Is there any such thing as St. Peter’s Basilica tickets and should you get one? Do you need St. Peter’s Basilica skip the line tickets?
Visiting St. Peter’s Basilica is actually free, and there is no such thing as official St. Peter’s Basilica tickets. However, you should consider options for guided tours as these will make your visit much smoother and enjoyable – and going through the security lines quicker.
In this post, I explain the best ways of visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and how to make the most of this incredible church.
Do You Need St. Peter’s Basilica Tickets? Here’s What You Need To Know
St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, with tourists and pilgrims visiting every day. The combination of large numbers of visitors and increased security measures can cause lines to get in.
That’s why some visitors opt to get St. Peter’s Basilica tours that help them skip the line, even though visiting the Basilica is free. For a relatively small investment, St. Peter’s Basilica tours will allow you to skip the line and get a more in depth knowledge of this stunning church.
Let me stress once again that there’s no such thing as St. Peter’s Basilica tickets. You may find some people trying to St. Peter’s Basilica tickets outside the church, but these are scams!
Quick overview on how to skip the line at St. Peter’s Basilica
So, if you want to skip the lines at St. Peter’s Basilica, here’s how to do it.
GO EARLY – Best overall option, completely free.
GUIDED TOUR OF THE VATICAN – Access St. Peter’s Basilica via a dedicated gate through the Vatican Museums.
SCAVI TOUR – Perfect if you want to see the Necropolis.
ROME IN A DAY TOUR – Best option if you have limited time but want to visit many attractions.
Let me go into a bit more details now.
Go very early
Yes, it’s as simple as that! The best way to skip the line at St. Peter’s Basilica is to be there as soon as it opens, at 7:00 am. Even a city as busy as Rome is quiet at that time in the morning, and you will be able to go through the security lines swiftly and explore the church without the large crowds of tourists that arrive later in the day. And it’s completely free!
Take a tour of the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums
If you would rather take a tour, the easiest way to get into St. Peter’s Basilica is by purchasing a guided tour of the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum that ends in the Basilica via a dedicated entrance. This is the best value-for-money tour.
The starting price of this kind of St. Peter’s Basilica tours is €45, but I recommend spending a bit more for a better quality experience. Tours usually go to the Vatican Museums first and access the church via a passage gate which will make you save the time of having to walk back to St. Peter’s Square, and the hassle of having to go through security again.
Most tours last around 3.5 hours, after which you can spend more time on your own inside the Basilica and climb to the dome for a small additional fee.
I recommend this Pristine Sistine early morning tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. My sister and I took this tour during our most recent trip to Rome and we really enjoyed it.
Buy a St. Peter’s Basilica tour
If you’d rather visit St. Peter’s Basilica first, then explore the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, opt for fast-track St. Peter’s Basilica tickets and tours which allow you to use the security line that is specifically dedicated to groups.
Guided tours of just St. Peter’s Basilica cost around €30 and last one hour or more, depending on what they include. They don’t normally include a Dome climb, for which you need to purchase a separate ticket (you can do that directly at the door) or a different tour altogether.
I recommend this in-depth tour of St Peter Basilica. It includes a visit to the grottoes (where you can see the papal tombs), to the St. Peter’s Basilica Dome, and St. Peter’s Square.
If you already know that you want to enjoy the incredible views of Rome from St. Peter’s Dome, then opt for a tour that includes St. Peter’s Basilica tickets for the Dome climb. The tour lasts two full hours, and also goes to St. Peter’s Square.
On another trip to Rome (yes, I go there all the time!) I took this excellent tour of St. Peter’s Basilica with Dome climb. It’s one of the best St. Peter’s Basilica tours you can find.
St. Peter’s Basilica Dome is open daily from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. You can get tickets directly at the door and they cost either €8 if you opt to climb a series of winding staircases all the way up (551 steps) or €10 if you take the elevator and then climb the rest of the way (320 steps). Be warned: it is enclosed space and not good therefore if you are claustrophobic at all.
Take a tour of the Necropolis
The Vatican has a tour that is called “Scavi Tour” that takes visitors in the necropolis – a very well preserved Roman cemetery discovered in the 1950s. It is a burial ground that dates back to the 1st century, where St. Peter was buried – which is why the Basilica was built there!
Descending a staircase, you’ll find a necropolis with over 100 tombs, including 91 for Popes. Additional tombs were discovered beneath the Basilica when Pope Pius XI ordered excavations in the 19th century, as he wanted to be buried next to St Peter.
The Scavi tour can be booked directly by sending a request to the Ufficio Scavi via this page: it’s in Italian, but it’s self-explanatory. It lasts around 90 minutes and costs €13. Kids under the age of 15 aren’t allowed. The tour finishes in the Basilica.
This page gives exact instructions on the information you have to provide when booking the tour.
