Rome St. Peter's Dome, Basilica & Grottoes Morning Private Tour

VIP EARLY MORNING PRIVATE TOUR Italian breakfast Included.The dome of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The dome was designed by Michelangelo who worked on the basilica's construction beginning in 1547. There are two levels to the climb: the first part takes you to the interior of the dome which offers magnificent views of the basilica below as well as a chance to see the mosaics up close. Visitors can either walk the 320 steps or take the elevator, and this part of the visit also includes a trip out onto the roof, behind the statues of Jesus and the Apostles. The second part of the visit is optional and is for the slightly more adventurous visitor. It involves climbing a total of 320 steps which become progressively narrower and more winding, ending in a tight, corkscrew staircase. If you suffer from claustrophobia, this is not for you. However once on top of the Dome, you will have a bird's-eye view of Vatican City as well as a breathtaking panorama of Rome, spread out 136m below

VATICAN GROTTOES PRIVATE EARLY MORNING GUIDED TOUR The Vatican Grottoes is the vast underground graveyard below St. Peter’s Basilica. A grotto is basically a cave of artificial or natural origin that is used by people, usually for burial purposes. The Vatican Grottoes is the vast underground graveyard below St. Peter’s Basilica. A grotto is basically a cave of artificial or natural origin that is used by people, usually for burial purposes. This is the place that houses the tombs of several popes and saints. In fact, the Vatican Grottoes is the burial place of 91 popes and some other church dignitaries such as cardinals dating back to the 10th century and onwards. In addition, the grottoes also include some tombs of secular monarchs such as the tomb of Queen Charlotte of Cyprus, the tomb of the Stuarts, and the tomb of Queen Christina of Sweden. The grottoes are located above the necropolis where you can find the holy tomb of St Peter the fisherman, the first bishop of Rome (Pope).

The Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is located in the very heart of Rome. It attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world, who come every year to gather in prayer and seek the blessing of the Pope. A beloved destination for all those visitors attracted by the magnificent artworks and its foremost monument is St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church on the globe and its imposing dome. The Basilica overlooks St. Peter's Square, designed by Bernini in the 17th Century, who realized the imposing lateral colonnades, consisting of 284 Doric-style columns that are topped by 140 10.17-feet-tall statues of saints and six large coats of arms of Alexander VII Chigi. Thanks to the genius of Bernini's architecture, the columns are arrayed perfectly one behind the other; positioned on their porphyry disks, as if by magic they seem to move. The piazza's longest diameter measures 787 feet in length, while the central obelisk stands at a height of more than 82 feet.