St Peter's Basilica Ticket Information

Do I need to buy a ticket to enter the St Peter's Basilica?

No. You can visit the Basilica for free and don't need a ticket to be allowed in. But since the St. Peter's Basilica is a popular tourist attraction in Rome be prepared to stand a long time in line before being let in.

How can i skip the long lines at the entrance?

There are several ways to avoid spending a lot of time standing in lines.
One of these is to participate in one of the many available guided tours of the St. Peter's Basilica. Every tour includes skip the line entrance into the Basilica through a dedicated entrance. There are many great tours to choose from and most of them combine a visit to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and the St. Peter's Basilica.
Alternatively, you can buy the official audioguide. With your audioguide you can enter the Basilica through a dedicated entrance, bypassing the long lines.
Another way to bypass the lines is to enter with a combo ticket which gives you priority entry into multiple attractions located in Rome and/or the Vatican City. Popular passes include the Omnia card, the Best of Rome Pass and the Vatican & Rome Experience Pass. All of these passes include the official St. Peter’s Basilica audioguide which gives you priority entrance.
Visiting the Basilica on a guided or self-guided tour not only allows you to save precious time, but also to learn interesting facts about the modern-day Vatican, to understand it’s rich history and to learn about the incredible architecture and art collections.

A few notes about the St. Peter's Basilica Audioguide

• You need to download the official audioguide on your smartphone or tablet. If you cannot download it on your device you can ask the staff at the entrance for a traditional audio guide. You will need to leave your ID with the staff which will be given back to you when you return the audioguide.
• Bring your own earphones as they are not included with the audioguide. If you forget to bring them you can purchase a set for 1 euro at the entrance desk.
• The audioguide gives you priority entrance through a dedicated entrance, but it will not allow you to skip the lines at the security check, which every visitor has to go through before entering the Basilica.
• The audioguide is available in the following languages: English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and Russian.
• A downloadable digital map of Rome is also included.
• You can spend as much time as you like inside the Basilica.
• Access to the St. Peter's Dome, Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel is not included.

Does the Vatican Museums ticket include priority entry to the St. Peter’s Basilica?

No. The Vatican Museums ticket does not include skip the line entry to the St. Peter's Basilica. You will need to queue up in the line.

What does a St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Tour include?

On the day of your dome tour you will meet your guide, usually the meeting point is on the Basilica square. You will enter the Basilica through a dedicated entrance avoiding the long lines. Your visit will start with Michelangelo's Cupola, the tallest dome in the world. Depending on your tour option booked, you will either climb up all 551 steps or take the elevator up to the Dome. The elevator, however, will not take you all the way up to the top. It will take you almost half way up, then, to reach the Dome, you will need to walk up the remaining 320 steps. Once you reach the summit you will enjoy breathtaking 360 views of the Vatican City and Rome. After your visit of the Dome you will enjoy a fully guided tour of the St. Peter’s Basilica, where your knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide will share with you interesting facts and tell you about the history of the church.

Highlights to see in the St. Peter's Basilica

• Bernini's Baldacchino
• Michelangelo's Pietà
• Michelangelo’s Dome
• The Chair of Saint Peter
• Bronze Statue of St Peter
• Crypts
• St Peter’s Square

When is the best time to visit the Basilica?

During high season, the best time to visit is early in the morning, just after the St. Peter’s Basilica opens. This is when you can enjoy your visit with less crowds and when the lines at the entrance are not too long.

Attend the Papal Audience

Visit the papal audience with Pope Francis! The audience with the pope takes place every Wednesday morning at 10:30am and lasts 90 minutes to 2 hours. During spring, summer and autumn this is held in St. Peter’s square - there is not much shade so bring a hat, sunscreen and some water. During the winter it is held in a private hall where space is limited.
Attending the papal audience is free but a reservation is required. It is highly recommended to arrive early, 8 - 8:30am to get a good seat or before 9am to make sure to get in. When the hall fills up they close the doors and no more visitors are admitted - even ticket holders will be turned away.
Alternatively, you could attend on Sunday when the pope gives a speech from a balcony in St. Peter’s square. It lasts about 20 minutes and is followed by the Angelus and a blessing.

Good to know & some Facts

• St Peter’s Basilica doesn’t have a single painting in it – all of the arts are sculptures, architecture and mosaics.
• The Pope is the only person permitted to give mass at the altar underneath the Baldacchino.
• Although it’s the biggest church in Rome, it’s not the official seat of the Pope – St John in the Lateran actually holds that title.
• St Peter’s Basilica has the same strict dress code as the Vatican Museums. It’s important that you dress appropriately otherwise you will be denied entry. Shoulders, knees and abdomen must be covered and don't forget to wear comfortable shoes.
• Liquids, foods and sharp items are not allowed in.
• The St. Peter’s Basilica is wheelchair accessible but the Dome is not.
• Dogs are not allowed in.

How to get to the St. Peter’s Basilica?

There are multiple public transportation options available:

By Metro - the closest metro stop is the Ottaviano-S. Pietro station, which is on Line A.

By Bus - there are a number of buses that stop close to the St. Peter’s Basilica including: 64, 49, 32, 81, 982, 492 and 990.

By Hop-on Hop-off Bus - the HoHo bus stops at Lungotevere Tor di Nona close to the Sant'Angelo Bridge.

By Tram - take tram 19 and get off at Piazza del Risorgimento.

By Train - get off at the San Pietro train station from there it’s about a 10 minutes walk to the St. Peter’s Basilica.

St. Peter’s Basilica Opening Hours

St. Peter’s Basilica is open every day but the opening hours are seasonal.

• 1st October - 31st March: from 7:00am to 6:30pm
• 1st April - 30th September: from 7:00am to 7:00pm

St. Peter's Basilica may close on short notice for religious ceremonies. On Wednesday mornings, it is often closed to the public when the Papal Audience takes place in Saint Peter’s Square.