HOLY STAIRS (SCALA SANCTA)
Opt for this combo ticket that comprises a guided tour of the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, a visit to the St. John Lateran Basilica with an audio guide, and an escorted entrance to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel for a fraction of its total cost. Guided Tour of Catacombs of St. Callixtus As the largest burial site in the Roman Catacombs, the Catacombs of St. Callixtus located on the Appian Way is full of mystery, intrigue, and closely-guarded secrets. During this 45-minute tour, your guide will give you a comprehensive look into the site’s history beginning in the 2nd century. Use their expertise and fluency in 5 different languages to gain valuable insight into the sometimes-taboo religious practices of Early Christians and see what Early Christian art looked like. Follow your guide closely as they navigate the labyrinth of tunnels to show you different parts of the site. They will lead you to the Crypt of St. Cecilia and the Crypt of the Popes, two of the most notable sites here. St. John Lateran Ticket with Audio Guide This self-guided tour will lead you to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, its Cloister, Baptistery, the Holy Stairs (Scala Santa), and the Sancta Sanctorum Chapel. Go on a captivating journey to explore these sacred sites with only an audio guide to keep you company. You can listen to the audio guide in your preferred language from English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian languages. Start this memorable tour from the St. John Lateran Basilica. As you make your way to the entrance, you will be greeted by an exquisite 7-meter-tall statue of Jesus surrounded by saints. Follow up your visit by heading to the famed Cloister which, measuring 36 meters on each side, is the widest in the city. The next stop is the Baptistery, whose interiors feature an impressive two-tier colonnade and iconic dome. Later, proceed towards the Scala Sancta or ‘Holy Stairs’. It is a set of 28 marble steps that legend says are the exact same steps Jesus climbed on his way to meet Pontius Pilate on the day of his crucifixion. Tickets to Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel with Escorted Entrance Begin this tour by meeting your host at the designated meeting point mentioned on your mobile voucher. The host will escort you to the entrance and guide you through the check-in process. After scanning your voucher and receiving the entry tickets, you can zip past the waiting lines and head straight inside the Vatican Museums. On this solo visit, you can take your own time to explore the museum’s impressive collection of around 20,000 displayed artifacts. Although this ticket is not timed, there’s never enough time to explore the treasure trove of masterpieces from Renaissance artists like DaVinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini housed at the museums.
See the major sites of Christianity with our Rome basilicas and catacombs tour. Visit St John in Lateran, St Mary Major, the Holy Stairs and the Appian Way.
The Lateran complex consists of several high interest sites. Whilst there you will discover the Basilica, the Cloister and the Treasure Museum, the Baptistery and the Holy Stairs, which contain the casket of the Chapel of the Sancta Sanctorum.