Go on a one-day tour of Rome
If you are spending a very short time in Rome and just want to hit the highlights during your visit, I recommend you join a tour that will take you to the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.
I recommend this Rome in a day small group tour with Vatican and Colosseum – this 7.5 hour tour of Rome also goes to the Pantheon, and it includes a stop for gelato. You will have a completely hassle free day.
Otherwise, I also suggest you consider this Vatican City skip the line tour – you’ll get a live guide and fast track tickets to all attractions.
Practical Guide To Visit St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica hours
These are St. Peter’s Basilica hours:
1 OCTOBER TO 31 MARCH – 7:00 am to 6:30 pm
1 APRIL TO 30 SEPTEMBER – 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
St. Peter’s Basilica is closed during Papal audiences, on Wednesday morning.
Is St. Peter’s Basilica free?
Yes! St. Peter’s Basilica is free. There is no such thing as St. Peter’s Basilica tickets.
Let me reiterate – if you are wondering “do you need St. Peter’s Basilica skip the line tickets” the answer is no. You only have to pay if you want to join a guided tour.
However, there is an added fee to visit St. Peter’s Dome – between €8 and €10 depending on whether you opt for the elevator for part of the way or not. I wholeheartedly recommend adding this to your visit, as the views of Rome from the dome are simply breathtaking.
Should you get a Vatican City Pass?
As I have said throughout this post, you don’t need to get St. Peter’s Basilica tickets – in fact, there is no such thing! This means that, for the simple purpose of visiting St. Peter’s Basilica, you really do not need to get the Rome City Card or the Vatican Pass.
However, both are excellent options if you want to visit the best attractions in town, as they offer considerable savings in terms of money.
The only downside is that some attractions have timed entrances which means you have to visit the official site and book a time slot for your visit.
The Rome Tourist Card includes tickets to the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums; an optional guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica (or you can visit Galleria Borghese or Castel Sant’Angelo) and tickets to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. What’s great about it is that you can book all attractions easily on the same site where you get the pass.
For more information, head over to my post The Best Roma Pass Options And How To Make The Most Of It.
Best time to visit St. Peter’s Basilica
Rome normally gets lots of tourists year round. However, the largest crowds visits between April and October. If you want to find a slightly less crowded city, the best time to visit Rome is in the winter, between November and February – except during Christmas time.
The best time to visit St. Peter’s Basilica is between 7:00 and 10:00 am, when the line to go through security is shorter. Alternatively, plan to visit at lunch time, between 1:00 and 3:00 pm when all the tour groups (ie shore excursions that typically arrive around 9:00 or 10:00 am) are out having lunch.
St. Peter’s Basilica is closed on Wednesday mornings, when the Pope gives his public address and audience. Also avoid Saturdays and Sundays, when Rome gets a large influx of weekend trippers.
Is St. Peter’s Basilica Worth Visiting?
Did you come here wondering “is St. Peter’s Basilica worth visiting?” Well, the answer is yes!
Part of the Vatican State, this grand church was built over a Roman necropolis where, around 67 AC, St. Peter’s was buried.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is one of the largest catholic churches in the world, spanning for 186 meters (610 feet), with a central nave that reaches 46 meters (151 feet), a dome that is 136 meters (446 feet) tall and 42 meters (almost 138 meters) wide. It can host up to 20,000 people.
Inside the church, there are 11 chapels, 45 altars and mosaics. Let me go into a bit more details and show you what to see when visiting St. Peter’s Basilica.
St Peter’s Baldachin
Known in Italian as the Baldacchino, this is one of the holiest spots in St Peter’s Basilica. It is situated above the altar, beneath the dome, and above the spot below ground where St Peter was buried.
It was designed by Baroque master Bernini between 1623 and 1634. He took influence from the canopy that is held over the Pope’s head during processions.
Michelangelo’s Pietà
Located in the first chapel is the beautiful Pietà by Michelangelo – this is one of the most prominent pieces of Michelangelo in Rome.
Created by the artist between 1498 and 1499, the piece was carved out of white marble and depicts the Virgin Mary holding Jesus in her arms. Michelangelo was a relatively unknown artist at the time of its creation. Interestingly, it’s the only piece that he ever signed.
Loggia Delle Benedizioni
The Loggia of the Blessings or simply St Peter’s Central Balcony, this is where blessings are given by the Pope. It’s also from here that new Popes are announced.
The Chair of St Peter
The throne located in the baldachin is a wooden chair that is said to have been used by St. Peter himself for sermons preached to the early Christians of Rome. Around the chair is a giant gilt bronze casing designed by Bernini and constructed between 1647 and 1663.
The throne was given as a gift to Pope John VIII in 875 by Charles the Bald, Emperor of the Carolingian Empire. After modern analysis, it was concluded that the wooden chair is no older than the 6th century.
