St. Peter's Square

The basics

The square is best visited with a St. Peter’s Square tour that touches on all the Vatican highlights, including the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Gardens, and the Vatican Grottoes containing the tombs of former popes. The Vatican is a vast repository of art and history; savor it as part of a private tour with skip-the-line tickets to avoid wasting time in the Vatican’s notoriously long queues.

Things to know before you go

• The Vatican is its own municipality and issues stamps; visit the post office under the colonnade in St. Peter’s Square to send your postcards directly from Vatican City.

• If you would like to see Pope Francis, it is imperative to book papal audience tickets in advance.

• The square is accessible to wheelchair users.

• There is a dress code to enter St. Peter’s Basilica that requires clothing that covers the shoulders and knees; there is no dress code for the square.

How to get there

The most spectacular way to enter Saint Peter’s Square is by foot, crossing the Sant’Angelo Bridge (Ponte Sant’Angelo) over the Tiber River (Fiume Tevere) to Castel Sant'Angelo National Museum (Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo), built to house the Emperor Hadrian’s tomb. Finally, walk up the grand Via della Conciliazione. Otherwise, use one of two metro line A stops: Ottaviano–S.Pietro–Musei Vaticani or Cipro.

When to get there

The square is crowded with visitors during the opening hours of St. Peter’s Basilica, so consider booking a night tour or an early-entry basilica tour to see St. Peter’s Square in relative peace. Keep in mind that the square is closed to the public each Wednesday morning for the papal audience, which only ticketed visitors can access.

Highlights of St. Peter’s Square

At the center of the square, a soaring Egyptian obelisk and two marble fountains—one by Carlo Maderno dating from 1613 and the second designed by Bernini to match in 1675—break up the sweeping cobblestone space. Within the colonnade, formed by massive Doric columns and topped by 140 statues of the saints, lies the security check for entry to St. Peter’s and, on the other side, the Vatican post office. The square is the site of large public Masses on the main Catholic holidays and for papal audiences, when it is packed with pilgrims from all over Italy and the world.

Ways to explore

This historic square is best visited on a half-day St. Peter’s Square tour that touches on all the Vatican City highlights, including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums. Private or small group tours including skip-the-line tickets are the easiest way to bypass the Vatican’s notoriously long queues, and they’ll help you make sense of the site’s vast repository of artwork by Michelangelo, Raphael, and other luminaries. Specialized tours include extra experiences, such as a climb to the top of St. Peter’s dome or an underground look at the Vatican Grottoes, where former popes are buried.

Accessibility

St. Peter’s Square is wheelchair accessible, with a flat road leading to the plaza and accessible routes through major attractions such as St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums.

Age limits

The square is open to all ages. Some attractions require visitors under 16 to be accompanied by an adult, including St. Peter’s Basilica.

What to pack

Water bottle, sunscreen, camera (for photos without flash only)

What to wear

St. Peter’s Square is an outdoor attraction, so dress for the weather. Cover your legs and shoulders if you’d like to enter the basilica or the Vatican Museums.

Not allowed

Pets (excluding service animals), smoking, bulky bags are not permitted inside St. Peter’s Basilica or the Vatican Museums

Amenities

Inside the Vatican Museum complex, there are restrooms, baby changing stations, luggage storage, audio guides, food and drink options, and a post office.

Address

The most photo-worthy way to enter St. Peter’s Square, well within walking distance from central Rome, is by crossing the Tiber River over the statue-lined Sant’Angelo Bridge (Ponte Sant’Angelo). Turn left onto Via della Conciliazione, and you’ll see the imposing square in the distance. Otherwise, get there by car or public transportation.

Driving

Driving isn’t recommended for visitors in busy, traffic-heavy Rome, but St. Peter’s Square is easy to reach by taxi or rideshare from anywhere in the city.

Public transportation

Take metro Line A and get off at the Ottaviano–San Pietro station, about a 10-minute walk from St. Peter’s Square.

Best times to visit

St. Peter’s Square has little shade, so aim to visit in the early morning or evening for the most comfortable temperatures and best light for photos.

Best days to visit

Get a ticket for a Wednesday for the Papal Audience or a Sunday to hear the pope recite the Angelus. Other days have fewer crowds.

Best months to visit

St. Peter’s Square sees its hottest temperatures and biggest crowds from June to September, so it’s best to visit in the non-summer months if possible.

Special events

St. Peter’s Square hosts festivities throughout the year, but a highlight is Easter Sunday, when the pope holds Mass in the flower-filled piazza for tens of thousands of spectators.