The Complete Vatican Tour With Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
3.5 hours
Max 20
Why take this tour?
Highlights
- Skip the line at the Vatican Museums with pre-reserved group entrance tickets, saving hours of waiting
- Visit the three most essential areas of Vatican City - the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica
- Enjoy a specially designed route highlighting all the works you wanted to see and a few surprises you won’t expect
- Stand in utter awe under Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel and learn the incredible stories behind its frescos
- Skip the line into St. Peter’s Basilica for a full guided tour including Bernini’s incomparable altar and Michelangelo’s "Pietà"
- With only 20 people (or fewer), a comfortable headset and an expert guide, your experience will be intimate and surpass your expectations
- Sites Visited
- Vatican Museums
- Sistine Chapel
- St. Peter’s Basilica (excluding morning tours on Weds/Sat)
- St. Peter’s Square (excluding morning tours on Weds/Sat)
- Raphael Rooms
- Apollo Belvedere & Laocoön & His Sons
- Pinecone Courtyard
- Gallery of the Candelabra
- Gallery of the Maps
- Gallery of the Tapestries
- Tour Includes
- Local English-speaking guide
- Skip-the-line ticket for Vatican Museums
- Skip-the-line access into St. Peter’s Basilica (excluding morning tours on Weds/Sat)
- Headset
Take a walk through the Palaces of the Pope
Book Now
Verified Customer reviews
Verified ratings
4.6 /5
based on 6165 Walks’ customer ratingsOverall rating
4.6 /5
6165 reviewsRating summary by category
Latest reviews
Great
Our tour guide for the Vatican was excellent. Highly recommend this tour
Verified · John · Italy · Male · Jun 28, 2025 Great
This was a good tour but our guide literally RAN... we were running through the museums, and the basilica. It was difficult to keep up. I wish we would have had more time in the museums. I wish we would have been able to either stay in the sistine chapel longer or go back. I understand per Vatican policy going back is not possible so staying longer would have been nice.
Verified · Laura · USA · Female · Jun 28, 2025 Excellent
Our guide Anna was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable and made the tour interesting. Even though on our tour we could not see the Basilica due to it being closed, we saw alot of the museum and the Sistine Chapel. There is so much to see there that you need more than the time on a tour, but it gave us a great preview for when we go back another time.
Verified · Patti · USA · Female · Jun 27, 2025 Excellent
Rosanna “Roxie” was amazing! Very personable and informative. Great tour!
Verified · Jillian · Italy · Female · Jun 26, 2025 Excellent
I very much enjoyed the Vatican tour and thought our guide was exceptional. He knowledge on the art, museums and buildings was remarkable. As fine a guide as I ever had. You need a great guide to assist you and point out what you should see in probably the busiest venue in the area. She was great.
My only issue with the company was that I had a second tour scheduled for the day that they did not have booked correctly in their computer. I'm not sure where the error occurred. I had a confirmation of the tour and arrived on time but I was not on the guides' list and they would not let my family go on the tour. They did refund my money quickly and the ladies at the tour start were helpful. They should be commended for getting me in touch with their office, waiting for it to be settled, and then pointing me to another tour site down the street. I was still able to get tickets and access the site on a self guided tour. Not all was lost but I sure would have liked to have the guide.
Verified · Jeffrey · Italy · Male · Jun 25, 2025FAQs
Walks Tours is an Accredited Tour Operator at the Vatican Museums. What does that mean?
Walks Tours is proud to be an Accredited Tour Operator with an official ticketing agreement with the Vatican Museums.
Do I need to bring my passport/ID with me?
Yes! All guests (including children) must bring a government-issued ID/passport on the day of their tour. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument. The full names of all participants are required at the time of booking and must match the names on their ID/passport. Name changes are not permitted.
Will St. Peter's Basilica be open during the 2025 Jubilee?
St. Peter's Basilica will be open throughout 2025 and we aim to include it on our tours as much as possible. However, starting December 2024, access to St. Peter's Basilica may be limited due to the Vatican's Jubilee Year 2025, which includes special events and ceremonies. These closures are determined by the Vatican and are beyond our control. Thank you for your understanding.
I am in a wheelchair/have a mobility impairment. Can I take this tour?
