J
Vatican tour
We had an amazing experience. Rahul our tour guide was amazing and knowledgeable. Would recommend this tour guide and tour very highly.
Rome travel guide: tickets, best time & real costs
Semi Private Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum and Basilica Tour
+8 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Price from
- $69 / person
- Location
- Rome, Italy
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 · 203 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 10
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Europe Odyssey Tours di Rahul Raghavan & C.sas
- Meeting point
- Get to 91, Viale Vaticano. Look across the street and you will see the guide standing by the bus stop along the Vatican walls with a Europe Odyssey sign.
Description
Discover the best of the Vatican City in a 3 hour tour of the Museum, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica. Our group size averages just 10 people. Enjoy being guided through the largest collection of art in the Western Hemisphere. Your professional English speaking guide will walk you through the Gallery of Papal Carriages, Gallery of Tapestries, Gallery of Maps, Pinacoteca and the Sistine Chapel. The last part of the tour quickly brings you into St. Peter’s Basilica, exclusively going down the Scala Regia and passing in front of the Pope's office and the Swiss Guards! Be prepared to be amazed by the grandeur and splendor of man's creation.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Mon, Tue, Fri, and Sat
- Start times
- 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 8:45 AM, 1:00 PM, and 1:30 PM
- Next available
- Fri, Oct 16
- Adult (ages 19+)
- $69
- Youth (ages 6–18)
- $57
- Child (ages 0–5)
- Free
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Vatican Museums
Start your tour at the renowned Vatican Museums. Aside from being the home of the Pope, Vatican city is also home to the Vatican Museums, the world’s largest collection of art with 9 miles of art that could wrap around the Vatican walls 4 ½ times! It contains 54 museums, 1400 rooms, chapels, and galleries. Aside from the renowned Sistine Chapel, the museums also display the only work of Leonardo Da Vinci in Rome, St. Jerome, the Raphael Rooms, and the Pinoteca, which contains collections of the Popes, all dating back to the middle ages and are set in chronological order.
Sistine Chapel
Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is possibly the most well known masterpiece in modern day, with over 5 million visitors per year. It was a project the artist took on reluctantly because his focus was sculptures, and he would complain about the physical toll it took on his body. It is said that the design of the chapel from Pope Sixtus IV, is modeled after Solomon’s temple from the Old Testament, measuring at just larger than a professional basketball court! There are many more frescoes to admire here from other artists, including: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pietro Perugino, Cosimo Roselli and Sandro Botticelli.
St. Peter's Basilica
You will head through a secret entry into our last stop on the tour, St. Peter's Basilica: the largest basilica in the world, with markings inside the church to ensure every other basilica would fit inside. The curious visitor is treated to Michelangelo’s Pieta at the front, 150 mosaics, and Bernini’s baldacchino, which stands at 96 feet tall and 100,000 pounds of bronze! Surprisingly, there is only one actual painting in the basilica, and it can be spotted hanging above the Pieta. Many popes are buried in the church or are on display, but most of the popes are buried underneath the basilica including St. Peter, the first pope.
What's included
Included
Professional English speaking guide with a clear diction
Ear phones are included for groups of 6 or more
Not included
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and Drinks
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
203 reviews
How it compares in Rome
- Starting price $69 is 39% below the typical $113 for tours of similar length in Rome
Excurgo comparison of 8,082 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- 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 bring a bottle of water per person.
- Carry medium size back packs as large ones will be checked into the cloak room and involves a long walk to get them back.
- The following items along with the bags will have to be checked into the cloak room: glass bottles of any kind, swiss knives, wine openers, large tripods and large bags.
- Photography is permitted in most rooms but without flash. It is prohibited to photograph inside the Sistine Chapel.
- Entry to St. Peter's Basilica may be subject to unexpected closures or limited availability of tickets. If an area typically included in the tour is closed, our guide will provide an explanation and show an additional site or gallery to compensate As these circumstances are beyond our control, we appreciate your patience and understanding.
- You can also chose to climb the dome on your own, for a separate fee.
- On Wednesdays the Basilica is closed until noon due to the Papal Audience.
- 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
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Bring Umbrellas that can fold and are not long have a pokey end
- The tour ends in front on the Basilica. You can spend more time inside the Basilica but you cannot go back to the Sistine Chapel nor the Museum.
- Not recommended for clients who cannot climb and decent stairs
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
Semi Private Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum and Basilica Tour lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $69 per person for this Rome experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does this tour run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting at 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 8:45 AM, 1:00 PM, and 1:30 PM.
How much does this tour cost for children?
Children aged 0–5 pay nothing, adults from $69.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Get to 91, Viale Vaticano. Look across the street and you will see the guide standing by the bus stop along the Vatican walls with a Europe Odyssey sign. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 10 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is this tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 203 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Europe Odyssey Tours di Rahul Raghavan & C.sas.
Reviews(203)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
R
Navigating TheVatican
Our guide Raul was Fantastic! So knowledgeable, patient, detailed, charming. He was Simply The Best!
Y
Vatican Tour
Rahul was awesome! Guided us through the crowds seamlessly.
M
Navigating the Vatican
Raul is Simply The Best tour guide ever! So knowledgeable, attentive and charming. Highly recommend 😊
B
Exceptional Vatican tour
Rahul was extraordinary! Highly recommend!
1 people found this helpful
M
It’s not semi private. ...
It’s not semi private. Many groups of 16-20 all trying to follow their guide. Our guide was knowledgeable, but a little hard to understand. 0745 meet up, didn’t get in until 8:15 or later. Packed with people.
N
Excellent
Leonardo was an excellent guide. He explained it to us perfectly.
1 people found this helpful
I
Highly recommend!
We had a fantastic semi private tour of the Vatican with Rahul! He was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and personable, and did a wonderful job bringing the history, art, and stories of the Vatican to life. There is so much to take in, but Rahul made everything approachable and interesting without ever making the tour feel overwhelming or rushed. The semi-private format was perfect — it felt personal, gave us plenty of opportunity to ask questions, and made navigating such a busy place much easier. Rahul was thoughtful about making sure everyone was comfortable throughout the tour.
1 people found this helpful
I
Excellent
Rahul our tour guide was amazing. He is efficient and very professional from the moment he began the tour. Provided a meeting place and was very patient and kind. We enjoyed the tour and learned a lot!
1 people found this helpful
F
Rahul tour guide
The most informative rahul was excellent couldn’t of made it without him would recommend him to everyone
1 people found this helpful
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from$69
4.8(203) Free cancellation