Take part in the papal audience and watch the pope give his weekly address on this small-group tour. Follow your guide through the crowds to a prime location and learn about the tradition of the papal audience. A provided headset makes sure that you can hear everything your guide is saying without the noise of the crowds. This small-group tour is limited to 20 people.

Cut through the crowds to a prime spot to see the pope
Listen to your guide via an audio headset to hear the history behind the papacy
Watch as the pope delivers his weekly message and offers blessings
Small-group experience limited to 20 people ensures personal attention from a guide

Why Travellers Choose This Tour

Get the best views of the papal address with guided commentary in a small group.

What's Included

English/Spanish-speaking guide (depending on option selected)
Escorted visit and presentation
Headsets to hear the guide clearly
Ticket reservation service and ticket pick-up (Tickets are free of charge)
Small groups of 20 people or less

Optional gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Seating not guaranteed

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Piazza Papa Pio XII, 8
Piazza Papa Pio XII, 8, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Meeting Point:Piazza Pio XII. At the end of Via della Conciliazione, facing St. Peters Basilica, our meeting point is located on the left hand side, at the corner, next to the Newspaper stand. Arriving by Metro to Ottaviano Station: Take St Peter’s Basilica exit. Once you exit the metro station walk down Via Ottaviano until you reach Piazza Risorgimento. Continue walking straight across the piazza and you will see the Vatican walls – follow Via di Porta Angelica until you arrive at the colonnade. Keeping the colonnade on your right – at the end of the colonnade you will see on the left a large Piazza and a main street (Via della Conciliazione). Facing this street with the Basilica at your back, our meeting point is located to the right side of Via della Conciliazione at the corner, next to the Newspaper stand.

Start time

07:30 am

End point

Saint Peter's Square
Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City

What To Expect

After meeting your guide near St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, put on your provided headset to start your papal audience experience. While the address is a Catholic custom, the event draws people of all beliefs from around the world each week.

Following your guide, navigate the crowd to reach your seat, to have views of the pope when he arrives. While you wait, learn a bit about the history of the papacy in Rome and hear about Renaissance artists like Michelangelo who left such a beautiful mark on the Vatican. With your audio headset, you don’t have to worry about not being able to hear your guide over the throngs of people.

As the address starts, listen to the Cardinals leading pilgrims in prayer, and watch the pope deliver his blessings for the week. The service includes hymns, prayers, and a homily. When the address is over, explore St Peter’s Square on your own.

Note: Immediately after booking, you must reconfirm your ticket using the phone number provided on your confirmation voucher. The local tour operator will ask for your home address, as this is required by Vatican City. Failure to reconfirm your ticket may result in it being canceled. Please also note that seating for the papal audience is limited. Your guide will do everything possible to secure you a seat, but on rare occasions, this may not be possible.

Vatican City

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. Peter's Square

3 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Please note that papal audience tickets are free but can be difficult to organize. With our service you can cut out the hassle and collect your pre-booked ticket from your guide when you arrive!
We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests with wheelchairs or mobility impairments on our tours as well as pushchairs or strollers.

Near public transportation
Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

Traveller Tips

Sure, you have to get up very early, but the experience is worth it!

try to get a seat close to the barriers to the center aisle, as that is where the Pope will make his entrance and exit.

Reviews

4.0

1,546 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 1,546 reviews

Papal audience as booked via Viator

Mary_M, May 2023

Gaining access to St Peter’s Square on morning of Papal audience We arrived 15 minutes prior to meeting time as requested However found it difficult to see our guide and meeting point We then realised that there was a short queue to gain entry to St Peter’s square via security which didn’t open till 730 am Our meeting point was actually inside the security area Think it would b better if tour guide was easier to spot at start Also was quite pricey considering entry admission actually free but it seems difficult to obtain tickets so you would need to be applying months in advance. We left it to week before The tour guide was really lovely and guided us to seats which enabled us to get a good view of Pope Francis as he passed through the crowds Therefore we were generally very pleased with our experience

We had hoped for a great...

Deborah_H, May 2023

We had hoped for a great experience; however; the instructions for the meeting point was poor. The line was long outside the security point. We were never informed to meet AFTER going thru security. When calling the tour phone number we were told “so sorry” as we were late. we arrived at 7:10 for the 7:30 start. it would have been VERY helpful if someone would have called us to catch up with the group. Can you inform us of what we missed with the group? we did get in to see the Pope tho. can we get refunded?

