Seeking St. Peter's Basilica visit advice

I can only share my own experience, from early May this year. We walked to the Vatican (lovely walk through quiet streets of Rome!) and arrived at about 7:00 a.m. There’s only one line to get through security for both the Vatican and St Peter’s, and it was several blocks long at 7:00. Security opens at 8:00 and the line moves relatively quickly. We were inside by 8:30 (maybe earlier). We walked straight to the ticket counter for the dome climb. There were 2 people ahead of us. We encountered very few people on the climb. By the time we returned there was a long line for the climb. But the Basilica itself did not seem crowded. The sheer size helps with that.
I would definitely do it the same way next time.

There’s only one line to get through security for both the Vatican and
St Peter’s,

Ruth, can you clarify a bit more by what you meant by "both the Vatican and St Peter’s"? Vatican City ("the Vatican") encompasses St Peter's Square, the basilica/scavi, the museums, the gardens, and many structures/areas inside the walls that visitors are not allowed access to. If you meant the museums, the entry is not at the same place at the basilica's: it's some blocks away so nowhere near St Peter's Square where the queue for the church is.

Security opens at 8:00 and the line moves relatively quickly.

The basilica opens at 7:00; the museums open at 8:00. Are you sure you're not confusing the church and the museums, although if you were climbing the dome you would have been at St Peter's?
https://www.basilicasanpietro.va/en/info-and-opening-hours/opening-hours.html

Or am I misreading what you meant? Entirely possible! :O)

Sorry! I just looked at my journal entry and you’re correct— the line began to move through the security checkpoint at 7:00.I remember we waited quite a while until then, so we must have arrived at about 6:30 a.m.

There was only one checkpoint we saw, and definitely not everyone was heading to St Peter’s. There’s no way we would not have had a line at the dome climb if all the people in front of us were basilica bound. There may well be a second Vatican security checkpoint elsewhere— it’s been over a decade since I visited the Vatican and we only returned to St. Peter’s this trip.

I am piggybacking on here. We will be in Rome in November. I am not interested in seeing the Vatican Museums, but don't want to miss St. Peter's , the dome climb, and the crypt beneath (not the Scavi tour. I struck out on that).
Same question as above but, after reading the reply of poster who said she arrived at 6:30 and waited in line to get in, went straight to area for dome tickets and did that first, I am inclined to do that as well. My question, am I able to go down to crypt area on my own (the Top to Bottom tour says that they provide guide for main church, you do dome climb , but guide is not permitted to go into crypt w/ group).
Ideally, I would love to download audio or buy audio tour at St. Peter's and wonder on my own.

Please advise. Kathy, you have become a "go to expert" as I pour over this forum. LMK what you think, too

THANKS
Joanne

Hi Ronjo,

I copied this from the Top to Bottom Tour description, your guide with be with you for the crypts part of the tour. "Finally, you'll descend beneath the floor of the nave to explore the Papal Crypt. Many of the Popes are buried in this chamber, and it's an important pilgrimage for Catholics. Although your guide will accompany you, they are not allowed to speak at length because this is a holy site but they will tell you which graves to look out for before you go and arm you with the history of each of these church leaders."

I visited St. Peter's with a Walks of Italy Tour, which sounds similar to the tour you mention. We started with the dome climb, where our guide led us part of the way and waited for us to climb the dome. We then went to the crypts led by our guide and then returned to the basilica with the guide.

The tour I took was very lengthy (over 3 hours long). I was hoping to be able to politely escape after the climb and crypts and tour on my own, but that did not happen. We waited in line for longer than I anticipated to climb the dome, due to only 10 people being allowed in the elevator at a time and we did not even get in the line for security until 730, after many others were already in line. I wanted to walk rather than take the elevator for the dome climb, but had to stay with the group. Less of a wait if you take all of the stairs.

I only had that same day left to visit the Roman Forum, Palatine/Capitoline Hill and Supersites which I had avoided like the plague after my Colosseum tours due to the crowds. I found myself rushing out of St. Peter's to get to those sites without taking the time to see all of it as I had hoped.
If I had it to do all over again, I would choose to go on my own and skip the crypts, spending much more time alone in St. Peter's.

If I had it to do all over again, I would choose to go on my own and skip the crypts, spending much more time alone in St. Peter's.

Thank you, No Neg Vibes, for your information (especially above advice). I would like to see the Crypts, but I think it may be better for hubby and me to just get there very early and do St. Peter's on our own. I will take the stairs the whole way up (wish me luck) to save us some time.

THANKS very much,
Joanne

Can we go to the crypts if we are not part of a tour group? Again, not the Scavi Tour but the "regular" crypts that many of the tour groups seem to visit.

tx,
Joanne

Ronjo, I think the area you're asking about is more commonly called the Vatican Grottoes? Where the tombs of many popes are located?

https://www.basilicasanpietro.va/en/saint-peters/the-vatican-grottoes.html

If so, yes, it's open to visitors without a tour.
https://www.basilicasanpietro.va/en/experience-the-basilica/visits/unguided-visits.html

Thank you all for your help. I really appreciate it!