Discover the ancient treasures of Rome on our 3-hour skip-the-line Vatican Museums tour. Visit the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica with your expert historian guide, and learn the secrets of Michelangelo’s world-famous ceiling frescoes.
About this tour:
Flexible reservation
Runaway success
Limited availability
Avoid the waiting queues
- Explore the Vatican Museums in Rome on this 3-hour tour, and learn the secrets of must-see sites including the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica.
- Choose your start time, from exclusive early entrance to the tour of the Vatican by night, and save time with skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica.
- Your guide, an expert in the history of art and religion, lifts the lid on the museum’s fascinating history and ancient masterpieces.
- Discover treasures including Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco, and the Vatican’s fascinating galleries of maps and tapestries.
- Upgrade your ticket to a private tour for a more intimate experience with your group.
Learn the ancient secrets of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica on this 3-hour skip-the-line Vatican Museums tour in Rome. Choose the start time to suit your schedule, and follow your expert historian guide to must-see sites including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. Discover ancient masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s world-famous ceiling frescoes of Adam, God, and the saints, and Bernini’s Baroque baldachin, and admire ancient maps and tapestries among the Vatican’s fascinating galleries.
Beat the Queues with Skip-the-Line Entry to the Vatican
Choose the start time to suit your schedule, and meet your guide in central Rome to begin your tour. You might opt for a 3-hour early-morning visit to be among the first into the Vatican, a 3-hour day-time tour, or a 2-hour evening tour – visiting the historic site as dusk descends over the ancient monuments.
Your skip-the-line tickets give you hassle-free admission to the Vatican Museums, beating the queues and saving you valuable sightseeing time.
Explore the World-Famous Sistine Chapel
Visiting the Sistine Chapel, learn the secrets of must-see features including Michelangelo’s seemingly never-ending ceiling frescoes. Admire his life-like figures of Adam, God, and the saints, and try to spot the artist’s self-portrait on the torso of St. Peter!
During our visit, you’ll also explore the Vatican’s fascinating galleries of maps and tapestries, and discover many of the masterpieces the museums hold. Along the way, your guide – an expert in the history of art and religion – shares insight into the artists who embellished this tiny city state.
Discover the Art and Grandeur of St Peter’s Basilica
Pope John Paul II called the Sistine Chapel the “Holy Spirit’s place of action”, but its beauty pales in comparison to St Peter’s Basilica – the beating heart of the Catholic church itself. Here, enjoy skip-the-line entry as before, and admire the incredible mosaics and sculptures in all their glory. Michelangelo’s masterpiece ‘Madonna della Pietà’ and Bernini’s elegant Baroque baldachin are particularly beautiful and valuable treasures.
Your tour ends inside the Basilica, and you can choose to stay longer here if you wish.
Important Information
This tour is not suitable for guests in wheelchairs, or with impaired mobility.
Please note that the itinerary inside the Vatican Museums may vary, depending on restrictions decided by the museum board. Due to exceptional religious events, St. Peter's Basilica might be closed without any notice.
Entry to the Vatican Museums is based on strictly timed tickets. For this reason, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed access.
All visitors must have a photo ID for the security check.
The Vatican Museums imposes a mandatory dress code: knees and shoulders must be covered, otherwise you will not be able to enter.
St. Peter's Basilica won't be available for visits on Wednesday, the tour will include Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel only.
Please note that from January 1st 2025, the guided tour will conclude at the Vatican Museums. Your guide will provide insights about St. Peter's Basilica, after which you will visit the basilica independently and may take as much time as you wish to explore it.
Rain Policy
This tour runs on rain or shine.
Included
Meeting Point
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Meet your guide on top of the stairs next to Caffè Vaticano, find us holding a white sign with the "Towns of Italy" logo.
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* for last minute booking only