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A tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica lets you into the secrets of the main events in the controversial history of the Vatican and reveals background stories about its great art. The complex of museums, created by prominent popes, is one of the top 5 most visited museums in the world; major treasures of its impressive 54 galleries include the Sistine Chapel. Admission is included and will allow you to enter the Vatican in comfort, without having to wait in a long line.
The museum displays cover a good 7 km (about 5 miles), however and it’s said that if you were to dedicate just one minute to each exhibit it would take 12 years to see the whole collection! Join our guide to follow a selective route taking in key exhibits and covering the most significant events in the history of the Vatican, including:
“If you’re interested in touring Vatican City consider this experience! We had Anne leading our group and she was AMAZING. she was able to actually dive deeply into much of what we were seeing. Even for example showing how the art and architecture changed through the creators life. She had a deep knowledge of what we were seeing and you could tell she loves the material herself. Would do again 10/10”
“This has been my favorite experience in Italy so far, all thanks to our guide, Anna. Walking through such historically significant buildings and amongst important artwork was always a must-do, but I never expected to connect with it so deeply. Anna’s passion is absolutely contagious, and her storytelling is so engaging that I left feeling marveled at what we’d just experienced. The Vatican and its museums are crowded, but their system with the microphone and headset was perfect. I felt fully engaged and connected with Anna despite the crowds. I would recommend this to any art history lover and even to those who aren’t particularly interested in art history, because it’s such an interesting and mesmerizing experience.”
“Wow! Our guide was so wonderful! We spent very little time waiting in any lines and despite the crowds, she made the experience so informative and interesting. The guards rerouted us at one point to an unexpected area and you could just see her light up at the chance to tell us all about the other areas of the Vatican museums. I overheard guides with other groups getting flustered at the change but she knew all about the history of the artifacts. We hit all the high points through Vatican City and it was just long enough. I would not have gotten a good experience on my own and to see all that she showed us own my own would have taken me all day. We also got to see the Vatican pickleball courts from one of the palace windows, which made me laugh.”
“Absolutely brilliant! Our guide, Anna, was exceptional! Her knowledge of the history of the Vatican was only surpassed by her kindness and thoughtfulness. More than just being a knowledge guide she was always looking out for a comfortable place to rest when we could and the best way to navigate the crowds so we had the best experience possible. And on top of all of that her reverence and deep appreciation for this special place was clear. This was an absolutely wonderful experience! I am convinced that this tour truly made our visit to the Vatican special. Grazie mille!”
The tour was great! We went for the 3pm tour, and although it was busy, it was no where near as busy as when I had seen the area between 11-3. Our guide was Anna and she was absolutely incredible! We really enjoyed it. She was funny, informative, passionate and just overall great! I’ll never forget the phrase Piano Piano If this companies tour guides are as good as Anna then their tours will be the best in Rome! I’ve done numerous tours and this is the best one yet! Thanks Anna 🤩
ID To enter the Vatican you might be asked to present a document (or a copy) proving your identity, in addition to documents confirming the age of under 18 years of age in the case of youth’s tickets.
Forbidden items Umbrellas with long handles, oversized backpacks, knives and other sharp or pointed items as well as alcohol and liquids in glass containers may not be taken into the Vatican Museums.
Beware Take care of your money, documents and other belongings – thefts do occur even at these central tourist sites.
Dress the part To visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, also St. Peter’s Basilica, your clothing must cover your shoulders, knees and neckline.
Before you book Due to the architectural organization of the Vatican Museums, the itinerary used by group tours differs from the itinerary that fits visitors with limited mobility and wheelchairs. That’s why unfortunately our tour is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments and wheelchair users.
Cancellation Reservations cancelled no later than 24 hours before the start of the tour will be refunded in full. Your ticket to the Vatican Museums can be used for group entrance only and will be with your guide. For more details on our cancellation policy, please see our Terms.
Vatican Museums itinerary Most of our itinerary is in a one way direction and is set by the Vatican. This means that once you moved from the Museums to St. Peter’s Basilica with our guide, then it will be impossible to return to the Museums on your own. We do not visit Raffael’s Rooms in groups due to their small size and very limited maneuverability.
St. Peter’s Basilica visit rules At St. Peter’s Basilica you can take photos and videos but you cannot talk loudly. In the winter months (November 1 to April 1), as well as on some specific days decided by the Pope, the mass at the St. Peter’s Basilica may start earlier than usual. During the mass, guides are forbidden to speak and to show tour groups around inside the cathedral. At such times, the guide will tell you about the church from the outside, while inside they will only be able to accompany the group. To avoid this, we recommend choosing a tour with a starting time no later than 2:00 pm for winter tours (Nov-April) if possible.
Visiting the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica If you decide to visit the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, from April to October you can do so right after the end of the tour, without leaving the Vatican territory and so skipping the line. From November to March, the ascent to the dome closes earlier (at 4:45pm), however, so if your tour begins after 2:00pm, you should visit the dome BEFORE the start of the tour. After the dome visit, it is a 15 minute walk along the walls of the Vatican to get to the entrance of the museums where you will meet your guide. Please plan ahead, taking into account the possibility of long queues. Entry to the dome is from the right entrance to the St. Peter’s Basilica; entry to the basilica is free. For your information, the cost of the ascent to the dome is €10 by lift / €8 on foot. The dome is open 8:00am-5:45pm in summer; to 4:45pm in winter.
Busy times The Vatican is very crowded on Bank Holidays such as Easter, May Day and Christmas, as well as in summer. The only way to avoid this is to plan your trip to Rome during the low season (November to March). If you are in Rome at holiday times and decide to visit the Vatican Museums, your patient and positive attitude will help the guide, and indeed the whole group, enormously. We will do our best to ensure that waiting times are as short as possible, and the tour as comfortable as it can be, whilst at the same time keeping it interesting.
An inspiring expert guide! Our guides are officially licensed and hand-picked for their inspiring and communicative personalities as well as their in-depth knowledge of the Vatican and the arts in general, in order to make your visit an enthralling and unforgettable experience.
The best of the Vatican in one tour! The tour lasts for 3 hours, of which 2.5 hours will be spent in the Vatican Museums to see its key exhibits; the other half hour will be dedicated to visiting St. Peter’s Basilica.
No stress! We guarantee no waiting in line to enter the Vatican Museums as we provide priority admission tickets to help you get the most out of your time in Rome. Your tickets will be with your guide when you meet.
Personal attention! Our groups are small (max 13 guests) so you’ll be able to interact with your guide and benefit from individual attention.
Discounts! We offer youth discount for children of 6-17 year-olds. Tours are free for infants aged 5 and under. Discounts are applied automatically with online bookings.
No need to wait! Our tours always begin on time. Please arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before the start of the tour, out of respect for the other group members and taking into account that all Vatican Museums tickets are very strictly tied to the time of entry.
Comfort listening! We provide all participants with high-quality headphones, included in the cost when the group has 6 or more participants, both in the Vatican Museums and in St. Peter’s Basilica.
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