Whether you’ve been preparing your trip to Rome for a while or you’re in the early stages of doing so, you will surely have read on multiple guides that you don’t need tickets for any of the churches in Rome: they’re free of charge.

Said free entrance includes the main areas – the nave, the chapels – the “ground floor” of any church, so to say.

What you need to pay for is access to separate areas, when available: so an underground level, like for example crypts or catacombs. Or the dome. St. Peter’s Basilica, for instance, charges you for accessing its roof!

A recent change in policies for Rome’s most famous basilica, though, is proving confusing. These new rules have been in effect for a few months: however, tourists and locals alike may not be immediately aware of them and may think a “scam” is in effect.

Worry not, because it’s perfectly legit!

The Vatican authorities have simply decided to look into those unruly visitors to the Vatican Museums who manage to sneak into St. Peter’s Basilica after their visit to the Sistine Chapel by mingling with organized groups.

Pictured above: see how a past visitor to the Vatican explains the “trick”

Their thinking is pretty straightforward: why would I go out and queue again for the Basilica when its entrance is right here, at my fingertips?

Because basically groups pay more for the privilege of using a “backdoor” to the Basilica itself! So Vatican City has decided to enforce new rules to avoid that that continues to happen!

Let’s ask the expert!

Our trusted Chiara Mataloni, owner of Born and Bred in Rome, is an authorized tour guide (means she passed a bar exam to work in this field! She is not making it up as she goes, like so many people who accost you in the middle of the road by the main landmarks) and is one of From Home to Rome’s partners for all things archaeological and historic.

Chiara has a very clear explanation for the new fare: “There is a difference between someone who is visiting Vatican City with a guided tour and someone who is going there on their own”, she says.

“Whoever wants to visit the basilica (either by passing through the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel or accessing it from the piazza) along with a guided tour will have to pay 1.50 EUR each to enter St. Peter’s. Usually, this cost is included in the ticket for the guided tour itself. Whereas, if you’re going by yourself, you will only be able to enter the Basilica from the piazza, at no fee whatsoever.”

This means that choosing a guided tour versus seeing the Vatican Museums by yourself gives you an extra benefit: not only you will get to have a greater understanding of the history and the art there, having an experienced scholar or expert to guide you through the halls… you’ll also get to go through security the one time, with less queueing and less stress. And all of this for 1.50 Euros more on top of the actual tour cost. A cheap lifesaver!