← See all Standard Vatican Tours
Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel Tour and Opt Basilica Entry
About This Tour
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.
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.
What's Included
✓ Included
- St. Peter's Basilica Access (if option selected)
- Free Wifi available at the meeting point
- Staff available to assist you at the meeting point
- Skip the line ticket to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
- Professional guide with headsets to hear guide clearly
✗ Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Basilica guided tour
Itinerary
1
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.
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.
2
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.
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.
3
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.
4
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.
Good to Know
- 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.