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Sistine Chapel Tour: Serene Morning or Relaxed Afternoon
4.7
861 Ratings
Roma
Experience the serenity of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica with an early entry to the Vatican Museums. Avoid the crowds and enjoy a guided tour of the highlights. Don’t miss this unique opportunity!
Experience the serenity of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica with an early entry to the Vatican Museums. Avoid the crowds and enjoy a guided tour of the highlights. Don’t miss this unique opportunity!
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Vatican Museums - When choosing the Early Vatican Museums Tour or Afternoon Vatican Museums Tour, the guide will provide a comprehensive tour of the Vatican Museums, highlighting all the key artworks. By visiting either before or after the peak daytime crowds, there is more space and tranquility to fully appreciate the stunning art within the…
- Vatican Museums - When choosing the Early Vatican Museums Tour or Afternoon Vatican Museums Tour, the guide will provide a comprehensive tour of the Vatican Museums, highlighting all the key artworks. By visiting either before or after the peak daytime crowds, there is more space and tranquility to fully appreciate the stunning art within the Museums.
- Cortile del Belvedere - Includes a guided tour and photo opportunity.
- Sphere within a Sphere - On the Early Vatican Museums Tour or Afternoon Vatican Museums Tour, visitors will encounter a remarkable bronze globe in the serene Pinecone Courtyard. Created for the Vatican by renowned Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro, replicas of this piece are displayed worldwide, including in Dublin, Tel Aviv, and New York City.
- Stanze di Raffaello - Opting for the Early Vatican Museums Tour allows visitors to explore the Raphael Rooms, which are typically as crowded as the Sistine Chapel during the day. However, in the early morning, when the Museums have just opened, there is ample space to enjoy them peacefully. The guide will highlight where Raphael incorporated the faces of his contemporaries, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, into his frescoes.
- Gallery of Maps - Includes a guided tour and photo opportunity.
- Gallery of Tapestries - Includes a guided tour and photo opportunity.
- Sistine Chapel - By selecting the Early Vatican Museums Tour or Afternoon Vatican Museums Tour, visitors can experience the Sistine Chapel without the usual crowds. Entering early in the morning or late in the afternoon allows for a more peaceful appreciation of the incredible frescoes.
- St. Peter’s Basilica - On the Early Vatican Museums Tour, the visit concludes with a direct entry to St. Peter’s Basilica through a special secret passage, avoiding the long lines forming outside. The morning ends with a comprehensive tour of this sacred space, featuring Michelangelo’s poignant Pietà, Bernini’s magnificent altarpiece, and much more, while learning the stories and legends behind them. Note: The special access passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica may close unexpectedly. On such occasions, the tour will instead explore the magnificent Pinacoteca Gallery.
What's Included
- Expertly guided tour of the Vatican
- Skip the line ticket for Vatican Museums
- Skip the line ticket for St. Peter’s Basilica (AM Tour option only)
- Small groups of 15 people or fewer
- Guests can stay and enjoy time at their leisure after the tour finishes
- Expertly guided tour of the Vatican
- Skip the line ticket for Vatican Museums
- Skip the line ticket for St. Peter’s Basilica (AM Tour option only)
- Small groups of 15 people or fewer
- Guests can stay and enjoy time at their leisure after the tour finishes
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Additional Information
Enter the Sistine Chapel at the most peaceful time of day to enjoy Michelangelo’s masterpiece in serenity and embark on a thorough guided tour of the Vatican Museums, ending at the awe-inspiring St. Peter’s Basilica. There’s no better way to see the highlights of the Vatican without the crowds that descend upon the galleries later in the day. Not a…
Enter the Sistine Chapel at the most peaceful time of day to enjoy Michelangelo’s masterpiece in serenity and embark on a thorough guided tour of the Vatican Museums, ending at the awe-inspiring St. Peter’s Basilica. There’s no better way to see the highlights of the Vatican without the crowds that descend upon the galleries later in the day. Not a morning person? Book the Afternoon Vatican Museums Tour with Sistine Chapel for a relaxed afternoon visit after the crowds have left for the day.
- The tour is in English.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- The special access passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica is closed on Wednesdays and is subject to other unexpected closures during special celebrations/festivities, including the Easter ceremonies. On such days we will instead explore the magnificent Pinacoteca Gallery.
- All guests (including children) must bring ID on the day of their tour.
- Due to the religious nature of the Vatican, all individuals regardless of gender must cover their shoulders and knees. Walks cannot be held responsible for those denied entry.
- Please note: starting December 2024, access to St. Peter’s Basilica may be limited due to the Vatican’s Jubilee Year 2025, which includes special events and ceremonies. These closures are determined by the Vatican and are beyond our control. Thank you for your understanding.
- Walks and Devour comply with all local government regulations. Please refer to local government guidelines for the most up to date information.
Location
Antico Caffè Candia
Via Candia
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at Antico Café Candia, Via Candia, 153, 00192 Roma RM.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(861 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
635chloel
Dec 19, 2024
Informative tour - Guide is knowledgeable and the tour is really informative. We learn a lot.
