Rome
Top Rome landmarks

Small Group Early Bird Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel & Basilica

Badge of ExcellenceRome, Italy
Early Entrance Sistine Chapel and Vatican Tour
  • 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Visit the Sistine Chapel without the crowds and explore the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica on this small-group tour in Rome. The Sistine Chapel receives around 25,000 visitors daily, so most people see it in a busy setting. This tour provides early-morning access before the general public, letting you admire Michelangelo’s frescoes in a quieter atmosphere before taking you into the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s. Entrance fees and skip-the-line access included.
  • Sistine Chapel early entrance, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica tour in Rome
  • Tour the Vatican Museums, seeing highlights like the Raphael Rooms and St. Peter’s Basilica
  • Avoid waiting in lines with skip-the-line access

What's Included

  • Expert, English-speaking guide
  • Headsets (for groups of 6 or more)
  • Small Group Size
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Semi-Private Tour
  • Transportation to and from the meeting and end point
  • Food and beverages
  • Gratuities (optional)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Viale Giulio Cesare, 237, 00192 Roma RM, Italy

    You will meet your guide cy the flower stand on the corner of Viale Giulio Cesare and Via Leone IV. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.

Start time

07:35 AM

End point

  • Saint Peter's Square
    Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City

What To Expect

Vatican Museums

1 hour 50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

La Pieta

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Cortile della Pigna

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Baldacchino di San Pietro, di Bernini

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • As this is a walking tour with steps and staircases, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please advise if any travelers have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
  • Please note that the Vatican Museums provide free entrance for visitors who are (according to the requirements stated by the Vatican City) at least 74% disabled by presenting the appropriate certification and, if one needs assistance by another person, that person also receives a free entrance. Please inform us when you are booking if you fit into these requirements and we will remove the pricing of the entry tickets from the price of the tour.
  • Please ensure you arrive 10 minutes early and at the right meeting point as we cannot wait for late arrivals
  • At the end of your tour, you are required to return the headset provided to you to your guide. In the event that you do not return the headset, you will be subject to a fine of €100 for lost property.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

