B
Wonderful
Great tour and the company was great when we arrived late due to traffic
Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums & St Peter's Small Group Tour
+13 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Price from
- $132 / person
- Location
- Rome, Italy
- Rating
- 4.7 / 5 · 317 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 12
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Through Eternity Tours
- Meeting point
- You will meet your guide at the flower stand on the corner of Via Giulio Cesare and Via Leone IV. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.
Description
Explore the figures, technique, and meaning of Michelangelo's frescoes created during his four years of passion on our Sistine Chapel tour. Learn about Pope Julius II, who commissioned the works, and explore Raphael's rooms with our expert guide, uncovering the stories behind the depicted characters. Discover how the Vatican Museums' vast collection of treasures was recovered after years of neglect. Please note: The Raphael Rooms are part of this 3-hour itinerary, but due to crowding, timing, and the Vatican Museum's crowd flow, we may not be able to make this stop within the designated time. If the Raphael Rooms are essential, we recommend booking one of our longer tours: the Early Vatican Tour or the VIP Vatican Tour. Disclaimer: Reservations made less than 72 hours in advance will end in the Vatican Museums, as we cannot guarantee skip-the-line access to St. Peter's Basilica.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat
- Start times
- 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, and 11:00 AM
- Next available
- Thu, Oct 8
- Adult (ages 18+)
- $132
- Child (ages 6–17)
- $120
- Infant (ages 0–5)
- Free
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Vatican Museums
With more than five miles of corridors, this vast complex of museums chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2000 years, featuring classic masterpieces such as Rodin's "Thinker" and the Sistine Chapel.
Cortile della Pigna
The Vatican bronze pinecone is a colossal and ancient bronze sculpture also known as the Pinion and is located in one of the courtyards at the Vatican, in the Cortile della Pigna. It was found in the Middle Ages at the Baths of Agrippa where it originates, until late in the antiquity, today you can find it in the complex of the Vatican Museums now for many centuries.
Sphere within a Sphere
Also known as “Sfera con Sfera,” is a series of sculptures created by sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro. The sculpture depicts an enormous metal sphere with a cracked surface, revealing an intricate interior with another cracked sphere inside.
Stanze di Raffaello
The four rooms known as the Stanze of Raphael formed part of the apartment situated on the second floor of the Pontifical Palace that was chosen by Julius II della Rovere (pontiff from 1503 to 1513) as his own residence and used also by his successors. The pictorial decoration was executed by Raphael and his school between 1508 and 1524.
Sistine Chapel
Probably the most famous chapel in the world because of its incredible artwork, notably "The Last Judgment," Michelangelo's stunning fresco covering 10,000 square feet of the ceiling and wall.
St. Peter's Square
Enjoy the outstanding view of the Basilica from St. Peter's Square
The Vatican Obelisk
The Vatican Obelisk is the only ancient Egyptian obelisk in Rome to have remained standing since Roman times
Fontane di Piazza San Pietro
The two fountains in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, created by Carlo Maderno (1612–1614) and Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1667–1677) to ornament the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. The older fountain, by Maderno, is on the north side of the square.
What's included
Included
Headsets (for groups of 6 or more)
All Fees and Taxes
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Skip-The-Line Tickets
Small Group Size
Expert English-Speaking Guide
Escorted entrance to St. Peter's Basilica
Not included
Gratuities (optional)
Transportation to and from the meeting and end points
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.7
317 reviews
How it compares in Rome
- Starting price $132 is 16% above the typical $113 for tours of similar length in Rome
Excurgo comparison of 8,065 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please note that the Vatican Museums provide free entrance for visitors who are (according to the requirements stated by the Vatican City) at least 74% disabled by presenting the appropriate certification and, if one needs assistance by another person, that person also receives a free entrance. Please inform us when you are booking if you fit into these requirements and we will remove the pricing of the entry tickets from the price of the tour.
- As this is a walking tour with steps and staircases, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
- Please advise during the booking process if any clients have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
- At the end of your tour, you are required to return the headset provided to you to your guide. In the event that you do not return the headset, you will be subject to a fine of €100 for lost property.
- Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
- Disclaimer: For reservations made less than 72 hours in advance, access to the Basilica cannot be guaranteed due to ticketing restrictions.
- The Basilica of St. Peter's may be subject to unscheduled closings and late openings for religious ceremonies. We do not provide refunds for last-minute closures of St. Peter's Basilica. Your guide will still give you an introduction to the Basilica should you wish to return on your own time during your visit to Rome.
