Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour

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Tour Information

Key Details

  • Mobile Voucher Accepted
  • Hotel pickup Available
  • Instant Confirmation
  • Lowest Price Guaranteed
  • Duration: 3 Hrs
  • Language:
    English
  • Departure Time :
    Depending on option selected
  • Return Details :
    • It is the responsibility of all visitors to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before departure. Guests arriving after departure cannot be accommodated & missed tours or tickets cannot be refunded.. read more
  • Cancellation Policy :
    This activity is non-refundable Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Overview

Spend more time inside with no-wait access to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica through an official Vatican partner entrance. On this comprehensive guided tour, you'll experience the best of the Vatican in just three hours, including the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, and more. Navigate the vast complex of artwork and history with an expert, who will bring this ancient collection to life. Choose from several departure times and languages.

Know More about this tour


Vatican Museums tours with skip-the-line access are popular, yet even fast-track lines can be lengthy. This exclusive experience provides admission through a dedicated entrance, ensuring a queue-free visit.
Embark on an exclusive journey into the treasure trove of the Vatican Museums. Explore the intriguing Gallery of the Maps and Tapestries, immersed in tales of Vatican secrets. Marvel at captivating Italian maps, and be awe-inspired by the sculptures in the Gallery of Candelabras. Capture memories with a photo stop at the Pigna statue in the Pinecone Courtyard, crafted by the renowned Donato Bramante. Join our English speaking expert guide for an unforgettable experience in the heart of the Vatican City!
The Pineyard Courtyard at the Vatican Museums is a serene haven, blending classic architecture with lush greenery. Donato Bramante's Pigna statue stands as a bronze centerpiece, creating a peaceful retreat. Amidst this cultural richness, the courtyard invites reflection and appreciation for its timeless elegance.
In the heart of the Vatican's Cortile della Pigna stands a notable bronze sculpture: Sfera con sfera (Sphere Within a Sphere) by Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro. This captivating artwork depicts two fractured orbs resembling intricate machine gears, symbolizing the intricate and fragile nature of the modern world. Pomodoro began creating similar sculptures in the early 1960s, exploring the theme of complexity.
The Gallery of the Maps is a mesmerizing display of intricate cartography, spanning centuries. Immerse yourself in history through vividly detailed maps, capturing the beauty of geography and artistry.
Explore the Museums rooms and then enter the incredible Sistine Chapel— the Pope's own sanctuary and a must-see on any Vatican visit. Stand beneath Michelangelo's iconic The Creation of Adam on the ceiling, and marvel at The Last Judgement, his vibrant mural gracing the wall.
After marveling at the Sistine Chapel, your guide leads you to St. Peter's Basilica, the symbolic heart of the Catholic Church. Dive into its rich history, exploring Vatican art like Michelangelo's La Pietà, crafted when he was just 24. Admire Bernini's baldachin and bid farewell to your guide in St. Peter's Square. Note: On Wednesdays, due to the Papal Audience, St. Peter's Basilica and Square may be unavailable. Fear not, as an extended Vatican Museums itinerary awaits you as a perfect alternative.
St. Peter's Square is an iconic masterpiece in Rome. It embraces visitors with its grandeur. Designed by Bernini, the vast elliptical space is encircled by a majestic colonnade, symbolizing the Church's embrace. The central obelisk and fountains add splendor, while the stunning façade of St. Peter's Basilica stands as a beacon of architectural brilliance, inviting pilgrims and tourists alike to marvel at the heart of Vatican City.

Itinerary:


Vatican Museums tours with skip-the-line access are popular, yet even fast-track lines can be lengthy. This exclusive experience provides admission through a dedicated entrance, ensuring a queue-free visit.
Embark on an exclusive journey into the treasure trove of the Vatican Museums. Explore the intriguing Gallery of the Maps and Tapestries, immersed in tales of Vatican secrets. Marvel at captivating Italian maps, and be awe-inspired by the sculptures in the Gallery of Candelabras. Capture memories with a photo stop at the Pigna statue in the Pinecone Courtyard, crafted by the renowned Donato Bramante. Join our English speaking expert guide for an unforgettable experience in the heart of the Vatican City!
The Pineyard Courtyard at the Vatican Museums is a serene haven, blending classic architecture with lush greenery. Donato Bramante's Pigna statue stands as a bronze centerpiece, creating a peaceful retreat. Amidst this cultural richness, the courtyard invites reflection and appreciation for its timeless elegance.
In the heart of the Vatican's Cortile della Pigna stands a notable bronze sculpture: Sfera con sfera (Sphere Within a Sphere) by Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro. This captivating artwork depicts two fractured orbs resembling intricate machine gears, symbolizing the intricate and fragile nature of the modern world. Pomodoro began creating similar sculptures in the early 1960s, exploring the theme of complexity.
The Gallery of the Maps is a mesmerizing display of intricate cartography, spanning centuries. Immerse yourself in history through vividly detailed maps, capturing the beauty of geography and artistry.
Explore the Museums rooms and then enter the incredible Sistine Chapel— the Pope's own sanctuary and a must-see on any Vatican visit. Stand beneath Michelangelo's iconic The Creation of Adam on the ceiling, and marvel at The Last Judgement, his vibrant mural gracing the wall.
After marveling at the Sistine Chapel, your guide leads you to St. Peter's Basilica, the symbolic heart of the Catholic Church. Dive into its rich history, exploring Vatican art like Michelangelo's La Pietà, crafted when he was just 24. Admire Bernini's baldachin and bid farewell to your guide in St. Peter's Square. Note: On Wednesdays, due to the Papal Audience, St. Peter's Basilica and Square may be unavailable. Fear not, as an extended Vatican Museums itinerary awaits you as a perfect alternative.
St. Peter's Square is an iconic masterpiece in Rome. It embraces visitors with its grandeur. Designed by Bernini, the vast elliptical space is encircled by a majestic colonnade, symbolizing the Church's embrace. The central obelisk and fountains add splendor, while the stunning façade of St. Peter's Basilica stands as a beacon of architectural brilliance, inviting pilgrims and tourists alike to marvel at the heart of Vatican City.