Skip the line and directly move to St Peter Basilica is one major plus point.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gina_c
Nov 21, 2024
What an Experience - Our tour guide Dario was amazing! He wasso informative and readily available to answer any questions our group had. Highly recommend going to the Vatican on early for the best experience.
Review provided by Viator
Ann
Nov 21, 2024
Early Morning Small Group—-The only way to tour the Vatican. - Maria-Theresa, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and personable and made the 4 hour tour fly by. Our small group was met promptly at 7:15 am at the meeting point (which was by a little cafe where you could grab a coffee or pastry before the tour)whisperers were distributed and then we proceeded to the Vatican to line up and wait til the opening time of 8am. Our group was 2nd in line after a private tour group of 5 individuals. Our guide efficiently used this waiting time to give us background information on the Sistine Chapel as it is a silent place and no cameras are allowed. She distributed lovely colorful descriptive handouts for us to keep. The tour began through the exterior courtyards and gardens with plenty of time for pictures and then we toured the rooms of the Vatican Museum. It is overwhelming but our guide highlighted the significant pieces, again allowing time for photographs. We had ample time in the Sistine Chapel to roam, sit, contemplate before we took the shortcut through the historical staircase, bypassing the Swiss guard into St. Peter’s Square and into the Basilica. Again, great introduction and highlights by our guide while in the Basilica. At the end of the tour we were advised to visit the crypt (free) and the dome (for a fee) is interested. We all hate getting up at the crack of dawn, but this is the way to go if you want a stress less way to tour the Vatican—no lines, great information, beat the crowds, small group tour (about 10.) Bravo to Maria-Theresa who made the morning so enjoyable and informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lucas_o
Nov 16, 2024
Valentina was a great guide! - Very full tour of the Vatican. Worth the money!!!
Valentina looked after us for the tour, and she was a fun tour guide.
Even though we went in November in the off season, the lineup to the Vatican museum was extreme. For what time you likely have in Rome, best to spend the money and save half a day in line.
Everything went very smoothly through security and tickets. We have a brief history before the short walk and stairs to the Vatican museum which did help us appreciate what we were walking into. A bit of history, a bit of stories.
The tour through the museum was very thorough. Lots of stops at the highlights and lots of review. The museum was still quite busy, but Valentina was very clearly heard through her microphone and headset, which made it a lot more enjoyable of a tour.
All in all it was a very full tour day, but felt like it ended too soon. Ha! (a good sign I suppose).
After the tour, she recommended to find a restaurant at Borgo Pio, and we found a nice restaurant that didn't have tourist trap pricing.
Very good tour, very passionate and experienced.
Review provided by Viator
Sammy3506
Nov 13, 2024
Fabulous - must book this tour! - Fabulous tour! Alessia was superb! Incredibly knowledgable and just made the 4 hours so much fun! My 18 year old son even enjoyed it especially when he got to hold Dumbo and be the tour guide for a bit! The places speak for themselves and are a must when you are in Rome but without the guide we would have been in a lot of queues and a bit lost! Totally worth the early start to be first in and totally worth the money we paid! If anything i would have liked to have had the climb to the Dome added on too as we had to wait in a queue for that after the tour and it really is worth doing! Great experience beautiful place and I promise we will think of Alessia in the heat in the summer and won't return until 2026! 🤣
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peter_k
Nov 9, 2024
Great experience despite the crowds - Our guide Dario was excellent with exceptional knowledge and also adding some humor.
We left with a good understanding of the Catholic Church.
Review provided by Viator
Patrick_n
Nov 9, 2024
Amazing Vatican tour - This was the absolutely best money spent. Our guide Alessia N. was so well organized and informed, funny and personable. This tour was excellent with so many beautiful things to see. But she knew so much history and details and her reaction to the fact that we were able to spend so much of our time on our own with little or no crowds in many of the spaces we were in was priceless. She was happy on our behalf. I would definitely like yo take another tour with Alessia. She is a precious resource. Do not lose her.
Review provided by Viator
Vlad_s
Oct 31, 2024
Sev is the best - What a fantastic experience we had visiting the Vatican museums. Sev was one of the best guides we’ve ever had the pleasure of learning from and being entertained by. Deeply knowledgeable and engaging, he was professional in every way and made sure we left the tour with a great deal more knowledgeable and appreciation than we started with.
Review provided by Viator
Charles_t
Oct 31, 2024
Awesome experience! - We loved the tour and especially our Guide. She was awesome! She was knowledgeable and entertaining.
Review provided by Viator
Mikebaumanks
Nov 11, 2024
Good Tour But Still Crowds - I am reviewing "Pristine Sistine Early Entrance Small Group Vatican Tour." Overall a worthwhile and recommended tour. However, don't be misled by the title. "Early Entrance" does not mean avoiding crushing crowds. The Vatican does not open until 8am. We were in line with hundreds who poured in (ahead of us) when the doors opened. Our female guide did a commendable job. She spoke good English but often lapsed into a rapid chatter which was difficult to follow on the head set. Walks of Italy gets credit for earmarking our early morning rendevous next to a cafe open for coffee and pastry.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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