Beat the heat and crowds that can make visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel later in the day a chore with this early entry tour. Access the galleries before they open to the general public and marvel at works by Michelangelo, Raphael, and other greats in the quiet galleries while learning about their history and significance from your guide. End with time in the Sistine Chapel to admire its iconic ceiling frescoes.

Enjoy the peace and quiet inside the Vatican Museums in the early morning
Visit with a guide to focus on the top works in the vast museum collection
A small-group tour for a more relaxed pace and time to ask questions
Finish by late morning for a full day of sightseeing afterwards

What's Included

Skip the line ticket for Vatican Museums
Skip the line ticket for St. Peter's Basilica
Local English-speaking guide
Expertly guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica
Headset
Small groups of 15 people or fewer

Gratuities
Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Antico Caffè Candia
Via Candia, 153, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
Meet at Antico Café Candia at Via Candia, 153, 00192 Roma RM. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign.

End point

St. Peter's Basilica
Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
St. Peter's Basilica

What To Expect

Vatican Museums

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Sphere within a Sphere (Pass By)

Stanze di Raffaello

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
All guests (including children) must bring ID on the day of their tour.

Please note the attire must be appropriate for the visit. Both men and women are required to wear clothing that covers both shoulders and knees. We cannot be held responsible for denied entry due to improper dress. It is sufficient to bring extra coverings (i.e. scarves and shawls) with you to wear before entering the holy areas.
While the Vatican Museums are equipped with elevators for wheelchair and stroller access, they are not conveniently located on the group tour route and only give access to specific sections of the Museums. We advise clients to contact Walks Customer Service Team to make further arrangements
The tour is in English
Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, or for wheelchairs or strollers. Please contact the Guest Experience team to make alternative arrangements.
Walks / Devour complies with all local government regulations. Please refer to local government guidelines for the most up-to-date information.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 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

Reviews

4.5

704 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 704 reviews

Viator is a terrible company to book through

Randy_A, Apr 2024

While the tour itself was wonderful and the guide was outstanding, Viator was a terrible company to book through. I had booked this tour months ahead to get just the right early morning experience. Two days before the tour Viator cancelled my reservation. My bank did not recognize the charge and declined to process it. Within a couple of hours I had contacted my back and resolved this issue. Viator did not reach out to me or give me an option or a chance to correct or pay with a different card, they simply cancelled. When I called Viator to give them my payment, they would not accept it, telling me that the price for my tour was now 75% higher, even though there was still availability. This was a ripe off pure and simple. I’ll never use Viator again.

Excellent Vatican tour

JOHN_H, Apr 2024

Our tour guide Leaha was wonderful and very knowledgeable. Her personality and attention to everyone's experience was top notch.

The Vatican—a must see

Valerie_L, Apr 2024

No one should miss seeing The Vatican when in Rome and no one should see it without a guide. We booked the very early tour and so glad we did. The throngs of people we saw waiting in line after the tour were unbelievable. Loved seeing the museums, map room, Sistine Chapel and St.Peter’s without a crowd. I learned so much from our wonderful guide Rosa.

Awful customer service

Susan_F, Apr 2024

My family and I were stuck in traffic. I called I emailed and was told to go get the tickets it was fine as they were only 6 minutes late. There was no one to direct us to the proper tour guide as there were several standing around. I called again and was told just grab tickets and catch up with the tour guide. Again no indication of what tour guide. We have been using Viator for our entire visit to Italy and they wouldn’t budge on a refund. Lost over $500. Will NEVER USE AGAIN.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Susan, We are sorry to hear about your experience, and I understand your frustration. Our entrance tickets to the Vatican Museums are subject to strict timing requirements imposed by the venue itself. This means that it's crucial for all attendees to arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Unfortunately, any delays beyond this can impact the ability to join the tour as the venue mandates specific entry times. Regarding your request for a refund, I understand the disappointment of losing a significant amount of money. While we're unable to offer a refund due to the strict policies of the Vatican Museums, we are committed to providing alternatives. One option available to you is to reschedule the tour for another day that better fits your schedule. If you'd like to discuss this matter further or explore alternative options, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at feedback@walks.org. We are dedicated to addressing your concerns and ensuring a better experience in the future. Kind regards, Jhonas. Walks and Devour Tours.

Amazing!

Rebecca_N, Apr 2024

Really thankful for the perfect day with the perfect tour guide! We had an incredibly great time and enjoyed the tour!

A Wonderful Experience

Noreen_S, Apr 2024

Our tour of the Vatican Museums, led by Mauro, was excellent! He is a personable, engaged, professional and knowledgeable guide who brought a lot of added value to this experience. Meeting up with the tour was easy, after a bad experience in this respect with an unrelated tour the day before. A few minutes into the tour I switched from the throw-away single earphone to my own headphones for a much better audio experience. I would encourage you to promote this at the time of booking and at the start of the tour.

Wonderful tour!

Joseph_P, Apr 2024

This tour was the perfect length tour to capture the highlights of the Vatican and was an ideal time with fewer crowds where were able to really enjoy the Raphael Rooms with no other tour groups and the Sistine chapel with room to breathe and move. Our tour guide Antonietta was fabulous and so knowledgeable about not only the Vatican but the history of Rome. We choose to not fill our days with many tours and found that the knowledge of Antonietta really filled in many gaps for us and gave us a lot more context for somethings we already saw on our own in the city. I also really enjoyed that this tour did not take up the majority of our day. I'd highly recommend this to anyone.

