Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St.Peter Basilica Private Tour
Description
You will meet your guide outside the Vatican Museum and bypassing the lines with your skip-the-line ticket you increase quick passage to the gallery complex. You go through a few of the historical centers displays and rooms; Gallery of Maps, Gallery of Tapestries and furthermore enter the Pinecone Courtyard. You at that point work your way towards the shocking Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's notorious frescoes; The Last Judgements and the Creation of Adam. (Talking isn't permitted inside the church so your guide will give you a full analysis before section).
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide outside the Vatican Museum and skip the line as you enter the Vatican Museums. Explore the various luxurious exhibitions and rooms; the Gallery of Maps; the Gallery of Tapestries and into the Pinecone Courtyard. Awesome bosses like Raphael and Michelangelo made a great part of the staggering fine art for the popes amid the Renaissance time frame.
As you leave the displays you enter the glorious Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's famous roof frescoes The Last Judgment and The Creation of Adam on one of the sanctuary's dividers. (There is no talking inside the house of prayer so your guide will clarify everything before section).
It is then time for a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica where you will explore the numerous side chapels with their hidden crypts. You will see Michelangelo’s Pietà and your guide will explain why this is the only work that he signed. You will gain an appreciation of the mastery that went into the creation of Bernini’s altarpiece and learn how Michelangelo triumphed over his contemporaries for the honour to paint St. Peter’s magnificent dome. There is still more to see though below ground level. You guide will lead you below ground to the papal crypt where, over the centuries, many of the Popes have been interred. This special place is a site of pilgrimage for many Catholics. Although talking is allowed, before you enter the crypt you guide will tell you where the most important popes are laid to rest.
The tour will end in Saint Peter’s Square, where you can view Bernini’s statues and the famous chimney which announces the election of a new Pope. A couple of final anecdotes and it will be time for your guide will say goodbye, leaving you to enjoy the square under your own steam. A wonderful end to a tour of the Vatican!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- READ CAREFULLY: Because of the growing popularity of the current pope Francis and his intense activity in organising mass events in the Vatican some areas might get closed last minute without previous notice. This has already happened this year and can happen again during you Vatican tour. In case of such events our tour guide will provide you with a valuable alternative focusing the tour inside the Vatican museums
- PLEASE NOTE: Due to the Jubilee the Basilica might not be accessible as part of the tour. Unfortunately, we know that very last minute. In any case, you can go there after the tour, queuing.
Reviews(51)
Our tour guide was amazing. He was so knowable about every aspect of the tour. He had a personality that was so nice. He never rushed us.
Our guide, Claudia, was fantastic. There is a lot of walking, but she was extremely knowledgeable and able to guide us through the museums, the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica so that everything made sense. She really knew what she was doing and could answer all of our questions. I would highly recommend her and Viator!
Wonderful experience to see and get in depth knowledge from our tour guide.
Our private tour guide, Paolo, was wonderful! She was easy to find, very communicative before our meeting time, knew so much about the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, and took us through a few short cuts to avoid crowds. Our only disappointment was the Basilica was closed and we were not notified ahead of time. This was not fault of our tour guide. She said it's jubilee year and the hours are different. We would have liked to have known this before the tour.
This tour was absolutely amazing. Francesco is so knowledgeable and taught us so much about the context and history of the paintings, architecture, and history of the Vatican. His knowledge truly elevated the tour and the hours flew by. I highly, highly recommend booking this tour with him. The city itself is astonishingly beautiful, but with Francesco there to guide us, it was more impactful and meaningful.
Fantastic tour! We got a great overview of the Vatican Museum and then quick access to the Basilica. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and she was able to connect the significance of the art with the historical events in a way that was really illuminating. We could've spent a week there but only having a few hours before we had to leave for our cruise, this was perfect.
The tour was excellent! Our guide Thomas provided an experience, that was organized, structured, engaging and full of history. 3 hours to tour the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's with thousands of other tourists around you is a challenge that Thomas executed effortlessly for our benefit. His passion and knowledge made it one of the best tours we have ever experienced. We had the private tour, my husband, 15yr old daughter and I. Highly recommend it! Thank you Thomas and Viator.
This tour was simply fantastic! We could not have hoped for a better tour guide than Francesco! He was extremely knowledgeable about the Vatican! He was so very helpful explaining to us what we would be seeing before we went into the Sistine Chapel, helping us navigate the long lines outside and our way inside the Vatican. He was very personable, kind and just his love and enthusiasm of the Vatican was so wonderful! I was on this trip with two of my adult children, and they enjoyed every second. We all agreed that this was absolutely one of the best tours we have ever been on, and that’s all thanks to the wonderful guide, Francesco. I highly recommend booking this tour, especially with Francesco!
Super professional guide, highly recommend, I was here in Rome last year and did another guided tour to Vatican however, this guide with this year was extremely helpful And she has taught us so many new things.
This was the most inspiring and moving tour during our trip to Rome. Valeria went the extra mile to explain and show us what we would see inside the buildings. Her training in history and architecture added a nice perspective to what we saw. Her excitement about what we were seeing in each room was infectious. We took a private tour with Valeria at 8am. I would highly recommend investing in a private, skip-the-line tour. Get there early and enjoy breakfast across the street.
