Experience an insider’s view of the Vatican Museums on this 3.5-hour, small-group tour. First, skip the line at the Vatican Museums’ entrance, and head in to explore its main exhibits. Your guide tells you little-known facts along the way that many other tour guide don’t know. Visit the Hall of Maps, the Belvedere Courtyard, and the Sistine Chapel. Plus afterward, skip the lines at St. Peter’s Basilica, too.

3 hour Vatican Museums tour
Small-group tour limited to 10 people provides an intimate experience
Skip the long entrance lines at the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica
See Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace
Catch site of the modes of transportation of past and present popes in the Pavilion of Carriages
Visit the Pinecone Courtyard, Hall of the Maps, Gallery of the Tapestries, and Room of Muses
Hear lesser-known insider stories about the Vatican that aren’t told on other tours

What's Included

Skip the Line access to the Vatican Museums
Vatican Insider Guide

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Transportation

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Via Tunisi, 4, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
Plan on arriving to our meeting point at least 15 minutes in advance of your selected departure time. Meet our representative on the steps at Via Tunisi, located at the corner with Via Sebastiano Veniero. They will be holding a sign with the green EcoArt logo.

End points

This activity ends in a different location. See details below:

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What To Expect

Meet for this 3.5-hour tour of the Vatican Museums at about 2:30p.m. in front of the entrance. Check in with your guide, and then when everyone from your group has checked in, skip the long lines at the entrance to avoid the heavy crowds.

Because your group will have 10 people in it at the most, it makes it easier to hear your guide while you follow him or her through the museum. Listen to interesting insider information about past popes, the Vatican itself, and mysteries that still go unsolved today.

Visit many of the exhibits and areas of the museum, including the Hall of Maps, the Belvedere Courtyard, the Gallery of the Tapestries, the Room of Muses, the Pinecone Courtyard, the Round Room, and the Candelabra Gallery. Your last stop in the museums is at the very famous Sistine Chapel.

After the Sistine Chapel, make your way to St. Peter’s Basilica. Taking the direct entrance from the chapel allows you to also skip the long lines here. Your guide leaves you at about 6p.m., and you’re free to explore all you want until closing time.

Vatican Museums

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Cortile della Pigna

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sphere within a Sphere (Pass By)

Museo Pio Clementino

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Gallery of the Maps

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Stanze di Raffaello

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Museos Vaticanos (Pass By)

Vatican City (Pass By)

St. Peter's Square

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Children 6 and under are entitled to free access to the Vatican Museums (with proof of age)
Children aged 7-18 are entitled to a reduced entry fee (see tour and ticket pricing) and must provide proof of age.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult

A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.
Maximum group size is 10 people.
At least 4 people are required for the guided tour option to take place.
Check-in is 15 minutes prior to the booked start time. Tickets are time sensitive and we cannot accomodate late arrivals.
Skip the Line Access (no guided tour) to St. Peter's Basilica is included when available, except Wednesdays and special events.
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.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

370 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 370 reviews

Excellent.

Julie_S, Apr 2024

Ilaria was fantastic. So knowledgeable, informed and cordial. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and left knowing so much more than we would have possibly learnt on our own.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Julie, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are happy to know that your tour experience with our professional guide, Ilaria, was great. We look forward to seeing you again in the future! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Vatican Joy

David_M, Apr 2024

A wonderful and amazing tour. Our guide was amazing and the tour was thorough, detailed, and enlightening. Extremely knowledgeable and up to speed.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear David, Thank you for your feedback! We're happy to know that you had a perfect tour experience with our professional guide! Thank you for choosing EcoArt! We hope to see you again in the future! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Tour guide

Sam_W, Apr 2024

Riccardo was our tour guide and he was amazing. He has phenomenal memory of the history of Vatican City. He never paused or made a mistake when speaking for 3-4hours!. Very clear and informative. Blown away by how good the tour guide was. One of the best!. From Sam and Sophie

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Sam, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us! We're delighted to hear that your tour with our guide Riccardo was absolutely excellent! We look forward to seeing you again in the future! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Great, personal tour of Holy See

