St Peter's Basilica is the most emblematic monument in the Vatican and one of the most important religious sites in the world. Built over the place where, according to Christian tradition, St Peter's tomb lies, it stands out both for its enormous importance to the Catholic Church and for its striking Renaissance architecture. Every year it welcomes millions of visitors and, whatever your beliefs, it really is one of those places that deserves a visit.

Since we didn't want to waste time in queues, we decided to get to the Vatican really early and it was, without a doubt, a great decision. In this article I'll tell you how our visit to St Peter's Basilica went and share some information that may come in handy if you're planning to visit too.

How St Peter's Basilica Came to Be

To understand the importance of St Peter's Basilica, we first need to go back to the story of St Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the man considered the first Pope of the Catholic Church. According to Christian tradition, he was martyred in Rome during the reign of the emperor Nero and buried on Vatican Hill. About two and a half centuries later, the emperor Constantine ordered a great basilica to be built on the exact spot where his tomb was believed to be. That was the first version of St Peter's Basilica, very different from the one we can visit today.

Over the centuries, the basilica built by the emperor Constantine fell into disrepair and no longer offered the conditions needed to receive the thousands of pilgrims who passed through. In the early 16th century, Pope Julius II decided to replace it with a new basilica, built on exactly the same site. Work began in 1506 and went on for around 120 years, with the involvement of some of the greatest artists and architects of the Italian Renaissance. The new basilica was consecrated in 1626, and it is precisely that building that still dominates St Peter's Square today and that we can visit.

The result of more than a century of work was one of the greatest works of Renaissance architecture. The interior of the basilica is surprising not only for its size, but also for the artistic riches it holds. Right by the entrance is Michelangelo's famous Pietà, a sculpture he finished when he was only 24 years old. Further in, at the centre, rises Bernini's huge bronze baldachin, above the main altar. But the element that stands out most in the whole basilica is, without a doubt, the imposing dome designed by Michelangelo. At around 136 metres high, it has become one of the great symbols of the Vatican and dominates the whole surrounding landscape.

More than four centuries after it was completed, St Peter's Basilica still plays a central role in the Catholic Church. For some it is an important place of faith, while for others it is a chance to get to know its history, its art and its architecture. Whether for religion, for culture or simply out of curiosity, it's easy to see why it keeps drawing visitors from all over the world.

The façade of St Peter's Basilica in the early morning, with Michelangelo's dome behind it and the square still almost emptyMichelangelo's dome rising behind the basilica façade, with the statues lined up along the balustrade and the Latin inscriptionDetail of the façade of St Peter's Basilica, with the clock, the papal coat of arms and the statues above the balustradeThe lantern at the top of the dome of St Peter's Basilica, with the golden sphere and cross, and visitors on the balcony around itThe inside of the dome of St Peter's Basilica seen from below, with the golden mosaics and the Latin inscription around the lanternOne of the smaller domes of the basilica, decorated with frescoes and framed by the gilded coffered ceilingThe gilded coffered ceiling of St Peter's Basilica, with the Latin inscription and two marble sculptures above an archView of St Peter's Square from the top of the dome, with Bernini's colonnade, the obelisk and the avenue leading to the river Tiber

Exploring the Basilica: the exterior, the dome and the interior

To make the most of our visit to the Vatican, we got there at around 7.15am. We had planned to start with the climb up the dome, then visit the inside of the basilica and finish the morning at the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. It worked out exactly as we expected and, for us, that order made perfect sense.

The exterior

St Peter's Basilica completely dominates St Peter's Square and, even after having seen hundreds of photographs, we quickly realised that none of them can convey the true scale of the building.

The main façade, completed in the early 17th century, stretches more than 100 metres wide and is built of travertine, a stone widely used in the great monuments of Rome. At the top of the façade stand the statues of Jesus Christ, St John the Baptist and eleven of the twelve apostles. St Peter is not among them, since the whole basilica is dedicated to him and his statue takes a more prominent place in St Peter's Square. Behind the row of statues rises Michelangelo's huge dome.

As I mentioned earlier, we got to the Vatican really early and so St Peter's Square was practically deserted. We took the chance to look at the basilica, take in all its grandeur and take a few photographs with almost nobody around. Had we arrived a little later, it wouldn't have been possible to enjoy that moment in the same way.

  • Opening hours (square): always open
  • Price: free
The author and her partner in a deserted St Peter's Square in the early morning, with the basilica façade behind themThe author in front of the façade of St Peter's Basilica, with the statue of St Peter on the left and the square emptyThe author beside the obelisk in St Peter's Square, with Bernini's colonnade and one of the fountains behindThe basilica façade seen from below, with the travertine columns, the Corinthian capitals and a carved reliefThe façade of St Peter's Basilica seen head-on, with the statues on top and the clock, and nobody in the squareA Swiss Guard in the blue, red and yellow striped uniform, beside one of the gates into the VaticanThe author's partner in front of the basilica, with the dome and one of the square's fountains behind himThe author with her parents in front of the façade of St Peter's Basilica, in the still empty square

Climbing the dome

Climbing the dome was one of the moments we were looking forward to most on this visit. While we were planning the trip, we had read several accounts from people recommending doing it first thing in the morning, not only to avoid the queues but also because the final stretch is quite narrow and, when there are a lot of people, it can get a little uncomfortable. Luckily, since we arrived early, we didn't have to wait at all. We bought the tickets and started climbing straight away.

