Vatican City Tour: Explore Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter's Basilica

Embark on a captivating Vatican City tour and immerse yourself in the beauty of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Explore Michelangelo’s timeless frescoes, uncover the secrets of Raphael’s rooms, and marvel at the treasures of the Vatican Museums. Skip the queues and be moved by the iconic Pietà sculpture in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Vatican Museums - Raphael Rooms, Hall of Maps,
  • Sistine Chapel - sistine Chapel
  • St. Peter’s Basilica - La Pieta
  • Stanze di Raffaello - The rooms of the apartament of Pope Julius II, beautifully painted by Raphael and his students.
  • La Pieta - Inside St Peter’s Basilica
  • Cortile della Pigna - Inside Vatican Museums
  • Baldacchino di San Pietro, di Bernini - View from inside the Basilica Sant Peter
What's Included
  • Special Pinacoteca Visit
  • Fast-Track Entrance to St. Peter’s
  • Expert, English-Speaking Guide
  • All fees and/or taxes included
  • Skip-the-Lines Access
What's Not Included
  • Transportation to and from the meeting and end point
  • Food and Beverages
  • Gratuities (optional)
Additional Information

Venture into a world of magnificent figures and techniques rooted in Michelangelo’s unwavering passion during our Sistine Chapel tour, crafted over a 4-year period. Learn more about Julius II, the pope who sponsored his artistic endeavours. Immerse yourself in Raphael’s chambers as our experienced guide uncovers the secrets and inferential stories of the figures portrayed. Explore how the church’s appreciation for art resulted in an extensive recovery of artistic wealth from the Vatican Museums, hidden underground for many years. Bypass the lines to enter St Peter’s Basilica, where you can reflect on the deep-rooted history of the Christian faith and be awestruck by Michelangelo’s globally acclaimed sculpture, Pietà.

  • Please note that the Vatican Museums provide free entrance for visitors who are (according to the requirements stated by the Vatican City) at least 74% disabled by presenting the appropriate certification and, if one needs assistance by another person, that person also receives a free entrance. Please inform us when you are booking if you fit into these requirements and we will remove the pricing of the entry tickets from the price of the tour.
  • As this is a walking tour with steps and staircases, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
  • Please advise during the booking process if there are any travelers with mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
  • At the end of your tour, you are required to return the headset provided to you to your guide. In the event that you do not return the headset, you will be subject to a fine of €100 for lost property.
  • Each traveler must present a valid passport or government issued photo ID that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Vatican Museums.
Location
Caffè Vaticano
Viale Vaticano
Your guide will meet you in front of Caffè Vaticano. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(32 Ratings)
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Zachary_t
Jul 2, 2024
Great - Skipping the lines alone makes this worth it. Our guide was also really great! She was very knowledgeable and make this a fantastic experience.
Review provided by Viator
Kris_s
Jun 26, 2024
Exceptional depth of knowledge from tour guide - Exceptional guide. Unbelievable depth of knowledge and kept it interesting and relevant. He also helped make the experience feel efficient and smooth — even in the midst of a massive number of people and the chaos that can bring! We loved how he handled the Sistine Chapel — spoke about it before we went in, then let us experience it mostly on our own. We also enjoyed his stories of the politics around the papacy.
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_k
Jun 18, 2024
The Sistine Chapel. We... - The Sistine Chapel. We were disappointed about the Pieta being closed. My only complaint would be the fact that Viator did not make us aware of what was close. Our tour guide, Guilio(Julie) was excellent.
Review provided by Viator
Stuartbm4569zw
Jun 17, 2024
Family Vatican VIP tour - The tour guide was very knowledgeable and was great with my grand kids. Everyone was impressed with her knowledge. Unfortunately we forgot her name.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Matthew_r
May 27, 2024
Fantastic guide for the Vatican! - Guia is an amazing person to see the Vatican with - she has a remarkable wealth of knowledge that she made super fun for both the adults and teens. Thank you for such a wonderful day!!
Review provided by Viator
528mihkelk
Mar 23, 2024
Best of the best - The excursion was amazing and wonderfully comprehensive. I studied archeology for 7 years; the details he provided were detailed and up to date. All the small stories were captivating, giving us context of the bigger historical picture. Highly recommended, one of the best tour guides I’ve had, after visiting almost all of the main European touristic attractions.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachelmz7172qo
Mar 14, 2024
Fantastic - It was awesome!!! Guide was so knowledgeable and informative!! Best tour we did. Alberto was the best guide we have ever had.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathryn_q
Nov 13, 2023
Awesome! - Fantastic guide! Beautiful works of art. Wonderful experience. Many people but this was the fast track to every coveted area.
Review provided by Viator
Familys400
Oct 23, 2023
Incredible highlight tour of our trip - Absolutely incredible tour! First time travelers to Italy and we wanted a thorough and in depth tour of the Vatican. It was a long 5 hour tour, but we came prepared! (Bring water!) If you wish to see the Raphael rooms and some of the hidden gems of the Vatican, this is for you. Valerio was an expert guide and truly brought the history and the story to life. After learning a little about us, he also personalized the tour to our specific interests and backgrounds. We learned politics and context behind the amazing art and sculptures and interesting stories that we have continued to tell others. Valerio was also attentive to our personal needs. One member of our group had health issues and needed to stop for breaks, and he was very caring and thoughtful. One of the highlights of our trip! The Vatican was overwhelming and beautiful and Valerio made it even better. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
261joannah
Jan 11, 2024
Great Vatican tour - Maria Letizia was a wonderful guide. It was great to be able to "skip the lines" which were incredibly long when we were there. It was terribly crowded, which made the experience less than ideal- but Maria guided us through with lots of important information. It was nice to meet other people on our tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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