Response from Host, May 2023

Hello Deborah_H, Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your experience with the Papal Audience Experience Tickets and Presentation with an Expert Guide. We apologize for any confusion and inconvenience you encountered during the tour. While we understand that the meeting point instructions may not have been as clear as they should have been, we provide detailed information in our tour materials and confirmation emails to ensure a smooth experience for our guests. We regret any misunderstanding that occurred, resulting in your late arrival. Please note that due to the nature of the Papal Audience and the security protocols in place, it is crucial for guests to arrive on time to ensure a seamless entry. We apologize if you were not able to join the group at the designated meeting point. While we cannot provide a refund for the tour as you were able to see the Pope, we apologize for any disappointment caused by missing the group experience. Unfortunately, we do not have a record of your attendance after the designated meeting time, so we are unable to provide specific details about what was covered during the tour. We appreciate your understanding in this matter. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our customer service team directly. We value your feedback and will use it to improve our communication and instructions for future tours. Thank you for your understanding, and we hope to have the opportunity to serve you better in the future. Best regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Plenty to see with history and art.

Frank_S, Apr 2023

Roberta our guide was a real expert on the Vatican. She led us during a very hectic, crowded tour. We saw the Roman sculptures, map room, the Sistine chapel, the St. Peter basilica.

Try a different company!

Chelsea_C, Mar 2023

Meeting time for the papal audience was to be at 7:15am. My family and I arrived at 6:45am and called the company to verify where the meeting point was. I was on the phone with the company for 45 minutes, until 7:30am-3 separate calls and even met up with other couples looking for the same company.. just for the company to say “sorry, I can’t help you, you are now late. Good luck, just try getting in yourself.” When I asked for a direct number to the guide that was on site, I was told “we don’t do that”.. When I requested a refund from both Viator & the Company Directly, I was told “the guide counted you as a ‘no show’ so we are not permitted to give you your money back”.. absolutely unprofessional and unacceptable. NEVER AGAIN. Additionally, this was a complete money grab.. the Papal Audience is FREE, which I understand is in the description, however, I did not need a ticket or anything to get in. I simply got in line when we were already there and was able to just walk in. Viator, do better! If you’re going to charge someone for a FREE service, at least give them their money back when you FAIL to PROVIDE A SERVICE on your end. Absolutely TRASH.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Hello Chelsea_C, We are sorry to hear about the inconvenience you experienced during your Papal Audience tour with us. We apologize for the issues you faced with the meeting point and the lack of support from our team. This is not the level of service we aim to provide, and we take full responsibility for the inconvenience caused. We would like to make it right for you, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us at edgar.chavero@citywonders.com so that we can accommodate you as best as possible. We appreciate your feedback and will take the necessary steps to ensure that this does not happen again in the future. Kind regards, Edgar J. City Wonders

Worth the $$$$

Norma_M, Mar 2023

Will worth it, creat tour guid recommend to all family and friends to book this experience. Also very affordable for a group

Amazing

Lisa_H, Mar 2023

Amazing tour guide very informative and super friendly!! She went out of her way to make the experience a very personal experience for us. .

Scam

Irene_A, Mar 2023

A group of us were waiting at the meeting spot 20 minutes before the meet time. We never found our guide. We tried calling customer service multiple times and was on hold for 30 minutes. The operator, Emiliano (that’s what we thought he said) hung up on several times and told us it was too late to join the group despite being there 20 minutes before the meet time. It was an absolute scam. There were several other people from our group that were in the same situation. I can’t say this enough but this was an absolute scam. So incredibly disappointed. Customer service was useless.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Hello Irene_A, All team members at City Wonders would like to extend our sincere apologies for you not being able to attend your Papal Audience Experience with us. We take your comments very seriously and would like to accomodate you for what happened. We understand that you and some of your group members had difficulty finding our meeting point, so we must assume that our guides and coordinators could have done a much better job of being visible for you. As well, we wish our customer service could have been of more help to you as you were searching for the meeting point. We have already actioned your refund, and you have any other questions or comments, please reach out to us via email at edgar.chavero@citywonders.com so that we may continue attending you. Apologies once again for the inconvenience caused on your travels as this is not reflective of the standard we set for ourselves at City Wonders. Kind regards, Edgar J. City Wonders Contact us: Citywonders.com

Great experience!!!

