• Vatican Museums - The first stop on the tour will be the collection of ancient Roman and Greek artworks collected from excavations across Rome. The Vatican once had the rights to all archaeological finds, when the Popes ruled Central Italy. Your guide will show you the most significant of these, including the Belvedere Apollo, the Torso, the busts of Claudius and Hadrian and the sarcophagi of Helen and Constance, the mother and daughter of Emperor Constantine.

Next you’ll see the Room of Animals and the Gallery of Candelabra where you can walk over rare Roman mosaics and view the magnificent statues of Diana of Ephesus, the Muses and a multitude of Greek philosophers.

Following this, you’ll see the Gallery of Tapestries, the Sobieski Hall and Raphael’s Rooms. The latter were once the private apartments of Pope Julius II; decorated by Raphael and his assistants. These rooms house two of the painter’s most famous works: the Parnassus and The School of Athens.

• Sistine Chapel - The best-know attraction of the Vatican City is the Sistine Chapel, Italy’s most popular attraction. You’ll hear about Michelangelo’s frescoes - The Last Judgment, the Creation of Adam and the Genesis - as well as information on the Stories of Moses and Jesus painted by Botticelli, Perugino and other Renaissance masters. The Sistine Chapel is still in use, most notably for each papal election

• St. Peter’s Basilica - After the Sistine Chapel, you will visit the world’s most important Catholic Church - Saint Peter’s Basilica - where you can see another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, La Pietà, and learn about the architecture and the rituals of the Basilica, as well as view the tombs of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II.

Finally, the tour will end in Saint Peter’s Square, where you’ll see Bernini’s famous statues and the chimney which notifies the world of a newly elected Pope. After a few final anecdotes your guide will say goodbye and you will be able to further explore this vast square at your own pace. A fantastic end to a tour of the Vatican!

• Skip-the-line ticket
• Local guide

• Private transportation
• Hotel pick up and drop off

This fantastic half-day tour offers the opportunity to explore the highlights of Vatican City with an expert guide. With reserved tickets, there is no need to wait in long lines, allowing the tour to start promptly. Participants will enjoy viewing an extensive collection of Ancient Roman and Greek statues, Raphael’s Rooms, the Galleries of Tapestries and Maps, the Sistine Chapel, and more!

• 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 your Vatican tour: the Sistine chapel and/or the Basilica of Saint Peter might not be accessible. In case of such events our tour guide will provide you with a valuable alternative focusing the tour inside the Vatican museums.
• The Basilica is not included since it is not accessible from the Museums due to the Jubilee

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