Rome
Top Rome landmarks

Complete Vatican (Museums, Sistine Chapel, Basilica) - Max 10ppl

Badge of ExcellenceRome, Italy
Vatican Highlights Tour Semi Private Skip The Line
  • 3 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

The Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica can be intimidating for first-time visitor, both for the wealth of its art and for the vast area they cover. With this small-group tour, see the highlights with a guide for a comprehensive introduction to the Vatican Museums, Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica that won’t overwhelm. Afterwards, enjoy free time to explore St. Peter's Square, and even climb the dome for views over Rome.
  • Skip the lines into the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica
  • Tour with a guide to concentrate on the highlights of the vast collection
  • Learn about works by Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Raphael
  • Small group ensures more personalized attention from your guide

What's Included

  • Professional guide
  • Guaranteed to skip the long lines
  • Radio headsets (hear the guide clearly at all times)
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Small group of 10 people
  • Gratuities (optional)
  • Food & Beverage

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Via Tunisi, 4, 00192 Roma RM, Italy

    You will find your Vatican tour guide 'at the very bottom of the Stairs' of Via Tunisi, holding signs that say MAXIMUS TOURS. These stairs are directly opposite the entrance of the Vatican Museum. (We DO NOT meet on the steps of the Vatican Museums entrance you must cross the street).

End point

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

    After visiting the inside of St. Peter's Basilica with your guide, the tour will then finish directly in front of the Basilica. Afterwards you are free to enter the church once again, visit the tombs of past Popes, or climb the dome of the Basilica.

What To Expect

Vatican Museums

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • St Peter's Basilica is a holy place of worship and is not subject to the rules of the Vatican Museums. The Basilica is subject to close with little to no warning and in this case, the tour will conclude in the Sistine Chapel.
  • All youth / students aged 18-25 years must present a valid photo student ID and document with date of birth. Students below the age of 18 will only be asked to show proof of age.
  • A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No bare knees, no bare shoulders no bare stomachs. You are allowed to wear shorts, dress and skirts however the cloth must fall long enough to cover the ball of the knees and shoulders for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.
  • A moderate amount of walking is involved.
  • 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

