5 Tips To Skip The Line At St. Peter's Basilica In 2024!

[@Romewise]

*👉🏻 Best Tours & Experiences in Rome:* ✝ Vatican Museums tour + Saint Peter's Basilica w/tour - tinyurl.com/a9th8bch ✝ Vatican dome climb and Vatican grottoes - tinyurl.com/yatn9wb3 ✝ St. Peter's Basilica Tour with Dome and Papal Tombs - gyg.me/eyXBwNO4 ✝Scavi Tour to the Tomb of St. Peter's & Tour of St. Peter's Basilica - tinyurl.com/r4msmfx5 ✝Guided Tour of St. Peter's Basilica with Dome Climb - gyg.me/Qzqz0mcc ✝Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Tour - gyg.me/xS4gzmOF ✝Vatican Key Master Tour - tinyurl.com/vatican-key-master 🏛 Colosseum Arena & Forum Tour - gyg.me/IQVKQJ3f 🛌 FIND ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR THE VATICAN booking.stay22.com/romewise/E1IUDcD3Iu 📕 Grab your eBook, 'Brief History of the Vatican' and discover the fascinating history of the holiest place in the Catholic world! - tinyurl.com/ycszycxd

[@poomjean3281]

To readers who are new here. You should binge watching all clips from this channel if you are going to Rome. It is the best one so far on KZbin!! -------- Hi Elyssa, I watched almost all of your clips before I went to Rome&Vatican last week. My trip was wonderful and well organized. I got lots of compliments from my companions and locals of how I planned it. Thanks to you for all the updated and useful information and tips. I hope your channel will grow bigger and bigger because you really deserve it 😊

[@Romewise]

Wow what a lovely and kind thing to say!! You have made my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I am very grateful and so glad you had a wonderful visit to Rome, thanks to my tips! Thank you again - Elyssa

[@bill9989]

I can confirm everything you said about Elyssa. Rome can be very confusing and this YT channel is the best guide by far. Furthermore Elyssa is so patient and helpful with questions from viewers.

[@Romewise]

@@bill9989 Thanks so much, Bill!!

[@heart4221]

Hello i wanna ask if i go to Vatican and ST Peter Basilica with tour guide can i stop there to pray?

[@meangene8437]

I am so glad I found your channel. I'm from Texas and was in Rome at the end of March, and I fell in love with the city. Watching your channel just reminds me of my trip all over again. I can't wait to get back there. Thank you for your fabulous channel

[@Romewise]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoy my channel. Lots more videos to come!

[@fernandogama1999]

I was there last Wednesday and Thursday, and the early AM seems to work the best to enter the Basilica. I know getting up early and getting to the Basilica can be a challenge, but its so worth it! And I was rewarded, I got to see the Pope last Wednesday. It wasn't planned, but I'm so glad I was there early. Regardless, thank you for all the tips.

[@Romewise]

Yes, early is key! It can be tough to wake up early, especially on vacation, but it is lovely to see Rome before everyone fills up the squares and monuments! Glad you had such a great experience! Thanks a lot for watching and commenting.

[@spiffy72985]

I did it in early December with my wife. Thursday morning about 9am…maybe waited 15 minutes to get through security and into the basilica. I will never bother with high season again. Seeing Rome in off season is the only way to go.

[@Romewise]

Yes definitely! While I am looking forward to spring, actually enjoying it right now, low season is a blessing for the much smaller crowds. It0s no longer "empty" in Rome in winter, but it's much less crowded.

[@marioneill5628]

Elizabeth Lev is absolutely amazing. Her lectures are captivating (at least the videos I've seen) and informative.

[@Romewise]

Yes she is very highly regarded by many people.

[@robm9345]

Thank you so much for your video! Followed your link and sent an email to the Vatican Scavi Office requesting tickets for my visit to Rome in September and was surprised when they responded in less than 24 hours granting my request! 2 tickets for 26 Euros. I'm subscribing and liking ALL your videos!

