St Peter's Basilica is free to enter without a booking and opens from 7:00 to 19:00. An optional time slot with the Digital Audio Guide costs €7. Start at the security checks on the right of St Peter's Square as you face the Basilica.
Updated Hours and tickets St Peter's Basilica official site, read ; tour prices read
A Basilica reservation pays for a time slot and audio guide; you can enter free if you do not need them.
Location and visit
St Peter's Basilica faces St Peter's Square in Vatican City. Its entrance is separate from the Vatican Museums. The nearest Metro stop is Ottaviano-San Pietro on line A, so head for the square from there.
Inside, look for Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's canopy over the main altar. The canopy is called the Baldacchino. St Peter's tomb lies beneath the altar, with Michelangelo's dome above.
The current Basilica began on 18 April 1506 when Julius II laid its first stone. Building work lasted over a century. Carlo Maderno added the facade you see from the square between 1608 and 1612.
What to do: If you want the Basilica interior, allow 1 to 2 hours for your visit. Add about 1 hour if you want to climb the dome, which needs a separate paid ticket.
The ticket
| Ticket | Adult price |
|---|---|
| Basilica entry without a bookingFree entry; security checks in the square | Free |
| Basilica time slot and audio guideAbout 1 hour with a dedicated entrance route and Digital Audio Guide | |
| Official guided Basilica tour1 hour with an accredited guide; group of 20; reduced €12 | |
| Dome by stairs with Basilica entry551 steps; online ticket includes the Basilica and its audio guide | |
| Vatican Necropolis guided visit1 hour by request; minimum age 10; reduced €14 | |
| Dome by lift with Basilica entry320 steps remain; online ticket includes the Basilica and its audio guide |
Official adult prices, read ; reduced rates shown where available
Basilica entry is free without a booking. The official Basilica shop sells the optional €7 slot with Digital Audio Guide. You can also book a 1-hour accredited guided tour for €18.
Online dome tickets cost €17 by stairs or €22 with the lift. Both include a Basilica visit and its audio guide. You do not need another €7 Basilica booking for that access.
The Grottoes beneath the Basilica are free to visit. The Vatican Necropolis is a separate guided visit costing €20 by request. Its minimum age is 10, and a Grottoes visit does not include it.
Official booked tickets carry your name and cannot be transferred. You cannot change the date or get a refund if you cancel. A full refund applies if a liturgy or Holy See event cancels the visit.
Walk in or book
No booking is needed for free entry. The optional €7 slot adds a dedicated entrance route and Digital Audio Guide. You still pass security checks, so a reservation does not remove every wait.
The digital guide works on your phone with your own earphones. It comes in 7 languages. If you enter without a booking, an audio guide in 11 languages is available to rent at the Portico Desk.
For a booked visit, you need the entry QR code sent by email. The booking voucher alone is not enough. Keep the QR code ready for the checks on arrival.
The Holy Door is closed following the Jubilee. It was sealed on 16 January 2026. Your normal Basilica visit uses the visitor entrance and does not include walking through that door.
What to do: If you want a set time and the audio guide, book the €7 slot. Walk in free if your plans are flexible; security checks apply to both routes.
Opening times
St Peter's Basilica7:00 to 19:00. Every day, current season
St Peter's dome7:30 to 17:00. Every day, current season
The Basilica opens daily from 7:00 to 19:00 under the current winter timetable. These hours run until 28 March. Major religious services can limit access, including at Christmas and Easter.
The dome opens from 7:30 to 17:00 in winter. That is earlier than the Basilica's closing time. If you want both visits, your plans need to allow for the dome's shorter day.
Wednesday and Sunday are the busiest days. The Papal Audience usually takes place on Wednesday. Sunday brings the Angelus at 12:00, so those events can affect your time in the square.
On the day
Security checks are on the right side of St Peter's Square as you face the Basilica. The Italian State Police run them. Queues form at busy times, including for visitors with reservations.
Wear long trousers or a skirt below the knee. Your shoulders must be covered. Sleeveless tops and hats are not allowed. These rules apply whether you enter free or book a visit.
There is no cloakroom at St Peter's, so keep your bags small. Strollers can be left under the portico. The reserved entrance for visitors with disabilities has a ramp on the right side of the square.
Yes, you can enter free without a booking after security checks. The optional €7 reservation adds a time slot and Digital Audio Guide.
The official booking site is booking.basilicasanpietro.va for the optional €7 time slot. You need no ticket for free entry, and dome tickets are a separate purchase.
The optional €7 booking provides a time slot and dedicated entrance route. Security checks still apply, so it does not guarantee entry without a wait.
There is no fixed wait: queues depend on visitor numbers and security checks. Wednesday and Sunday are the busiest days. A booked slot still requires security.
St Peter's Basilica is on St Peter's Square in Vatican City. The nearest Metro stop is Ottaviano-San Pietro on line A.
Wear long trousers or a skirt below the knee and cover your shoulders. Sleeveless tops and hats are not allowed.
Tours
Entry to the Basilica and Grottoes is free. The official €7 booking adds a time slot and audio guide. An official guided visit costs €18, so compare the service as well as the route.
The first option offers faster entry without a guide. The others add guides and exclude faster entry. None includes the dome.
What to do: If you want a live guide, compare these routes with the €18 official visit. Free entry suits you if you prefer to explore alone and do not need a reserved slot.
St Peter's Basilica and Vatican Grottoes
A resold entry at 14:00, with the free Grottoes and no guide of any kind. The official €7 slot costs less and includes an audio guide.
from €15 per adult
See the tourSt Peter's Basilica and Vatican Grottoes
An official guide and headsets for about 70 minutes, from the square down to the Grottoes. You stand in the normal security queue first.
from €20 per adult
See the tourBasilica, Pietà and Vatican Grottoes
Four English starts a day and a limit of 15 people, with the Pietà and the Grottoes on the route. Faster entry and the dome are not included.
from €22 per adult
See the tourPrices in euro per adult, read : the usual lowest price of each option, without short sales. The booking page shows the price for your date. We add no fee.
Nearby
Dome tickets and the 551 steps on the stair route
Free entry to the papal tombs beneath the Basilica
Bernini's colonnade and the Papal Audience