Tomb of Innocent XI
Another piece by Bernini, the tomb of the 17th-century Pope Innocent XI is a beautiful monument. Interestingly, the body of Innocent XI can actually be seen in situ through a grate, fully clothed in Papal regalia. The tomb itself is situated below Raphael’s painting of the Transfiguration.
How To See The Pope At St. Peter’s Basilica
If you care about seeing the Pope, you should plan to go to St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday or Wednesday.
Wednesday Papal Audience
You can’t visit St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning. However, that does’t mean you can’t go! In fact, you can attend mass at St Peter’s Basilica. Every Wednesday (if the Pope is in Rome at the time), visitors have the chance to receive a Papal blessing.
The audience takes place in St Peter’s Square, and consists of teachings and readings in Italian, and several other languages. The Papal Audience culminates in a group prayer.
The event usually starts at around 10:00 – 10:30 am and can last between one and one and a half hours. Many people arrive up to three hours earlier in order to secure the best spot. The gates open at 7:30 am.
St. Peter’s Basilica tickets for the Papal Audience are free but should be acquired in advance – you will need to fill in the application you can find here. Everyone is welcome, and even if you don’t have a ticket, you still may be able to access the blessing.
Third party bookings sites also allow you to get tickets for the Papal Audience. In this case, you will have to pay a fee, vs getting in for free. On the other hand, you will get a guide that will walk you through the event and take you to the best seats.
Sunday Angelus
If you are not in Rome on a Wednesday you can still to listen to the Pope. Each Sunday when he is in town, at 12:00 pm sharp, the Pope addresses and blesses the audience from one of the windows of his apartment.
The event is known as the Angelus and lasts for about 20 minutes. You will be able to access the square for free, but arrive a bit early as there will be security check to enter the square. The Pope’s address in this occasion is in Italian only.
Papal Masses
For Catholics all over the world, attending a Papal Mass is an unmissable event. Tickets to attend the mass are actually free, but the mass schedule changes regularly so you may want to monitor the website to make sure you can book your tickets and know when to go. Book well ahead of time!
Other Useful Information
Dress code
St. Peter’s Basilica observes a strict dress code for visitors. Make sure not to wear shorts, mini-skirts, flip flops, tank tops and low cut shirts. In general, cover your knees and shoulders.
While this may hardly be an issue in the cold winter months, you may want to consider bringing an extra layer during the summer months. Opt for a light cotton shirt or jacket that you can wear on top of your base layer, and for long pants or a long skirt or dress.
Make sure to read my post The Vatican Dress Code for a more detailed guide on what to wear.
Security checks
You’ll have to go through security checks before getting inside the church. Tour groups can go through a different (and much quicker) line.
To speed up the process of going through security, make sure to leave that aren’t allowed inside the church in your room. Prohibited items include umbrellas, sticks, tripods, luggage and large bags, knives and scissors.
Taking St. Peter’s Basilica photos
You can take St. Peter’s Basilica photos, with the exceptions of the chapels on the sides. You can’t use tripods, stands and other professional equipment without previous authorization which should be granted by the Directorate of the Vatican Museum. Flash photography is not allowed.
Toilets
There are no toilets inside St Peter’s Basilica itself, but there are plenty in the Vatican. The nearest ones are to the right of the security checkpoint before you enter.
Disabled access
Wheelchair access to some of the sites within the Basilica is limited, unfortunately. There are wheelchair ramps and elevators (to the first terrace of the dome, for example). Guide dogs are allowed.
How to get to St. Peter’s Basilica
The entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica is separate from that of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. You can enter the Basilica directly from Piazza San Pietro, or after a tour of the Sistine Chapel via a reserved entrance.
The nearest metro station to St. Peter’s Basilica is Ottaviano – that’s line A. You can also get there by bus, with n. 40 or 64 which depart from Termini Station and n. 492 that leaves from Tiburtina.
Further Readings
Make sure to read my posts:
- 17 Reasons To Visit Italy
- The Best Things To Do In Rome
- How To Get Tickets To The Colosseum
- 6 Smart Ways To Get Galleria Borghese Tickets And Skip The Lines
- A Guide To Visiting The Pantheon, Rome + What You Should Know About Pantheon Tickets
- The Perfect Itinerary To See Rome In 2 Days
- A Fantastic Itinerary For 4 Days In Rome
- A Wonderful Itinerary For 5 Days In Rome
- A Great Itinerary For A Fabulous Week In Rome
- 31 Incredible Places To Explore Rome Off The Beaten Path
- 20 Great Day Trips From Rome
- All The Food In Rome You Should Eat: 25 Delicious Dishes
- How To Get From Fiumicino Airport To Rome City Center
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