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
- St. Peter’s Square
- 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
- Headset
Take a walk through the Palaces of the Pope
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Total Customer Reviews: 5322
Verified Ratings
4.7 /5
based on 5322 Walks' reviews
Rating summary by category
Latest reviews
Excellent
The guide was very informative and had great insight on it. Such a beautiful place to see!
Verified · Bonnie · Sep 23, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Excellent
Our guide, Paula, was great. We received in-depth information.
Verified · Jilaine · Sep 21, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Good
Guide was at times difficult to understand. Tour length was very long.
Verified · Elliot · Sep 20, 2023 · United Kingdom · Male · 25 to 34 years
Good
This was our second tour with Walks and it wasn't good (The first one at Colosseum was AMAZING!!). 3.5 hour tour was completed in 3 hours without any breaks in between (except the 5 min restroom stop at the start, no toilet/restroom break after that point). Although a lot of information was shared on the tour, it didn't feel like an engaging tour. Due to lack of breaks, after a point, we were simply following the guide, rather than actually consuming the information shared with us. Also, there were hardly any opportunities (even 30-40 sec wait time would have been enough) provided to click pictures inside the Vatican museums. While I do understand that there are a lot of things to cover in a limited time, guests do pay a lot for the tours and considering the different age groups touring together, rest stops and photo opportunities should be provided. I would recommend using the spare 30 minutes to provide interim stops along the way.
Verified · Nupur · Sep 19, 2023 · USA · Female · 25 to 34 years
Great
Thoroughly enjoyed the tour and guide was very knowledgeable, he was able to manoeuvre the group around easily.
Verified · Gai · Sep 19, 2023 · Australia · Female · 55 to 64 years
Meeting Point
Meeting Point
Please meet your guide in the plaza outside of Antico Café Candia, Via Candia, 153, 00192 Roma RM, at the bottom of the stairs. The closest Metro station is Cipro. Your guide will be in the center of the plaza holding a green Walks sign.
Please meet 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.
FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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.
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