My husband and I have been Rome twice before and both times went to the museum, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters. We obviously had to wait in the line. This time want to just go to the church and also go to the cupola. I know you have to purchase tickets to climb to the top but do you have to wait in line to get into the church?

Yes, there is a line to go through security before entering the basilica. If you get there early--8:30-9:00 there is not much of a line at all. After that, it gets pretty long with tourist groups and others. Go early for another more important reason--the crowds aren't in the church yet and so you can really take time to see and explore. Later, the crowds are massive and the noise gets louder.

Yes, there is a line for the security portion and then another line, to the right after security, for climbing to the top of the duomo and for going through the crypts where the popes are buried. The lines are side by side with the one for the crypts moving faster...

I have been to the piazza where the Basilica is located three times in the past week and have waited in line to go inside the Basilica twice.

Today at 2:45pm the line was very short. It started right by the x-ray machines. It took about 10 minutes to get through the line. It could have taken less time but many people do not seem to know how to wait their turn in line and when I am not "standing my ground", I end up farther back in the line than I should be. When I came out of the Basilica there was no line at all! Sunday seems to be a great day to visit if it works out for you. I was also there last week on a Sunday and the lines were quite short.

Last Thursday, the line started by the fountain and it took about 20 minutes to get through the line in the early afternoon. A woman walked by and commented that the line was shorter than it was earlier in the day. It took another 20 minutes to wait in the line to climb to the top of the Cupola and it was PACKED at the top. I enjoyed walking on the rooftop more than being at the top as it was not as crowded and the views are still amazing. You get to walk out on the roof on the way backdown.

The security line for the basilica is long but moves fast. Next time, I will go very early as the basilica is so full of people that it is hard to get the spiritual feeling one hopes for. There is no problem in seeing the art but there are just too many people laughing and talking and, frankly, not seeming to care about where they are. Mostly tour groups in the latter category--tho not all tour groups, of course.

Out of the three times I have been to St Peter's, I have only seen a line once to get in the basillica.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/showphoto.php?photo=32749&cat=4024
That was on Dec 9, 2006. I am sure it was it as a holyday weekende (Dec 8 is the Immacualte Conception) or because it was Christmas time.

We went to St. Peter's on a Monday morning ... very early... I think we arrived at around 7:00am when St. Peter's opens... the cupola opens at 8:00am (I think) ... it was a MAGICAL time to be there ... we had the whole St. Peter's to ourselves ... just a few priests... then right at 8:00 we got in line to go up to the cupola... walked part way... took elevator part way... AGAIN... IT WAS MAGICAL...looking out from the top in the early morning... very, very few people around...Definitely do it at this time... when we got down.. around 9:00am... lines were already formed...

karen

For those of you in wheelchairs or with accessability issues, there is a ramp on the Tiber end of the right side of the Bernini colonade (as you face the basilica). You will go through the colonade until you get to the security checkpoint that everyone goes through.

You are however skipping the line as there is no accessible entrance into the colonade 4 steps? if memory serves. It is also possible to access the basilica from the porta angelus (by the vatican post office) and there are no steps into the colonade there. This is also where the accessable bathrooms are located. In either case you end up skipping the line but not the security check. And the swiss guard will not only scan you they also use the chemical detection wipes on your chair.

Inside the basilica the crypts are not accessible but you can take the elevator to the roof (which is different from the top of the cupola). 1 step.

Karen,
We also love getting to St. Peter's when it opens at 7:00 a.m. It's very quiet and we've never stood in line. Our tradition is to get up early on our second day and walk the quiet streets to the Basilica, go to Mass at the altar of Pope John XXIII, tour the church then go for caffe on the Borgo Pio.

We did the dome on our first trip and for an out of shape person like me, once was enough!

Changing the subject somewhat, does anyone know if it is possible to enjoy the same kind of out-of-hours experience at St Mark's in Venice? We tried turning up early (around 7.30 or 8.00) but they only seemed to allow people wanting to attend a service to enter and only to a restricted part of the church. By the time the church was open for visitors the lines were very long.

We arrived at St. Peter's on June 10th at 11:00 a.m. and found the line wrapped around the entire square. We decided to wait and were surprised as we had never found this sort of line before. After the wait and staying inside for a period of about an hour and a half, we exited around 1:00 p.m., and there wasn't a line at all. If you can't get there early in the morning, I would suggest going around lunch time.

Sharon J

Late afternoon is also a good time if you're not an early riser. In May, when the line for the Vatican Museum wrapped itself around the block and down the street, we just walked into the Basilica at around 4, I think, and had plenty of time. It didn't seem very crowded, either.