2 hours
Guided in English
Instant confirmation
Mobile ticket

Highlights

Discover the highlights of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with an official guide on this early access tour with a small group. Enter the Vatican Museums right as they open for the day. Enjoy the masterpieces without the bustling crowds as you follow your guide through the Belvedere Courtyard, the Gallery of Maps, the four Raphael Rooms, and more. Learn from your guide where Raphael worked the faces of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo into his frescoes. Next, head to the Sistine Chapel, visit at the most peaceful time of day. Get a full run-down of Michelangelo's frescoes, including a detailed handout, from your guide before heading in. Note: Access to St. Peter's Basilica is not Included in this tour.

Inclusions

What's included

Skip-the-line access to Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Professional Guide
Admission to Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

What's not

Access to St. Peter's Basilica
Hotel Pickup and Drop-off

Itinerary

Marvel at the museums’ awe-inspiring art collection, world-renowned frescoes inside the Sistine Chapel, and the Renaissance era paintings in the Raphael Room with an advantage of avoiding the stressful long queue and get escorted inside the Vatican Museums through the priority access. After a regular security check, we will head towards the most important galleries and breathtaking masterpieces collection of art. At 75 meters long, the Gallery of the Tapestries is named after the elaborate Flemish tapestries that drape its walls. The Gallery of the Maps, painted between 1580 and 1585, takes its name from the 40 maps frescoed on the walls, representing each of the Italian regions and papal properties at the time of Pope Gregory XIII. Be mesmerized by the beauty contained in the Vatican Museums and Michelangelo’s undisputed masterpiece.
1.5 hAdmission included
You will hear details about the election process called Conclave which ends up with white smoke from the chimney installed in the Chapel. See original "Last Judgement" and try to find Michaelangelo's face in between more than 300 painted characters.
30 minAdmission included

Cancellation

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

Reviews

3.9

Ratings come from 21 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: Meet your guide inside the Vatican Museums at the Guided Tour Kiosk.
Pickup: Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
Ticket type: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group size: Up to 10 travellers
Operated by: Rome City Tour

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

How it compares in Vatican City

Its from-price is 22% above the median of the 244 experiences we list in Vatican City.
Its length is typical for the group.
By number of reviews it ranks 44 of 244.

About Vatican City

Vatican City is a tiny independent state inside Rome, home of St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

Vatican City is an independent state of less than half a square kilometre, enclosed by walls inside Rome on the west bank of the Tiber, and the smallest country in the world. It is the seat of the Catholic Church and the home of the pope. St Peter's Square, framed by Bernini's curving colonnades, leads to St Peter's Basilica, built over the traditional tomb of the apostle Peter, with Michelangelo's dome rising above and his Pietà inside.

Top-ranked sights in Vatican City: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica.

See all 244 experiences in Vatican City