PAUL_S, Mar 2023

Great experience seeeing the Pope. Our guide was thorough, kind, Easy to understand. We arrived early and met our guide on time, we bypassed lines and went through security easily. Our guide escorted us to a location she knows would provide the best and closest opportunity to see the Pope As he made his way through the audience, once seated we received some additional information about the Vatican, the Pope, St. Peter’s square, etc.. our guide left us shortly before the Pope arrived. Let guide at 715. Escorted to our seats and were seated by 815 and our guide left around 930 or so. We felt it was worth the investment just to minimize the wait time, avoid some lines, get insight and get good seats while listening through ear piece about the area.

Having the opportunity to...

Rosalind_T, Feb 2023

Having the opportunity to experience the Papal audience was truly amazing. While the guide provided the ease of having our tickets and getting us to the right location, she did not provide any information regarding the experience itself. She was either monopolized by one member of our group or not speaking at all. Behind us was another tour group. Their Guide gave them a very detailed history of the Papal audience and information about the group in front of us and why they were there. I removed my headset to listen to her as she was providing so much more information.

Response from Host, Feb 2023

Hello Rosalind_T, Thank you for taking the time to leave us an honest review on Viator regarding your Papal Audience Experience with us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed most aspects of your tour, however we are not satisfied by producing 3-star experiences at City Wonders. We apologize on behalf of your guide as they should have provided you with a more personalized experience. Thank you for bringing this to our attention as your comments have been communicated to our guide management team. We hope to see you in the future on one of our other uniquely crafted excursions in the hopes of providing you with a more perfect experience. Kind regards, Edgar J. City Wonders

Dont book this tour

Barbara_H, Dec 2022

This tour was so disappointing. This was once to be a once in a life time trip for us so we wanted to get it right hence we booked with you.. We arrived early 6am so could have made our own way in then and got good seat,s however we believed we had paid for the best seats with. you. When the guide came it was all a rush and we had to join the long line which we thought we would skip being on this tour. the guild gave her commentary so quickly through the head piece she gave us whilst in the pouring rain standing in the queue and we could not understand her, We were then shown to seats right at the rear of the basilica.. I could have cried as we were miles away from the stage then the guild just left us. This tour is very misleading with its wording and badly managed. The guild should at least give the commentary when people are sitting instead leaving us then. The whole thing was a complete waste of money and time and so very disappointing so our advise is to go in yourselves. Just writing this experience now makes me feel so upset and wholly annoyed. We feel totally ripped off.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Hello Barbara_H, All of us at City Wonders would like to sincerely apologize for the inadequate service experience you shared with us for the Papal Audience. We really lament that we were unable to provide you with the once-in-a-lifetime experience you were looking for. Rectifying this with you is very important to us. Please send us your full name, booking reference number and the same additional information you listed here to edgar.chavero@citywonders.com so that we can accomodate you. Kind regards, Edgar J. City Wonders

Spiritually Fulfilling

Rhonda_M, Dec 2022

Seeing the Pope and being in his presence are priceless. It was cold and rainy that day so the we went into a building where he addressed the crowd and then was strolled down the center isle. He touched many hands and was very close to all of us. It was an amazing experience.

Amazing Experience

matt_j, Dec 2022

Amazing experience getting to see the pope in person. The service is only about an hour and most of the rest is getting though security. It’s worth the price for a seat.

Worth the cost

Monica_F, Oct 2022

Although tickets are free, it was worth paying for having them without having to go and queue the day before. Plus the guide knew where to sit and where to stand before the pipe came out. She also provided with historic information. She was very good and nice

Amazing morning!

Teresa_F, Oct 2022

Our guide knew exactly how to get us into the seating area, moving efficiently through the crowd and security. Our seats were 10 feet from the Pope Mobile route and dairy close to main platform.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Hello Teresa_F, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us an amazing review! Our entire team is thrilled to hear that you loved your tour. We would all like to thank you for the kind words and for choosing City Wonders. We hope to see you again on any of our other unique tours in the future. Kindest regards, Edgar J. City Wonders

Avoid at all cost

Joseph_M, Oct 2022

Awful, this is a free tour. You don’t need to pay for this. The directions and guidelines are very messy too. Do not recommend, choose anything but this tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Hello Joseph, We apologize that we were unable to provide you with a positive experience for your Papal Audience. While the tickets are free, we reserve and pick up the tickets for you so you can get more stress free and clear view of the Pope. Thank you as well for your time and feedback as it is greatly appreciated. All the best, Edgar J. City Wonders

Not good.