Inclusions

  • Audio headsets so you can always hear your guide
  • Guided visit of St. Peters Basilica (except: Vatican Museums only / Evening / Wed morning options)
  • Group of 20 people or less
  • Reserved Priority Access to the Vatican Museums
  • Access to the Sistine Chapel

Exclusions

  • Gratuities
  • St Peter's Basilica Tour [for: Evening / Wed Mornings/ Vatican Museums only options]

Additional Info

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

We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests with wheelchairs or any impairments requiring special assistance. We are also unable to accommodate strollers or baby carriages on our group tours.

Avoid bringing large purses, bags, or backpacks on your tour

At times, despite our priority access tickets, we may experience delays in getting through mandatory security checks when entering these venues

St Peters Basilica is subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies. When this occurs, we're happy to offer customers an extended tour of the Vatican Museums. While we endeavour to tell tour groups ahead of time if there are any planned disruptions to the Basilica's opening hours, this is not always possible and in these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts.

On Wednesdays, due to the Papal Audiences, access to St Peter's Basilica is not possible until 1pm

St Peter's Basilica is not accessible on the evening tours

Traveler Reviews

See all reviews
  • 26-Aug-2023

    Our tour guide, Rosella, was absolutely wonderful. She brought the tour to life, answered all of our questions and was very knowledgeable without being boring. She made our experience extremely pleasant and one that we will always remember.

  • 26-Aug-2023

    Great trip, guide was great had good humor. Fortunately for us the access to sct. Peters was open as we went on a Wednesday morning, however when booking the trip it was not obvious that usually sct. Peters is closed for private mass on Wednesday mornings, so do have this in mind when booking. The reason for not giving 5 stars is that I wrote them regarding this issue and they never replied.

  • 26-Aug-2023

    Guide is very smart and informative. Her language skills is commendable. Though it was very hot day but we enjoyed.

  • 26-Aug-2023

    Our guide was very knowledgable, friendly and professional adding personal touches to this whole experience as she was from Rome. I can’t remember her name but she is the fair lady with a pink flower on her guide pole

  • 26-Aug-2023

    Wonderful. Tour guide was knowledgeable Ann’s entertaining. She went out of her way to accommodate my wife who is hard of hearing by getting her a special headset so she could hear what was being sent.

  • 26-Aug-2023

    Excellent experience.Very organized and especially our guide Alesandra was exceptional and very to the point.She had to tell us something for everything and make our tour amazing!!Thank you Alesandra!!Highly reccomended especially for families with grown up children.

  • 26-Aug-2023

    Very interesting tour. Very nice guide with rich knowledge. every thing was perfect. we learned a lot.

  • 25-Aug-2023

    *this is three hours of non-stop walking and climbing steps* It’s a great tour! Hit the highlights and at a perfect pace for us but many in our group struggled bc it was so much walking in 100 degrees. The Sistine Chapel was definitely the highlight of the tour….could’ve stood there for hours taking it all in

  • 25-Aug-2023

    Very confusing system of finding your tour guide. Directions to the meeting point were fine but once you get there it's a case of keeping a lookout for your guide who doesn't wear Viator clothing. I just happened to stop a random guide and he had our name on his sheet. I don't know why I was expecting Viator my guide to be wearing a Viator shirt!!! The guide himself was very informative but don't expect a tour of the Sistine Chapel, this will not be the case! Again I was expecting that. Overall very disappointing tour by Viator.

  • 25-Aug-2023

    Amil was a brilliant guide.. Her knowledge is unbelievable and she puts it across so well with a little humour thrown in

See all reviews