Family-Friendly Vatican Museums Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Skip-the-line access to Vatican Museums
- Engaging guided tour for children
- Marvel at Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel
- Explore the Gallery of Maps
- Discover the Raphael Rooms
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Skip-the-line access to Vatican Museums
- Guided tour tailored for children
- Visit to the Sistine Chapel
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
Meet your private guide near Vatican City. With your guide, you'll get to bypass the long queues at the entrance of the Vatican Museums. You may secure your luggage and umbrellas in the Vatican cloakroom. Once out of the cloakroom, you will begin your visit of the collections. Kids will play games and win prizes while exploring Vatican artwork. You will see brilliant Greek and Roman sculptures and the sarcophagi of Empress Helena and Constantina, the mother and daughter of Constantine the Great. Your tour continues to the Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of the Tapestries, Sobieski Hall, and the colorful Raphael's Rooms.
When you will stop in the Pine Cone Courtyard you will see and learn about the "Sphere within a sphere" statue. Designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro, with a 13 meters diameter, it is one of the masterpieces of the contemporary art collection of the Vatican Museums.
The Pio-Clementino Museum in the Vatican houses a stunning collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, including the iconic Laocoön and Apollo Belvedere, showcasing classical art at its finest.
The Raphael Rooms in the Vatican consist of four rooms decorated with exquisite frescoes by Raphael, illustrating biblical, historical, and classical themes, embodying the pinnacle of Renaissance artistic achievement.
You will then reach the Sistine Chapel, the venue for papal elections and one of Italy’s most visited sites. You will view Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgment' and listen to stories from the Bible, including the creation of Adam.
Meeting point
Start Location
Café Vaticano, Viale Vaticano, 100, Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is conducted in English; ensure all participants understand the language.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult; the tour is designed for family participation.
- Photography is allowed in most areas; however, flash photography is prohibited in the Sistine Chapel.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes as the tour involves walking and standing.
- Bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated during the tour.
- Ensure your attire is appropriate for visiting religious sites; shoulders and knees should be covered.
Cancellation policy
0All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
- Easy Public Transport
- Infant Seats Available
Good to know
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
Traveler reviews
Excellent guide and skip the line tickets are great!
Very knowledgable and friendly guide helped us get much more out of our time - and kept our 10-yr old daughter engaged throughout the process! Skip the line tickets are very useful since there is an incredibly long line otherwise. One thing I didn't realize is that this ticket is for Vatican only and does not cover St. Peter's Basilica for which there is a separate queue, and we didn't have skip the line tickets for it since we didn't know about this separation. This was somewhat disappointing, and it would have been good if this were clearer.
Julia was fantastic in...
Julia was fantastic in her explanations and lots of little quick facts. A very knowledgeable guide. We skipped so much time in queues which was a saviour for our 4 year old daughter. Would highly recommend!
A fantastic family experience to see the Vatican we won’t forget!
Our guide Martina was amazing! We were a family of 6 two parents two grandparents and two teenagers ages 13 and 16. She spoke excellent English and was patient and attentive and guided us so well with so much good information along the way about what we saw.
Great tour, kids engaged but expensive
Our guide was knowledgable and savvy at getting us through the crowds. He engaged really well with the kids (aged 10 and 12) so that it was a memorable experience for them and us. . He followed the lead to explore further the questions the kids had which was very thoughtful in terms of engaging their interests. I was a little disappointed that he did not come into the Sistine chapel and St Peter’s Cathedral with us, but I believe they try to keep guides to a minimum due to crowds. I’d highly recommend, however it was very expensive though, and I can’t figure out why the cost was so high.
Amazing life experience
Amazing tour! Great communication for meeting point-we were through ticketing and security in 6 minutes. We loved this tour for that reason alone as we saw ppl lining up around the corner before we arrived. The information was perfect for our kids 14, 13 and 9. My husband and I were able to ask other questions and the guide had endless knowledge and fabulous stories to share. We could not rate the tour higher. Thank you so much!