General Terms and Conditions of Sale and terms of use of the e-commerce platform for the online purchase of booking services for access to St Peter's Basilica and tickets granting access to the areas of historical and cultural interest of St Peter's Basilica: updated on 9 September 2026
Introduction
The services published on the website and available for purchase through the e-commerce platform at booking.basilicasanpietro.va (the “Website”) are governed by these General Terms and Conditions of Sale and terms of use of the platform (the “General Terms and Conditions”) and are offered by HIVE S.R.L. (“HIVE”), acting as the exclusive trader.
The website booking.basilicasanpietro.va is intended SOLELY for visitors: travel agencies and tour operators may NOT make purchases for purposes connected with their professional activities and therefore for resale.
Users are strictly prohibited from reselling, on any grounds whatsoever, to third parties, whether natural or legal persons, the booking service for access to the Basilica, tickets for access to the areas pertaining to the Basilica, or any other service/product.
Each user may make a limited number of purchases per day on this platform.
Any resale to third parties of services available on the e-commerce platform by travel agencies or tour operators that improperly use the platform reserved for end users, where identified during entry checks, shall render the entitlements relating to the purchased services/products invalid and they may therefore not be used. Nor shall the User who paid the agency be entitled to any refund from the platform. The obligation to refund the amounts paid by the User rests with the person that improperly used the booking.basilicasanpietro.va platform.
USERS ARE THEREFORE URGED TO MAKE PURCHASES THROUGH THE OFFICIAL PLATFORM OR THROUGH AGENCIES REGISTERED ON THE DEDICATED B2B PORTAL.
Improper use of the Website and of the services offered through it (including, by way of example and without limitation, purchasing services and/or tickets bearing names that do not correspond to the actual users, improper use of fares, or the purchase of services and/or tickets by travel agencies/tour operators through the platform intended for consumers) may result in cancellation, including on site, of the entitlement relating to the purchased services/products, making it impossible to use them, without any right to a refund.
HIVE reserves the right to supplement and/or amend the General Terms and Conditions and to publish them on the Website at any time.
HIVE acts both as an intermediary in the sale of services and/or packages offered by other suppliers/organisers and as an organiser in its own right, in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
HIVE's liability is governed by the provisions set out below.
Through booking.basilicasanpietro.va, HIVE offers the User booking services for admission to the Basilica in return for payment of the relevant service fee.
Company details:
HIVE S.r.l.
Via E. Conti, No. 7
42020 San Polo D'Enza (RE)
VAT No. 02893710356
Share capital: EUR 1,000,000.00, fully paid up
Companies Register No. RE-322623 of 19 June 2020.
Holder of Travel and Tourism Agency Licence No. 32657 of 26 January 2023.
Liability insurance: pursuant to Article 47(2) of Legislative Decree No. 62/2018, HIVE has taken out professional civil liability policy No. 4804756 with Europ Assistance Italia.
Definitions:
Digital Audio Guides: a digital application containing audio information of a historical and cultural nature relating to a tourist itinerary, available in several languages and accessible through a link and/or QR code opened on the consumer's personal mobile phone/tablet and/or that of each named person included in the booking. Devices must be connected to the internet independently by the consumer through a GSM or Wi-Fi network; data traffic and internet access are therefore not included in the Digital Audio Guide. The audio guide is combined with the booking for access to the Basilica. A booking for access to the Basilica with an audio guide is also included in the purchase of a ticket for access to the Dome, the Treasury Museum and the Necropolis.
Ticket: tickets constituting the right of admission to visits to the Basilica's historical and cultural sites managed by the Fabric of Saint Peter (Dome, Necropolis, etc.).
Basket: services or packages selected by the User after carrying out one or more searches on the Website.
Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances: a situation beyond the control of the party relying on it, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
Circumstances arising from liturgical requirements: circumstances resulting from decisions of the Holy See and the Holy Father concerning extraordinary liturgical celebrations, including during the Jubilee Year, which cause cancellation of access to the Basilica's areas of historical and cultural interest and of bookings for visits to St Peter's Basilica.
Consumer: a person who enters into a contract for purposes unrelated to any business, commercial, craft or professional activity carried on by that person.
Customer Service: the free assistance service provided to Visitors and Website Users on the stated working days and during the stated working hours (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?).
Authentication Credentials: the email address and password used by the User to access the Website.
