Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel Tour and Opt Basilica Entry
Description
Skip the lines and step into the Vatican Museums with a licensed guide, ready to unveil the wonders of ancient art and mythology. Admire the stunning Gallery of Maps and other highlights as your guide shares fascinating insights. The tour culminates in the breathtaking Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s masterpieces, including The Creation of Adam, will leave you in awe. With an audio headset, you won’t miss a word of the expert commentary. Perfect for art and history lovers, this tour offers a seamless and enriching way to experience the Vatican’s treasures. Upgrade Option: Enhance your experience with access to St. Peter’s Basilica, where you can marvel at its grandeur and iconic artworks.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit the Vatican Museums and Upper Galleries, including the one of the Maps, Tapestries and Candelabra. Explore the Stanze of Raffaello, part of the apartment of Pope Julius II, where the young Raphael spent many hours decorating the walls of the rooms with beautiful frescoes.
Visit the Borgia rooms, part of the papal apartments painted by Pinturicchio and his scholars. The Modern art and contemporary galleries were put together as an homage to Pope Paul VI who, during a homely in the Sistine Chapel underlined the importance of the link between the Church and Art.
Get lost admiring the unique frescoes that decorate the interiors of the Sistine Chapel. Painted by some of the greatest masters of the Renaissance period, the decorative frescoes depict Biblical episodes, such as the Creation of Adam and Eve, and many more.
The Vatican City State, also known simply as the Vatican, became independent from Italy with the Lateran Treaty (1929), and it is a distinct territory under "full ownership, exclusive dominion, and sovereign authority and jurisdiction" of the Holy See, itself a sovereign entity of international law, which maintains the city state's temporal, diplomatic, and spiritual independence. With an area of 49 hectares and a population of about 825,it is the smallest state in the world by both area and population.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note that St. Peter’s Basilica remains closed on Wednesdays and during religious holidays.
- A valid photo ID is required for the mandatory security screening
- Be aware that the Vatican Museums adhere strictly to scheduled entry times. Late arrivals may be denied entry, and no refunds will be issued for missed tours.
- A strict dress code is in place at the Vatican Museums: both shoulders and knees must be covered.
- Access to St. Peter’s Basilica may be limited at short notice due to religious events held during the Jubilee Year.
- Visitors with disabilities are entitled to complimentary entry to the Vatican Museums. To ensure proper arrangements, please inform us at the time of booking.
- Tour times are subject to change. Please provide an accurate phone number with the correct country code so we can reach you if necessary.
- Please note: tours beginning after 2:00 PM do not include entrance to the Basilica.
- Please note that by purchasing this tour, you accept our Terms and Conditions and are aware that no refund will be given in case you do not attend the tour or arrive late for the tour. Please note that in the afternoon and on Wednesday, the door connecting the Basilica and the Vatican Museum is closed, and you are aware that by purchasing this tour, you will not have the skip-the-line passage for St. Peter’s Basilica. You can go to the Basilica on your own, entering from the main square
- In peak season, due to the high number of visitors, it might take extra time to go through the security check and to collect the Vatican headsets which are compulsory.
- Access to St. Peter’s Basilica may be limited or suspended without prior notice due to religious ceremonies, particularly throughout the Jubilee Year.
- Please note that the Sistine Chapel may close without prior notice on rare occasions. Should this occur, your guide will provide a tour of other sections of the Vatican Museums.
Reviews(179)
Was not easy to find the meeting place, so be out well in advance. Otherwise a very good tour.
Our guide was very personable and enthusiastic. Since we had been through Vatican Museum tours several times, we wanted a shorter tour at less cost given our group. Tour does not go extensively through the artwork of the museums but hits only the highlights, plus gaining access to the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. This tour is more of a sampler version of the full vatican tour.
Nice and knowledgeable guide who took good care of his group. Super to get past the queues for both the Sistine Chapel and the Petri Church!
Experienced, knowledgeable tour guide. Orderly, easy to find. Good experiences with visitor. Very good!
An incredible experience! The Vatican Museums are breathtaking, and the tour was very well organized. Our guide was knowledgeable and engaging, making the visit even more enjoyable. A must-see in Rome!
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed the tour! It was a pleasure showing you through the breathtaking halls of the Vatican. Thank you for the 'must-see' recommendation!
Thank you for this unique experience, guide, customer care and all the staff made everything easy and relaxing!
Grazie per il vostro gentile feedback! Apprezziamo molto le vostre parole riguardo al nostro staff. Ci impegniamo sempre a offrire il miglior servizio e a rendere ogni esperienza piacevole e rilassante. Speriamo di rivedervi presto a Roma!
Guide was obviously fantastic. I signed up for a tour in language I don’t understand, just because I simply wanted access to the museum (wait line was awful), and our guide was certainly surprised when we were finally found out, but she was immensely patient and anyway I could tell (language ignorance notwithstanding) that she gave a riveting tour, highly recommend the German tour guide.
Defective audio that disturbed us a little during the visit Simone our guide did his best to allow us to have a good time
It is a must if you go to Rome and if it is with guide like Irina much better, since everything has explained correctly and with great enthusiasm, you can see that she enjoys with her work.
Our guide Antonio was very good and informative, with great enthusiasm for these beautiful and historical gems in Rome. He also did an excellent job of navigating us through the crowds and keeping us on track.