[@Romewise]

Wow that's great! I am really glad you got tickets. You will love the tour. Have a wonderful time, and thanks a lot for your support!

[@miguelmiguel4042]

But also I think you should advice that ones they are visiting the cathedral they should visit first the dome of the cathedral because the entry closes at 5 pm If someone visit the cathedral first it needs time to see to enjoy it by the time they finishing there would be no time to go upstairs and have to come back the next day and wait on other 2 hrs to go to the dome I learned that in my own experience

[@Romewise]

Yes I do agree - I talk about this on my website here: www.romewise.com/visiting-the-vatican.html But it's also a good idea to mention it in a video. Thank you for your suggestion!

[@tamina1306]

So informative and straight to the point! Thanks for your hard work 😊

[@Romewise]

Thank you so much!

[@jacklong2286]

Elizabeth, I completely agree with you about first securing a tour of the Vatican Necropolis, which I did before making any other plans for our visit to Rome. Afterwards, as you say, one has access to the basilica. But a visit to the Necropolis is in itself one of the great experiences of my life (I first visited in 1978) and greatly enhances one’s visit to St. Peter’s! I secured my ticket to the necropolis in October for May 3rd from the Vatican Scavi. A ticket only costs 13 euros

[@Romewise]

I agree - visiting the Necropolis is really amazing and worth booking in advance! Glad you got the chance to do it!

[@sauronthegreat5799]

Can you take pics in the necropolis

[@Romewise]

@@sauronthegreat5799 Photos are strictly forbidden inside the Vatican necropolis.

[@sauronthegreat5799]

@@Romewise ☹️

[@Romewise]

@@sauronthegreat5799 I know. I myself don't even have photos. They are really strict about it. You will find that you cannot even find photos online, except for some official ones from the Vatican (Fabbrica di San Pietro.) I would still suggest a visit as it is really special.

[@theresavaltierrez6096]

I was there On Friday May 5th 830am waited an hour went back Sunday May 7th around the same time and walked right in no wait at all.

[@Romewise]

That's great! Not that comment these days to find no line for St. Peter's - especially on a Sunday! Glad it worked out for you!

[@catherinechiara3914]

Hi Alyssa, thank you so much for your excellent tips. Greatly appreciated!!!

[@Romewise]

Thanks so much!

[@miongoogle1035]

You are the most clear and comprehensive one I have seen. Thank you for your detailed explanations! I need to take someone in a wheelchair and your advised was so valuable!

[@Romewise]

Thank you for your very kind words! I am so grateful.

[@nicolebeatriceting6789]

Prayer path worked!! Thank youu

[@Romewise]

So glad! Thanks for letting me know!

[@Nathancai91]

Thank you so much for all the info! Will try to queue fitst thijg in the morning on sunday 9th July. Wish me luck😅

[@Romewise]

Have a wonderful visit!!

[@Breakawaywithnoreen]

Just to let you know that your channel is very helpful and informative. Thank you so much.

[@Romewise]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy my videos and find them helpful!

[@tunnus.123]

Great.

[@miguelmiguel4042]

Great vid !! I was there this pass Easter week in did it was 2 hrs witting

[@Romewise]

Thank you!

[@philbuarque]

In 2020 I sneaked in on the shorcut!

[@Romewise]

Great!

[@lonlonf]

Thank you, Elyssa, for the update! I followed your recommendation and took an early 8AM tour with my family. Good to hear the shortcut is available, will save us time and energy going around the wall and waiting in line. Also, any hop on hop off tour bus company you recommend?

[@Romewise]

That's great! You will have a wonderful time, i am sure! I have a page about using the hop-on / hop- off buses here: www.romewise.com/rome-bus-tours.html

[@huanho9057]

What a disappointment! I was thinking about taking the short from sixtina chapell 😂! Thx for explaining about the guided tour ❤

[@Romewise]

Well I am glad you found out before you tried it on your own! Have a great trip!