Minor: a person under 18 years of age who lacks legal capacity independently to enter into contracts or other legally valid transactions.
Booking: a purchase order submitted through the Website.
Booking for access to the Basilica: a service available online through the Website for admission to St Peter's Basilica at a specified date and time; the booking is combined with the digital audio guide. A private User may book online through the Website for between 1 and 15 persons, subject to availability, for admission on a date and at a time selected by the User. Online bookings made through booking.basilicasanpietro.va always include the digital audio guide. During a private visit, stops at which any person explains aloud an artwork or monument to the other accompanying visitors are not permitted inside the Basilica.
Services: the booking service for access to the Basilica and to the areas of historical and cultural interest of St Peter's Basilica, together with any other ancillary service/product available on the Website.
Website: booking.basilicasanpietro.va
Summary (page): the page summarising the services selected by the User and placed in the basket, including the total price, the payment method (deposit and balance or full balance) and payment terms.
Durable medium: any instrument that enables the traveller to store information addressed personally to them so that it remains accessible for a period appropriate to its purposes and permits unchanged reproduction of the stored information.
User: a consumer registered on the Website who enters into a contract for services/tickets.
Visitor: any consumer not registered on the Website.
1. USER OBLIGATIONS
To benefit from the online reception services on the platform, which is intended for pilgrims and visitors, the User must register on the Website. Access to the Website constitutes acceptance of all terms and conditions governing its use, particularly those set out below. The User acknowledges that bookings and purchases of products and services made through the Website are governed by these General Terms and Conditions of Sale.
The User warrants that the information supplied in their own name and in the name and on behalf of all beneficiaries of services booked through the Website whom the User represents is truthful, accurate and up to date. These General Terms and Conditions apply to all such beneficiaries. The User is responsible for checking that the information entered is correct and, where necessary, amending it before completing the booking. Participants' first and last names must match those appearing on their identity documents.
HIVE shall bear no liability where information supplied by the User during registration and/or ordering (including name, postal address, email, telephone number and any other information required by the relevant suppliers/providers to complete the online booking) is false or incorrect.
The User undertakes to keep their access credentials confidential, not to disclose them to third parties and to prevent access by unauthorised persons. The User is liable for any damage or financial consequences arising from use of the Website with their password or from use of their password by third parties. HIVE may refuse a registered User's booking requests at any time if fraudulent use of the Website by the User or by third parties is established.
2. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE
These General Terms and Conditions of Sale (the “General Terms and Conditions”) govern the sale of the services in HIVE's electronic catalogue that are available on the Website.
The General Terms and Conditions constitute a binding agreement between HIVE and the User who uses the Website to book and purchase its Services. Resale of any individual service/product purchased on booking.basilicasanpietro.va is PROHIBITED.
The User is also subject to the specific conditions applying to each Service, including the date of use, price, applicable fare rule and category associated with that fare rule.
Use of the Website and the booking and purchase of Services are subject to the User's acceptance of these General Terms and Conditions.
The User must therefore read and expressly accept the General Terms and Conditions in full, including the specifically identified unfair terms pursuant to and for the purposes of Article 1341 of the Italian Civil Code, and any specific conditions applying to individual Services, by ticking the relevant box or clicking the continuously updated hyperlink made available on the Website for that purpose. Without acceptance of the General Terms and Conditions and/or the unfair terms and/or any specific conditions applying to the individual Services and packages, it will not be technically possible to confirm the booking or purchase them.
By using the Website, the User declares that they understand that HIVE's registered office is in Italy and that all transactions are governed exclusively by Italian law. Content in languages other than Italian is provided solely to facilitate understanding and does not constitute a solicitation or offer directed to foreign jurisdictions.
The General Terms and Conditions may be amended at any time without notice, provided that amendments do not apply to orders concluded before the amendment. The User must therefore carefully read the version in force before booking and purchasing Services or packages on the Website, by clicking the hyperlink available before starting any search.
The User acknowledges and accepts that HIVE may refuse to provide services in any jurisdiction where it considers that local law may impose obligations incompatible with these General Terms and Conditions or alter the financial terms of the offer.
3. REGISTRATION ON THE WEBSITE
The Website is intended for persons who have reached the age of majority. By accepting the terms of sale, the User declares that they are at least 18 years old, have legal capacity to be bound by these General Terms and Conditions of Sale, understand them and accept them in full.
