--- title: St. Peter's Basilica Dome to Underground Grottoes Tour lang: en type: tour city: Rome country: Italy price: 55 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.74 reviews: 215 duration_minutes: 120 languages: [de, pt, en, it, fr, es] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 93 of 138 (Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-09-20 data_updated: 2026-10-12 canonical: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/tours/st-peter-s-basilica-dome-to-underground-grottoes-tour/ --- # St. Peter's Basilica Dome to Underground Grottoes Tour **Guidekin's take:** St Peter's from the top down: the dome by lift with an art historian guide, then the basilica and the grottoes underneath, with headsets included. Dome tickets, fees and taxes are included at €55 per person, transport is not. No skip the line for the security queue, and not advised for pregnant travellers or anyone with back trouble. In our comparison: #93 of 138 in Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview Discover St. Piter's Basilica ( one of the finest cathedrals) on a guided tour small group with a professional art historian. Enjoy a rare bird's- eye view over Rome with this tour that's includes a climb to the top of it's dome. ## Before you book - Meeting point: Meet your guide 15 minutes before, - Group size varies by option: max 30 from €55 · max 10 from €82 - Starts 08:30, 13:00: 2 departures a day - Children from €50: ages 6 to 16 **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €55 per person for the Spanish Group of Max 30 people option; other options up to €82 - Duration: 2h - Rating: 4.74/5 from 215 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Best In Rome Tour - Group: Group size varies by option: max 30 from €55 · max 10 from €82 - Guide languages: German, Portuguese, English, Italian, French, Spanish - Start times: 08:30, 13:00 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-09-20 ## Reviews 4.74 from 215 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 94% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 202 of 215. - 5 stars: 193 (90%) - 4 stars: 9 (4%) - 3 stars: 2 (1%) - 2 stars: 2 (1%) - 1 star: 9 (4%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the historical explanations and dome views; long entry queues can leave less time for the visit. **Praised:** - Historical explanations that make the basilica's details easier to understand - Patient guides who answer questions and adapt the pace - Dome views over Rome and into the basilica **Complaints:** - Long entry queues despite expectations of skipping the line - Confusing meeting instructions and disorganised starts - Groups larger than advertised - Queues or closures have prevented visits to the dome or grottoes Written by Guidekin from the 100 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (2024-01-17 to 2026-09-16); last checked 2026-10-03. ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | Spanish Group of Max 30 people | €55 / person | Spanish | - | | German Group of Max. 30 people | €55 / person | German | - | | Italian Group Tour max 30 pax | €55 / person | Italian | - | | French Group of Max. 30 people | €55 / person | French | - | | English Group of Max 30 people | €55 / person | English | - | | PORTUGUESE TOUR | €69 / person | Portuguese | - | | English Group max. 10 people | €82 / person | English | SMALL GROUP ENGLISH TOUR: Small group tour (Maximum 10 participants) with an English speaking guide. | ## What's included - Tour guide - All Fees and Taxes - Good quality headsets - Dome tickets by elevetor ## Not included - Transportation is not included - Skip the line ## Itinerary 1. **St. Peter's Square** (10m) - The most famous and the biggest square of the Vatican City. In the middle of the huge square enjoy the Obelisk from Egypt (over 2500 years old) Start your tour in St. Peters Square and perceive the all-embracing character of its majestic architecture. Understand the game of... 2. **The Vatican Grottoes** (15m) - Enjoy a visit to the Papal Grottoes, the vast crypt under St. Peter's Basilica. Built 3 meters below the level of the Basilica, they are located just under the great altar in the middle of the central nave. Here, you can see where hundreds of popes and members of royalty have... 3. **St. Peter's Basilica** (40m) - After entering the Basilica, you will discover the beautiful artworks that fill its space. While walking on the colorful marbles, you will be mesmerized by the enormous dimension of the building and the ceilings entirely covered in gold. Here the guide will take you through... 4. **St. Peter's Basilica** (40m; admission included) - From the highest point within vatican, admire breathtaking and panoramic views of the city, including the vatican gardens below. Keep your camera ready to click beautiful panoramic views. ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 08:30, 13:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-09-20 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point Meet your guide 15 minutes before, outside the activity provider's office in Via del Mascherino 88. The meeting point is just a 2-minute walk from St. Peter's Basilica. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJvZvgOmdgLxMRRq7EAWEjRk4 ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries - Not recommended for pregnant travelers - Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health - Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness Booking asks for: dates of birth ## Compared with other Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #93 of 138** | €55 | 2h | 4.74 (215) | varies by option | | [Private Vatican Highlights Guided Tour with Sistine Chapel](/italy/rome/tours/private-vatican-highlights-guided-tour-with-sistine-chapel/?format=md) | €250 | 3h 15m | 4.99 (1713) | private | | [Rome: Complete Early Morning Vatican Tour / Small Group](/italy/rome/tours/rome-complete-early-morning-vatican-tour-small-group/?format=md) | €99 | 3h 30m | 4.94 (2821) | shared | | [Express Early Morning Sistine Chapel Tour with Max 6 People](/italy/rome/tours/express-early-morning-sistine-chapel-tour-with-max-6-people/?format=md) | €148 | 2h | 4.98 (513) | shared | Ranked #93 of 138 in Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €8 to €4913, median €136; typical length 3h. 57 of 138 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/vatican-tours/?format=md ## More in Rome - All Rome tours: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/tours/st-peter-s-basilica-dome-to-underground-grottoes-tour/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/?format=md