[@Vote4SeanS]

LOVE LOVE LOVE your channel and all your content. You deliver it so clearly and then the links you provide are so helpful. I have booked a tour that includes the basilica (it is an early morning , so when it ends we just walk over to wait in line for tickets to the dome? Since this is not the ideal time (with the sun) for a good view, I was considering to come the night before to just climb the dome, but based on your video, would you say don't bother due to long lines to gain entrance?

[@Romewise]

Thank you for your lovely comments! I'm glad you enjoy my content and find it helpful. Yes, once you are finished with your tour inside the basilica, just go to the entrance to the dome and go up! Yes, the view in the evening is maybe a little nicer if you want the sun behind you, but right now, lines to get in in the afternoon can be up to 2 hours long!

[@catchang8234]

Thank you for the great information

[@Romewise]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@markolwick2223]

Thanks. What about “Skip the line” tours? Or those “Vatican breakfast” tours?

[@Romewise]

Yes those are for the Vatican Museums which is not the same thing at St. Peter's Basilica. There is no "skip the line" for St. Peter's basilica because it's free to go in, but everyone must go through security and you can't buy a ticket to skip that line except what I describe in the video.

[@howardkoor9365]

Thank you! ♥️♥️♥️

[@ericyardley9348]

Great info. Thanks again!

[@Romewise]

Thank you!

[@csganley]

I think things may have changed..... Every tour that I look at that says: Rome: St. Peter's Basilica Tour with Dome and Papal Tombs has SKIP THE LINE SERVICE excluded! Any updated info you can add?

[@Romewise]

The tours that go into the basilica with dome climb and "papal tombs" are simply visiting the Vatican Grottoes, NOT the tomb of Saint Peter. So when you do that visit, you won't get any skip the line access as you still have to enter the basilica from the front. However, if you visit the tomb of Saint Peter, then you DO get skip the line access to the basilica, because, as I mention in the video, you will have already gone through security to visit this archeological site. Hope that helps!

[@hah5351]

Thank you for the informative videos! Do you know if the Basilica is open to tourists on Sunday? We will be there in July if that matters

[@Romewise]

Thank you for watching! Saint Peter's Basilica is open 365 days a year to everyone. Sometimes services and masses are held in a given chapel but tourists can still visit the rest of the church.

[@ankitkedia4656]

Its an amazing masterpiece .. so beautiful

[@Romewise]

Thank you so much 😀

[@ankitkedia4656]

@@Romewise welcome.. wish to be guided by you ma'am.

[@Romewise]

@@ankitkedia4656 That's very kind of you but I am not a tour guide.

[@ankitkedia4656]

@@Romewise sorry I didn't mean in that way

[@Romewise]

@@ankitkedia4656 Ah ok! I am often asked to act as a guide for visitors to Rome so I thought that was what you meant.

[@barbaraschultz8134]

Thank you for this! I am curious: might lines get shorter in the late afternoon?

[@Romewise]

Nope. I’ve tried that. They are pretty much long until closing.

[@corinardh8635]

Thank you. I would like to join a day trip tour from Rome. What would you recommend?

[@Romewise]

I have a page about this on the website: www.romewise.com/day-trips-from-rome.html Beaches, gardens, art cities, wine tasting - lots of choices!

[@corinardh8635]

@@Romewise there are a few tours. Which one you recommend most ? High speed train to Florence ? Or in mini van ? TIA

[@Romewise]

@@corinardh8635 It's really a matter of personal opinion. If you want to take a tour to Florence from Rome as a day trip, think about what you want to see and what you want to get out of it. Look at what you will visit while in Florence. Look at how many people are going on the tour. Getting to Florence by train or minivan is just part of it. Both are fine!

[@corinardh8635]

@@Romewise I am booked with your company in Rome. So looking forward. I am thinking a day trip. Actually Venice. Because I m sure I need more time in Florence I planned to return to Italy and visit different cities. I have heard Venice can be done in one day. What is your opinion?

