Santa Maria Maggiore after-hours tour: Rooftop terraces

The Manger relics sit in a crystal reliquary beneath the altar, visible only on this tour.

An after-hours tour of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome grants rare access to areas closed during the day: Bernini's spiral staircase, the Loggia with 5th-century mosaics, rooftop terraces overlooking the city, and the Hall of the Popes. You walk through the basilica's main level and climb to the Loggia, then ascend to the terraces for panoramic views of Rome's skyline and the basilica's 275-foot bell tower. The tour includes the sacred Holy Door, papal tombs, and a gilded ceiling inlaid with gold from the New World.

Step-by-step itinerary

After-hours tour of Santa Maria Maggiore

• Enter basilica after hours
• View Loggia mosaics
• Explore Hall of the Popes
• Visit rooftop terraces
• Climb Bernini’s spiral staircase
• See Icon of Salus Populi Romani
• Visit Paulina Bonaparte’s tomb
• Visit Bernini’s tomb
• View relics of the Manger and Saint Jerome

The experience

What makes this tour different is the timing: you enter after the basilica closes to the public, when the crowds have left and the interior is lit for evening viewing. The group stays small, six people maximum, so you move through the spaces without the noise and press of daytime visitors. The guide is a live expert speaking English, and the route takes you through the main basilica first, where you see the Icon of the Salus Populi Romani, Paulina Bonaparte's tomb, and Bernini's tomb before climbing to the Loggia level.

The Loggia is where the tour opens up: the mosaics here date to the 5th and 14th centuries and depict Mary as Queen of Heaven, their gold catching the evening light. From the Loggia you move into the Hall of the Popes, a space most visitors never reach. Then comes the climb to the rooftop terraces (not accessible to everyone, since there is no elevator to this level), where the basilica's bell tower rises above you and the city spreads out in all directions. Children under 7 cannot go to the terraces for safety reasons, so if you're booking with younger children, the tour ends at the Loggia and Hall of the Popes level.

Inside the basilica, beneath the altar, a crystal reliquary holds the relics of the Manger and Saint Jerome. The ceiling overhead is gilded with gold that arrived from the New World centuries ago. The tour runs about an hour and includes the Borghese Chapel. Dress code is strict (shoulders and knees must be covered), and the basilica is wheelchair accessible on the main level and up to the Loggia, but the terrace level has no elevator access.

What’s included

• Entry to the basilica after public closure.
• a live English-speaking expert guide.
• access to Bernini's spiral staircase, the Loggia with golden mosaics, the Hall of the Popes, and rooftop terraces.
• views of the Icon of the Salus Populi Romani, Paulina Bonaparte's tomb, Bernini's tomb, and the Manger relics in their crystal reliquary.
• the Borghese Chapel and the gilded ceiling.
• and a small group capped at six people.

Options for this experience

2 options

Semi-Private OptionUp to 6 people · Guide in English · Available from 1 Mar 2027

Private Tour UPGRADEUp to 15 people · Guide in English · Available from 1 Mar 2027A guide dedicated exclusively to your group

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 1h, from € 109 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Mar 202712 departing soon ›

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (7 to 17 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearby

Operated by LivTours

Is this one for you?Book the private tour upgrade if you want to explore the basilica with only your own group, or choose the semi-private option to share the experience with up to five other visitors. The small group size (whether private or semi-private) is what makes the after-hours access feel intimate rather than rushed.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 17 years). Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly is inside the crystal reliquary under the altar?

The reliquary beneath the altar holds relics of the Manger (the manger where Jesus was born), and relics of Saint Jerome, one of the early Church fathers who translated the Bible into Latin.

Can I visit the rooftop terraces if I use a wheelchair?

The basilica is wheelchair accessible on the main level and up to the Loggia level via elevator, but there is no elevator to the rooftop terraces, so wheelchair users would not be able to access that part of the tour.

How many people are on this tour?

The group is limited to six people maximum, which keeps the experience intimate and allows you to move through the spaces without crowds.

What is Bernini's spiral staircase, and where is it?

Bernini's spiral staircase is an architectural feature designed by the famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It is one of the highlights you access during the after-hours tour of the basilica.

What should I wear to enter the basilica?

Shoulders and knees must be covered: no tank tops, sleeveless shirts, or short dresses. This is a strict dress code requirement for entry to places of worship in Rome.