The Vatican total tour

Stephanie_C, Apr 2024

Great experience! Meeting place is a nice cafe. The guide was very informative and helpful. We saw everything from the Museum to the Sistine. Very nice, and would recommend!

Worth it

Christine_K, Apr 2024

I enjoyed this tour - the tour guide Susannah was nice and good at explaining. Be aware that even though it's early access, you get in at 8am anyway. You still have to queue for security but there are less people than normal (still crowded though). There is a secret passage to skip the st peters basilica queue which was quite worth it.

Get the bigger tour

Debra_K, Apr 2024

The coliseum is an icon and was spectacular to see. We had booked an unguided minimum tour. I wish we had booked a tour with a guide and one that included more time and more access to other areas than we had.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Debra_K, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your recent experience. It seems there may be a slight confusion in your review, as you mentioned the Colosseum, but you selected the Early Vatican Museums Tour: The Best of the Sistine Chapel with us. We want to clarify that all our tours, including those that involve the Colosseum, are guided tours. Therefore, it appears that you may have left this review intended for another tour company or experience. If you believe there has been a mix-up or if you have any further feedback about your Vatican Museums tour, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly at feedback@walks.org. Kind regards, Jhonas. Walks and Devour Tours.

Brilliant tour

Julia_M, Apr 2024

Brilliant tour. Knowledgeable tour guide who spoke perfect English, and very convenient meeting point. Would recommend the early tour - we went for 745am and I wouldn’t leave ot any later as the Sistine Chapel was already busy by the time we got there.

Everything....

Cindylou_C, Apr 2024

Everything. Your tour guide was excellent, and well informed of the history of the Vatican and museum.

Just amazing

Ilona_C, Apr 2024

It all was amazing. The painting on the ceilings the walls. The mosaic on the floors,ceilings and walls. The sculptures that are all around. Mainly the story they tell.

Fantastic experience

Kim_G, Apr 2024

The opportunity to see the many artifacts, paintings, tapestries, mosaics, Sistine Chapel, st Peter’s’ Cathedral wan amazing. Our guide, Papa Frank, did an amazing job sharing an abundance of history along the was. We booked the small tour. Our group had 12 people which was the perfect size. Being on the arena floor was great experience. Views from the Palitan were awesome. Highly recommend this tour.

Amazingly educational, spiritual and enjoyable at a good pace

Michelle_M, Apr 2024

Our guide was super knowledgeable having studied art and it was obvious she was super passionate throughout our tour. Considering the sheer amount there is to see and learn about we are so lucky to have had her as our guide. This visit could have been completed without a guide but in my opinion, it’s very much worth the extra euros to be guided and go early! The museums are special, the Sistine Chapel is mind blowing (peaceful and spiritual) but the ultimate for me was St Peter’s Basilica! I will hopefully return

Waste of money

Ashley_G, Apr 2024

This tour was supposed to be early morning before crowds and we were instructed to meet at 7:45am but we didn’t have entry until 8:30am so we stood around outside of the entrance for 45 minutes. Once we entered, we were rushed through the museum and only shown a few pieces that our tour guide thought were important. We were only toured around from 8:30-11am then left in the garden to see things on our own. For spending $115 a person, I would have expected a much better tour. Save your money and do the self guided tour, you’ll be able to spend time on things you care about and see more.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Ashley, We appreciate your feedback regarding your recent experience with our Early Vatican Museums Tour: The Best of the Sistine Chapel. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay in entry and any perception of rushing through the museum. While we endeavor to optimize the timing to avoid crowds, occasional delays may occur due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. Regarding the pace of the tour, we strive to strike a balance between covering highlights and allowing time for deeper exploration. However, we acknowledge that individual preferences vary, and some guests may prefer a more leisurely approach. We do offer alternative tour options that give guests more time for independent exploration, and we would be more than happy to help you find one that better aligns with your preferences. It's important to note that we have received numerous positive reviews for this tour, and we are committed to maintaining the high standard of service that our guests have come to expect from us. If you would like to provide further feedback or discuss your experience in more detail, please don't hesitate to contact us at feedback@walks.org. We hope to have the opportunity to better serve you in the future. Thank you for choosing us for your Vatican Museums experience. Warm regards, Jhonas. Walks and Devour Tours.

Worth the money to go early

Becky_J, Mar 2024

Our guide was great and so knowledgeable. Going early was worth the extra price. There were still a lot of people, because several groups go early, but I never felt rushed or that it was over crowded

Great tour and experience!

Carol_M, Mar 2024

Our tour guide Julia was very knowledgeable and entertaining. She showed us all the important masterpieces in the museum while navigating us quickly through the large crowds.

Fantastic tour

N_M, Mar 2024

Fantastic tour. Our guide Sabina was wonderful. Highly recommend! Learned so much and entire family, including teens, enjoyed it immensely.

Giving us information as...

benilda_l, Mar 2024

Giving us information as we walked around. When you are awed in all that you see, it is easy to get lost and wander around. We only had few hours to spend, nice to be in a tour group.

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