[@MohamedzakymohamedIlsisi-vx1wt]

Vere nice

[@girlieconcepcion3548]

Love your channel! Is St. peter basilica closed on Wednesday?

[@Romewise]

Thank you so much! Yes it is closed to visitors on Wednesday mornings when the pope is in town and there is a papal audience in St. Peter's square. In this case, the basilica reopens to the public after the audience has finished, so usually around 12:30 or so. If there is no papal audience, such as if the pope is out of town, or in July when there is no Papal audience, then St. Peter's basilica is open on Wednesday mornings.

[@Gai3Subudhi]

Would you plz guide which ticket is good to go as st basilica and entry point for early morning

[@Romewise]

I'm sorry but I don't understand your question. Saint Peter's Basilica is free and there is no ticket to enter. The lines I refer to in this video are due to security.

[@denisemontes2564]

Hello! I’m visiting next week and wanted to go to the mass on Sunday July 23rd (10am). Do you know what is the easiest way to get tickets for mass? Or do we just use the pilgrim entrance? Greeting from Texas!!

[@Romewise]

Thanks for watching. On the Sunday you will be in Rome, Pope Francis himself is holding Mass at Saint Peter's Basilica. This means you need a ticket. You can find out how to do this here: www.romewise.com/see-the-pope-in-rome.html The pilgrims' entrance is only for visiting the Basilica and it makes you follow a specific, and more limited route through the church. Please make sure to get your tickets for the mass. It's free but you do need a ticket. Greetings from Rome back to you!! Have a great trip!

[@sh3rryyeh]

Thank you so much for all your videos! Is it relatively fast to get from the St Peter’s basilica to Vatican museum? We are wanting to have a quick visit of the basilica at opening then whisk to the Vatican museums for the 8am tickets booked online.

[@Romewise]

Thanks for watching! I do not think you can do what you are suggesting. The basilica is enormous and there is so much to see inside. Even if you breezed in after security, you would be entering at about 7.15 or 7.20. Then to see anything at all, you'd need at least 20 minutes but it should take more like an hour. Then you have to leave the basilica, walk across Saint Peter's Square, and then another 15-20 minutes to the Vatican Museums. If you have 8 AM tickets to the Vatican Museums, you need to be there at about 07:45 AM. I believe you will simply have to visit the basilica after your museums visit, or on another morning.

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

Please when you visit the Basilica 😊 please be Respectful its not a museum , pilgrims come to pray . Dress accordingly with respect & behave in a Respectful manner, sad to say but the last few years disrespect has been shown definitely not pilgrims but tourists .

[@Romewise]

Yes, definitely

[@rnguyen2516]

Which link is to take you from Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica? Also, is low season March to October or are you saying the months outside of that?

[@Romewise]

This tour includes the shortcut to the Basilica from the Sistine Chapel: Pristine Sistine Early Morning Tour - tinyurl.com/pristine-sistine March - October is peak season. YOu might find these videos helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4K9l55pgriNr8k kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6PJaJiHhcemr6c

[@lailahufanda858]

i did watch almost all of your videos about Italy, particularly Rome...Thank you for the insights and useful tips. I will be visiting Rome in April. If i get a guided tour with St Peter's Basilica as the final location - can i leave behind on my own? or it is required to exit after the guided tour. Appreciate your response. Grazie!

[@Romewise]

Thanks for watching my videos. I think you are asking if it's ok to leave the tour before it's over. Yes, you could leave the tour before it ends. I would suggest informing the guide you are leaving the group so they don't look for you. Also if they distributed any headsets, you'll need to return those.

[@lailahufanda858]

thanks!..@@Romewise

[@amykuney6460]

Thank you for providing so many helpful tips! We're going in July and we only have two days to see what we can. Is it possible to arrive at the opening time to see the Basilica and then go to the Museums for a self-guided tour afterwards? What would be a good ticket time to tour the Museums if we try to see the Basilica first? Or, should we try to do the Basilica in the morning and then go back for an evening time tour of the Museums?

