St Peter's Basilica Official Website
The St Peter's basilica official website is basilicasanpietro.va, the site run by the basilica itself on the Vatican's .va domain. You use it to book the Dome, the Necropolis, the Treasury Museum, guided tours and the Digital Audio Guide visit. This page shows what each booking covers, how to spot lookalikes and when a tour is the easier choice.
What Is the St Peter's Basilica Official Website?
The official site is basilicasanpietro.va, titled "Official Website of St. Peter's Basilica". The Wikidata record for the basilica lists the same address, so you can check it in two places. It is also the answer if you search for the St Peter's basilica Rome official website, the St Peter basilica official website or the St Peters basilica official website: all of those spellings point to one site.
The home page has two jobs. "Discover the Basilica" holds history, news and events. "Book your visit" is where the basilica sells tickets, guided tours and special access. The main menu adds Info and Opening Hours, News, a Basilica Virtual Tour, Need Assistance and Contacts.
Type the address yourself or bookmark it. The site's own booking engine runs on subdomains of basilicasanpietro.va, so any booking link it sends you to stays on the same domain. If you are new to the process, how to book Vatican tickets explains each channel and who runs it.
Short on time? Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour, from $60See skip-the-line tickets →What Can Be Booked on the Basilica Website?
The official St Peter's basilica tickets site sells experiences, not a basic door ticket. You can book the Dome with lift or stairs, the Treasury Museum, the Necropolis, guided tours and a visit with the Digital Audio Guide. The table lists each one with the official wording.
The official pages I checked show no fixed prices in their text, so confirm the amount on the booking screen. If you want the basilica ticket types compared in one place, see st peter's basilica tickets.
- Entry to the church itself is described by visitors as free. The paid products are the extras above.
- Security checks are mandatory for all visitors, so allow time at the door.
- The Necropolis uses a request button, so apply early.
| What you book | What the official page says | Booking style |
|---|---|---|
| Dome with lift | Basilica access with the Digital Audio Guide, a lift to the terrace level, then the inner and outer rings | Book online |
| Dome with stairs | Same inclusions, but you take the stairs to the terrace level | Book online |
| Digital Audio Guide visit | A booked visit to the basilica with the audio guide | Book online |
| Treasury Museum | A renewed itinerary of sacred artworks and liturgical furnishings | Book online |
| Necropolis | Tombs under the central nave and the path toward Saint Peter's tomb | Request a reservation |
| Guided tours | A guided visit of the basilica | Book online |
Ready to see prices? Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour, from $60See times →How Do Dome and Tour Bookings Work?
Open the Dome page, choose lift or stairs, and book. Both options include the basilica and the Digital Audio Guide. The official Dome page says your basilica entry is set one hour before or one hour after your Dome time, so check the slot in your confirmation email.
The Dome is a separate booking from the basilica itself, and it has its own page on the same site. If you plan to climb, St Peter's dome tickets covers the lift and stairs choice in more detail. A tour listing notes 320 steps for the climbing option, so pick the lift if your knees are weak.
To skip the line at the basilica, know which line you mean. The queue most visitors describe is the security check, not a ticket queue. One reviewer arrived at 6:45 am, found a short line and moved through quickly, and said a plain visit takes around 40 minutes. Early morning is the calmest time to go. For the Dome, a timed slot gives you a fixed entry time. If you want a guide and a faster route, St Peter's basilica skip-the-line tickets lists the tour options.
A tour is easier when you want the museums, the Sistine Chapel and the basilica in one booking. These are independent partner tours on GetYourGuide, not products of the basilica:
- Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour, from $60.
- Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & Basilica Tour, from $71.
- Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Basilica Access, from $68.
- Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Skip-the-Line Tour, from $77.
How Do You Spot Lookalike Sites?
Check the domain first. The real site ends in .va, the top-level domain of Vatican City. A page on a .com or .net that says "official tickets" is a reseller or tour operator, even when its design looks official. Our guide to Vatican Museums official ticket website applies the same test to the museums.
Run through this short list before you pay:
- The address bar shows basilicasanpietro.va or a subdomain it sent you to.
- The footer links to the Holy See, the Vatican Museums and Vatican State.
- The page names an operator if it is a third-party product.
- The listing says what is excluded, such as the Dome or live guide.
Which Basilica Booking Option Should You Choose?
Book on the official site when the basilica is the whole plan. Book a partner tour when you want a guide, or when the basilica is one stop in a longer Vatican day. For a bigger day, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica tickets bundle all three.
Read the inclusions closely. One listing says basilica access is not available on Wednesday mornings, and another says the Dome climb needs a separate ticket bought on site if available. Match the option name to what you want. Our page on how to book on the official Vatican Museums site covers the museums side, and where to buy Vatican tickets compares the channels.
For background on the building, Wikipedia's article on St. Peter's Basilica describes it as one of the largest churches in the world. Prices, hours and rules change, so check the official site last, before you pay.
Questions visitors ask
What is the St Peter's Basilica address?
The basilica stands at Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City, on the west side of Rome. Wikipedia describes Vatican City as an independent microstate enclaved within Rome.
Is St Peter's Basilica open on Sunday, and what is the last entry?
The Maps listing shows 7 am to 7:10 pm every day, Sunday included. I found no published last-entry time, so check the Info and Opening Hours page on the official site before you go. Ceremonies can change access.
Is St Peter's Basilica closed on Wednesday?
Not as a rule. One tour operator's listing says basilica access is not available on Wednesday mornings, so check the official calendar and News page before you plan a Wednesday visit.
Where do I find St Peter's Basilica events today and Sunday Mass times?
I found no Mass schedule in my sources. The official News page covers ceremonies and extraordinary events, and Info and Opening Hours covers the daily schedule. Check both on the day.
Is St Peter's Basilica closing for 25 years?
I found no source for a 25-year closure. The official site lists current hours and news, and it is the place to confirm any closure.
What is the Vatican Museums website?
The Vatican Museums run their own site at museivaticani.va, separate from the basilica's. Tickets for the museums and the Sistine Chapel are not sold on the basilica site. See Vatican Ticket Office for how that booking works.