St. Peter's Basilica Official Website: What You Can Book & Do There

Thousands of visitors search for the St. Peter’s Basilica official website every day — often unsure what it actually offers, whether they can buy tickets through it, and how it differs from the many third-party booking sites that rank around it. This guide explains exactly what the official site does, how to use it, and when to use it versus a third-party operator.

The Official Website Address

The official website of St. Peter’s Basilica is:

basilicasanpietro.va

This is the only official Vatican-operated booking platform for the Basilica. The site is run by the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the institution responsible for the conservation, administration, and staffing of the basilica. Always check you are on the .va domain (Vatican City) — numerous third-party sites use similar-sounding domain names.

What You Can Book Through the Official Website

1. Reserved Timed Entry to the Basilica (includes Digital Audio Guide)

The official site allows you to book a timed entry slot to St. Peter’s Basilica. Booking through the official site provides: – A specific time slot for your visit – Priority access via the reserved entry lane (bypassing the general public queue) – The digital audio guide included in the booking price

The digital audio guide works through your smartphone’s browser — no app download is required. It is activated using a QR code from your booking confirmation. The guide is available in 11 languages: Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, and Chinese.

Important note from the official site: The booking fee includes the reserved time slot and the digital audio guide. Once booked, reservations are non-modifiable and non-refundable — you cannot change the name, date, or time after booking. Read the terms and conditions carefully before purchasing.

After booking, you will receive two emails: – Email 1: The booking voucher confirming your services – Email 2: QR codes for all participants, sent within approximately 30 minutes. These QR codes — not the voucher — are what you show at the reserved entry point. If Email 2 does not arrive within 30 minutes, check your spam folder or contact booking@basilicasanpietro.va with your TIE reference number.

QR codes can also be retrieved at myqr.basilicasanpietro.va using your email and confirmation details.

2. Dome Climb Tickets

The official site offers advance booking for the dome climb — both the stairs-only option (€8) and the elevator + stairs option (€10). Booking through the official site is the only way to guarantee dome access in advance, as walk-in dome tickets are sold on the day at the portico booth and can sell out in peak season.

The official dome ticket booking also includes a prior-time-slot reserved entry to the basilica, so you do not need to book the basilica entry separately if you book dome tickets.

3. Treasury Museum Tickets

As of 2026, online reservations for the Treasury Museum are temporarily suspended due to ongoing renovation works on the museum layout. Check basilicasanpietro.va for the current status before your visit. Walk-in access to the Treasury Museum may still be available — confirm on arrival at the sacristy corridor in the left transept.

For a full guide to the Treasury Museum: St. Peter's Basilica Treasury Museum: Is It Worth Visiting?

4. Vatican Necropolis (Scavi) Tour

The Vatican Necropolis (Scavi) booking is handled through the same basilica website (basilicasanpietro.va), specifically through the Necropolis section. The Scavi tour is the guided visit to the 1st-century Roman cemetery beneath the basilica — a completely separate and much rarer experience from the free Vatican Grottoes.

The Necropolis tour operates with very limited capacity (250 visitors per day maximum) and books out months in advance. Book as early as possible — 3–6 months ahead in peak season.

For everything about the Scavi: St. Peter's Basilica Necropolis (Scavi): Tickets, Tour & What to Expect

What the Official Website Does Not Offer

Guided tours by external operators. The official website books entry and dome tickets but does not sell third-party guided tours (GetYourGuide, Viator, Tiqets, etc.). For guided tour options covering St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Museums, or combo packages, use the third-party operators listed in our guides.

Vatican Museums tickets. The Vatican Museums are a completely separate institution. Their tickets are sold at tickets.museivaticani.va — not through basilicasanpietro.va. Do not confuse the two sites.

Papal Audience tickets. Papal Audience tickets are managed by the Prefecture of the Papal Household (ordinanze@pontificalisdomus.va or collected at the Bronze Door) — not through the basilica website. See our full guide: Visiting St. Peter's Basilica for Mass or a Papal Audience

Other Features of the Official Website

Opening hours: The official and most current opening hours for the basilica, dome, and Grottoes are posted at basilicasanpietro.va/en/opening-hours. Always check here before your visit, particularly around holidays and special events when hours change without advance notice.

Digital audio guide FAQ: The site has a dedicated FAQ section for the digital audio guide, covering how to activate it, which languages are available, what it covers, and accessibility features for visually and hearing-impaired visitors.

Virtual tour: The site offers a basilica virtual tour — a 360° digital walkthrough of the main spaces. Useful for planning your visit or for those who cannot visit in person.

Contact for accessibility: Visitors with specific accessibility needs can contact the basilica in advance at accoglienza@fsp.va. A dedicated accessible entrance is available at the right-hand hemicycle of St. Peter’s Square with ramp access. Sign language guided tours can be booked in advance.

Contact for booking support: For booking issues, email booking@basilicasanpietro.va or call +39 06 9612 4006.

Official Website vs Third-Party Operators: When to Use Which

The main practical advantage of booking through the official site is price — the official timed entry is typically cheaper than third-party reserved entry tickets. The main advantage of third-party operators is the ability to combine the basilica visit with a guided tour, Vatican Museums access, or other experiences in a single booking, and often with more flexible cancellation policies.