Patrick_O, Apr 2024

Had such a memorable experience with out tour guide, Oscar. He was extremely knowledgeable and easy to get along with.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Patrick, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us! We're delighted to hear that your tour with our guide Oscar was amazing! We hope to see you again! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Good experience with young children

PENGCHENG_Y, Apr 2024

Very efficient tour with small group. Tour guide was super helpful can’t remember her name but she refer as “Martini”

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear client, Thank you for your feedback. We are so happy to learn that our professional guide Martina made your tour experience absolutely great. Besides, it's a pleasure to know that our special option as small group tour made your experience more comfortable. Thank you for choosing EcoArt! We look forward to seeing you again in the future! Best regards, EcoArt Team

Excellent

ivy_t, Mar 2024

I had a pleasant experience. Monica was very informative and very thorough. Deserve a 5star . She was very fast when she talks but as long as you focus you will able to follow her.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Ivy, Thank you for your feedback. It's a pleasure to know that our professional guide Monica made your tour experience truly perfect and very informative. Thank you for choosing EcoArt. We look forward to seeing you again in the future. Best regards, EcoArt Team

Excellent!

Annie_A, Mar 2024

Loralay was simply wonderful! She made it quite a unique experience even within such a crowd of people. She was pleasant, spoke incredibly well, and she knew her history! 10 person tour totally with it!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Dear Annie, Thank you for your feedback and these kind words. We are very glad to know that our professional guide Loreley made your tour experience absolutely wonderful! Hope to see you again! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Fabulous Experience

Narayanan_N, Mar 2024

Monica our guide was fantastic ! Well organised and clean execution. Kudos to Monica and the Ecoart team !

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Dear Narayanan, Thank you for your feedback! We're absolutely happt to learn that Monica, our professional guide, provided you with such a fantastic tour experience. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Get skip the line tickets

Brenda_M, Mar 2024

I highly recommend that you book a skip the line tour. By the time we got out, the line to get in was probably a mile long (no exaggeration). I felt rather rushed along the way through the museum. There was little time to ask questions as we went, although we had some pictures to looks at beforehand of the chapel.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Dear Brenda, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We understand your concern regarding the crowds at the Vatican Museums. Indeed, it can get quite busy, and lines are not uncommon. However, we would like to clarify that you were able to bypass the main queue and receive a more streamlined experience. Ensuring the comfort and satisfaction of our guests is always our priority. We make visits as smooth as possible for all our guests. We look forward to seeing you again! Best regards, EcoArt Team

Captivating

Amy_M, Mar 2024

The tour guide was excellent! She clearly loves her job and knows how to share stories about the art we saw in ways that helped understand and remember the context. We would not gotten nearly as much out of this visit without the guide.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Dear Amy, Thank you for your kind words! We are happy to learn that our professional guide made your tour experience absolutely excellent! Hope to see you in the future! Best regards, EcoArt Team

Amazing experience

Janet_T, Mar 2024

We had a wonderful morning with Loreley our tour guide she was so knowledgeable and friendly….I would thoroughly recommend this tour

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Dear Janet, Thank you for your feedback! We're glad to know that your tour experience with our professional guide Loreley was wonderful! We hope to welcome you back in the future! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Missed due to traffic.

Carol_M, Nov 2023

I Missed the Vatican tour due to our bus being late. Had to buy another ticket and tour on site. It was not Viators fault.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Dear Carol, We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by missing the tour due to traffic. Our tours operate on a tight schedule, and we are unable to wait beyond the designated start time due to security and entry regulations at the Vatican. To ensure a smooth experience for all guests, we kindly request that participants arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before the scheduled tour time. We understand the challenges of traffic and sympathize with your situation. We appreciate your understanding and hope to have the opportunity to host you on a future tour. Best regards, EcoArt Team

Amazing tour and guide

Susan_D, Nov 2023

We are so happy to have booked this tour. It was EXCELLENT. Our tour guide was Martina and we absolutely loved her knowledge and humor. She is obviously a seasoned pro. Highly recommend. It was also fantastic to skip the line into St. Peter's Basilica.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Dear Susan, Thank you for your feedback. We are happy to know that your tour with our professional guide, Martina, was truly excellent! We are more than happy to learn that our Skip-the-line service at the Vatican Museums proved to be beneficial during your visit. Our ultimate goal is to provide our guests with an exceptional experience and ensure their comfort throughout their tour. The bustling crowds, especially during the peak tourist season in Rome, often result in long queues at the Vatican Museums. We are delighted that our service helped enhance your overall visit. We look forward to seeing you again! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

