Vatican City Guided Excursion: Climb St. Peter’s Dome Climb, Visit The Basilica And The Vatacombs

By Roman law, no building in Rome can be higher than the top of the Dome at St Peter’s Basilica. Join a guided tour of the incredible art and architecture in Rome and see the city from the summit of Michelangelo’s magnificent Dome, stretching to the blue Tyrrhenian Sea and green Castelli Romani hills. You will also see views of the entire Vatican City and gardens.

Meet your expert Art Historian guide on the threshold of St. Peter’s Square and make your way across marble paving to the first steps which lead up to the top of Michelangelo’s Dome. There are 551 steep steps in total and of course this is too much exertion for most, so we take the elevator which cuts the step count by a sizable 171, leaving 380 (although some say 330…). We take our time and enjoy plenty of staircase breaks on the way around and up to the top of the dome!

At the summit, you will have a once in a lifetime view of the historical landmarks in all directions, be they in the Vatican City or the wider city of Rome. There are a great many so be prepared for detail (and selfies)! At this point, take as many photographs as you can, you’re a very long way up and it’s been a once-in-a-lifetime climb so don’t hold back!

Easy does it on the way down to terra firma and then a brief break before entering St. Peter’s Basilica – an absolute triumph of art and architecture unmatched anywhere else in the world, where Bernini’s sculptures and Michelangelo’s art rise above Holy Papal tombs and the perceived necropolis of St. Peter himself.