On top of St. Peter's

I hate going to St. Peter's.
Already at the metro station you feel like standing in line in order to get into the basilica.
The actual line on St. Peter's square is endless.
It is unbearably hot in the summer.
People are usually in a bad mood.
By the time you finally enter, you are exhausted.
Everthing around it is full of tourist traps. There is no real, normal non-touristy Roman life left.
Of course, the inside is still beautiful and breath-taking.
It all makes me think with sadness of my very first visit to Rome: No security checks at the entrance. I cannot remember any lines! You could still walk up to Michelangelo's Pietà and get the full emotional impact. It was so intense that even had to cry a bit. Today it is protected behind the bullet-proof glass wall and it has unfortunately also become emotion-proof. The magic is gone.
What to do?
The only solution is being on the square at 7.30 in the morning before the crowds arrive and the basilica opens.
Then you can even go up the Cuppola.
We did that when we were staying in a homeexchange with a lovely Roman family in via dei fornaci.
Here are my pictures of this experience.