History

Brent_W, Oct 2023

Great view of history in person with a great guide. She was professional and polite and she felt like a friend to all in the group.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Dear Brent, Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. We're thrilled to hear that our professional guide played a significant role in making your tour great! Our guides take great pride in ensuring that our guests have a memorable and enjoyable experience. They are not just guides but also friendly companions to our visitors, and it's wonderful to know that you had a positive interaction with our guide. We look forward to the opportunity to serve you in the future and make your next visit just as enjoyable. Thank you for choosing us for your tour! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Very informative

Shirley_T, Oct 2023

Definitely get the skip the line tour!!!! Our guide was extremely informative and very considerate of people’s abilities.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Dear Shirley, Thank you for your feedback. We're very happy to know that your tour with our professional guide was very informative and also comfortable. It's our goal to provide our guests with exceptional experiences. We're also pleased to hear that our "skip-the-line" option enhanced your tour's comfort. We aim to make your visit as convenient and enjoyable as possible, and it's gratifying to know that this option contributed to your positive experience. We look forward to serving you again and making your future tours just as wonderful. Best regards, EcoArt Team

Excellent and informative

Vicki_D, Oct 2023

Adriano was an excellent guide. Very informative, lots if history. Vatican was crowded and hot. We walked a lot and had many sets of stairs to climb. Many people were struggling and were not prepared.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Dear Vicki, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We're absolutely happy to know that our professional guide made your tour perfect! We look forward to serving you again in the future! Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Wonderful fabulous amazing!

Paula_A, Oct 2023

Martina was absolutely fantastic. So knowledgeable, fun and caring. I have mobility problems and she went out of her way to make sure my needs were accomodate. Ten out of ten for this tour & for our fab tour guide.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Dear Paula, Thank you for your feedback. We are very happy to know that your tour with our professional guide Martina was absolutely fantastic. Our team takes pride in providing informative and engaging experiences, and we are pleased to know that you had a positive and enriching visit. We value your feedback and look forward to serving you again. Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Enjoyable & informative tour

Mary_D, Oct 2023

My husband & I booked a small group tour of the Vatican museums & Sistine Chapel through Viator. Our tour guide Oscar provided an informative & enjoyable tour & kept in close contact with his small group through the large crowds. I would recommend this tour to experience the Vatican & avoid the long queue for tickets & admission to St Peter’s Basilica, especially in hot weather.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Dear Mary, Thank you for getting in touch with us. We are thrilled to hear that your tour with our professional guide, Oscar, was not only comfortable but also a great experience overall. Our team takes pride in ensuring that our guests have an enjoyable and memorable time. Additionally, we are delighted that you found our small group tour option to be convenient. It's designed to provide a more personalized and intimate experience, and we're glad to know it enhanced your visit. We look forward to the opportunity of hosting you again in the future. Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Great way to tour the Vatican

Drew_C, Oct 2023

Laura was a fantastic tour guide. We had a great experience and learned a lot from the tour. Definitely would recommend

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Dear Drew, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We're happy to know that your tour with our professional guide Laura was perfect. Thank you for choosing EcoArt for your tour, and we look forward to serving you again. Warm regards, EcoArt Team

Amazing!

Daniel_F, Oct 2023

There were three of us and the group was no more than 10-12 total. Although we entered the Vatican before opening, there were several other "skip the line" tours however it was not overcrowded as it would be later in the day, and did not have to wait in any lines. Ricky was very good at avoiding the larger groups and his knowledge of the artwork was amazing. I would not hesitate to recommend this tour to anyone.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Dear Daniel, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're delighted to hear that your guided tour with EcoArt and our professional guide, Riccardo, was truly amazing. We aim to provide our guests with exceptional experiences, and it's fantastic to know that Riccardo and our special options like the small group tour and "skip-the-line" feature contributed to making your tour comfortable and enjoyable. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable adventures in the future. Best regards, EcoArt Team