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Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano: Guided Tour + Cloister
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Visit the first Christian church in the West
Explore Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano on a three-hour guided visit in Rome. The route begins at the Lateran Apostolic Palace, then passes through the palace staircase into the first Christian church in the West before ending in its medieval cloister. The ticket includes basilica entry, cloister access and headphones, with live guides available in English and Italian. The visit is wheelchair accessible; Sancta Sanctorum entry is excluded.
What's Included
- Guided tour
- Entry ticket to Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
- Access to Cloister
- Headphones
This Attraction is Included in These Bundles
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Omnia Card: Vatican Museums + 24-Hr Bus Tour
Visit the Vatican and enjoy free Rome transport for 24 hours
Omnia Card: Vatican Museums + 24-Hr Bus Tour – ©ORP
Omnia Card: Vatican Museums + 24-Hr Bus Tour – ©ORP
Omnia Card: Vatican Museums + 24-Hr Bus Tour – ©ORP What's Included
- Entry to the Vatican Museums
- Entry to the Sistine Chapel
- Hop-on hop-off bus tour
- Audio guide in multiple languages
- Entry to the Carcer Tullianum (with audio guide)
- Entry to the cloisters and basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano (with audio guide)
Attractions Included in This Package
What's Not Included
- Sancta Sanctorum entry
Prices and discounts
Opening hours
Meeting Point
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Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano: Guided Tour + Cloister:
Piazza di S. Giovanni in Laterano Rome
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Average Duration
Duration: 03:00
Wheelchair Accessible
Additional Information & Description
Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano is the first Christian church in the West and the Pope’s cathedral. This three-hour guided visit takes you through a site often called the “mother and head of all the churches of Rome and the world,” with a route that begins at the Lateran Apostolic Palace.
Begin at the Lateran Apostolic Palace
The visit starts at the palace built by Pope Sixtus V Peretti in the late 1500s. It stands on the site of the ancient Patriarchate, which served as the Pope’s main residence for centuries. That starting point places the basilica within the history of papal life, before you walk through the palace staircase to enter the church itself.
Centuries of change inside the basilica
Built after the Edict of Constantine in 313 AD, Saint John Lateran was restored in the 1700s. Its history therefore reaches from the early Christian period to a much later phase of renewal. The basilica also houses the Holy Door, opened by the Pope once every 25 years—a specific feature to look for as you explore the church with your guide.
Finish in the medieval cloister
The route concludes in the cloister, to the left of the basilica. A standout example of medieval Roman art, it once served as a place of prayer and meditation for the clergy. Today it remains a quiet space for visitors, giving the final part of the tour a different character from the palace and church.
What your guided ticket includes
The ticket covers the guided tour, entry to Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano and access to the cloister. Headphones are also included, and live guides are available in English and Italian. Entry to the Sancta Sanctorum is excluded; it is not part of this visit’s admission.
Arrival and accessibility
The basilica is at 4, Piazza di S. Giovanni in Laterano, Rome. Arrive 15 minutes before the tour begins and allow three hours for the visit. The experience is wheelchair accessible. Tickets are delivered instantly, and smartphone tickets are accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions about Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano: Guided Tour + Cloister
It covers a guided tour, entry to Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, access to the Cloister and headphones.
The route passes through the Lateran Apostolic Palace staircase into the basilica and concludes in the Cloister, a notable example of medieval Roman art.
Allow three hours for the guided visit.
Yes. Live guides are available in English and Italian.
Yes, the experience is wheelchair accessible.
Yes, smartphone tickets are accepted and tickets are delivered instantly.
No. Entry to the Sancta Sanctorum is excluded.
Distributor of "Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano: Guided Tour + Cloister"
Vicariato di Roma - Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi
Buy Ticket | From 30€ 
