Contents 5
The dress code: the main reason people are turned away
The rule is single and simple: shoulders and knees covered. It applies to everyone — men, women and children.
- Not allowed: strap tops, crop tops, shorts above the knee, mini skirts, bare backs.
- Allowed: a T-shirt with sleeves, trousers or a skirt below the knee, a light shirt over a vest.
It is checked at the entrance, and it is not a formality: people are turned away calmly and without discussion. In July there are traders selling throwaway cover-ups at triple price by the Vatican walls — it is cheaper to put a shawl and a light shirt in your backpack in the morning. With children it stings all the more: you travelled, you queued, and you did not get in because of shorts.
The queue and security
There is no ticket, but there is a security check: a metal detector and a belt for bags, as at an airport. The queue runs across St Peter’s Square, and that is the problem: there is no shade over it. In summer, in the middle of the day, that is an hour in the sun.
What to do about it: come at opening, at seven in the morning, or after four in the afternoon. The early option wins twice over with children — inside it is still empty and cool.
Opening hours
The basilica opens at 7:00 and closes around 19:10 in winter, later in summer. The dome is open from 7:30 to 18:00 from April to September and until 17:00 from October to March.
Watch out for Wednesdays: there is often a papal audience on the square, and access to the basilica changes in the morning. If you are going on a Wednesday, plan the basilica for the afternoon.
The dome: 551 steps and which option to choose
The dome climb is the only thing you pay for in this building.
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| On foot, all the way | EUR 8 | 551 steps from the ground to the lantern |
| Lift to the terrace, then on foot | EUR 10 | the lift removes the first 231 steps, 320 remain |
The lift does not take you to the top — that is the main misconception. It only goes up to the terrace above the roof. After that there are 320 steps in any case, and the last third is a narrow sloping passage between the inner and outer shells of the dome: the walls lean, you walk sideways, and you cannot turn round and go back against the flow.
So, honestly: we do not go up with a child under seven or eight. And if anyone in the family is claustrophobic, this is not for you either — the passage is crowded and tight.
The terrace the lift reaches is a good spot in itself: you can see the square, the colonnade and Rome beyond, and there is room to stand. It is fine to stop there.
What to show a child inside
The basilica is so vast that the scale does not register: everything looks proportionate until you find something to compare it with. That is what the conversation with a child is built on.
- The letters under the dome. The inscription running round looks ordinary, and each letter is about the height of an adult.
- The marks on the floor. The central nave has markers set into it: this is how far St Paul’s in London would reach, this is Milan’s Duomo. A ready-made game of “who is longer”.
- Bernini’s baldachin over the altar — twenty-nine metres, the size of a nine-storey building, and made of bronze.
- The Swiss Guards in striped uniform by the side entrances. The uniform, contrary to legend, was not designed by Michelangelo.
A quest tour of St Peter’s Basilica
Three hours through the basilica and the square as a hunt: children work out how the dome was built, why the colonnade needs so many columns and what the figures on the roof mean. The age limit is low — from four.
EUR 250 per group of up to 5 · each additional person +EUR 20 · 3 hours · ages 4+ · entry to the basilica is free, the dome climb is paid separately
The Vatican Museums are next door and something else entirely: a separate entrance, separate tickets and a queue. If you are planning both in one day, see our guide to buying Vatican tickets step by step.
Frequently asked questions
How much does entry to St Peter's Basilica cost
Entry to the basilica itself is free for everyone. You only pay to climb the dome: EUR 8 on foot and EUR 10 with the lift to the terrace.
What is the dress code at St Peter's
Shoulders and knees covered, for adults and children alike. Strap tops, shorts above the knee and mini skirts are not allowed. A shawl or light shirt in your backpack solves it.
How many steps to the dome of St Peter's
551 from the ground. The lift only reaches the terrace; after it 320 steps remain, and the last ones run along the sloping wall between the dome’s two shells, where it is tight.
Do I need a ticket for St Peter's in advance
Not for the basilica itself — entry is free, though there is a security queue. Dome tickets are bought on site, at the entrance to the right of the basilica.
From what age can a child climb the dome
There is no formal limit, but we would not go up with a child under seven or eight: 320 steps after the lift, a narrow sloping passage and no way of turning back against the flow of people.
What time is best to come to St Peter's
At opening, at seven in the morning, or after four in the afternoon. In the middle of the day the security queue stretches to an hour and runs across an open square with no shade.