The relevant legislation is Legislative Decree No. 70 of 9 April 2003, implementing Directive 2000/31/EC on certain legal aspects of information-society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the Internal Market, and Legislative Decree No. 206 of 6 September 2005, the Consumer Code.
The User may browse the Website freely. To make purchases or save searches as travel ideas, the User must first register by completing the form accessible from the Website homepage, clicking the registration icon and entering their personal details.
All data will be processed pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679; the complete privacy notice is available during registration on the Website.
The User will also be asked to enter an email address and confidential password. Once registration is complete, a welcome email confirming activation of the account and showing the email address associated with the User will be sent to the address supplied. The User must diligently refrain from communicating or transferring to third parties the access credentials for their personal area and must preserve, safeguard and keep them secret.
The email address and password will constitute the Authentication Credentials used to access all Website functions available to a User.
After registration and before purchasing at checkout, the User will be required to click to accept the General Terms and Conditions and, by a separate click, to acknowledge and specifically approve the unfair terms pursuant to and for the purposes of Article 1341 of the Italian Civil Code. Once accepted and specifically approved, those provisions shall be valid and binding on the User, who may then proceed with the purchase.
The User represents and warrants that all personal data and information supplied during registration are current, complete, truthful and correct. The User undertakes promptly to update any changes to their registration data on the Website.
The User is solely responsible for safeguarding and using their Authentication Credentials. If the User becomes aware of unauthorised use of the Authentication Credentials and/or any breach of password secrecy, they must promptly notify in writing the data controller and Website operator: HIVE S.r.l., Via Conti 7, 42020 San Polo d'Enza (RE), email help@basilicasanpietro.va.
All transactions carried out using Authentication Credentials shall be deemed to have been carried out by the registered User to whom those credentials relate.
HIVE reserves, at its discretion and at any time, the right to:
• terminate the contract with the User in the event of improper use of the Website or use contrary to the General Terms and Conditions;
• refuse registration or cancel existing Authentication Credentials and place the profile in the deletion process, without any obligation to state the reasons or any entitlement to compensation or damages.
As stated in the General Terms and Conditions, HIVE specifies that:
• it is not liable for any direct or indirect damage, claim or loss suffered by the User due to failure or defective operation of the Website or of the electronic equipment of the User or third parties, including Internet service providers;
• it shall not be deemed in breach or liable for damage if Website-related electronic services cannot be provided, or the Website cannot be accessed, because electronic communication systems malfunction for reasons outside its control, including unavailability of telephone connections or other network service providers, malfunction of the User's computers or other electronic devices or installed software, or actions by other users or persons with network access;
• it may suspend or disconnect the Website permanently or temporarily without liability to the User;
• it is not responsible for hyperlinks on the Website to websites operated by third parties other than HIVE. Such links are provided for information only, and their inclusion does not imply HIVE's acceptance of material published on those websites or any other relationship between HIVE and their operators.
4. DURATION AND NATURE OF THE OFFER
Offers of Services shown on the Website are valid and available for purchase while displayed and may change in real time as to availability, price and fare rule. To confirm the basket selection, when names are entered the system performs a further check of all selected services and informs the User, before purchase, of any change in availability and/or price compared with the basket display.
HIVE endeavours to provide a realistic view of the proposed services through photographs and illustrations supplied by the relevant suppliers. Such material is for illustration only and may not reflect conditions at the time of booking because it is not constantly updated. It binds HIVE only insofar as it indicates the category or standard of the services. Registered Users should consult photographs and descriptions published by the actual providers on their official websites. HIVE does not warrant the accuracy of software, products, information and services published on the Website, which may contain typographical, input or system errors, and is not liable for inaccuracies regarding air, sea or road transport, accommodation facilities or any other information, product or service appearing on the Website, including videos and photographs.
5. PRICES, TAXES AND CURRENCY
For each service or ticket, the applicable price is that shown from time to time on the Website as the result of a search carried out by the User, except in the case of an obvious and recognisable pricing error.
The price of Services available through the Website may vary according to the period, number of participants and selected services. The actual amount depends on the Services actually purchased and confirmed.
Availability of Services may change even during the User's purchase process.
Before purchase, the final screen headed “Summary” displays the total price of the services selected by the User.
