St. Peter's Basilica Dome and Necropolis Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore St. Peter's Basilica's stunning architecture
- Ascend the dome for breathtaking city views
- Discover the ancient Vatican Necropolis
- Learn about Vatican history from an expert guide
- Enjoy a personalized, skip-the-line experience
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Private guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica
- Climb to the dome for panoramic views of Rome
- Visit to the Vatican Necropolis beneath the basilica
- Meals and beverages
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour availability may vary; check the schedule in advance
- Photography may be restricted in certain areas; follow guide instructions
- Respect local customs and dress codes when visiting religious sites
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for climbing stairs
- Bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated during the tour
- Be prepared for security checks at the entrance
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- Meeting Point: Largo del Colonnato, 5, in front of the Galleria San Pietro Shop (near St. Peter's Square). Your guide and our staff will be there to welcome you. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before departure to ensure a smooth check-in. For assistance, please call +39 328 001 0018.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult. Not suitable for children under 10 years old.
- All participants must carry a valid identification document (passport or ID) to enter the sites. Entry may be denied without a valid document, with no refund.
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- There is no refund on reservation fees and tickets of monuments that are closed due to event that is out of our control.
- If this is not possible, we will operate the tour and will include other sites to compensate for the site/s being closed. No refund is given on unused tickets due to events that are out of our control.
- Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time due to managing and organizational reasons.If you arrive late for the meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, unless you pay for the activity again. As per "No Show" rules you will not be entitled to a refund.
- Cancellations, changes or issues due, security and events held by the monument are beyond our control and are directly decided by their administration team. These issues will be reviewed by us and dealt with on an individual basis but are the responsibility of the monument.
- Please note that St. Peter’s Basilica may close without prior notice. Refunds are only available for options that include a guided tour of the Basilica.
- The Necropolis is managed directly by the Fabbrica di San Pietro; timing variations are beyond our control. The tour start time may vary even more than30 minutes.
Traveler reviews
Amazing Tour!
Absolutely incredible experience! The underground tour at St. Peter’s was one of the highlights of our time in Rome. Having access to areas beneath the basilica that most visitors never get to see made the experience feel especially unique and memorable. We learned so much about the history, archaeology, and significance of the site, and it was amazing to see everything up close. Highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting the Vatican!
Book Early!
The tour itself was very interesting! To be able to see the underground excavations of the necropolis and understand the history was incredible. NOTE: This tour is limited to 200 visitors/day. You can request a spot on the official site or book through a 3rd party like Viator. You run the risk of reservations not being updated through the 3rd party and cancellation of your tour which happened to us; however we were fortunate enough to be able to tour the day before, but otherwise we would’ve missed out on this tour completely- BOOK EARLY and use the direct site if possible. However - the guide with the tour company, Sabrina was wonderful as she directed us through St. Peter’s Square and escorted us to the exact place to begin our Scavi tour.
Great tour
This tour was great! You get to see a lot of behind the scenes areas. Sabrina was a very knowledgeable tour guide!
It was a long tour and I...
It was a long tour and I was glad I brought some water as it gets hot. The Swiss guards were strict with the dress code when we entered the Scavi part of the tour. Our guide Sabrina was detailed and well versed in her explanations and thoroughly explained the artists and history of the many displays. She covered everything from the floor to the ceiling. We would recommend this tour.
The Best and the Worst
Going down into the Scavi is an amazing experience. It was very meaningful to see the remains of Peter and learning even more history. I would highly recommend it! The communication with the tour group could have been much, much better, thus my rating. While I am still unsure what happened, it appears something happened that prevented our tour guide from being with us. We were told to meet at two different locations. It was very confusing and nerve racking. It appears someone from the office at the Vatican pitch-hit and did a great job. But it was different from having a tour guide who gave u even more information. If it were not for this we would have had a much better experience.