5 hours
Skip the line
2 languages
Private tour

Highlights

Join this extended fast access tour of the Vatican in the company of a very knowledgeable English-speaking guide. On most of the Vatican tours there is only enough time to see the highlights of the numerous treasures housed in the nine miles of galleries. On this tour you see the “must see” artworks, but much more as we take you on a journey through the Vatican Art Gallery, the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Square.

Inclusions

What's included

Local guide
Professional guide
Private tour
Professional art historian guide
Guaranteed to skip the long lines

What's not

Gratuities
Lunch
Private transportation
St Peter's Basilica

Itinerary

This splendid tour takes in the Galleries of Maps, Tapestries and Candelabra. In the latter you will see the famous sculpture of Lacoon and his sons. As well as these wonderful galleries you will spend time in the Raphael Rooms, and of course visit the Sistine Chapel. As you wend your way through the Vatican Museums your guide will point out the most important works of art and in particular give you an insight into Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel so that you can gain a much better appreciation of this magnificent chapel and its decorations.On this extended tour you have the opportunity to see much more of the wonders that are housed in the Vatican City including its numerous sculptures, some very famous and some equally stunning but almost unknown.
2 hAdmission included
From the Sistine Chapel to Raphael’s Rooms, on this tour we ensure that in addition to the Vatican Museum’s highlights we show you a few surprises as well – things you didn’t know were housed within its walls.Something not on the normal tourist itinerary is a visit to the Borgia Apartments. Adorned with family portraits these apartments were occupied in the 15th century by the notorious Borgia Family. Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia of Spain, Pope Alexander VI, lived here with his beautiful daughter Lucretia and charismatic son Cesare. Your guide will explain the history hidden within the family portrait’s religious content and tell you some family secrets – a glimpse into the lives of this extraordinary family! Before you arrive at the next stop on the tour, the Sistine Chapel, your guide will explain something of the history of Michelangelo’s magnificent frescoes; what to look for and why they are so renowned. It took eight years to complete this amazing ceiling, a real labour of love!
1 hAdmission included
The tour ends in Saint Peter’s Square where your guide will give you some information about the magnificent statues by Bernini that surround the square. A perfect end to a wonderful tour!
1 hAdmission included

Cancellation

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Reviews

5.0

Ratings come from 13 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Meeting point: At the stairs outside the Vatican museums (street address is viale Vaticano ), under the big white monumental door topped with statues. Your guide will have a sign with your name.
Pickup: Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
Ticket type: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operated by: Tours of the Vatican with Francesco & his team

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
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
READ CAREFULLY: Because of the growing popularity of the current pope Francis and his intense activity in organising mass events in the Vatican some areas might get closed last minute without previous notice. This has already happened this year and can happen again during you Vatican tour. In case of such events our tour guide will provide you with a valuable alternative focusing the tour inside the Vatican museums.
Please note that due to Jubilee restrictions, access to the Basilica is not accessible

How it compares in Rome

Its from-price is close to the median of the 984 day trips we list in Rome.
It is shorter than most of them.
By number of reviews it ranks 144 of 984.

About Rome

Rome layers nearly three thousand years of history into one walkable city, from the Colosseum and Forum to Baroque piazzas and Vatican art.

Ancient Rome is still in plain sight. The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill sit together at the city's heart, the Pantheon still stands with its open oculus, and fragments of temples and aqueducts turn up between apartment blocks. Across the Tiber, Vatican City holds St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Top-ranked sights in Rome: Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel.

See all 8352 experiences in Rome