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Reviews

4.5
363 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 363 reviews
I’d go again!
1718edie, Apr 2024
Our guide was wonderful! Very knowledgeable and gave us so much information. Also very nice! The Vatican and museums are amazing!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the tour and found our guide knowledgeable. Enjoy the rest of your time in Italy!
Excellent tour
Kathleen_P, Apr 2024
Our tour guide Josefina did an outstanding job! She was so knowledgeable and answered all of our many questions. I highly recommend this tour and Josefina :-)
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you so much! We're delighted to hear that Josefina provided you with an outstanding tour experience and that she could answer all your questions. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon!
Quick, Beautiful and Concise!
Ryan_K, Apr 2024
Our tour guide, Maura, was excellent for seeing the Vatican. The tour moves quickly which was why we booked it and we got to see all the main attractions at the museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. I really loved having Maura since she was born and raised in Rome, she gave us tons of tips for great places to take photos too!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Maura and that you were able to see all the main attractions. We're glad she could share her local insights with you. Hope to see you again soon!
Worthwhile visiting
Craig_W, Apr 2024
Good visit to the Vatican Museum. Tour guide was very knowledgeable about Sistine Chapel and paintings. Also knowledgeable about St Peter’s Basilica as well.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your 5 star review. We are thrilled that you enjoyed the Vatican tour with us. Enjoy the rest of your trip!
Great experience
Tim_W, Apr 2024
It was all great. I can get bored quite easily looking at artifacts etc but the tour guide kept us interested by showing us masterpieces
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thanks for sharing your experience! We are delighted our guide could keep you engaged with the masterpieces. We look forward to hosting you again in the not too distant future!
Do separate tours for St. Marks Basilica and the Museum/ Sinstine Chapel
Tracie_P, Apr 2024
This tour is incredibly rushed. I recommend finding one that leaves you/ends in the museum, or doing separate tours. 3 hours is not enough to St. Mark's Basilica, Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel. You basically walk non-stop with no time to take in what you are seeing or take photos. You cannot re-enter and only get 10-15 minutes in the Sistine Chapel. We really felt disappointed and if we had more time would have bought tickets to go back into the museum as it is a breathtaking and vast collection. You could spend a day going through it alone. Our guide was okay, but the tour is impossible to do well. There simply isn't enough time to discuss even the highlights in 3 hours. I'd be surprised if we covered even 20% of the museum- if it ended there you could then explore on your own.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi Tracie Thank you for your review however we are sorry you did not fully enjoy the tour. There is a lot to cover in 3 hours so we must move at a good pace in order to see it all. We also have a 5 hour tour which I think is what you should have booked. Hopefully you will have the chance to visit us again and we can show you more of that the Vatican has to offer.
Amazing!
Kody_B, Apr 2024
Our guide was absolutely amazing. This was a great tour and we would do it again in an instant! Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to see and learn about Vatican City!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had an amazing experience with our guide. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we'd be delighted to welcome you back anytime you're ready to explore Vatican City again!
Vatican Tour- Skip the Lines - Only Way to Go
Brian_S, Apr 2024
The ONLY way I would tell anyone to take a tour - our guide was a very nice lady named Franca I believe - outside is chaos at 9:00 as MANY groups are lining up to enter the tour - Maximus tours did a great job - only 10 in the group - navigated the chaos - got us in and situated - think Times Square NY Eve crowds or maybe Disney on steroids - this is the only way to see these 3 spots with a highly educated guide - we actually were blessed as a Priest when we were in the Sistine Chaple offered up a blessing and Mass was also being celebrated with choir/organ in St. Peters Cathedral - both very moving experiences - I DO NOT like large crowds once we were inside and groups went their own ways was a mostly positive experience
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're delighted to hear that you had a great experience with our guide, Franca. Navigating through the chaos can be overwhelming, but we're glad our small group tour made it easier for you to enjoy the Vatican. It's heartening to hear that you found the experiences in the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Cathedral moving. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back again in the future!
Wonderful
Michele_M, Apr 2024
Our tour guide Maura was so patient, knowledgeable and pleasant. It was a great experience. A+. From check in to finish, no problems, and easy. Even with our last minute booking.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that Maura provided you with a patient, knowledgeable, and pleasant tour experience. We're glad everything went smoothly from check-in to finish, and we appreciate the time you took out to write this review. Your positive feedback means a lot to us!
Vatican must see
JudithA_E, Apr 2024
The only way to see the Vatican museum, St Peter's basilica and surrounds. This tour gave us skip the line entry & a very well informed guide with only 10 participants was easy to get around. Meeting point was easy to find & locate tour starting point.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thanks for the 5 star review. We are glad you found our smaller groups more enjoyable and it was easy to get around with the guide. Thanks again!
So visually stimulating
Karen_T, Apr 2024
We had a wonderful guide, Giuseppe, who made the whole experience top notch. He is an artist and really pointed out so much. It was three hours and hard on the body, but worth every step.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for the 5 start review. We are thrilled that you enjoyed the tour with Giuseppe and found it a great experience. Thanks again!
Great tour
Judith_S, Apr 2024
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. She gave us lots of information and kept it upbeat and cheery.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you so much for the 5 star review! We are very happy you enjoyed our tour and you found the guide friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks again!
Great guide Patrizia & really great trip
Natalie_S, Apr 2024
Really easy to book online. I needed to change some details on my booking, but Viator sorted without issue. I used the app whilst away to find my bookings which I found really easy to use and it saved trawling through my emails. Really clear instructions are provided beforehand, so everything was perfect. Our guide Patrizia was really friendly and informative. Such a lovely sized group (9 including us and the guide). Was nice and intimate with such lovely people and made it easier to get around being in a smaller group. It made the whole experience that much more pleasurable.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're delighted to hear that Patrizia provided you with a friendly and informative tour. It's wonderful that you enjoyed the intimacy of the smaller group, making the experience even more enjoyable. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for more memorable tours in the future!
Maura was great! So much...
Manoela_O, Apr 2024
Maura was great! So much knowledge and care. She had a great pace throughout the tour and didn't rush. Must done when in Rome!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that Maura provided you with such a fantastic tour of Rome and you enjoyed it a lot. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable experiences in the future!
Spectacular art
Erin_D, Apr 2024
the views and everything was absolutely stunning. Our guide was very knowledgeable about everything in the Vatican museum, Sistine chapel and St. Peter’s. This was an experience that was very much looking forward to and it exceeded all of my expectations!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Erin Thank you so much for your review. We are glad that you enjoyed your time with us and that we exceeded expectations :) Safe travels!
An experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Cathy_M, Apr 2024
We were lucky to visit the vatican on Holy Thursday and skip the line! Our tour guide Maura was a terrific guide who had so much knowledge I wish I was able to record her to remember everything. She went above and beyond to navigate us thru a very busy tour and was able to share infomation we would not have known ... 1) to wait in line to get into 5:00 Holy Thursday mass that the pope was attending and 2) telling us about the stations of the cross at the Collesseum on Good Friday.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Cathy We love to join in experiences that stay for a lifetime so thank you for your kind words, Maura will be so pleased to read them. We hope that you will have the chance to come visit us again soon.
Good experience
Ana_F, Mar 2024
It was lovely !! I highly recommend , I’ve learned lots of new things about Rome and her history . Thank you again
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Ana Thank you for taking the time to write this review. We are happy that you enjoyed your time with us and that you learnt a lot. We hope to see you back again soon!
Perfect! Thank you Raf!
Christopher_M, Mar 2024
Raf was INCREDIBLE! We loved every second of our visit, and she was so helpful and informative. A perfect tour and worth every penny. Thank you!!!!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had an incredible experience with Raffaella. It's wonderful to know that you found the tour helpful and informative. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back again soon!
Great guide and awesome tour!
Dianne_B, Mar 2024
We had a wonderful experience with our tour guide Maura. She knew so much about everything on display and even though it was crowded she guided us expertly through the museums, the Sistine chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica! It is a lot of walking so be ready! Many stairs. It was so worth it though! Just breathtaking! It is an awesome experience, a lot of information, amazing works of art and well worth the money.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Dear Dianne Thank you for taking the time to write this review. We always love to read comments like this, and to know that we are providing our guests with a great experience. We hope to see you back again soon!
Great tour and wonderful guide!
Kathleen_H, Mar 2024
The entire tour was wonderful! Our guide was especially personable and it took 3 hours. I highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thanks for the 5 stars! We appreciate your positive feedback! It's great to know that you found the entire tour wonderful, and we're thrilled to have made your experience enjoyable. Enjoy the rest of your trip!
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From $149.40

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

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