TourTruth score 9.4 out of 10
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Rome Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore Guided Tour or Audio Guide
TourTruth score 6.6 out of 10
Average
10 reviews · Rated on 1 provider · How we score
- Rome, Italy
- Updated November 2, 2026
Explore Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, from ancient mosaics and papal history to a flexible audio-guided visit.
About this tour
Step into 1,500 years of history, art, and faith at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four papal basilicas. Its golden ceilings and ancient mosaics offer a striking introduction to a landmark cherished by popes across the centuries.
Choose a semi-private guided tour for a small-group visit capped at eight people. With a guide, discover the Lodge of Blessings, the Sacred Cradle, the Hall of Popes, and masterpieces in the museum rooms. You can also visit the tomb of Pope Francis and learn about his devotion to the basilica. Prefer to explore at your own pace? Select the audio-guide option, enter through the reserved entrance, and decide how long to spend inside.
Whether you want a guided look at the basilica’s treasures or the freedom of an audio-guided visit, this Rome Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore experience offers a memorable way to connect with the city’s history. Choose the option that suits your visit and step inside.
Highlights
- Admire golden ceilings and ancient mosaics inside one of Rome’s four papal basilicas
- Visit the tomb of Pope Francis
- Explore the Lodge of Blessings, Sacred Cradle, Hall of Popes, and museum masterpieces on the guided option
- Choose an audio guide for a flexible, self-paced visit
What's included
Included
- Admission and audio guide, if selected
- Semi-private guided tour and entrance to the museum rooms, if selected
Not included
- Tips
- Collection
- Terrace access
- Anything not expressly stated in the description
Ratings on each provider
The ratings and review counts each booking site shows for this tour.
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View on ViatorViator
4.20 / 5 · 10 reviews
Important information
- Service animals are allowed
- Public transportation is available nearby
- Infants must sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- For audio-guide tickets, enter through the reserved entrance and show your ticket, including on a mobile device
How this score is calculated
This score is based on one provider. Viator rates it 4.20 from 10 reviews. We place that rating among all Viator ratings and weight it by its review count. If the tour is found on another provider later, both ratings are combined.
How the score works and rating distribution in Rome
- Each provider rating is turned into a percentile: the share of that provider's ratings it beats, weighted by review counts.
- Listings on different providers are combined in proportion to their review counts.
- Tours with few reviews are pulled toward the average until more reviews come in, so a handful of perfect reviews can't top the list.
- The result is shown from 0 to 10: this tour scores 6.6.
Provider rating distribution in Rome
How many tours in Rome have a provider rating at or below each value. The dashed line is this tour.
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- Viator
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