3 hours
Skip the line
2 languages
Private tour

Highlights

With skip-the-line entry and the services of a very knowledgeable guide this is an excellent half-day tour of the Vatican to see not only the highlights but much more besides. It is a private tour you gain access to parts of the Vatican not on the usual tour itinerary. You can go at your own pace and with skip-the-line access bypass the crowds and get to see so much more of this magnificent place. Choose between our slots available in the morning and the afternoon

Inclusions

What's included

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

What's not

Gratuities
Private transportation

Itinerary

In the company of a local and very knowledgeable guide you will visit the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peters Basilca. Your guide will share with you the history of the Vatican and tell you many interesting facts and anecdotes about the splendid artwork you will see. After meeting your guide your visit begins at the Belvedere Courtyard and then on to the Pio-Clementine museum with its unparalleled display of ancient Roman and Greek Statues. Some of the Vatican’s most precious treasures are on display in the Gallery of Tapestries and Gallery of Maps that has the largest collection of Renaissance Maps in the World. The Sobeisky Rooms holds the largest canvas to be displayed in the Vatican Museums and the Immaculate Conception Rooms has some of the most wonderful frescoes. Nothing can compare however with the wonderful works of art by Raphael displayed in the rooms he painted for Pope Julius II. Here is the famous Parnassus ad School of Athens.
1 hAdmission included
Then it is on to the Sistine Chapel. Before you enter your guide will explain the history of this famous chapel, still in use today to host the conclave for the election of a new Pope, and tell you about the famous frescoes by Michelangelo, Botticelli and their Renaissance contemporaries.
1 hAdmission included
It is then time for a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica where you will explore the numerous side chapels with their hidden crypts. You will see Michelangelo’s Pietà and your guide will explain why this is the only work that he signed. You will gain an appreciation of the mastery that went into the creation of Bernini’s altarpiece and learn how Michelangelo triumphed over his contemporaries for the honour to paint St. Peter’s magnificent dome. There is still more to see though below ground level. You guide will lead you below ground to the papal crypt where, over the centuries, many of the Popes have been interred. This special place is a site of pilgrimage for many Catholics.
30 minAdmission included
The tour end in Saint Peter’s Square; see the Pope’s Palace, gaze upon Bernini’s statues that surround this magnificent square and perhaps take a photo of the uniquely attired Vatican Swiss Guard.
30 minAdmission included

Cancellation

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

Reviews

5.0

Ratings come from 7 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 Vatican Museums entrance at the main monumental white door. Your guide will be holding a sign with your name on it.
Pickup: Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
Ticket type: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operated by: Sistine Chapel Tours

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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: Due to the Jubilee the Basilica might not be accessible as part of the tour. Unfortunately, we know that very last minute. In any case, you can go there after the tour, queuing.

How it compares in Rome

Its from-price is 126% above the median of the 8352 experiences we list in Rome.
Its length is typical for the group.
By number of reviews it ranks 2605 of 8352.

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