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Rome Santa Maria Maggiore Museum Tour

TourTruth score 7.1 out of 10

AverageTop 48% in Rome

1 review · Rated on 1 provider · How we score

  • Rome, Italy
  • 2 hrs 15 min
  • Updated November 2, 2026

Explore Santa Maria Maggiore’s museum and basilica, then choose panoramic terraces or an official guided underground experience.

About this tour

Step into centuries of art and faith at Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where museum rooms and remarkable spaces reveal the story of one of the city’s great landmarks. This 135-minute visit includes reserved entrance and access to the basilica, the Museo Liberiano, the Sala dei Papi, the Loggia delle Benedizioni, and the Scala del Bernini, with an audio guide for the basilica.

Choose the experience that suits your visit. The Terraces option adds an accompanied trip to the 360° panoramic terraces for sweeping views across Rome. The Underground option brings you beneath the basilica on an official guided experience, with an audio headset. Special areas normally closed to the public are part of the visit, offering a closer look at the site’s layers of history.

Your voucher arrives before the visit. Head to the reserved entrance at the portico 15 minutes before your scheduled time and show it to reception staff. Children under 7 cannot join the Underground or Terraces options. Discover Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore Museum and choose your way to experience this storied basilica.

Highlights

  • Explore the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and its museum
  • See the Sala dei Papi, Loggia delle Benedizioni, and Bernini’s Scala
  • Choose an accompanied visit to the 360° panoramic terraces
  • Opt for an official guided tour of the underground experience

What's included

Included

  • Reserved entrance for pre-booked visitors
  • Entry to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
  • Access to special areas normally closed to the public
  • Entry to the Sala dei Papi
  • Entry to the Loggia delle Benedizioni
  • Entry to the Museo Liberiano
  • Entry to the Scala del Bernini
  • Audioguide for Santa Maria Maggiore
  • Audio headset during the Underground Experience (Underground option)
  • Accompanied visit to the 360° Panoramic Terraces (Terraces option)
  • Official guided Underground Experience (Underground option)

Not included

  • Meeting point to redeem the tickets
  • Children under 7 years old are not permitted on the Underground and Terraces options

Ratings on each provider

The ratings and review counts each booking site shows for this tour.

Important information

  • Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled entry time at the portico, the reserved entrance at the Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore
  • Present your voucher to reception staff; you will receive it before the visit
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Bring your own headphones for the audio guide option

Frequently asked questions

Where is the reserved entrance?

Go to the portico, the reserved entrance at the Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore, and present your voucher to reception staff.

When should I arrive?

Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled entry time.

Are children allowed on every option?

Children under 7 years old are not permitted on the Underground and Terraces options.

Are headphones provided for the audio guide?

Bring your own headphones to use with your phone for the audio guide option.

Is the visit suitable for all fitness levels?

The visit is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels, but it is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

How this score is calculated

This score is based on one provider. Viator rates it 5.00 from 1 review. 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 7.1. Top 48% in Rome means it ranks in the top 48% of tours in Rome by this score.

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.

  • Viator

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