[@Romewise]

Thanks for your comments. Yes, it's tricky if you want to see the basilica and the museums early to avoid crowds. The best way to do it would be with a guided tour so you can get into the museums early and then take the shortcut to the basilica. But if you are not planning to take a tour, your options are to go super early to the basilica and then take a tour of the Vatican Museums, or, go early to the Vatican Museums and then just make your way to the basilica and stand in line and hope the wait is not too bad. Otherwise, you could do as you mentioned, visit the basilica super early and then take a night tour of the Vatican museums if you are here on a Friday or Saturday night. If you want to visit the museums right after the basilica, I would not book a tour of the museums before 10 AM. You need time to visit the basilica (at least an hour) and then make your way to the museums (about 15-20 minutes walk), and possibly stop in between for a quick refreshment. Have fun!

[@PCDisciple]

If we already have a tour booked through a third party seller to climb the dome, do we still have to line up? We’re going later this month and have a bunch of things booked (including that night tour of the chapel you recommended?) but I hope there’s not lines even for people with tickets/tours 😅

[@Romewise]

So there are several different places to visit and queue and buy tickets for: 1. Vatican museums - tickets required and you will queue to go through security. You can skip the ticket queue by buying tickets (or a tour) in advance. But everyone has to go through security. 2. Saint Peter's basilica - free, no ticket required and none available. The lines are entirely due to going through airport-style security. 3. St. Peter's dome - ticket required but security is not, since you access the dome from inside St. Peter's basilica, for which you will have already gone through security. You may have to queue to purchase tickets to the dome and once you buy them, you may have a small wait especially if you take the lift / elevator and not the stairs to the first level. For your situation - if you take a night tour of the Vatican Museums, you have tickets already and only need to queue for security. However, your tour will not get you into the basilica or dome, so you'll need to visit those separately (as its own visit.) I suggest going a different day, or very early in the morning. Have fun!

[@joaopandrade]

What about trying to avoid huge lines in the last hours? Since I'm in line with a few hours to close the entrance, how do I know that I will be able to enter? Is there any kinds of signal warning about the very end of the line/time?

[@Romewise]

I am not sure I know the answer to this but you will want to give yourself some leeway as you'll need time to visit the basilica once you are inside. And by the way, the lines are not necessarily shorter close to closing. I've often gone then, thinking they'd be shorter, and they aren't.

[@leslienguyen6910]

I read that strollers are not allowed in St. Peter’s basilica. Can you guide me on where the stroller locker room is and what that process looks like

[@Romewise]

As soon as you pass security, you will walk towards the basilica. Once you get up close to it. you will immediately see in front of you the cloak room, bathrooms, and place where you can check your stroller. It's all really evident and well-organized. As soon as you check your stroller, you can then proceed up the outer stairs to the basilica or take the elevator if you prefer/need to.

[@kathleendeleon8607]

Hi! We’re going to Rome on September and is hoping to attend the papal audience on the 27th. I was wondering if we can tour the basilica, sistine chapel, etc. after the papal audience? Thanks!

[@Romewise]

Yes, it's possible, but it will take some planning. That will turn into a very full day for you. You can find out more about visiting the Vatican and how to plan your Vatican visits here: www.romewise.com/visiting-the-vatican.html

[@kathleendeleon8607]

@@Romewise Thank you, will check it out!

[@BalticsRiga]

Hello, As I understood that the line is for security check. If I consider to visit there at 6:30A.M in the morning on a Sunday, what is the estimation time of waiting, And What about tickets of museum and Dome? Should it be purchased inside or online?

[@Romewise]

Yes that's correct - the basilica is free to visit, so the lines you see are purely to do with going through the security check. Usually the lines are very short at 6:30AM - the basilica opens at 7 AM. However, nobody can guarantee this, because sometimes tours do show up then, as well as other visitors like you also looking for short lines. But it's safe to say that's probably when you will have the shortest line, if you have one at all. You might want to check out my Vatican playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLEAd_Z-Tx6V2P1eyvXoPNB6EbSOd3ZIHf I also have many detailed pages on my site all about visiting the Vatican. You can start on this page: www.romewise.com/vatican-hub.html Hope that helps!

