Climbing the Dome of St Peter Basilica and the Views From the Interior Balcony

Climbing the dome of St Peter Basilica is an experience of a lifetime. When you’re in the Vatican and plan to visit the world’s largest church, you should conquer the dome!

The Dome. Michelangelo designed the dome but he died even before it was completed. He only got to finish the base of it. Giacomo Della Porta continued his vision for the dome. St Paul Cathedral in London and the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. domes are copycats of this dome..

How to Climb the Dome. There are two ways to go up there.

First is by taking the stairs which would cost you 5 euros. That’s 320 steps for you to climb all the way to the base of the dome.

The second is by taking the elevator which costs 7 euros. However, the elevator will only be until the base of the dome. You’ve got to stop here and admire the view below – the inside of St Peter’s Basilica. For safety reasons, the balcony has a barbed wire fence. A guard on duty watches vandals who’d attempt to leave their crap.

Another Flight of Stairs

From the dome’s base or interior balcony, you’re gonna take another 231 steps that will lead you to the topmost part of the dome. I have to tell you that if you have fear of closed, narrow spaces/stairs, this challenge isn’t for you. The good thing here is that no one goes down the same steps. The exit stairs are on different sides. At the end of your struggle, the panoramic view of Rome is awaiting and worth the climb.

Related: Inside the St Peter Basilica

The Photos Below. This is what you’ll see from the interior round balcony on the base of the dome. It is directly overlooking the altar of the Basilica. In my next post, I’ll show you the view of Rome from the apex of the cathedral.

Climbing the Dome of St Peter Basilica and The View From The Interior Balcony

How to SAVE in Rome

Rome and the Vatican are packed with places to see and history to marvel at. If you’re going to stay there for a few days only, it’s very impossible to squeeze everything you want to see. So, it is wise to do the Hop-on and Hop-Off Bus Pass for 24, 48, and 72 hours! This will save you time and you’ll see the places you’ve been dying to visit and have known of from the pages of history books.

Where to Stay in Rome – Hostel in Rome

Hostel Alessandro Palace and Bar is your best bet in Rome. This hostel exceeded my expectations. The spacious rooms are secured with magnetic key cards and equipped with safe lockers for your valuables. You have to bring your own lock though. If you forgot to bring one, you can always buy one in their vending machine downstairs. They also have a bar that serves your alcohol needs. The staff are friendly and speaks English, too. The area has a lot of cafes, restaurants, and grocery shops. The Roman Colosseum is 30 minutes and the Trevi Fountain is 20 minutes walk from here. But, most of all, it’s less than 5 minutes walk to the Rome Central Station. Trains to the airport and to other parts of Italy start and end at this station. You can book your accommodations in Rome through HostelWorld and Booking.com.