- Please note that the Raphael Rooms are part of this 3-hour itinerary but on days due to crowding, timing and direction flows of crowd traffic dictated by the Vatican Museum staff on the day, we may not be able to make this stop within the designated time frame.
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?
Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums & St Peter's Small Group Tour lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 8 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $132 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, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting at 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, and 11:00 AM.
How much does this tour cost for children?
Children aged 6–17 pay from $120, adults from $132. Infants go free.
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 You will meet your guide at the flower stand on the corner of Via Giulio Cesare and Via Leone IV. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag. 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 12 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Please advise during the booking process if any clients have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews(317)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
P
Daniel was amazing
Daniela was a tremendous guide, a fount of nonstop information! The process from start to finish was seamless and highly professional.
K
Excellent guide to the Vatican museum
Alex was a fun & knowledgable guide, expert in navigating through the crowds at the Vatican and making sure that we were both educated and entertained. His guidance allowed us to enjoy the amazing collection and beautiful Sistine chapel. I would highly recommend this tour. There was also good communication from the company before. .
B
Sistene Chapel skip the line
Daniella eas extremely knowledgeable and ensured we got to see all the highlights & also the history of why certain things are done. Thoroughly enjoyed our time.
D
Amazing trip to the Vatican!
Guilia is a wonderful guide! We were lucky enough to have her lead us twice, once to the colosseum and forum , tidy to the Vatican and its museums! The Borgia rooms were especially amazing, with practically no one else there! Guilia explained everything so clearly! Very happy with this experience!
B
History and Knowledge for the Win!
Taking the small group tour of the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's was fantastic. There was so much information shared about the art in the museums, the painting of the Sistine Chapel, and the vast St. Peter's Cathedral. Our guide was kind, knowledgeable, and ensured that everyone in our group was taken care of on a very hot day in late June. We truly appreciated her pace, and while we kept moving throughout the tour, we were able to stop and learn more about specific pieces of art and history throughout. I would highly recommend!
Operator response
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. The Vatican is home to an incredible amount of history and art, so we're delighted that your guide was able to make it all accessible and engaging while ensuring everyone in the group was comfortable throughout the tour. It's wonderful to know that the balance between exploring the highlights and taking time to appreciate the stories behind them made your experience even more meaningful. We truly appreciate your recommendation and your kind words. Thank you for choosing to explore the Vatican with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another memorable tour in the future!
A
Good timing of tour
We enjoyed this tour! Wish we could have spent more time in the Vatican Museum because it was so expansive, but considering how much we got to see of all the locations, I’d recommend the tour.
Operator response
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We’re so glad to hear that you enjoyed the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica tour. The Vatican Museums are truly vast, with countless incredible works of art and history to discover, so we completely understand wishing for more time to explore. We’re happy that the tour allowed you to experience so many of the highlights while making the most of your visit. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again for another memorable experience in Rome!
M
Disappointing tour of Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica
We were so excited for this tour but our guide Daniella really detracted from the experience. She would often stop and point out specific statues to comment on the fact that women don’t look like that after having babies (such an odd thing to focus on and she mentioned it many, many times). She also commented that she was very disappointed that the current pope is American. She told a long nonsensical story about when she found out about the new pope. We were pausing to read some of the wall explanations and she seemed to get annoyed and said “I love it when people read things but I am here to explain” - except she wasn’t explaining much. When we got to the map room she walked right through it without explaining the history. My son was very interested and excited about the basilica and the crypts and he was taking some time looking at all of the plaques and she got really annoyed and said she knew my children were not interested in learning about this. It was just a really strange, almost antagonistic way of speaking to us. It 100% detracted from our overall experience and we would have preferred just getting an audio guide and walking around ourselves. Very disappointing.
F
Very busy rushed and biased. Not as much history as other tours. Advisor repeated information several times.
Rushed repeated information
E
We enjoyed our tour of...
We enjoyed our tour of the Vatican museum and St Peter’s basilica. Our guide Ursus, helped us navigate through the crowds, got us into the Sistine Chapel before it was too crowded, and provided just the right amount of detail about what we were seeing.
Operator response
Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica with Ursus. Navigating the Vatican can be overwhelming, especially with the crowds, so it’s great to know he helped you move through smoothly and made the experience more enjoyable. We’re especially glad you were able to reach the Sistine Chapel before it became too busy, that really can make a big difference in how you experience such an extraordinary space. It’s also wonderful to hear that his explanations struck the right balance and helped bring what you were seeing to life without feeling overwhelming. Thank you for choosing to tour with us. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Ursus, and we hope to welcome you back for another memorable experience in Rome in the future!
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from$132
4.7(317) Free cancellation