Private Vatican Tour

2.5 hours

Max 20 people

Vatican City, Italy

About this activity

Our flagship Private Vatican City experience, the original comprehensive Vatican journey including private fast-track entry to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and the papal crypts. Book well in advance to guarantee availability!

Highlights

Skip the line access to both the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica
Local private expert tour guide makes this tour a winner for best value
Experience Michelangelo's remarkable frescos in the Sistine Chapel
Priority entrance to the Vatican Museums

Full description

Enjoy skip-the-line entry to what is arguably the most important and largest art collection in the world. For over five hundred years, popes commissioned works of art from the most talented painters and sculptors to enjoy at the Vatican amongst an elite circle of clerics, nobles, and scholars. Each new pope sought to leave a legacy greater than the last, commissioning chapels, frescoes, and sculptures until the collection grew to more than 70,000 works of art.
Walk in the footsteps of popes and Renaissance masters as you take in the Rooms of Raphael and the Sistine Chapel, from its commissioning to the finishing touches by none other than Michelangelo Buonarroti. With your own private expert guide, learn to discern between myth, fact, and popular Hollywood fiction regarding this epic work of art.

Conclude your Vatican visit here or choose the extended tour option and gain fast-track access to St. Peter's Basilica to view masterpieces by Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini, among others, before descending to the papal crypts below. We conclude on the portico with an overview of Bernini’s magnificent piazza (St. Peter’s Square), the central obelisk, and the renowned Swiss Guard.

Included / Excluded

Priority entrance to the Vatican Museums
Immersive experience inside Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel
The remarkable frescoed Rooms of Raphael
Private expert licensed English-speaking tour guide
Fast-track entry and guided visit of St. Peter's Basilica (optional)

Food and drinks
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Gratuities

Important information

Know before you book

Due to the route covered and/or transportation used, it is not possible to participate in this tour using a wheelchair, scooter, or other aid. Please contact us to inquire about customized tour options for guests with mobility challenges
This tour has two bookable options. One covers the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel only, and the other includes a guided visit to St. Peter's. Select your preference upon checkout
Access to St. Peter's Basilica is not possible on Wednesday morning during the weekly papal audience.

Know before you go

Dress comfortably, shoulders and knees must be covered for both men and women.
Due to events and ceremonies associated with the 2025 Jubilee, access to St. Peter's Basilica might be restricted. Such closures are beyond our control.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts

All cancellations must be received in writing. Tours and passes will be refunded if cancelled more than 24 hours before the tour start time, however the following penalties apply: <div>For tours entering the Vatican Museums and/or the Colosseum (venues where tickets are non-refundable) a penalty of $30 per person will be retained for each venue.</div>