The final offer constituting the effective sale price is made only after the User has completed the search and selection process and, more precisely, after entering the travellers' names, expressly accepting the General Terms and Conditions and making payment within the maximum period stated on the Website. A booking is confirmed only upon receipt of the confirmation email in accordance with Article 8. The User must ensure that confirmation of all booked services has been received and contact Customer Service (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?) only if any discrepancy is found.
The descriptions of Services/Tickets on the Website specify what is included in the price and any specific conditions applying to those Services.
All prices are stated in euros, or in another currency chosen at HIVE's sole discretion and expressly indicated, and include VAT where payable.
Unless otherwise stated in the offer, prices do not include anything not specifically listed among the inclusions of the purchased services.
6. ACCEPTANCE OF THE BOOKING
To conclude the contract for the sale of Services, the User must:
• initiate one or more searches, starting from a service/product or using one of the available search engines, and complete all required fields;
• search for availability of tickets for the Basilica's areas of historical and cultural interest (Dome, Treasury Museum and Necropolis) or solely for bookings for access to St Peter's Basilica with a digital audio guide;
• select from the available results, which also show the price, then register and complete the booking by entering the participants' names and any additional mandatory data without which browsing cannot continue;
• before confirming and paying, acknowledge at their own responsibility any price changes shown when names are entered;
• tick the relevant boxes to confirm that they have read and accepted these General Terms and Conditions, including the specifically identified unfair terms. Acceptance constitutes a final booking and an irrevocable offer from which the User may not withdraw, subject to Article 16 and without prejudice to applicable cancellation and amendment rights;
• where required, pay the non-refundable deposit or balance by clicking the “Pay” button or similar;
• pay the balance within the stated deadline, as shown on the Summary page;
• bear all costs of correcting errors identified after completion of the order. HIVE has no responsibility for the User's manual entry of data during booking and is released from liability for data voluntarily supplied by the User, who must promptly inform HIVE of any change.
After the User clicks the Pay button, the request to book the Services is irrevocable. A booking request made independently through the Website is accepted and confirmed by HIVE when the User receives confirmation online or by email. Subject to availability, HIVE will send confirmation no later than 48 hours after payment. The User must verify receipt of confirmation for all booked services, including by checking junk or spam folders, and contact Customer Service (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?) only in the event of discrepancies, including partial confirmation of selected services (the “Purchase Process”).
Where requested Services are marked “on demand/upon request”, the User acknowledges that, because their prices and availability may change rapidly, clicking to submit payment information will not begin the actual Purchase Process but will send a request for contact by HIVE's team. HIVE will notify the Customer by email of availability and provide a link through which the Customer may confirm the intention to proceed with the actual purchase in accordance with the Purchase Process described above.
7. PAYMENT AND INVOICING
Purchases made on the Website may be paid for by the User only through the Website using:
• a credit card or reloadable prepaid card belonging to one of the networks shown on the payment page at the end of the booking process. The User must enter their card details, which will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Legislative Decree No. 196/2003, as amended by Legislative Decree No. 101/2018. HIVE does not collect those data; they are managed directly by the financial institution acting as an independent data controller. HIVE receives only validation of the transaction from that institution;
• a PayPal account;
• other payment systems, where available and indicated on the payment page at the end of the booking process.
At the end of the purchase, a booking confirmation email will be sent to the address entered by the User when completing the traveller information; Users should always also check their junk or spam folder.
The User is solely responsible for the selected payment method, which must be one of those offered by the Website.
If, after completion of the order, the User discovers an error in the method selected, HIVE shall not be liable and shall not be required to refund all or any part of the amount paid.
The User warrants that they are fully authorised to use the credit card or other payment method permitted by the Website and used for the purchase, and that the chosen method provides access to sufficient funds to cover all costs of each requested transaction.
A single transaction may not be completed using more than one permitted payment method. The authorisation to charge given to HIVE for payment of the booking is irrevocable. The User may dispute payment only where the payment method has been fraudulently used by third parties. Outside this limited circumstance governed by Italian law, a cardholder who disputes payment commits fraud against the card issuer.
The right to dispute a payment cannot replace or circumvent the exclusion of the right of withdrawal.
An invoice will be issued where requested by ticking the appropriate box in the customer-data section of the booking and entering all billing information before payment. It will be sent electronically by the fifteenth day of the month following payment and made out to the natural person who made the purchase, namely the registered User. The name on the invoice cannot be changed after the sale. The invoiced amount states the total value of the purchased package or experience/service and may not be divided or invoiced to several persons.
