St. Peter's Basilica Entrance: Where to Enter & How It Works

Understanding where to go when you arrive at St. Peter’s Basilica saves significant time and confusion. The piazza is large, the crowds can be dense, and the various entry points — main entrance, reserved lane, accessible entrance, dome booth, guided tour meeting points — are spread across a wide area. This guide walks you through exactly where to go depending on your ticket type.

The Main Entrance: How It Works

The primary way into St. Peter’s Basilica for all visitors — whether walking in for free or arriving with a booked ticket — is from St. Peter’s Square. The entrance is not through the basilica facade doors directly. Instead, you approach via the colonnades at either side of the piazza and pass through an airport-style security checkpoint before reaching the basilica’s main doors.

The security checkpoint is located near the right-hand (south) colonnade as you face the basilica. All bags are X-rayed, and visitors pass through metal detectors. This is mandatory for every visitor without exception — no ticket, tour, or booking of any kind bypasses security screening entirely. What reserved entry tickets and guided tours provide is access to a faster, shorter priority lane rather than the long general public queue.

The general public queue forms at this checkpoint and can stretch far along the colonnade in peak season — sometimes hundreds of metres. Queue times of 60–90 minutes are common during summer midday hours.

The reserved entry priority lane is adjacent to the general public queue at the same checkpoint. Pre-booked visitors (reserved entry tickets, guided tours, any booking with a QR code) use this lane, which typically moves in 5–15 minutes.

The Basilica Portico

After passing through security, you enter the wide, covered portico — the entrance hall that runs the full width of the basilica facade between the exterior and the main interior doors. The portico contains several important elements:

The dome ticket booth is on the right-hand side of the portico. If you plan to climb the dome and have not pre-booked, purchase your ticket here before entering the basilica. Dome tickets cost €8 (stairs only) or €10 (elevator + stairs). Note that the booth only opens after you have passed through security — you cannot buy dome tickets before the checkpoint.

The Holy Door (Porta Sancta) is the far right door of the five doors leading from the portico into the basilica. It is normally sealed and opened only during Jubilee years. During the current Jubilee (2025–2026), it is open and can be passed through. It will be sealed again at the end of the Jubilee period.

The stroller storage area is in the portico, accessible via a dedicated ramp from the parvis. Strollers cannot enter the basilica interior and must be left here. A baby-changing room is located in the Welcome Area nearby.

The Welcome Desk — for visitors using the digital audio guide or starting a guided Fabbrica di San Pietro tour, this is where you collect radio guides and begin your visit.

The five historic entrance doors lead from the portico into the basilica: – The central door, the Filarete Door (1445), is a magnificent bronze work created by Antonio Averlino and depicts scenes from the lives of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and Saints Peter and Paul. – The second door from the right is the Door of Death by Giacomo Manzù (1964), depicting scenes from human mortality. – The Holy Door (Porta Sancta) is the rightmost door, sealed except during Jubilee years. – The Door of Good and Evil (1977) and the Door of the Sacraments (1964) complete the set.

The Reserved Entry Meeting Point

For visitors with reserved entry tickets or guided tours, the entry process begins at a meeting point outside the basilica — not at the main security checkpoint directly. The exact meeting point varies by operator but is typically at one of two locations:

Largo del Colonnato (north colonnade area): A common meeting point for multiple operators, located at the north side of the colonnade near Via di Porta Angelica. Staff hold operator flags or signs.

Caffè Leonina (Piazza della Città Leonina): Another common starting point near the arches at the north end of the square. Used by several major operators.

Your booking confirmation will specify your meeting point address. Read it carefully — arriving at the wrong side of the colonnade in a busy piazza costs time. Arrive 10–15 minutes before your booked time slot.

At the meeting point, the operator’s staff member checks you in and either provides you with a QR code for the priority lane or directs you to join the guided group proceeding to the priority lane together.

The Accessible Entrance

A dedicated accessible entrance for visitors with disabilities is located at the right-hand hemicycle of St. Peter’s Square — the curved end of the colonnade on the south side. It is equipped with a ramp providing step-free access to the security checkpoint and the basilica entrance.

For visitors with specific accessibility needs, the Vatican recommends contacting the Welcome Office in advance at accoglienza@fsp.va. Sign language guided tours are available with advance booking.

The Dome Entrance (Inside the Portico)

The dome is not accessed directly from St. Peter’s Square. You must pass through the main security checkpoint, enter the basilica portico, and then purchase (or present) your dome ticket at the booth on the right side of the portico. The actual climb begins from a door at the far right of the portico before the main basilica interior doors.

For everything about the dome experience: St. Peter's Basilica Dome Climb: Tickets, Tips & What to Expect

The Vatican Necropolis (Scavi) Entrance

The Vatican Necropolis entrance is entirely separate from all other basilica entry points. It is located at the Excavations Office (Ufficio Scavi) on the south side of the basilica, near Piazza Papa Pio XII — accessible via the left colonnade exit from St. Peter’s Square (Swiss Guard checkpoint). You need an advance Scavi booking to access this entrance. For full details: St. Peter's Basilica Necropolis (Scavi): Tickets, Tour & What to Expect

Entry from the Vatican Museums (Via the Sistine Chapel)

Some guided tours that include both the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica access the basilica via a private connecting passage from the Sistine Chapel. This route is not available to independent visitors — it is only accessible to authorised guided tour groups. If your tour includes this access, your guide will lead you through the passage directly without returning to the external St. Peter’s Square entrance. This completely bypasses the external basilica security queue.

What Cannot Be Brought Inside

Security will not permit the following through the checkpoint:

• Large bags, suitcases, and backpacks exceeding 40×35×15cm (standard backpacks that don’t protrude more than 15cm beyond the body’s width are permitted)
• Knives, scissors, and sharp objects
• Metal weapons
• Tripods, professional camera equipment, and selfie sticks
• Umbrellas (must be stored outside or left in cloakroom)
• Food and drinks
• Animals (pets)

Jewellery, phones, cameras, and wallets cannot be stored in the cloakroom — keep valuables with you.

What to Expect at Security

Security operates identically to airport screening. Bags pass through X-ray machines and visitors walk through metal detectors. The process is thorough and enforced. Expect some waiting time even in the priority lane during peak hours — arrival at security does not mean immediate entry.

Dress code check: Guards also monitor the dress code at the security point. Visitors who do not comply are directed to step aside. Having the correct clothing before joining the queue saves considerable time.

Practical Tips for Entry

Arrive at the meeting point early. Operators require you to be at the meeting point 10–15 minutes before your time slot. Late arrivals may not be accommodated without a refund.

Have your QR code ready. Keep your entry QR code easily accessible on your phone before you reach the checkpoint. Searching for it in a queue slows everyone down.

Travel light. Large bags cause delays at security and may need to be stored externally. A small day bag is ideal.

Know where you are going. The south (right-hand) side of the colonnade is where you will find the general public queue, the reserved entry lane, and the accessible entrance. The north side is where many tour operators have their meeting points.