Beat the crowds at St. Peter’s Basilica as it opens for the day. Take the lift partway up and make the final ascent on foot—the reward at the top is worth it.

Meet your expert Vatican guide by St. Peter’s Square and leave Rome behind you as you cross into Vatican City and enter St. Peter’s Basilica just as it opens to the public.

At the terrace level you can decide whether to relax and take in the view or climb the remaining 320 steps up to the summit, where the breathtaking view of Rome and beyond is simply unforgettable. Your guide will point out all the most interesting historical landmarks in every direction, be they in Vatican City, the wider city of Rome, or further afield.

As what goes up must come down, join us on a descent into the lower level of the basilica to experience the “Vatacombs,” a series of grottoes containing papal crypts and effigies crafted by the most celebrated artists of the centuries.