Important: if an amount is charged without a corresponding booking confirmation, the system will display “booking not confirmed” and the User will receive notice of the charge in accordance with the selected payment method. The User is entitled to a full refund of the amount charged, to be made within 15 working days by the same payment method. Customer Service (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?) will contact the User regarding any possible alternatives.
8. BOOKING/PURCHASE DOCUMENTS
When the booking is confirmed, the User receives a booking summary by email.
Once the balance has been successfully paid, booking documents may be downloaded independently by the User from the personal area of the Website as electronic vouchers for all participants included in the booking, or are sent by email to the address supplied by the User as soon as available and in any event not before payment of the balance.
The User acknowledges that admission documents are available in the personal area of the Website and must check that they are present where the supplier/provider requires them to be produced.
If the User makes an error when entering their own details or those of travel participants (including name, surname, email, telephone number, date of birth and identity document), HIVE accepts no liability for non-performance or defective performance of the trip resulting from failure to receive travel documents or a supplier's refusal to provide the service.
Where checks reveal that names entered during booking and purchase do not match the actual user at entry, access through the reserved booking gate may be refused. The visitor may then enter the Basilica freely through the ordinary, non-booked entrance but shall not be entitled to any refund.
9. FORMALITIES
The User is responsible for obtaining the necessary compliant documents for any security checks, including an identity card or passport.
10. MINORS
Since 26 June 2012, all Italian minors may travel only with an individual travel document. Italian minors under 14 travelling abroad without a parent or guardian must carry a declaration of accompaniment stating the name of the person, body or transport company to whom the minor is entrusted, signed by the person exercising parental responsibility and endorsed by the authorities competent to issue passports.
Minors may also benefit from the Visa Waiver Program only if they hold an individual passport; inclusion on a parent's passport is neither sufficient nor valid.
If a minor under 14 travels with one or both parents, no declaration of accompaniment need be attached to the minor's passport, because the personal details of the living parents, also in English and French, appear on page 5 of the new 48-page passport booklet.
For legal, religious, social or other reasons, at a parent's request or by order of the judicial authority, personal details may be omitted or deleted.
Other accompanying persons authorised by the parents, such as grandparents, are not required to be entered on the document. Whenever a minor under 14 travels abroad with someone other than a parent, the parents must therefore sign a declaration of accompaniment, which remains on file with the police headquarters. The police will issue a standard form which the accompanying person must present at the border together with the minor's valid passport.
HIVE does not under any circumstances accept registration of an unaccompanied minor, irrespective of nationality, and disclaims all liability if, despite this prohibition, an unaccompanied minor is registered for a trip without HIVE's knowledge.
Minors accompanied by a parent must hold authorisation to travel abroad if they do not share the surname of the accompanying parent.
In all cases, given the recent introduction of stricter procedures in some countries, the User must check the documents required for minors to enter each destination country on the government website http://www.viaggiaresicuri.it. HIVE shall under no circumstances be liable for irregularities relating to required travel documentation.
11. CONTRACT FOR THE SALE OF BOOKING SERVICES AND TICKETS
Services available for purchase on the Website include, by way of example, tickets for access to the areas of historical and cultural interest of St Peter's Basilica and bookings for access to the Basilica with a digital audio guide.
Before purchase, HIVE recommends that the User carefully read the service description and operating arrangements and review any options that may change the purchase price from that shown in the search results. Age, weight or height restrictions may apply. Some services/activities require a minimum number of participants. If this number is not reached, the supplier/provider may notify the User, or HIVE which will notify the User, shortly before the scheduled date. An alternative date or activity is not always offered. Activity or ticket prices may differ from the face value shown on the ticket.
