Rome

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel guided tour + skip the line ticket

Rome, Italy

Skip the Line to Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica

1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Explore the sprawling collections within the Vatican Museums during this express skip-the-line guided tour. An ideal option for travelers short on time, you’ll visit highlights spanning centuries, including the frescoed ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. Enrich your visit with commentary from a trained art historian. Tours are available in English, French, Italian, and Spanish.

A skip-the-line 90-minute to 2-hour tour of the Vatican Museums
Get an in-depth introduction to the iconic collection
Listen to context and insights from a designated art historian guide
Bypass the usual wait times with guaranteed fast-track entry

What's Included

skip-the-line ticket (not included on the last Sunday of the month)
Professional Art Historian Guide
entry assistance
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
last Sunday of the month the ticket is free, the price is low, the queue cannot be avoided.

Food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Via Mocenigo, 2, 00192 Roma RM, Italy

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Vatican Museums

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
be at the meeting point 15 minutes before
dress code equires to cover knees and shoulders
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 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.

Reviews

3.0

24 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 24 reviews

Horrible unreliable service. Don’t recommend booking here

ramon_h, May 2024

It was cancelled 2x by viator and eventually we missed the Vatican City. Thanks for that as we travelled to Rome to visit this and we thought viator was a trustable portal. Of course viator blamed the operator but they did all they could to still provide us with a spot but everything was full. The operator(not viator) called all surrounding companies that was offering the tours but all was full. First and last time I used viator.Viator takes no responsibility and they simply say sorry and here’s your money back. But they don’t care about customer service and they don’t think about the distance people travel to make visits to these sites and they don’t understand or care that a sorry and here’s your money back is a solution.

Viator is a sham company

Johan_K, May 2024

Viator had the booking cancelled by the operator. They denied that that happened, and later did nothing to find a replacement guide/tour/entry ticket. Operator indicated they cancelled all Viator bookings as they stopped working with them due to bad service. Advice: avoid Viator. Vatican was nice though!

Lame tour guide

Carolyn_B, Aug 2023

Well the tour did not give good instructions on meeting place after the sisten chapel. She lost half her group and had no way of getting in touch with us. We were suppose to go to the basilica but didn’t cause she just continued with only half her group. She was more worried about getting the radio back then making sure we got the full experience we paid for.

Worst experience ever and customer service was rotten!!

Marnie_H, Sep 2022

We turned up to our meeting point early and waited and no-one turned up. Checked my phone, no messages. I went to the other tour guides and checked with them that I was in the right place and they confirmed that I was. I went into the app and contacted the tour operator but it was too late. They simply said that they had an electric blackout and their office is no accessible. They also said they had tried to call my phone but I had no messaged from them. It was the last tour for the day so I had to pay for another tour. When I asked for a refund they refused so I went through Viator. They simply came back to me and said "sorry we are unable to provide you with a refund" and not explanation at all. The whole experience was so disappointing and no customer service at all!!!!

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Please be more sincere next time. In the message you sent us you said you had no internet connection. So, how we had to contact you in case of need? Too bad it is not possible to upload a photo to this answer otherwise I would have shown the screen shot of the calls and messages sent to your phone number

Wasted time and 4 x the cost.

Sheridan_M, Jun 2022

Late leaving. No place to wait/overcrowded tour. Operators were disorganized and we had to go with them while they exchanged tickets- in the lines we were supposed to skip. Guide didn’t speak into his microphone so many had trouble hearing. The tour was very rushed as we hadn’t been told that the Sistine chapel would close and had to hurry through museum to get there. We spent about 10 minutes in the Sistine chapel and the guide disappeared- not found on other side where he was supposed to facilitate access to the basilica. We spent close to $400 for an experience that we could have done ourselves for less than $100.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

hello, I am sorry your experience didn't meet your expectations. We did exactly was we was supposed to do. I don't understand why you say we are not organized. You skip the line at the entrance as per your booking but we cannot skip the obligatory procedures inside the museum. The line at the entrance could be avoided thanks to the reservation we had with the Museum. Once inside the procedure requires to exchange the reservation we had into individual tickets, we are obligated to show the children at the dedicated desk and we need to pick up the earphones that the Museum provides. This procedure is the same with us, with another company and even if you go on your own. You had a tour with 30 people while the information provided online says "maximum 50 people". You booked the last entrance to the museum and all galleries closed 1 hour after the last admission. I suggest you to book our tour in the morning next time so that you can stay inside the Vatican Museum for the time you need. The Vatican Museum allows to stay inside the Sistine Chapel for 10 minutes only and this is a rule valid for all visitors not only for us. The tour ends with the entrance to the Sistine Chapel where is forbidden to speack so if the guide left you there he did his job correctly. For sure a private tour allows to followthe procedure fastly so I suggest you to book a private experience next time. Regards

Scum

Indira_B, Jun 2022

This tour was such a scum. I paid almost $90 per ticket. It was supposed to be 3 hours tour. It was in and out experience. The tour was scheduled for 3:15. It was almost 3:30 when the person who took us to our tour guide showed up. It was run through the museum and before we went to the Sistine Chapel our tour vise took our headphones and said good bye. We were finished and out at 5:15. So it was not even 2 hours.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Hello, Let me clarify that 3:15pm is the meeting time and 3:30pm is the entrance time to the museum. So we respected the time schedule. As the guide told you and as you could verify, inside the Sistine Chapel is forbidden to speak. That's the reason why before to enter the Sistine Chapel the guide collected the earphones. If you check your booking confirmation the duration time is variable. A tour can take from 1,5 hour up to 2 hours (not 3 hours). The variable duration is connected to the crowd inside the museum and the eventually closure of some galleries decided by the Vatican Museum. Hoping to have clarified I wish you a great day!

