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How to visit St Peter’s dome as early as possible

Posted by (Ithaca, NY, USA) on

Upcoming visit to Rome in May. If we have time on our final day in the city (a Friday) we’d like to visit St Peter’s. It’s our only unscheduled morning. However we need to be at the train station for a 1:00 pm train, and — unless we can make other arrangements— need to check out of our hotel by 11:00 am. I was hoping we might be able to arrive no later than 7:00 am and head back no later than 10:00 am. Do you think this is reasonable?

We visited the basilica 10 years ago and were awed by it, but didn’t have the opportunity to visit the dome (it was quite hot and the line was extremely long). So as much as I’d love to revisit the church and the dome, I think my priority would be to take the elevator to the second level and experience the frescoes and interior views from there (love a good dome climb, but would be okay with this — would rather spend our limited time enjoying as much as possible of the interior than climbing to the top for the view). From the website, I see that the church opens at 7:00 a.m. and the dome opens at 7:30. I believe the queue for the dome entrance is outside of the church itself? Does the line to visit the dome form before 7:00 a.m.? How long might we wait in line first thing in the morning?

Would we have time to visit both the dome and the interior of the basilica? If so, should we plan on going into the basilica first, since it opens a half hour earlier, and lining up for the dome at 7:45 or 8:00? Would the line for the dome be prohibitively long by then? OR should we visit the dome first and then t get in line for the basilica at 8:30ish? I’m suspecting we wouldn’t have enough time to do so if we need to be back to our hotel to check out before 11. What if we were able to arrange a noon check out? We’re staying near Campo de Fiori so I knew need to allocate at least 30 minutes for the return.

All our other mornings (other than our arrival morning, when we’re likely to be pretty jet lagged) are booked with tours, and we’re not keen on a hot afternoon wait in line….although that might be possible after our Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday tours.

This forum is such a great place for helping to figure out strategies and pros/cons, and I’d welcome your thoughts, advice, or suggestions about this. Thanks!

Posted by
2694 posts

Do you think this is reasonable?

Absolutely!! I can tell you what we (me, my sister and her husband) did last March. We took a taxi from our hotel to the Vatican and arrived a few minutes before 7am (I’m going by the time stamps on my photos). There were already a handful of people in the security line. We were in the basilica by 7:20. We were at the top of the dome by 8:10. I don’t recall what time we headed to the line for the dome. We did look around the basilica first. I also don’t recall much of a line. You can see what it looks like when you arrive. If there’s a line, get in it. If not, look around the basilica.

Does the line to visit the dome form before 7:00 a.m.?

It can’t form before 7, because you have to get through security first and that opens at 7.

I think it’s well worth the effort to get there as early as you can to get in that security line. Good luck!!!

Posted by
674 posts

Carrie, thanks so much! This is super helpful! It sounds like you go through security just once, before you enter, and don’t have to go through again if you visit the basilica first and then the dome? Can you queue up for the dome from inside the basilica? Or do you need to exit and go through security for each separately?

Was it relatively easy to get a cab super early in the morning, and did you also take a cab back to your hotel? I was thinking that very early in the morning it might make a good walk….but that would require an even earlier start to our day, so maybe not!

Posted by
2694 posts

Yes, security once for both the basilica and the dome. So, you can leave the basilica and head straight for the dome. I honestly don’t even remember a line being outside. Maybe because there were not many people there that early. I think we just bought our dome tickets inside and walked right to the elevator.

Our hotel (smeraldo) always called us a cab and they would show up a few minutes later. I bet your hotel could do the same. Or there’s official taxi stands all over the city. We walked back to the hotel after. We wanted to get there as early as possible, and the cab was a lot quicker.

Posted by
674 posts

Thanks again, Carrie!

Could someone tell me if it’s relatively easy to purchase the elevator tickets on site? I’m not seeing a way to do so in advance unless booking an expensive tour.

However, if anyone has experienced a great tour of the dome, I’d also be open to looking into whether there are early morning options.

Thanks!

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