SERVICES/PRODUCTS
• The Basilica: booking for access to St Peter's Basilica + digital audio guide
• The Dome (with or without lift): ticket for admission to the Dome of St Peter's Basilica + booking for access to St Peter's Basilica 60 minutes before the Dome admission time + digital audio guide to St Peter's Basilica;
• The Treasury Museum: ticket for admission to the Treasury Museum of St Peter's Basilica + booking for access to St Peter's Basilica 60 minutes before the Museum admission time + digital audio guide to St Peter's Basilica;
• The Necropolis: ticket for admission to the Necropolis, visited in groups with a guide provided by St Peter's Basilica + booking for access to St Peter's Basilica 60 minutes before the Necropolis admission time + digital audio guide to St Peter's Basilica;
• Petros ENI: ticket for admission to the multimedia exhibition, visited in groups of no more than 14 persons accompanied by Fabric of Saint Peter staff, provided by St Peter's Basilica + booking for access to St Peter's Basilica 60 minutes before the Petros Eni admission time + digital audio guide to St Peter's Basilica;
• Guided Visits: ticket for admission to the Basilica with a guide, in groups of no more than 30 persons with a guide provided by St Peter's Basilica + booking for access to St Peter's Basilica 60 minutes before the visit starts.
• Any other products/services.
Customer Service (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?) is available for clarification where there is doubt as to whether the commercial names of the search engines on the e-commerce platform correspond to their functions as booking engines. The search engines available to the User are those actually published on the Website when service availability and pricing are checked. HIVE may activate or remove available search engines according to its commercial policies, without prejudice to commitments and bookings already confirmed by the User.
• BASILICA
A User booking admission to St Peter's Basilica with a digital audio guide may choose the date and time of admission and follow thematic routes containing material of historical and cultural interest inside the Basilica.
The audio guide is a digital web application, or web app, through which the User may listen to audio tracks organised into thematic routes containing material of historical, artistic, cultural and tourist interest.
Audio guides are translated into various languages; consult the description of the selected product for the list of languages available.
Immediately after booking, you will receive email No. 1 containing the service-confirmation VOUCHER.
You will then receive email No. 2 containing QR Codes for all participants, to be shown during entry checks. Entry QR Codes are mandatory. If you do not receive this email within 30 minutes of booking, check your spam folder and write to booking@basilicasanpietro.va, quoting reference number TIE-xxxx.
Within the 30 minutes preceding your booked visit time, you will receive email No. 3 containing the QR codes/links for activation and use of the Digital Audio Guide.
The web app may be downloaded, which is recommended to avoid connection problems on site, or used through a direct internet connection via GSM or Wi-Fi.
Each link/QR code is unique and personal and therefore may not be used by several users at the same time. Each code is valid for 48 hours from the sending of the email containing the links/QR codes.
Each User must have their own mobile phone or tablet and connect wired or wireless earphones so that the content can be enjoyed personally and with respect for the location and other visitors.
If problems arise or the email is not received in time, Users may contact Customer Service for assistance and obtain access through a new link sent by email; the booking confirmation code will be required.
For reasons connected with Holy See celebrations and institutional events, including during the Jubilee, access to St Peter's Basilica may be cancelled even less than 24 hours in advance. If access is cancelled for organisational reasons connected with those requirements, the amount paid will be refunded in full.
Details and conditions
• ADMISSION TICKETS AND BOOKING SERVICES
For all tickets and services, particularly tickets granting access to the areas of historical and cultural interest of St Peter's Basilica (Dome, Necropolis, etc.), the information and specifications in the product description on the Website and in the voucher apply.
Tickets and booking services cannot be cancelled, amended or refunded.
Particular attention should be paid to admission times, advice concerning the time needed for access, including security checks and movement to the area to be visited, and the required dress and conduct code.
Tickets are valid only for the booked time slot; please note any stated validity period of the QR Code.
Admission more than 60 minutes late may be refused if the maximum capacity for that time slot is no longer available.
When tickets are selected, fares varying by age group will be shown; where reduced-price tickets are available, for example for children or older persons, the options will be visible during purchase. The Website does not process free admission, discounts or reductions for other categories such as clergy/priests, schools, groups of seminarians, pilgrim groups accompanied by priests, or disabled visitors with certified disabilities. Those categories must contact the ticket offices at St Peter's Basilica or the Visits Office at visiteguidate@fsp.va.
For everything included in or excluded from tickets, opening and closing times, access and services for persons with disabilities and pregnant women, minimum ages and any reductions, and all operational details, consult the online product description and, if necessary, contact Customer Service.
