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The magnificent St. PETER’S BASILICA and its Square
LIVE TOURS › VATICAN TOURS › The magnificent St. PETER’S BASILICA and its Square
The magnificent St. PETER’S BASILICA and its Square
Visit St. Peter’s Basilica and its magnificent square with a licensed and local Roman guide: we will reveal you the history and secrets of this magnificent church, built by Michelangelo, and its spectacular baroque colunnade, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
GOOD TO KNOW
- 2 hrs
- 8.30am or 2.00pm
- only private groups
- Guided tour to St. Peter’s Basilica
- Guided tour in St. Peters Square
Are you fascinated by this stunning piece of architecture? Want to know more about it? Not interested in standing in a line or being stuck in a Museum? Are you on a budget?
Visit St. Peter’s Basilica and its magnificent square with one of our licensed, local, Roman guides: we will reveal the history and secrets of this magnificent church, built by Michelangelo, and its spectacular baroque colonnade, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
This tour of St. Peter’s Basilica requires no pre-booking of the tickets! You will pay only 2 euros per person at the entrance.
Forget about endless lines and strict rules, open your eyes wide, be ready with your camera and discover the largest Church in the world! This tour is not just about art history: it is about the intriguing role of the Popes, who, for centuries, ruled Italy and Europe!
How does the tour of St. Peter's Basilica work? For first... Meet your guide in St. Peter’s Square!
284 splendid columns surround St. Peter’s Basilica, a symbolic welcome embrace to all the faithful visiting here for the past 5 centuries!
Pope Alexander VII Chigi commissioned Bernini to design the stunning colonnade, who arranged the rows of columns to create an intriguing optical effect that will enchant you…look for the spot where the columns disappear… Baroque art is an endless surprise!
Black smoke or white smoke? Let's talk about it!
The procedures of a Papal conclave will have no secrets for you after this tour! Our guides will show you the roof of the Sistine Chapel where a chimney is built during each conclave to reveal if a new pope has elected of not: you will see the Balcony of the Blessings and the windows of the Pope’s apartment!
Then… take a deep breath and after the security check enter St. Peter’s Basilica with your guide!
Did you know that this is the second Basilica of St Peter’s?
The first one was erected around 320 by Emperor Constantine in the place where, according to tradition, the apostle Peter was buried. Over the centuries, and under different pontificates, the long process – about 200 years – of construction progressed under the supervision of such artists as Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini and would lead to the complete makeover of the first church.
Michelangelo’s Dome will take your breath away, with its enormous size, beautiful shape and colourful mosaic decoration!
And if this was not enough to make you breathless, after the end of our tour you can climb – at you own pace – to the top of the dome and enjoy a stunning view of the city!
Among the masterpieces you’ll see in the Basilica of Saint Peter’s Tour, we will not miss Michelangelo’s Pietà, the work that for centuries was admired for its technique and beauty.
See the monumental tombs of the popes and of important ladies of the past. Raise your eyes to see the splendour of Bernini’s canopy and don’t be scared by the embalmed bodies displayed in this Church, too!
Did you know that the Vatican State is protected by Swiss Guards? Not Vatican citizens nor Italians. For 500 years the Swiss Guards have protected the gates of Vatican City… let’s see if they will let us take a picture together?
No long lines, no tickets to pay, no photo restrictions, just treasures for both your eyes and heart and the pleasure of visiting this Church and learning its history and secrets … we will do our best to make this experience unforgettable!
- IMPORTANT: This tour includes the exploration of the Basilica with a licensed guide.
- It does not include entering the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. For that, please check our Vatican Museums tours
- At the end of the tour you can climb up to the dome, just note that this is not included in the tour. If you want the guide to accompain you there as well, just ask when submitting your request.
- St. Peter’s Basilica is a holy place, please cover your shoulders and knees!
- Due to the ceremonies taking place in St. Peter’s Basilica the opening and closing times can change with short notice. If the church does undergo an unannounced closures, we will advise you regarding possible changes.
- No skip the line tickets are required for this tour but 2 euros per person will be paid at the entrance of the Basilica, after the security check.
- security controls are compulsory and there may be lines for the security checks. We are not able to do anything regarding the time it takes for a security check, but we will our best to choose the best tour starting time to avoid any possible lines!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ST. PETER’s BASILICA RULES, check our blog
We run only private tours.
We don’t run small groups.
We can accommodate time/day request according to our guides’ and entry tickets availability.
Final and detailed price will be provided after receiving your request from the contact form.
Starting price for a private tour 2,5 hrs for 2 adults: 350 euro + tickets but definitive price is provided *only* upon request.
Price can be reduced during low season or increased during holiday, peak dates or last minute request.
For group larger than four, price will be provided upon request.
ASK for availability
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