Vatican Scavi: Underground St. Peter’s Tomb & Basilica VIP Tour
Overview
Discover the Vatican like never before on this exclusive underground experience — a once-in-a-lifetime journey to St. Peter’s Tomb. Begin your tour in the Vatican Necropolis, a rarely accessible burial site hidden beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. Walk along ancient Roman funerary streets lined with pagan and early Christian tombs as your expert guide leads you to what is traditionally believed to be the burial place of Saint Peter, the Apostle and spiritual foundation of the Christian Church.
Access to St. Peter’s Tomb is extremely limited, making this visit a truly rare privilege. After exploring the underground world, you will emerge directly into St. Peter’s Basilica through a VIP skip-the-line entrance, bypassing long public queues. Inside, enjoy a guided tour of the largest church in the world and admire masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s Baldachin. Availability is strictly limited—early booking is recommended.
What's Included
- Small-group experience for a more intimate visit
- VIP skip-the-line entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica
- Visit to St. Peter’s Tomb
- Exclusive access and Guided tour to the Underground Vatican Scavi/Necropolis
- Professional licensed guide
- Guided tour inside St. Peter’s Basilica (if option selected)
- Ticket for optional self-guided climb to the Dome (if option selected)
- Food and drinks
- Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
- Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off
- Not suitable for children under 10 years old.
Meeting Location
Largo del Colonnato
5, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.
Piazza San Pietro
00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
The tour will end outside St.Peter's Basilica
What To Expect
Book Online
Safe & secure Easy breezy Hassle‑free
St. Peter's Square
20 minutes Admission Ticket Free
Necropoli Di San Pietro
1 hour Admission Ticket Included
St. Peter's Basilica
1 hour Admission Ticket Included
St. Peter's Basilica
1 hour 15 minutes Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Meeting Point: Largo del Colonnato, 5, in front of the Galleria San Pietro Shop (near St. Peter's Square). Your guide and our staff will be there to welcome you. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before departure to ensure a smooth check-in. For assistance, please call +39 328 001 0018.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult. Not suitable for children under 10 years old.
- All participants must carry a valid identification document (passport or ID) to enter the sites. Entry may be denied without a valid document, with no refund.
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- There is no refund on reservation fees and tickets of monuments that are closed due to event that is out of our control.
- If this is not possible, we will operate the tour and will include other sites to compensate for the site/s being closed. No refund is given on unused tickets due to events that are out of our control.
- Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time due to managing and organizational reasons.If you arrive late for the meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, unless you pay for the activity again. As per "No Show" rules you will not be entitled to a refund.
- Cancellations, changes or issues due, security and events held by the monument are beyond our control and are directly decided by their administration team. These issues will be reviewed by us and dealt with on an individual basis but are the responsibility of the monument.
- Please note that St. Peter’s Basilica may close without prior notice. Refunds are only available for options that include a guided tour of the Basilica.
- The Necropolis is managed directly by the Fabbrica di San Pietro; timing variations are beyond our control. The tour start time may vary even more than30 minutes.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Frequently Asked Questions (8)
Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Vatican Scavi: Underground St. Peter’s Tomb & Basilica VIP Tour?
Cancellation Policy
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Activity code: C-20905P61
Traveler Photos
Reviews
Average 4.61 out of 5 stars based on 74 traveler reviews collected by Cool Shore Excursions and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor
Additional Info
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Frequently Asked Questions (8)
The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from Cool Shore Excursions customers.
Filter by:
- Small-group experience for a more intimate visit.
- VIP skip-the-line entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Visit to St. Peter’s Tomb.
- Exclusive access and Guided tour to the Underground Vatican Scavi/Necropolis.
- Professional licensed guide.
- Guided tour inside St. Peter’s Basilica (if option selected).
- Ticket for optional self-guided climb to the Dome (if option selected).
- Food and drinks.
- Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
- Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off.
- Not suitable for children under 10 years old.
This tour requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Apr 2025The minimum age to participate is 11. This tour requires at least one adult to accompany children..
Apr 2025If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.
If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.
Apr 2025Accessibility information for the Vatican Scavi: Underground St. Peter’s Tomb & Basilica VIP Tour is as follows:
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Vatican Scavi: Underground St. Peter’s Tomb & Basilica VIP Tour will be included in your confirmation email from Cool Shore Excursions. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!
Mar 2024Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.
Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.
If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.
Oct 2026What's Included
- Small-group experience for a more intimate visit
- VIP skip-the-line entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica
- Visit to St. Peter’s Tomb
- Exclusive access and Guided tour to the Underground Vatican Scavi/Necropolis
- Professional licensed guide
- Guided tour inside St. Peter’s Basilica (if option selected)
- Ticket for optional self-guided climb to the Dome (if option selected)
- Food and drinks
- Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
- Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off
- Not suitable for children under 10 years old.
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Meeting Point: Largo del Colonnato, 5, in front of the Galleria San Pietro Shop (near St. Peter's Square). Your guide and our staff will be there to welcome you. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before departure to ensure a smooth check-in. For assistance, please call +39 328 001 0018.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult. Not suitable for children under 10 years old.
- All participants must carry a valid identification document (passport or ID) to enter the sites. Entry may be denied without a valid document, with no refund.
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- There is no refund on reservation fees and tickets of monuments that are closed due to event that is out of our control.
- If this is not possible, we will operate the tour and will include other sites to compensate for the site/s being closed. No refund is given on unused tickets due to events that are out of our control.
- Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time due to managing and organizational reasons.If you arrive late for the meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, unless you pay for the activity again. As per "No Show" rules you will not be entitled to a refund.
- Cancellations, changes or issues due, security and events held by the monument are beyond our control and are directly decided by their administration team. These issues will be reviewed by us and dealt with on an individual basis but are the responsibility of the monument.
- Please note that St. Peter’s Basilica may close without prior notice. Refunds are only available for options that include a guided tour of the Basilica.
- The Necropolis is managed directly by the Fabbrica di San Pietro; timing variations are beyond our control. The tour start time may vary even more than30 minutes.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