Due to celebrations, particularly during the Jubilee, access to St Peter's Basilica and its related areas (Dome, Necropolis and Treasury Museum) may be cancelled during the 24 hours preceding the booked admission time. Users who purchased tickets for the Dome, Necropolis or Treasury Museum, or booked access to the Basilica with a digital audio guide, should check the email account used for the purchase, including junk or spam folders, for cancellation notices. If access is cancelled for reasons connected with the organisation of the Jubilee, the amount paid for tickets and bookings will be refunded in full. This also applies if a Wednesday Papal audience lasts longer than scheduled.
Tickets for other museums and/or cultural events are subject to the information and specifications in the product description on the Website and in the voucher. Particular attention should be paid to admission times, advice concerning access times, including security checks and movement to the area to be visited, and the required dress and conduct code.
Tickets/services are valid only for the booked time slot. For support and information, please contact Customer Service.
12. LIABILITY
HIVE shall not be liable for non-performance or defective performance of a service attributable to the User, force majeure, an unforeseen event, or a third party unrelated to the provision of the services under the contract.
HIVE's liability is in any event limited to services purchased from HIVE and excludes all services purchased from third parties.
Any damages payable by HIVE are governed by the Italian Civil Code, the Tourism Code and applicable international conventions.
For all services intermediated by HIVE, responsibility for their proper provision rests solely with the actual suppliers/providers.
Where HIVE acts as intermediary for a service, it is not liable for obligations arising from organisation of that service, but only for obligations arising from its capacity as intermediary.
13. CANCELLATION AND AMENDMENT
Bookings for access to the Basilica, Guided Visits to St Peter's Basilica, tickets constituting admission entitlements for visits to the Basilica's historical and cultural sites managed by the Fabric of Saint Peter, including the Dome, Necropolis, Treasury Museum, Terraces and Grottoes, and all types of digital audio guides, as well as any other product or service on the Website, cannot be amended or cancelled because they are subject to non-refundable/non-amendable fares. In the event of withdrawal, cancellation and/or amendment, the User will lose the full amount paid for the purchased service.
For information, Customer Service (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?) may be contacted on its working days and during its working hours as stated on the Website. Requests will be handled during HIVE's working days and hours, but handling a request does not imply that the provider will grant an amendment or do so without charge.
In the event of cancellation and/or amendment, the applicable penalties will always be charged and the User will therefore lose the full amount paid for the service purchased at that fare.
If HIVE directly informs the User that one or more services cannot be provided or must be amended, the User may contact and will be assisted by Customer Service (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?) during HIVE's working days and hours, or by the Emergency Service outside those days and hours.
14. CHANGE OF NAME
The name on bookings for access to the Basilica, Guided Visits to St Peter's Basilica, tickets constituting admission entitlements for visits to the Basilica's historical and cultural sites managed by the Fabric of Saint Peter, including the Dome, Necropolis, Treasury Museum, Terraces and Grottoes, and all types of digital audio guides cannot be changed because they are subject to non-refundable/non-amendable fares. In the event of withdrawal, cancellation and/or amendment, the User will lose the full amount paid for the purchased service.
Changes of date shall never be treated as simple amendments to the contract but as cancellations. A reduction in the number of passengers in a booking file constitutes cancellation by one or more travel participants and is always governed by Article 13 above.
15. WITHDRAWAL
Pursuant to Article 59(1)(n) of Legislative Decree No. 206/2005 (Consumer Code), the right of withdrawal from distance contracts does not apply to contracts for the supply of services, including by way of example tickets for access to areas pertaining to St Peter's Basilica and the access-booking service, where the contract specifies a date or period of performance and requires the visitor's name.
The User therefore acknowledges and accepts that, once a booking for a Service through the Website has been confirmed, the User has no right to withdraw from the purchase.
Where unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occur at the destination or in its immediate vicinity and substantially affect performance of the travel package or carriage of passengers to the destination, such as earthquakes, natural disasters or acts of terrorism, the User may withdraw from the contract before the package begins without paying a withdrawal fee and is entitled to a full refund of payments made for the package, but not to additional compensation. Cancellations caused by other circumstances, including the traveller's inability to take the holiday, do not give rise to the statutory right to withdraw without charge. Transport services are expressly subject to the general terms and conditions of the relevant purchased services.
Different conditions may be specified at the time of booking and will be brought to the User's attention before the purchase is completed.