Megan_M, Oct 2022

Do not buy this!! The guide was impossible to find. We found our entire group of people as we were all searching for the guide. We were told 7:15 to meet and he didn’t show up until 7:50. We were told the guides would be wearing a blue polo or jacket. I would call it grey. We also didn’t know we had to go through security before meeting him. Customer service was no help and wouldn’t let us contact our guide. The only pro to this tour was getting through security fast. Once we got in our guide had no clue where to seat us. We weren’t even near where the pope came by. We moved ourselves to a much better spot once he left. You get a radio set but only about 10 minutes of info then they leave. I’m sure there are much better tours to schedule.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Hello Megan_M, We sincerely apologize that a mess of confusion overshadowed your tickets to the Papal audience. Your guide should not have been late by any means. We understand your frustration in the matter and thank you very much for bringing to our attention. Kind regards, Edgar J. from City Wonders

A bucket list experience

Evelyn_M, Aug 2022

Well worth it if you want to see the Pope as we were able to get good seats and saw him close up. You do, however need to be very patient at the end as you need to wait until he has blessed everyone on his list for the day before he comes up to see the crowd.

This is a scan we paid...

Elaine_L, Aug 2022

This is a scan we paid $100 the guide had no idea were to line up, he chose seats the furthest from the stage, would have been better with free entrance as friends of our did. Waste of time and money.

Not worth it

Karin_D, Aug 2022

This was not worth 167 by any stretch of the imagination. We had 42 people in our tour.(due to another guide getting Covid,which I understand cannot be helped). We met 15 min early but with so many people by the time we left to get in line it was already 7:45 and we walked in a big circle and when we finally got in line we would have been better off just getting in line at 7:15 and skipped the tour. Our tour guide had to keep stopping to tell people they could not join the tour because they were late. (They joined the line anyway and got in with everyone else). Basically you were told some facts in line, went through the line and then were left at security to find your own way in and figure it out. No real benefit from joining this tour. No help with seating and it felt let we were just abandoned. Most in our tour group were confused and disappointed. This may have been due to our guide getting in an argument with some ladies as we were going in. After that he asked for our headsets back and told us to go through security and go left to the auditorium and go in. That was it. So if you just want a few extra facts as you wait in line, this is for you. Otherwise-save your money.

We purchased tickets to...

Maria_M, June 2022

We purchased tickets to the Papal Audience on Wednesday 29 June. I contacted the tour company to confirm that this would be going ahead as it was a Papal mass and not an Audience that day due St Peter & Paul Feast day. They confirmed it would go ahead. Approx 40-45 people turned up and were told by Jocelyn (tour guide) they the Vatican had only confirmed to them the night before that there tour would go ahead. She also said that 1-2 of her colleagues could no longer do the tours that day and that she was taking 3 groups. She told us that we would be attending the mass. As we were walking towards the Basilica, she couldn’t see where we should be seated. Then when we tried to get in we were told that we needed a ticket. After much discussion with the Vatican staff she left us all outside in the square and went back to the office (across town) to get the tickets - that apparently were at the office. My family managed to get some tickets to get in (no thanks to the tour company) but when we came out a good number of people from The tour had missed out completely. Apparently Jocelyn did return to say there were no tickets. Full points to her for fronting all the disappointed customers. It was the most disorganised disaster I have ever seen. I suspect poor Jocelyn was not told the full story or the real story by the company, and was thrown to the wolves. I also suspect that the other 1-2 colleagues saw the upcoming disaster and therefore became unavailable. Every single person on that tour was under the impression we had tickets to the Mass - and this was actually confirmed to us by Jocelyn the tour guide. Quite frankly I would expect everyone to get a full refund of this unmitigated disaster - especially as there was no service whatsoever from the tour company. Even after she returned, I understand it was just “so sorry - there are no tickets” - as access to the Basilica was closed until after 1pm - and the Pope only made a speech from a window at noon for a few minutes. Jocelyn was long gone by the time the mass ended at 11.00am.

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