Our guide was a great story teller, fantastic time!

Amy_P, Jun 2022

We had a fantastic time! Our tour guide was wonderful, she lead us thru telling us great stories especially the one about the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Such a good experience would highly recommend.

Nice tour

Ignacio_M, Jun 2022

Very well organized, small group Very nice guide not too long nor too short Nice tour of the vatican

Brilliant tour

AileenAherne, Jun 2022

Brilliant tour with an excellent experienced Roman tour guide. She made sure the kids were included throughout the tour, we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

Don’t Use This Tour Company

Tanya_B, Jun 2022

There was no sign for the company. I had to call the company to find out that I needed to go into another company’s office. The “wrangler” had us stand in the sun waiting for a guide who was late. It was unorganized, no one explained what was happening. The original wrangler handed us off to another wrangler who didn’t explain anything either. We got into the museum after 4pm and our tour was for 3pm with entry at 3:30. We didn’t even attempt to go inside where they still needed to buy tickets until 4pm. We left the tour early and still didn’t make it in time to see the Basilica.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Dear Mrs Bower, I'm sorry you waited but you came 30 minutes before (at 2:30pm) the meeting time while we told you by phone that 3pm was fine. That's why you had to wait.... The meeting time was at 3pm and the entrance time at 3:30pm. Nobody took you to another office.....the meeting point is only one and from there we took you to the Vatican Museum entrance where our staff was ready to welcome you. I'm sure you noticed that we could skip the line at the entrance showing the reservation we had for the group. The procedure at the Vatican Museum requires to exchange the reservation for a group with individual tickets at the entrance. So, we didn't buy any other ticket. This wouldn't be allowed by the Vatican Museum.... If you camed at the time you booked you wouldn't have to wait a lot

Great tour guide

Hugh_S, Jun 2022

Excellent guided tour Enjoyed history Not like a Vatican police. Nasty and rude. As others said to him, “you don’t have to be a dick” Besides him and all the crap they pushing on you to buy, guided tour was very good

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Hi Mr Hugh! I am very happy to know you loved our service and the tour guide! I know the Vatican guard should be kinder that's wht we accompany all our guest until the tour starts. I hope you see you again in future!

Communication

Kurt_M, Sep 2021

Communication of meeting area was Poor at most and we were at correct place. Didn’t make original time of tour even though there hour early Why is it called SKIP the line? There wasn’t one. We were booked later but we lost entire afternoon. Would not recommend. Do on your own

Response from Host, Sep 2021

Dear Kurt, in a normal period line is very busy, right now Vatican limitated accesses so you don’t find a line, but if you do not book you cannot even find tickets. Without a guide that explains I think Vatican Museums have no meaning. Thank you for your choice.

Maravillosa

Elvira_M, Jul 2022

La Guia Maribel fue fantastica. No solo sabia mucho, sino transmitia una pasion por el arte que nos encanto.

Espere y disfrute

BAYRON_R, Jun 2022

Que la hora de l visita era las 12:00m y estuvimos esperando hasta las 2:39 para empezar la visita guiada. La visita fue muy buena y bien guiada pero la espera inicial fue horrible

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Hola, como ya dicho 3l dia antes de la visita tuvimos un problema con la guia de las 12 y por eso la llamè para saber si era posible para su familia hacer el tour a la 1:30. Le di la opcion de elegir el tour Ingles o Espanol. Usted aceptò sin problema. Al llegar a la oficina, Manolo los llevò a la entrada y hicieron el tour sin espera. El inicio del tour ha sido postpuesto no la hicimos esperar 2 horas...no seria profesional

Ofrecen un servicio...

hernan_s, Jun 2022

Ofrecen un servicio cobrando para un dia de entrada gratuita y no hay nadie en la ofcina que responda al momento de la cita

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Hola, Usted reservò un tour guiado a los Museos Vaticano para el ultimo domingo del mes, dia en el cual el boleto de entrada es gratuito, no el tour. Como escrito online y tambien en la confirmacion de reserva que usted recibiò, el ultimo domingo del mes la entrada es gratuita, el cuesto, al 50% del precio normal, se refiere al servicio guiado. Usted hubo esactamente el servicio reservado: un tour con guia authorizada sin pagar el boleto. Queda claro que cobramos para la visita guiada....no deberiamos hacerlo?

Likely to Sell Out