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Reviews

4.5
198 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 198 reviews
Excellent!
William_P, Apr 2024
Our guide was fantastic and very helpful to my father, who is elderly. Also, since it was early, it was not too crowded to move around.
Vatican tour
Robert_Q, Apr 2024
Our tour guide Maria Letizia Bruschi was excellent, very informative and had a great personality. A lot to see in short amount of time but she managed the group well.
Amazing tour guide
Cynthia_W, Apr 2024
The guide was phenomenal. A true historian that made the tour the best. Even my teen enjoyed the tour and he isn’t a fan of history.
Very happy with an early, small group tour
Susan_C, Apr 2024
This area is crowded most of the time, but the small group tour meant that we got the most out of our visit. The tour guide was great-friendly and with lots of information to help us appreciate what we were seeing!
Perfect time to visit
Lakshmankumar_S, Mar 2024
Early morning tour perfect time to visit with lot of information. Our guide has great knowledge about history.
Great tour and guide
Patsy_W, Mar 2024
We enjoyed Maria's knowledge and excitement about the tour. She made it very enjoyable. We got in early and boy was it great. When we left the lines were huge to get in.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for your insightful review. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your Vatican Tour with us. Maria is a remarkable guide and we are happy that you think so too. Don't hesitate to contact us if you are looking for more destinations to explore.
Great experience
Bingfeng_D, Jan 2024
I have a good experience. The tour guide is very knowledgeable and I learned a lot. The pace of the tour is just about right, I definitely recommend it.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review. We are glad that you had such a positive experience. This is one of our most popular tours and for good reason. Thank you for choosing Through Eternity Tours and we would be happy to welcome you again on your next trip to Italy!
Excellent
Brent_L, Jan 2024
Thomas very extremely knowledgeable and interesting to inform us of what was important.. He was quite enjoyable.. We we're the only couple on the tour
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you for the lovely review. We are happy to hear that you had such a great experience on our Early Morning Vatican Tour. Thomas is a phenomenal guide and we're so pleased that you think so too. We look forward to welcoming you again in Italy or anywhere else you'd like to explore!
Must see!
Linda_R, Dec 2023
I thought it would be a spectacular experience since it's the Vatican, but we were completely blown away! The history and points of view of the history expressed to us by our tour guide Thomas was great. It was breathtaking and brought back days from Catholic school. We were awe struck inside the Sistine Chapel and the mere size of St. Peter's Basilica. This is a MUST SEE!!
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you very much for the wonderful review! We are thrilled that you enjoyed your tour with Thomas, he is indeed a remarkable guide. The Vatican is one the most impressive attractions of Rome, and we are happy that our tour provided you with the best possible experience. Thank you again and we look forward to welcoming you back with us in the future!
Erica was an amazing guide! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emily_S, Nov 2023
Erica was an amazing host and guide for our trip. She was widely knowledgeable even beyond the confines of The Vatican which provided a historical context for everything. We appreciate that she was considerate of the rules and made sure to share the dos and don’ts as we went.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Hello Emily! We are very pleased to hear that enjoyed the tour with Enrica, she is a remarkable guide. She will be happy to read your review. We're so happy to read that you had such a great experience and we would be honoured to welcome you back with us in the future!
Early Tour a Must
Robert_T, Oct 2023
Even though we booked a tour that began before the museum was open to the public and in the mid-October shoulder season, the museum was very crowded, so an early start is a must. Our tour guide is an archiologist and was very enthusiastic about Rome. She made it an excellent tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts about the tour with us. Our guides are mostly Master's graduates of Art History and Archeology as we aim to give our clients the best and most authentic experience. The early morning morning tour is perfect for anyone who would like to avoid the large crowds and we are glad you enjoyed it. Thank you again for the positive review and we can’t wait to welcome you back with us in the future!
Vatican was amazing
William_N, Oct 2023
Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and the Vatican were great. Just what we expected. Francisca was great. Very knowledgeable, good sense of humor and moved the group through the Vatican very well. He was very good at answer and reaching to our questions.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you very much for taking the time to write a review and for acknowledging what an exceptional guide Francesca is. We are truly lucky to work with guides like her. The Vatican is an amazing place with so much history and art to explore, and we are glad that you had such great experience. Thank you again and we look forward to welcoming you again soon!
Good insightful and swift tour
HoMing_C, Oct 2023
The meeting point was easy to find and the registration process was swift. Our tour entered the Vatican museum with no issue while there is a line for all the early guided tour. Our guide was insightful in providing all the information about the history of the place and the artefacts. Only small issue is that our guide has a thick italian accent which we only understand ~80% of what he said. We visited the dome on our own after the tour and it was breathtaking to see the st peters square from above. Definitely recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review! We truly do everything we can to ensure that everyone who books with us has the best experience possible and we're so happy to hear that you have. The Vatican is an amazing place with so much history to explore. We apologize if the guide's accent posed challenges in comprehension. Thank you again for your feedback and we look forward to having you again with us soon!
Good tour but slow pace
Andrew_P, Oct 2023
Quite a long tour because it goes so slowly but it is interesting and the guide was great and very knowledgeable. Worth it overall though
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding your tour with us. We appreciate your positive remarks about our knowledgeable guide. We understand that the pace was slower than expected, and we'll use this insight for future enhancements. We're delighted that you found the experience interesting and ultimately worth it. Thank you again for your feedback and we look forward to having you again with us soon!
Overall great experience, definitely recommend the morning!
Rachel_F, Oct 2023
Overall this was a good tour and I would definitely recommend the early morning. There was an issue with the tickets to get into the vatican museum which caused us to have to wait for a while outside of the museum while our tour guide worked on resolving it so that is why it was not 5*
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're pleased to hear that you had a good overall experience on our tour. We apologize for the ticket issue that led to a delay, and we appreciate your understanding. Thank you for recommending the early morning tour, and we look forward to welcoming you again in Italy or anywhere else you'd like to explore!
Excellent Guide Made the Difference
Rachel_G, Oct 2023
Thomas was a fantastic guide! He was funny and entertaining while being extremely knowledgeable. He answered questions, went at an appropriate pace, and made sure we saw the important things. The three of us all had a great time, and three hours flew by!
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you very much for the terrific review. Thomas is indeed an amazing guide, and he has a way of being informative and entertaining at the same time. We are glad to hear you enjoyed the tour and we look forward into having you with us on your next trip to Italy!
Early Morning Vatican Tour
Dale_L, Sep 2023
Helpful getting ahead of crowd and having guide (Maria) explained history and significance of everything we saw. Very good and informative. Thank you.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a great review. Maria is a phenomenal guide and we're so pleased that you think that too. Thank you for letting us be a part of your trip in the Eternal City and we look forward to having you back with us in the future!
Great day out.
Sue_G, Sep 2023
Efficient and well organized tour in a very chaotic setting. Our guide Frank was an entertaining encyclopedia.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you so much for your terrific review and for acknowledging what an amazing guide Franco is.He is indeed a very passionate guide who loves to share his knowledge. Thank you for choosing our company and we can't wait to welcome you back with us in the future!
NOT A SMALL GROUP - AVOID
Jordan_S, Sep 2023
This tour is a blatant bait and switch. You will be on a tour with at least 16 people. The guide lost us in the Vatican and we were unable to reconnect. We were held hostage for an hour until we hid the fact that we were part of a group in order to exit. Viator customer service was completely unhelpful.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We apologize for any frustration during your Vatican tour. Our usual tour groups are smaller, and we regret any deviation from your expectations., as we typically prioritise smaller, more intimate experiences. It's essential for our clients to follow the guide's directions for a smooth and enjoyable experience, and we regret any inconvenience caused. We value your feedback and we hope to have the opportunity to offer you a more positive experience on a future tour!
Excellent Tour and Guide
Michelle_H, Sep 2023
The tour operator was on time, friendly and extremely knowledgeable and we had a great time. So glad we did the early morning tour as it was packed with people and hot in August. Listening ear bud was provided so we could hear as we toured around. So much to see there was not enough time to browse it all but we hit the highlights in fairly fast pace.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you so much for the terrific review. We are delighted to hear how much you enjoyed your Vatican Tour with us. The Early morning tour is indeed a great choice to avoid the bigger crowds. Thank you again for your positive review and don't hesitate to contact us if you are looking for more destinations to explore!
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From $197.45

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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