No Wait Dedicated Access: Vatican Necropolis And St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour - Rome
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Tour Information

Tour Details

Overview

Start your 2.5 hour tour the right way with your small group into St. Peter's Basilica to meet your official Vatican guides. Enjoy the greatest masterpieces of all time from inside the Basilica and explore the magic of the early Christian necropolis that oversees the mortal remains of the Apostle Peter.

Highlights

  • Step back in time on a history tour
  • Small-group tour
  • Fully narrated tour

Know More about this tour

Meet the representative at St. Peter's Square at 11:15am before being walked in to the Basilica.

The Vatican Necropolis - located 10 meters beneath St. Peter's Basilica, below the level of the Vatican Grottoes and in the central nave of the Basilica itself - is a Roman cemetery, placed next to the Neros Circus, where coexist graves dating back to the period between I and IV century (both pagan and Christian). Guests can walk the streets and admire the revered sites from the early Christian civilization and can make the pilgrimage of all the pilgrimages: here are buried the remains of the Apostle Peter, the first "pope" of Christianity.

At the end of the Necropolis tour, you can go up in the Basilica. Saint Peter is the main temple of Christianity and is in Renaissance style with a central dome that dominates the skyline of Rome. As soon as you step across its threshold, you will see that its interior is much larger than any other cathedral.

You start with one of the greatest masterpieces of all time: the Michelangelo's Pieta and soon after you will have the opportunity to pay homage to the tomb of St. John Paul II.

In the heart of the Basilica, under the high altar and the famous Bernini's Canopy, you can discover the "Confession" or "Chapel of Confession", which takes its name from St. Peter's declaration of faith that leads to the site of the martyrdom.

You will see that the entire interior of St. Peter is richly decorated with marble, bas-reliefs, sculptures, mosaics and gilded stucco work: nothing is comparable in elegance and magnificence.

Inclusions for No Wait Dedicated Access: Vatican Necropolis And St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour

  • Entrance fees
  • Reserved entrance
  • Headsets
  • Vatican official guides
  • Small-group tour
  • Walking tour

Exclusions for No Wait Dedicated Access: Vatican Necropolis And St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour

  • Guided or audio-guided tour of the Cupola (Dome)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities (optional)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Clothing MUST be suitable for the HOLY place:  PLEASE BE AWARE you NEED long trousers for men and skirts under your knees or trousers for women. Shoulders ALWAYS covered for everyone. GUESTS THAT DO NOT RESPECT THE DRESS CODE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO ENTER THE NECROPOLIS.

Please note that bulky items (suitcases, bulky envelopes, bags of any size etc.) and photographic equipment are not permitted. Please arrive at the designated meeting point at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tour time and present your voucher to the coordinator/guide. It is the individual responsibility of all visitors to arrive at the tour departure point on time.

Minimum age is 15 years

Not wheelchair accessible

During the visit of the underground burial visitors may be affected by the altered environmental conditions of temperature and humidity. Those who have special physical problems, subject to increase under these conditions, including claustrophobia, are advised not to access the visit.

Adult pricing applies to all travelers

Emergency phone number for the customer: +39 34 84852 868

Cancellation Policy
  • If you cancel within 3 calendar days (72 hours) of the scheduled departure time, the cancellation charge will be 100% of the undiscounted tour price.
  • If you cancel between 4 to 7 Calendar days before scheduled tour departure,the cancellation charge will be 50% of the undiscounted tour price.
  • If you cancel at least 8 calendar days in advance of the scheduled departure time, there is no cancellation fee. You will receive Full Refund for the paid amount.
  • Please note that in case of No show, the cancellation charge will be 100% of the listed tour fare.
  • Please note tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.
Reviews

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7 Traveler Reviews

  • My husband and I were thrilled that we were able to book this tour as it has a very limited admission per day of only 250 visitors versus the 35,000 that visit the Basilica. The Vatican Necropolis tour is also known as the Scavi Tour that can be booked through the Vatican itself, but their tour does not include the rest of St. Peter's Basilica. For the additional monies 75 versus 15 you can incorporate 2 tours versus just one, and it was much easier to book through Viator versus the Vatican. On Viator, I was able to go in to their calendar to see availability and secure our tickets instantly! Going through the Vatican it is a request for tickets, then you wait for a response which may be no availability. Our tour guide was amazing, she was a employee of the Vatican and had been doing this tour for 12 years. I am a devout Catholic and when we were standing before the remains of St. Peter, she saw I was praying. She asked if anyone wanted additional time and I said yes. To be able to pray in front of the tomb of St. Peter was like nothing you will do in Rome, Vatican City or anywhere in the world if you are Catholic. Additionally, you end your tour in the Grotto area where you can also pray or view the tombs of the previous Popes. This area is also so very sacred and beautiful.

    To avoid confusion when booking, it is important to know there are 3 levels, St. Peter's Basilica is level 1, the Grottos where the previous popes are buried is level 2 and the Necropolis is level 3. The Necropolis is also called the Scavi Tour and is where the old Pagan/Christian cemetery was excavated and where the tomb and remains of St. Peter are located. No pictures are allowed in the Necropolis but you can search them online for yourself if needed. Be aware that the Grottos and Necropolis are different areas of the Basilica when booking.

    This tour was the highlight of all of our tours in the 2 times we have visited Rome. Kudos Viator! You did a great job!

  • I loved this under the Vatican tour. I got a very real impression of what a Roman cemetery was like and it brought together some stories I had read to make them more meaningful. It showed how the site evolved as well - very interesting. Our guide was great too. It felt a little rushed as I would like to soak up the atmosphere. This is a once in a lifetime tour for me and probably many others so a little more time to feel and soak up the atmosphere would be good. No photos of the necropolis are permitted. Time above ground in the basilica was good as well.

  • What an experience. Great guide, great bikes....we could not have asked for a better introduction tour of Rome. This was a great way to cover a lot of ground in a fun way....

  • Excellent. We couldn't get in thru the normal Vatican means. Viator got us in !!

  • This was probably my favorite tour in Italy! Only 250 people get to see the necropolis a week out of the thousands the visit. The tour guide was great, very knowledgeable. We were just amazed by the necropolis and visiting the popes private chapel.

  • Tour guide was very knowledgable and pleasant, but the content and information were very dry.

  • Again - this was likely more than our 5th tour of Vatican. There is just so much to see - you must do it in segments.
    I selected this tour to see Necropolis. Our guide name ? was fantastic - extremely knowledgeable, passionate and professional. Easy to find starting point next to Vatican Post Office. Outstanding tour staff - from greeting to execution. It's unbelievable that you can see such details from this past burial site. A very unique tour. Leads you back to St. Peter's underground. This is not the same as just doing the underground from St. Peter's on your own. This is much more impressive.

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