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Skip the Line: Small Group Vatican Tour with Basilica Access
4.9
473 Ratings
Roma
Experience an exclusive small group tour of the Vatican Museums, with skip-the-line access and expert guides. Discover hidden stories and visit the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Vatican Museums - A typical itinerary inside the Vatican Museums includes the Pavilion of the Carriages, home to everything from centuries old horse-drawn carriages to vintage and modern cars really used by Popes past and present. You’ll visit the Pinecone Courtyard, the Hall of the Maps (the “Oval Office” of the Pope centuries ago), the Gallery of the Tapestries, the Pinacoteca, Belvedere Courtyard, Room of the Muses, the Round Room and Candelabra Gallery.
- Cortile della Pigna - This courtyard gets its name from the enormous bronze Pinecone sculpture that dominates it.
- Sphere within a Sphere - The Vatican Museums contains some modern art as well, including this famous sculpture: Sphere within a Sphere. Variations of this sculpture can be found in many settings around the world.
- Museo Pio Clementino - The most famous wing of the Vatican Museums, the Pio Clementino museum contains much of the Museum’s most important highlights. Your guide will take you through the Room of the Animals, where you can spot the life-like statues of fauna from around the world. Head to the Octagonal Courtyard where a small fountain trickles in the background of famous statues like the Laocoonte and Apollo Belvedere. Don’t forget to look at the Candelabra Gallery – master painters decorated these ceilings to create the illusion of a 3D effect centuries ago!
- Gallery Of The Maps - Head with your guide to the Gallery of the Maps – and get a perspective of the world how it was five centuries ago. These exquisitely detailed, hand-painted giant maps are a favorite of the Vatican Museums. See if you can find the Italian cities you have visited, or spot the nod to Christopher Columbus’ journey to the Americas.
- Stanze di Raffaello - Raphael painted these rooms with incredible frescoes, originally meant for the private rooms of Pope Julius II.
- Sistine Chapel - No guides are able to speak inside the Sistine Chapel. However, your guide will prepare you in advance for your free time inside so you’ll know what to look for.
- Museos Vaticanos - Your visit ends close to where it began, after the spiral staircase at the entrance to the Vatican Museums.
- Vatican City - Visit to Vatican Museums - Vatican City
- St. Peter’s Square - When available, access is provided to St Peter’s Basilica, skipping the lines. A tour is not provided inside the Basilica, only access. Your visit will end at the steps of St. Peter’s Square with an introduction made by your guide after which you will be on your own to continue exploring.
- St. Peter’s Basilica - When available, access is provided to St Peter’s Basilica, skipping the lines. A tour is not provided inside the Basilica, only access. Your visit will end at the steps of St. Peter’s Square with an introduction made by your guide after which you will be on your own to continue exploring.
What's Included
- Skip the Line access to the Vatican Museums
- Vatican Insider Guide
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Transportation
Additional Information
This 2.5 hour Vatican Tour is led by an expert guide who will share stories you won’t hear anywhere else! Visit the highlights of the Vatican Museums in small, exclusive groups limited to 10 people or less. Skip-the-Line no-wait access is included and is the fastest possible way to enter the Museums. For a special experience, choose the first access of the day at 8:00AM. All tours included Skip the Line access to St. Peter’s Basilica (except Wednesdays, special events).
- Children 6 and under are entitled to free access to the Vatican Museums (with proof of age)
- Children aged 7-18 are entitled to a reduced entry fee (see tour and ticket pricing) and must provide proof of age.
- Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
- 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.
- Check-in is 15 minutes prior to the booked start time. Tickets are time sensitive and we cannot accomodate late arrivals.
- Skip the Line Access (no guided tour) to St. Peter’s Basilica is included when available, except Wednesdays and special events.
Location
Via Tunisi, 4
Via Tunisi
Arrive at least 15 minutes early. Meet us on the steps at Via Tunisi, located at the corner with Via Sebastiano Veniero. We will be holding a sign with the green EcoArt logo.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(473 Ratings)
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76tylerk
Aug 30, 2024
Amazing - Loreli was great. So amazing to see the Vatican and chapel. she was so knowledgeable . I would highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pamelaaj2931wy
Aug 28, 2024
Very satisfied and happy - I highly recommend booking this tour. The other members of our small tour group did not arrive hence our tour became a private guided tour. Admission to the vatican was fast thru our skip-the-line access. Our guide, Assunta, explained very well the stories behind the art/archictecture. It was really fun despite the summer heat. I was travelling with my senior parents and our guide accommodated my parents needs very well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Garymbenson
Aug 16, 2024
Best Rome tour ever! - Fabulously organized tour with Jeanette as the best guide - ever. Her knowledge is exceptional in relation to both the art as well as the artist. She was also very funny and entertaining which helped navigate through the maze of the museum. Her description of the painting in the Sistine Chapel will stay with me - so clear, passionate and clear.
Cant imagine why or how anyone can visit this site without availing of a tour to help describe and highlight the work on display.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pattyth
Aug 10, 2024
Great tour and great guide - Ilaria our tour guide was amazing. The information she was providing kept us captivated while all the walking and navigating the crowd. Yes it is crowded however she did a fantastic job of getting us around the long lines and crowds as we walked thru the museum, Sistine chapel etc. excellent and highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H6793naritam
Aug 7, 2024
Great! - It was a great tour and our guide, Assunta, was wonderful explaining everything. It was a very hot day but she still kept the tour interesting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_d
Jul 31, 2024
Great tour and guide! - Our guide Maria was amazing! Very informative, and packed a lot into the time we had. We got right in past the huge line. Def go in the morning.
Review provided by Viator
Kramer44
Jul 28, 2024
Perfectly great trip to the Vatican - Paolina was great. Very knowledgeable without being overbearing. We learned a lot and saw some of the most beautiful works of art. Timing was exactly as they said it would be. Great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melanie_c
Jul 26, 2024
Great tour - Great tour with Frederick. He was very knowledgeable and told us all about Roman and Vatican history. He took us to interesting spots in the museum.
Review provided by Viator
Bearcat1824
Jul 26, 2024
Great accelerated view of Vatican museums - A great experience for our family. Polina did a great job condensing so much information into a few hours on a tour that could take days. We thoroughly enjoyed skipping the ticket lines and hearing all about the art and history of the museums. A great experience I would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ingridened
Jul 30, 2024
Just lining up with thousands of others. - That's what we thought, and so did thousands of others. Then stood in line for 2 hours. And then we were almost there and we saw whole groups walking through. Checked but that wasn't for us. Too bad even the Vatican is helping with this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
