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St Patrick's Cathedral: Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Tour
4.6
17 Ratings
New York
This highly exclusive, guided tour is restricted to just 12 participants every day! Behold the unseen areas of St Patrick’s Cathedral. Witness the very place where the Pope prepared himself during his NYC visit. Experience true VIP treatment with this one-of-a-kind NYC opportunity!
This highly exclusive, guided tour is restricted to just 12 participants every day! Behold the unseen areas of St Patrick’s Cathedral. Witness the very place where the Pope prepared himself during his NYC visit. Experience true VIP treatment with this one-of-a-kind NYC opportunity!
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral - Ever dream of visiting the behind the scenes quarters of St Patrick’s Cathedral? See the archbishop quarters, where the Pope changed his outfit on his visit and more on this VIP guided tour with a Cathedral Historian. Hear personal stories about what makes St. Patrick’s one of the world’s most famous Cathedrals. See…
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral - Ever dream of visiting the behind the scenes quarters of St Patrick’s Cathedral? See the archbishop quarters, where the Pope changed his outfit on his visit and more on this VIP guided tour with a Cathedral Historian. Hear personal stories about what makes St. Patrick’s one of the world’s most famous Cathedrals. See areas of the Cathedral never before seen by the general public. Your tour will conclude with reserved front row seats for Mass.

What's Included
- Live Tour Guide (Cathedral Historian)
- 60-Minute VIP Fully Guided Behind the Scenes Tour
- Live Tour Guide (Cathedral Historian)
- 60-Minute VIP Fully Guided Behind the Scenes Tour
Location
St. Patrick's Cathedral Gift Shop
East 51st Street
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(17 Ratings)
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Susan_p
May 1, 2025
Great behind the scene experience - Kathleen was wonderful easy to talk to and made it an incredible experience. For me, it was all the little things she showed us and told us about that goes on at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral being a New Yorker. It was a wonderful experienceIt was just Kathleen myself and another woman so it was very personalized. I would recommend it again.
Review provided by Viator
Susan_y
Mar 8, 2025
VIP tour St Patrick’s cathedral - The behind the scenes tour of St Patrick’s cathedral was wonderful and very informative. Our tour guide was Cat. The tour group was only 6 participants so the tour was very conversational. Really gained insight on the history of the cathedral. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Michael_s
Dec 18, 2024
The Cathedral and its pastors through time - Our guide Anthony was a historian and took us through the Cathedrals history and gave perspective to the experience..
Review provided by Viator
Ted_k
Jun 23, 2024
Well worth your time and cost. - Wonderful experience. Guide was very knowledgeable. More behind the scenes than I expected. Staying for Mass capped an awesome time.
Review provided by Viator
Br0nwynt
May 8, 2024
Beautiful! - Historic and beautiful sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of this big city! We stopped in one night, it was quiet and good for our souls. I was surprised how few people bother to step inside. It's well worth a visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bruce_m
Feb 20, 2024
Wonderful tour - This tour was amazing! So much information and a look into behind the scenes. I highly recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
Laurie_f
Dec 23, 2023
Tour and guide review. St. Patrick’s Catherdral - Fabulous and I formative. Special
Shout out to tour guide Ginny!!!
THE BEST. Direct access to Alter, special mass area below church and the catacombs too
Review provided by Viator
Theresa_l
Mar 24, 2023
I feel a deeper connection. - The alter, all of the craftsmanship and the crypt. I feel a deeper connection to the building and what it stands for.
Review provided by Viator
Newyorkannie13
Nov 10, 2022
disappointing - I did this tour with a family I was touring with. They thought, or at least they said to me, that it was wonderful. As a knowledgeable New Yorker I thought the tour was disappointing..I already had a lot of info myself and was expecting so much more ..He was a man..don't remember his name ..said he's been doing it for years...really..well I think he could up his anti and give more to his clients..very disappointing..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
754desig
Dec 26, 2024
Disappointed despite all the great reviews - Tour Review: Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
I took this tour to learn more about Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, but I was left very disappointed with how it was conducted. The guide spoke very softly and only briefly, making it hard to hear or follow. They used a binder with pictures in a narrow hallway, where only the people closest to the guide could see anything. This setup excluded anyone standing in the middle or back.
The information shared in the basement focused more on the personal history of certain archbishops, with very little about the building itself. Again, much of this was presented in a hallway, leaving many unable to see or fully engage. The tour ended abruptly near the altar without any historical context or background being shared, which was frustrating.
While the guide did a good job answering questions, the overall experience lacked structure and depth. A fellow attendee dominated parts of the tour, talking about her son’s interactions with archbishops, which detracted from learning about the church itself.
In comparison, the tour at the older Saint Patrick’s Cathedral was phenomenal, offering rich history and engaging storytelling. This tour, however, felt overpriced and underwhelming. Additionally, as a non-Catholic, I found many references to Catholicism unclear, requiring me to ask for explanations multiple times. I had expected the tour to cater to a general audience, but it seemed more tailored to those already familiar with Catholic terminology.
For the amount charged, I would hope for a more inclusive and informative experience, not just being walked around offices and left at the altar to take pictures on our own.
Review provided by Tripadvisor