[@1988sundance]

I went February 2018 and didn't have a wait at all.

[@Romewise]

Things have changed a lot in recent years. Now it's nearly impossible to arrive in Saint Peter's Square during the opening hours of the basilica and not encounter at least an hour's queue.

[@1988sundance]

@@Romewise I am not saying it wasn't crowded, it was as the day went on even in February.

[@Romewise]

@@1988sundance Yeah I have been often in February and the lines can be really long.

[@danielmulno]

Question, can I go to the Basilica first, and then go to the Vatican museums after? If so, what is the earliest I can / should arrive at the basilica and then what time would you think i should book the normal vatican tickets at?

[@Romewise]

Yes, you can. The basilica opens at 6:50 AM. Your visit there will depend on what you want to do. If you choose to climb the dome and/or visit the grottoes where many popes are buried, you might need at least 2 hours inside. And there are other things to see inside, too, like the museum of the treasury and the room of the Holy Eucharist. Otherwise, if you just want to wander around and enjoy the beauty and the architecture, you might need only an hour. Then figure you need a short rest for something to eat/drink, and also figure it takes 15-20 minutes to walk from St. Peter's Square to the entrance of the Vatican Museums. So I would not book an entrance to the museums before 12 PM at the earliest. You might want to know this is going to be a very busy time of day to visit the museums.

[@danielmulno]

@@Romewise wow, thanks so much for all the info!!!

[@Romewise]

My pleasure! @@danielmulno

[@RedCzar777]

So, you actually don't need tockets to visit St Peter's Basilica? Can I enter early in the morning before the schedulled time for my Vatican Museum visit ?

[@Romewise]

Saint Peter's Basilica is free to visit. The long lines are due to security. Many people want to visit St. Peter's before their visit to the Vatican museums but this is only feasible if your Vatican museums tickets are for 11am or later. If they are for earlier than that, you won't realistically have time to visit the basilica, walk the 20 minutes to the Museums, go through security again, and get in in time for your visit.

[@melynn44]

Great video! Very excited about the Catholic pilgrim entrance. I am hoping by the time I am there in October the word hasn't gotten around and people start taking advantage. I plan to do a Vatican Museum tours early in the morning, but I want to do a Dome Climb more in the late afternoon. Do the crowds ever wane in the later afternoon?

[@Romewise]

Thank you! Please note that when you take the Pilgrims' entrance, you have to follow a specific route and you really won't be able to tour the basilica. I used to hope that visiting the Vatican in the afternoon would mean thinner crowds but I have yet to see it. The crowds and lines are there until closing. Well, the crowds inside, no, but the queues to get in, yes. Don't count on that. Early morning is a better bet.

[@lindahelnaj4029]

Would the line be shorter on a Sunday after 4 pm?

[@Romewise]

No, it will still be really long. At least in my experience!

[@akidfromskg]

hello my friend, I want to ask you if I will need gimbal for the Vatican museum because of the lack of light or is it lit enough so I won't have a problem?

[@Romewise]

There is plenty of light for taking photos and videos inside the Vatican Museums. In any case, tripods and selfie-sticks are not allowed, so depending on what kind of gimbal you have, you might not be able to bring it with you anyway.

[@akidfromskg]

@@Romewise thanks for respond

[@alexperiasamy1908]

Hi What about December 1st week Still the queue long? I would love to visit closing time! What should I be there at St.Peter’s Basilica

[@Romewise]

Yes there will be long queues first week of December. It’s the unofficial start of the Christmas season and people come to Rome for the trees, lights, and atmosphere. You should come very early or try late in the day but usually there are long queues also late in the day. Even in December.