ST PETER'S BASILICA
Bookings for access to the Basilica, bookings for Guided Visits to St Peter's Basilica, tickets constituting admission entitlements for visits to the Basilica's historical and cultural sites managed by the Fabric of Saint Peter, including the Dome, Necropolis, Treasury Museum, Terraces and Grottoes, and related digital audio guides are subject to non-refundable/non-amendable fares. In the event of withdrawal, cancellation and/or amendment, the User will lose the full amount paid for the purchased service.
Because of the special nature of the Basilica, which is simultaneously a place of worship and of art and culture located within Vatican City State, all bookings for access to the Basilica, Guided Visits to St Peter's Basilica, tickets constituting admission entitlements to the Basilica's historical and cultural sites managed by the Fabric of Saint Peter (Dome and Necropolis) and the related digital audio guides may be cancelled in response to specific religious or State requirements. In that event, Users will be informed by email, with 24 hours' notice, that their vouchers have been cancelled and will ordinarily receive a full refund of the amounts paid for the cancelled individual services within 30 days of the notice. Dates cannot be changed; the User may only make a new booking and payment at the fares and subject to the availability shown on the platform.
Names entered at the time of purchase on admission entitlements for the areas of historical and cultural interest of St Peter's Basilica cannot be changed.
By accepting these terms, the user acknowledges that if the name shown on an admission entitlement does not match the identity of the person using it, admission will be refused and no refund will be due.
Admission will likewise be refused where reduced fares, including reduced fares for minors, or special fares, including fares reserved for parish or ecclesiastical groups, are used improperly or fraudulently. Improper use of reduced or special fares reserved for particular categories does not give rise to any refund.
16. ASSISTANCE
Through Customer Service (also referred to as Visitor Assistance or Need Help?), HIVE provides assistance to visitors and registered platform Users on the working days and during the working hours stated on the Website.
The User is given an emergency telephone number or contact-point details through which the supplier/provider may be reached outside HIVE's working days and hours if problems arise that are strictly connected with services confirmed by HIVE.
17. COMPLAINTS
In accordance with the duties of fairness and good faith under Articles 1175 and 1375 of the Italian Civil Code, the User must report any non-performance or defective performance of the contract to the package organiser within 24 hours of the date on which provision of the service begins, by email to complaint@basilcasanpietro.va, so that the organiser and/or service provider may remedy it promptly, unless this is impossible or entails disproportionate costs in view of the significance of the non-conformity and the value of the travel services concerned.
Contracts concerning the offer of individual services do not constitute travel organisation or travel package contracts and therefore do not enjoy the protections of the Tourism Code; the contractual conditions of the individual supplier or actual service provider apply.
For the resolution of disputes, the parties may submit a complaint through https://www.camera-arbitrale.it/it/mediazione/mediazione-civile-e-commerciale-d-lgs-28-2010.php?id=372.
18. APPLICABLE LAW AND JURISDICTION
These General Terms and Conditions and the relationship between the User and HIVE are governed by Italian law, including, where applicable, the Tourism Code and Legislative Decree No. 206 of 6 September 2005 (Consumer Code) in relation to distance contracts. These General Terms and Conditions are drafted in Italian, which shall prevail in the event of differing interpretations of translations into other languages. Contracts concluded on HIVE's Website are deemed to be entered into in Italy and governed by Italian law, without prejudice to any additional rights granted to Consumers by mandatory rules. Any dispute concerning these terms and conditions shall be subject to the competent court within the district of the Milan Court of Appeal, without prejudice to Consumers' rights under mandatory rules.
For Users outside the European Union, the contract and the resulting relationships entered into between the User and HIVE through the Website shall be governed by the laws of the Italian Republic. By express agreement of both parties, any dispute arising between them in any way connected with the contract or relating to its interpretation, performance, validity or effectiveness shall be subject exclusively to the jurisdiction of the Italian courts and the exclusive territorial jurisdiction of the Court of Milan, any other jurisdiction or venue being contractually excluded.
The User expressly acknowledges and accepts that access to the Website by persons resident in countries other than Italy and Vatican City State is considered unsolicited and unintended. The Company accepts no responsibility for access by foreign users or for compliance with the regulatory requirements of their countries of residence. Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 593/2008 (Rome I), the application of foreign laws is excluded to the extent permitted by law.
19. MANDATORY NOTICE PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 17 OF LAW NO. 38/2006
Pursuant to Article 17 of Law No. 38/2006, Italian law punishes offences relating to child prostitution and child pornography with imprisonment, even when committed abroad.
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