Rome
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Semi-Private VIP Vatican Tour: Experience Art and History

Badge of ExcellenceRome, Italy
Special Sistine Chapel Tour Before It Opens to the Public
  • 5 hours
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Make the most of your time in Vatican City with this 5.5-hour tour of the Vatican Museums, the incomparable Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. See parts of the Vatican Museums collection that are often overlooked on shorter tours, including the Pinacoteca, and see masterpieces by Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.
  • 5.5-hour tour of Vatican City, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica
  • Enjoy skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums with an art historian guide
  • Visit lesser-known wings of the museum, including the Pinacoteca
  • Admire the Michelangelo frescoes in the Sistine Chapel
  • See the masterpieces inside the enormous St. Peter's Basilica

What's Included

  • Skip-the-line Tickets
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Expert, English-Speaking Guide
  • Headsets (for groups of 6 or more)
  • In-depth Vatican Experience and Sistine Chapel Tour
  • Transportation to and from the meeting and end points
  • Food and beverages
  • Gratuities (optional)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

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

    You will meet your guide at the flower stand on the corner of Viale Giulio Cesare and Via Leone IV at Viale Giulio Cesare, 237. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.

End point

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

What To Expect

See the top sights in Vatican City with the insights of your art historian guide to help put the art and architecture into historical perspective.

Enjoy skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums to begin your tour, giving you more time to see what's inside the museum rather than waiting in line outside. Learn about some of the famous pieces that started the collection, such as the classic Roman statue of the Apollo Belvedere and the Laocoon. See lesser-known wings of the museum, including the Pinacoteca or 'Picture Gallery,' as well as must-see sights like the Raphael Rooms.

Make your way from the Vatican Museums to admire Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. Then walk to the extraordinary St. Peter's Basilica next door. The vast interior of the church holds a number of famous pieces of art, including architectural elements designed by Bernini as well as Michelangelo's moving statue of the Virgin Mary holding the body of Christ, the 'Pietà.'

After your visit to St. Peter's Basilica, venture back outside to take in the massive church from St. Peter's Square. Hear stories about the history of the Catholic Church and the lives of the popes, many of whom had a huge, long-lasting impact on both the political and artistic history of Italy. Learn how papal history has influenced religious and European history over the centuries.

Take advantage of the small-group nature of the tour to ask questions of your guide at any point along the way.

Vatican Museums

3 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Square

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Stanze di Raffaello

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

La Pieta

10 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
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • 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 note that to obtain a student discount, valid student ID must be shown on the day of your tour. If a student does not have valid student ID, they may be charged a new full ticket price by the Museums, which must be paid by you on the day of the tour.
  • As this is a walking tour with steps and staircases, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
  • Please advise during the booking process if any travelers have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
  • 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

5.0
28 reviews
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Showing 1-1 of 28 reviews
Veni vidi
MaryKris_F, May 2023
Our Guides knowledge, experience and analysis of the Vatican was excellent. She did a great job herding us through the throngs of people.
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you very much for the wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us.  Thank you again for your feedback and we hope to have you back with us again in the future! Athina

From $232.06

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

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