[@alexperiasamy1908]

@@Romewise thank you for your reply What time should I be there in the evening Many thanks

[@Romewise]

I really can't specifically advise you, as I believe you will encounter long lines in the afternoon. But you can try to go around 4-5pm and hope for shorter lines. I just think you will find they are long still. But the lines do move fairly quickly. Have fun!@@alexperiasamy1908

[@alexperiasamy1908]

@@Romewise thank you so much

[@ewayne1527]

When buying tickets for St Peters Basilica do you have to buy same day tickets? Or can you buy them for a future day?

[@Romewise]

There are no tickets for Saint Peter's Basilica. It's free to visit. The lines you see are all because of security. You DO need tickets for the Vatican Museums, and for that you can purchase them in advance. www.romewise.com/visiting-the-vatican.html

[@timg3504]

What about Wednesdays ?.? Tour of St Peter’s?

[@Romewise]

If you're looking for a tour of the Vatican Museums that includes the shortcut to Saint Peters Basilica, and your only option is to visit on a Wednesday, first check if the Pope will be giving the Papal Audience. If he is not, then tours with the shortcut may run normally. If he is, then the basilica is closed until the audience finishes, usually reopening sometime between 12:30 - 1 PM. In this case, you could look for an afternoon tour of the Vatican Museums that would include the shortcut. I'd double check with the tour company to make sure they are indeed taking you into St. Peter's using the shortcut.

[@timg3504]

@@Romewise Thank you so much for the information. We will be there on a Wednesday and was worried. So we will go to the colosseum first then we should be all good.

[@Romewise]

@@timg3504 If you only have one day in Rome and are trying to see the Colosseum and Vatican on the same day, I suggest tours for both! Especially for the Vatican Museums - as we just discussed, get a tour that includes the shortcut to the basilica. Have a great visit!

[@GalakStarscraper]

Do you recommend doing 2 separate days and tours since those special Sistine Chapel tours don't include the basillica?

[@Romewise]

When most people book tours to the Vatican Museums, they tend to see both the museums and the basilica in the same day. I think this is often due to time constraints, i.e. many people have limited time in Rome so it makes sense to visit these two sites together. I would always recommend visiting these sites as two separate entities, and splitting them up over two days when possible, regardless of whether you take one of the special tours I mentioned. There is just so much to see and to absorb, and you need a lot of energy to visit these sites. I think a visitor would get the most out of them if they could separate the visits over two days. So yes, if you have time and the possibility to do so, I would indeed visit these sites on separate days, and I'd go to St. Peter's Basilica right when it opens.

[@GalakStarscraper]

@@Romewise Thank you so much! We are going In Sept!

[@Romewise]

@@GalakStarscraper have a great trip!

[@GalakStarscraper]

@@Romewise and I keep using my husband's business account LOL We will be in Rome in Sept for 6 nights

[@JL-ly7me]

Hi, can we get tickets for the Basilica online without having to buy a tour?

[@Romewise]

There are no tickets for the basilica except for when you book to visit Saint Peter's tomb. It's free to enter the church, so it's simply a matter of going through airport-like security, which is what causes the line to get so long.

[@aleluia81]

I have been in rome in easter 1998, lived 6 month from September 2007 to march 2008, in august 2010, July 2013, and October 2017... and the line was never like that. What happened? Why is like that now?

[@Romewise]

Since tourism returned after Covid, Rome (and other popular cities in Italy) has seen a huge bump in visitor numbers. 2023 broke records and 2024 is set to be similar. Saint Peter's Basilica is one of the most popular attractions in Rome and while it's free, everyone must go through security. So it's the security procedures that take time. There are a lot of security gates open but the crowds are more than they can handle quickly so these lines form throughout the day. That's why I made this video.

[@aleluia81]

@@Romewise hi, thank you very much for the information and kindness. The tourism is getting too much for Rome, making the prices rise in hotels and restaurants, monuments that were free now are paid, queues every were that make these places inaccessible for locals... the entrance in pantheon now is paid!!!! what are they doing to my Rome! I know the city like I know the back of my hands, been in every corner, streets, squares, fountains every monument, coffee shops, restaurants, churches, gardens, hills... been in those places with no difficulties, knowing the secrets of moving avoiding the crouds and queues... and now it's all ruined. Its so sad!

