Square, conveniently located in the heart of the Vatican City.

1st level of St. Peter's Dome

Step out of the elevator on the dome’s lower level to witness elaborate mosaics and architectural details, as dreamed up by Michelangelo.

Top of the St. Peter's Dome

Climb 320 steps to the very top of the dome, where you’ll be rewarded with a view of the Vatican that has inspired pilgrims and poets alike.

St. Peter's Basilica

Return to the ground level to discover its opulent decorations, stunning marble statues, and gold accents that reflect its sacred status.

La Pietá

Carved from a single block of Carrara marble, this masterpiece showcases Michelangelo's skill in capturing human emotion and divine beauty.

For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change

Meet your guide at Largo Del Colonnato. This is the area just outside of the St. Peters Square colonnades, on the right side if you’re looking at St. Peter’s Basilica. You’ll see a friendly representative holding a “The Tour Guy” sign standing between the fountain and the green kiosk.

Comfortable shoes, a bottle of water, and a great camera!

4.94

165 Ratings

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Dome climb! With St Peter's Basilica tour!

Jason Anthony

Verified Review

May 04, 2025

Worth it! Tour was supposed to be 2.5 hours but was closer to 4 due to jubilee, and crowds. Marco kept us entertained and was so full of knowledge that there was never a boring minute. You could ask him anything and he knew the answer. Getting through everything was seamless. The papal crypts were unfortunately closed. Next time! Marco was also very respectful and kept everyone together as best he could even with certain stragglers kept leaving the group for photo ops. Definitely recommend and have booked more tours with the company and will in the future! Thank you Marco!

Herminia Mirphy

Verified Review

May 03, 2025

Very knowledgeable!

Paige Shreeve

Verified Review

April 30, 2025

Great guide—super knowledgeable, friendly, and funny!! Great views from every level of the basilica!

Taryn Marie Hynek

Verified Review

April 29, 2025

Heather brekke

Verified Review

April 25, 2025

A Must Do and See!

Barbara Inaba

Verified Review

April 24, 2025

Our tour guide (Bogden, if I correctly recall his name) was just great. Enthusiastic, well organized and knowledgeable, considerate, patient, respectful, very thorough, provided explicit info and directions, communicated very well, and truly made our tour a joy. He provided so much in-depth history and shared historical images/photos from his iPad/tablet. The Dome climb itself was not so difficult and was roomy , as compared to the Duomo Dome in Florence.

What a view and Experience!

Robert Cassulis

Verified Review

April 22, 2025

Early morning, rainy day but this didn't discourage any of the participants of this tour! Roberta was incredible and had us up and into the Dome with plenty of time to enjoy St Peter's and the crypts as well.

More than I Expected

Robert Johnston

Verified Review

April 19, 2025

Our guide went above and beyond. She took the time to really explain the little aspects of the basilica.

Nola Palmer

Verified Review

April 17, 2025

Great Tour

Joseph Galperin

Verified Review

April 16, 2025

We learned a lot, but we had to start at 7 a.m. to avoid the crowds. Is that worth it? You decide!

Mickie Kucinkas

Verified Review

April 15, 2025

George Gamboa

Verified Review

April 13, 2025

BEST PLACE TO BE

Harman Toor

Verified Review

April 12, 2025

We enjoyed our visit today and it was amazing. I have never seen something like this before. Dome climb was amazing too. Tour guide was very helpful and nice.

Christine Seifert

Verified Review

April 02, 2025

Highly informative

Ethan Salleh

Verified Review

April 01, 2025

Loved this tour ... loads of historical facts and information. Highly recommended.

Pamela - George Stenger

Verified Review

March 25, 2025

Our first time to Rome, and our experience with Julius as our tour guide was amazing. He was very patient, knowledgeable and so accommodating. We recommend The Tour Guy for your tours in Rome! And early appointments are your best option, will beat the large crowds!

Joshua Young

Verified Review

March 25, 2025

Ross Daniels

Verified Review

March 22, 2025

Amazing views!

michele burke

Verified Review

March 22, 2025

Worth the climb for the views. If you’re claustrophobic, suffer from vertigo or are not in good health, you may want to pick another tour. If you think you’re in great shape…trust me…this climb will make you rethink your physical assessments. Get cleared by the cardiologist before trying. Another fantastic tour with the company. We took 9. They were all excellent

Ultimate St. Peter's Basilica Tour

DAMIAN O'MAHONY

Verified Review

March 20, 2025

We enjoyed an excellent tour and appreciated the guidance received ! Full Marks !

Cynthia Smith

Verified Review

March 15, 2025

Great tour

Amanda DeMarni

Verified Review

March 11, 2025

We thoroughly enjoyed this tour with Alba. She had lots of great information to share and lots of recommendations of other places to visit.

Wonderful experience!

iwan gunawan

Verified Review

March 03, 2025

We had a wonderful experience with this tour. Our tour guide, Patricia, was very engaging and eager to share her wealth of knowledge about St Peter's Basilica, its history, and lots of tidbits information. We climbed up to the dome, it was quite a workout, but we were rewarded with the 360 degree view from the top. It was an awesome experience.

Highly tecommended

Alice Evans

Verified Review

February 20, 2025

This is the first time I have been to the dome and crypt, although I have been to St Peter’s before. The views are spectacular, inside and outside. I got so much more out of it with a guide and with time to appreciate the beauty of the Dome.

Monti Favero

Verified Review

February 10, 2025