warner1108

Hi everyone,

We're surprising our son with a VIP vatican tour w/Walks of Italy next Summer.
the tour goes from 0600-0800.
However, it does NOT visit St Peter's Basilica.

What's our best way of getting to visit that (we don't care about climbing the dome) after our tour ends?
Get back in the general line? Is there a passage way we can use at the end of our tour?

Thanks in advance!

annhig

There is a back way out of the Sistine Chapel which leads down some stairs and round to the front of St Peter's without having to queue to get through security again. However, Walks of Italy may not end their tour in the Sistine chapel. I suggest that you email them and ask them.

If you aren't able to take advantage of the back exit, then it would make sense to get round to the entrance to St Peter's asap as the lines of people wanting to get through security to enter are quite long. And whilst you may not want to climb the dome, at roof level [reached by the lift or the stairs] there is a cafe and entrance to the cupola at the level of the mosaics which you can study right up close. Worth considering.

alandavid

Most of Walks of Italy tours end inside St Peter's.
Many include a guided tour of the basilica, the others drop you off inside.
What changed for many was that COVID protocol closed the "short-cut" door that annhig is talking about. It was exclusively meant for tour groups to get an express entrance into St Peter's without waiting in another long queue.
During COVID, all had to exit and reenter thru security in front of St Peter's (the line is LONG, but your tour may have an express lane to make it go faster).

Smart move booking the early morning tour! (St Peter's is closed Wed AM for papal audience. Is your tour a Wed?)
If your tour doesn't get you in, just ask your guide what the fastest way into the basilica is.

With luck, the short-cut will reopen soon!

annhig

alandavid,

Thanks for pointing out that the rear exit to the Sistine Chapel was closed during covid; i didn't know that. Hopefully Walks of Italy will know when it reopens.