[@Romewise]

Many people are commenting on the rise in tourism. I believe this is happening in many places around the world and is the result of many factors, but there is nothing we can do about it. Hopefully the governments and tourism boards of heavily visited cities like Rome will find a way to manage the crowds. My best suggestion is to come in really low season (a few weeks in January) but otherwise, yes, Rome is pretty much crowded nearly year-round now. @@aleluia81

[@linalogo]

St. Peter's Basilica opens at 6:50am or 7:30am?

[@Romewise]

Technically 7AM but it really opens a few minutes before. www.basilicasanpietro.va/en/info-and-opening-hours/opening-hours.html

[@TurystaAmator]

Do you need to wait in line to basilica or is it seperate one to dome with shorter line?

[@Romewise]

To climb the dome, yes, you have to wait first in the line to get into the basilica. That line is for security (there is no ticket, it's free), and everyone has to go through security to enter any part of the basilica, which includes the dome.

[@fudgeadool]

thanks but why would there be that big of a line if they are timed tickets anyway only for a certain amount of people?

[@Romewise]

I think you may be thinking of the timed tickets to the Vatican Museums. There are no tickets to enter Saint Peter's Basilica. The reason for the lines is that people have to go through security. And there is huge demand right now because Rome is really crowded and even if they set up many security booths, it's airport-style security and we all know how much time this can take. At least they don't make us take off our shoes!

[@fudgeadool]

@@Romewise yes what about the Vatican lines?

[@Romewise]

@@fudgeadool Are you asking how to skip the lines to get into the Vatican Museums? The topic of this video is about Saint Peter's Basilica, which is separate from the Vatican Museums (where the Sistine Chapel is.) I will be making a video about this soon. In the meantime, the best way to skip the line is to book your tickets or tours in advance, and not try to come down and wait on line to buy same-day tickets. Right now, the lines are really long and I think you are looking at 1-2 hours wait. So booking in advance is key.

[@goxoz7651]

Hello let's assume we are there at 8 o'clock in the morning. How long would it us take to get to the top of the dome, spend some time there and get back? Could we do all this and still be at the Colosseum by 10:30/45 am?

[@Romewise]

Oh gosh I highly recommend against this. Logistics in Rome, especially at these big sites, is always a bit more involved than they might seem. If you arrive at St. Peter's basilica at 8AM, let's assume at least 30-40 minutes' wait in the queue. Once you actually pass security and make your way to the inside, it will be at least 9AM. If you do not even look at the inside but go straight to the ticket box office for the dome, and then climb the dome, you will come down from the dome by around 10am or so. And that's without looking at the inside of the basilica, which needs at least an hour, IMO. Even if you could walk outside and find a taxi (they are not that close), there is then traffic to contend with. In short, I highly encourage you to visit these huge sites on different days or with much more margin between them.

[@goxoz7651]

@@Romewise thanks a lot. Then we won't do it beforehand and just go at another time :)

[@goxoz7651]

@@Romewise thanks a lot. Then we won't do it beforehand and just go at another time :)

[@Romewise]

Great idea! @@goxoz7651

[@klakf]

Do these people in line already have tickets?

[@Romewise]

It is free to enter Saint Peter's basilica. The line is just for security, which is airport-style. The people you see in line have no tickets. There are no tickets you can buy to enter Saint Peter's basilica and/or to skip the line other than the ways I mention in the video. The wait used to be a bit more manageable but since Rome has gotten so crowded and busy, it's simply a matter of handling a lot of people going through the security lanes.

[@akidfromskg]

maybe we can buy a ticket with skip the line?

[@Romewise]

Unfortunately no. You can skip the line only the ways I described.

[@domesticcat5069]

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