There are two ways to get to the top of the dome: (1) taking all 551 steps on foot or (2) using the lift up to the basilica terrace and climbing only the final stretch, which still has around 320 steps. As we enjoy this kind of challenge, we didn't think twice and did the whole climb on foot. Even though it is still a lot of steps, it went quite well. We went at our own pace and, as we're used to climbs like this, we never had any real difficulty. Even so, we obviously got to the top a little out of breath and hot, which I think was perfectly normal.

Near the top, the corridors get much narrower and steeper. That's when we understood why so many people recommend doing this climb first thing in the morning. As we hardly crossed paths with anyone, we did this whole part calmly and without ever feeling hemmed in. I do believe that, with many more people, the experience could be quite different.

When we finally reached the top, we could see the effort had been worth it! From up there you get a completely different perspective of St Peter's Square and of the whole Vatican. We spent several minutes taking in the view and taking photographs before starting the way down, which follows a different route from the way up, so that people don't cross paths in the narrow sections. All in all, it took us about an hour from the moment we started climbing until we were back down. If you enjoy climbs like these, I really do think going up the dome is worth it.

  • Opening hours (dome): in summer (29 March to 25 October), 7.00am to 6.00pm; in winter (26 October to 28 March), 7.30am to 5.00pm
  • Price: 10.00€ for the full climb up the stairs (551 steps) or 15.00€ with the lift plus stairs (around 320 steps)
  • Average duration: about 1 hour (depending on your pace and how long you spend at the top)
  • Where to buy tickets: at the ticket office by the entrance to the dome, but I recommend buying in advance online on the official website
  • Where the climb starts: on the right-hand side inside St Peter's Basilica, following the signs for the dome
The author's partner climbing the spiral staircase of the dome, seen from aboveThe author's mother on one of the narrow staircases of the dome, next to the 320-step markThe author with her hands on both walls of a narrow, sloping corridor in the final stretch of the dome climbThe curved corridor inside the drum of the dome, with mosaics of angels and mascarons on the wallsThe statues of the apostles lined up along the balustrade of the basilica roof, seen from the terraceView from the top of the dome over the Vatican Gardens and the rooftops of RomeThe author looking out over St Peter's Square through the bars at the top of the dome, with the colonnade and the avenue beyondThe author and her partner at the top of the dome, with Rome stretching out behind the bars

The interior

After coming down from the dome, we went back inside the basilica to explore it properly. Even though we had already done the climb, it was still relatively early (around 8.30am) and the atmosphere was still very quiet. There weren't many people around, which let us see everything at a leisurely pace. The ceilings and the pillars are enormous and help you grasp the scale of the space.

We walked the basilica from one end to the other. We stopped for a while at the Pietà, which is one of the most admired sculptures in the world. Although I completely understand that it is protected for reasons of security and conservation, I confess I would have liked to be able to look at it a little closer. I felt the distance doesn't let you appreciate the work as it deserves. Further in, at the centre, is Bernini's baldachin, and it's impossible not to be struck by its size.

We managed to do all of this with a calm we would hardly have had an hour or two later. When we left, the queue to get in was already very long. It was one more confirmation that arriving early made all the difference.

  • Price: free entry
  • Opening hours: in summer (29 March to 25 October), 7.00am to 7.10pm; in winter (26 October to 28 March), 7.00am to 6.30pm
  • Security check: compulsory before going in, and on busier days the queue can be more than an hour long
  • Dress code: no bare shoulders, vest tops, skirts or shorts above the knee
  • Length of the visit: around 30 minutes (without the dome climb)
  • Photographs: allowed, but without flash
The author in the nave of St Peter's Basilica, with Bernini's baldachin lit up in the backgroundMichelangelo's Pietà, behind glass, in the first chapel on the right of the basilica entranceThe gilded coffered vault of the central nave, with the Latin inscription running beneath the domeBernini's bronze baldachin seen from below, with Michelangelo's dome above itThe bronze statue of St Peter seated on his throne, holding the key, against a background of red and gold mosaicsOne of the funerary monuments in the basilica, with a winged marble figure and a medallion holding a portraitThe Latin markings on the marble floor of the nave, showing the length of other great basilicas around the worldThe author seen from behind in one of the side aisles of the basilica, with one of the altars and other visitors beyond

St Peter's Basilica was one of the places we enjoyed most during our trip to Italy and the Vatican in 2022. At the time there were still some COVID-19 restrictions in place, which explains the face masks in some of the photographs. Whatever your religion, the basilica leaves its mark through its history, its architecture and its sheer size. I'd say it's an absolutely essential visit! If I could give just one piece of advice, it would be this: get there early. You don't need to be up at dawn like us, but try to arrive at around 8.00am or 8.30am. I really do believe it makes all the difference and lets you enjoy the visit with far more peace and quiet. 🩷