- Address: Piazza San Pietro
- Hours: Open daily 7am - 7pm (6pm in winter)
- Admission: Free
St Peter's Basilica
This is a church like no other. It is huge and full of significant artworks and tombs, including that of Pope John Paul II. One of the most beautiful pieces is the marble Pieta by Michelangelo just inside the door on the right. It is now behind bullet proof glass after being attacked by an art-hating lunatic in 1972.
If you can time your visit with a Mass, you will see the most important hierarchy of the Catholic Church come to worship in their red robes and hats. Climbing to the top of the dome gives a wonderful view over the piazza and Bernini's enclosing colonnade below, and across Rome.
Practical Info
Leave plenty of time as you have to pass through a security check and then there is so much to see inside. Remember it is a church so a dress code applies: no bare shoulders, shorts, short skirts or bare feet.
Tours & Tickets
Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Rooms and St Peter's
Visit the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica on this must-do Vatican walking tour, in a group of no more than 20 people! With some 12,000 ... Read more
Location:
Rome, Italy
Duration: 3 hours (approx.)
Skip the Line: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Half-Day Walking Tour
See the highlights of Vatican City with an expert guide, visiting the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica! After paying your entrance fee ... Read more
Location:
Rome, Italy
Duration: 3 hours (approx.)
Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Small-Group Tour including Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica
See the highlights of the world-famous Vatican Museums in one morning on this intimate, small-group Vatican walking tour! Starting early in the morning to beat ... Read more
Location:
Rome, Italy
Duration: 3 hours (approx.)
Skip the Line: Vatican in One Day
Vatican City’s most comprehensive introduction combining two walking tours to see Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, Gallery of Maps, Raphael's Rooms, St. Peter's ... Read more
Location:
Rome, Italy
Duration: 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