The Vatican Museums are equipped with elevators for wheelchair access, but they are not located on the group tour route. If you have a mobility impairment and/or use a wheelchair please contact our customer service department at [email protected] and we will be happy to work out a suitable alternative.
Does St. Peter's Basilica have a dress code?
Yes, although you aren't expected to dress as formally as if you were attending a mass. Unless you actually are attending a mass. The most important rule is NO SHORTS, that applies to both men and women. Shoulders must also be covered, so no tank tops. Small bags and umbrellas are permitted inside but large bags have to be checked at the entrance, next to the official audio-guides desk.
Is this tour accessible for wheelchairs, strollers or for those with mobility impairments?
Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, or for wheelchairs or strollers. Please contact the Guest Experience team at [email protected] or call +39 068-596-0143 (Italy) or 888-683-8670 (USA) to make alternative arrangements.
What happens if St. Peter's Basilica is closed on my tour?
The special access passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays and subject to other unexpected closures during special celebrations/festivities, including the Easter ceremonies. On such days we will instead explore the magnificent Pinoteca Gallery. Your guide will still give you an introduction to the church should you wish to visit this on your own at a later occasion.
I want to take a selfie in the Raphael Rooms, can I bring my selfie stick?
No. Selfie sticks are strictly forbidden inside the Vatican Museums, along with flash photography. However, visitors are allowed to take non-flash photographs anywhere besides the Sistine Chapel.
What items can I NOT take into the Vatican Museums
Knives, scissors, and other cutting tools must also be deposited in the cloakroom as a precaution against harming the artwork inside. No hammers, either, as one was once used to smash Michelangelo's Pietá. This probably goes without saying, but firearms are also strictly prohibited for visitors within the Vatican Museums and you can't check them in the cloakroom.
I've heard the Vatican has a strict dress code. What should I wear?
It does, but it isn't anything too formal. The big rule is to make sure your shoulders and knees are covered - that applies to both men and women. Also remember that shorts of any length are not allowed at all in St. Peter's Basilica so if you are visiting both the Vatican Musuems and the Basilica, wear trousers or a long skirt. Occasionally visitors get away with wearing a bit less but it’s best not to risk it. Hats are also not allowed.
Walks cannot be held responsible for guests who are refused entrance due to inappropriate dress so please remember to cover up.
IMPORTANT: Can I bring a bag into the Vatican Museums?
Yes, as long as it's within a certain size. You cannot bring any bag, backpack suitcase or container larger that 40cm x 35cm x 15cm into the Vatican Museums. In fact, size limits apply to all items; because of the sheer number of people that visit the Museums, space is at a premium. You can’t enter with medium to large umbrellas, any umbrellas with spiked tips, camera tripods, signage (apart from signs used by certified guides) or walking sticks – except those required by disabled visitors.
All of these items can be left in the cloakroom, which is located at the entrance to the Museums. This means that you will need to walk 15 - 20 minutes back here after you finish your tour at St Peter's Basilica. On our afternoon tours you may need to leave the tour early to collect your bag before the cloakroom closes.
Why can't I take photos inside the Sistine Chapel?
When the chapel was restored in 1990 the biggest donors to the project (donating a whopping $4.2 million) were a Japanese television network. In return, they received exclusive rights to photograph and film inside and quickly banned any professional photographers from taking pictures. Although they didn't mind if tourists took photos, the Vatican guards decided to enforce the rule on everyone because it was impractical to differentiate between a normal visitor and who was a professional photographer. The Japanese network's exclusive contract has expired now but the rule persists. If you try to take any images in the Chapel Vatican, security is authorized to make you delete them.
You Can Also Experience These Similar Tours
Pristine Sistine Early Entrance Small Group Vatican Tour
Step inside the Vatican Museums first thing in the morning and beat the crowds to the Sistine Chapel.
13119
4 h
15 max
VIP Key Master's Tour: Open The Sistine Chapel
Travel with the Key Master as he opens silent galleries including the Sistine Chapel and spend two hours alone inside the world's most venerated museum.
277
2 h
20 max
Rome Underground: Catacombs at Closing Time, Appian Way & Aqueducts Tour
Step into ancient Rome along the Appian Way as you venture deep into the eerie Catacombs of San Sebastiano with exclusive access at closing time.
2525
3.25 h
18 max
