A
Magnificant Vatican Tour
Our tour guide Emma was wonderful! She explained so much of the history of the church & popes. We were overwhelmed by the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Basilica.
Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry
+9 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Price from
- $113 / person
- Location
- Rome, Italy
- Rating
- 4.9 / 5 · 48 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
- What a Life Tours
- Meeting point
- The meeting point is at our office at Via Santamaura 14-b, you will be looking for What a Life Tours. The closest Metro stop is Ottaviano which is about a 6-minute walk away. Please allow extra time to reach the meeting point and notice that the meeting time is 15 minutes before the start time.
Description
Our Vatican tours include sights like the Pinecone Courtyard, Gallery of Maps, and of course the Sistine Chapel, with skip-the-line access to St. Peter’s Basilica on a complete 3-hour tour. We can grant fast-track entry to the Vatican Museums, which gives us more time to enjoy what’s inside. So while other groups blaze through the Vatican galleries and head straight for the Sistine Chapel, we’ll take the scenic route and savor the world-class art on display. Among the multitude of masterpieces adorning the Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, we’ll lead you on a carefully planned path to only the most curious and jaw-dropping attractions. From cornerstone classics to tucked-away gems most visitors never notice – this afternoon stroll is an in-depth exploration of the best the Vatican has to offer. This is an intimate experience with tour groups capped at just 12 people or fewer. This means that there won’t be a mass of people between you and your tour guide.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat
- Start times
- 2:00 PM
- Season
- Starts Nov 2
- Next available
- Mon, Nov 2
- Adult (ages 18+)
- $113
- Youth (ages 7–17)
- $107
- Child (ages 2–6)
- $27
- Infant (ages 0–1)
- Free
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 11.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The meeting point is our office at Via Santamaura 14-B, conveniently located very close to the Museum's entrance.
Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums feature many works of art that belonged to the different Popes and are full of artistic beauty. Here is a glimpse of some of the most beautiful things to see in the Vatican Museums. Rooms and Galleries of the Vatican Museums, as the Greek Cross Room, the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, Raphael Rooms, and much more! These collections have been piled up over the course of centuries through acquisitions, donations, commissions, confiscations, and quite often lucky discoveries from underground Rome and not only!
The Gallery of Maps is a stupendous hallway where geography and history are perfectly intertwined. Created at the end of the 16th century, the entire room is dedicated to customized maps, which display the whole of Italy. On one side of the 393-foot long gallery are two representations of the country: one from the Imperial Roman Era and the other from the 1500s. Each map shows political happenings, religious roles, and major battles. The ceiling is no less remarkable, with frescoed scenes displaying episodes and miraculous events of apostles, saints, and martyrs, which are linked to the geographical maps below.
Sistine Chapel
Admire the breathtaking Sistine Chapel of Michelangelo! The most famous section of the Sistine Chapel ceiling is Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam. This scene is located next to the Creation of Eve, which is the panel at the center of the room, and the Congregation of the Waters, which is closer to the altar.
St. Peter's Basilica
If you thought the size of the Vatican Museums was overwhelmingly spectacular, St. Peter’s Basilica takes the “wow factor” to another level. The sheer capacity of the interiors is enough to leave any visitor searching for words to describe its vastness. At 613 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 147 feet high, it took an incredible 120 years to build, starting from 1506. Admire Michelangelo’s unparalleled Pietà masterpiece and stroll towards the center-right nave to observe Bernini’s bronze Baldachin, which sits directly atop the site of St. Peter’s tomb.
St. Peter's Square
St. Peter’s Square in is one of the most famous (and certainly one of the most holy!) sights in the world. It was designed in the 17th century by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who was known as the most accomplished architect in Rome at the time. Pope Alexander VIII, who commissioned the piazza, asked Bernini to emphasize St. Peter’s importance as “the gateway to Heaven” and the architect implemented the request beautifully. He divided the square into a smaller trapezoidal area adjoining the Basilica and an oval main part, which together create a ground plan in the shape of a giant keyhole.
What's included
Included
Full Tour of St. Peter's Basilica
Small Group of maximum 12 participants
Skip-the-line access
3-hour guided tour
Full Tour of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
All Fees and Taxes
Expert English-speaking guide
Not included
Gratuites
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.9
48 reviews
How it compares in Rome
- Starting price $113 is close to the typical $113 for tours of similar length in Rome
Excurgo comparison of 8,076 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
- St. Peter's Basilica is an active parish and therefore subject to last-minute closures due to mass or other religious events. In these cases, we will offer an extended tour of the Vatican Museums (including areas normally not part of the tour). No refunds are provided for unexpected closures.
- ALL participants MUST cover their knees and shoulders during visits to religious sites, the Vatican Museums included. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.
- Your tour voucher is valid only for the day and time reserved. We’re unable to accommodate late arrivals due to a strictly timed entrance ticket to the Vatican Museums. Missed tours or tickets due to late arrivals are non-refundable. Please allow extra time to reach the meeting point as Rome's streets can be confusing. Meeting time is 15 minutes before the start time of the tour.
- We are not responsible for the number of visitors the Vatican Museums allow inside.
- Pictures, videos, or speaking is not permitted in the Sistine Chapel.
- Large umbrellas are not allowed so please leave these at your accommodations.
- All participants (including under 18s) must bring valid ID.
- While the Vatican Museums are equipped with elevators for wheelchair/walkers access, they are not conveniently located on the group tour route and only give access to specific sections of the Museums. As a result, we cannot accommodate wheelchairs/walkers on this tour.
- We cannot accommodate service animals.
- We recommend that you bring your own headphones as the ones provided by the Vatican have a single earpiece only, and you may prefer to use both earbuds to hear the guide better.
- Under 18s aged 0-6 must book as "Child"; under 18s aged 7-17 must book as "Youth". This must be the age they will be on the day of the tour with us. Failure to book correctly will mean we cannot get your child inside the museums.
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 Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry take?
Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 6 stops.
How much does Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry cost?
Prices start at $113 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 Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting at 2:00 PM.
How much does Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry cost for children?
Children aged 2–6 pay from $27, adults from $113. Infants go free.
Can I cancel Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry 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 The meeting point is at our office at Via Santamaura 14-b, you will be looking for What a Life Tours. The closest Metro stop is Ottaviano which is about a 6-minute walk away. Please allow extra time to reach the meeting point and notice that the meeting time is 15 minutes before the start time. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Vatican Small Group Afternoon Tour | Skip-the-Line Entry 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 Under 18s aged 0-6 must book as "Child"; under 18s aged 7-17 must book as "Youth". This must be the age they will be on the day of the tour with us. Failure to book correctly will mean we cannot get your child inside the museums.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
While the Vatican Museums are equipped with elevators for wheelchair/walkers access, they are not conveniently located on the group tour route and only give access to specific sections of the Museums. As a result, we cannot accommodate wheelchairs/walkers on this tour.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews(48)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
K
Great tour despite the crowds
The skip the line was a great choice as we passed so many people lined up. Mario our guide was brilliant- interesting, informative and funny. Also very patient! We loved all the areas we saw. Thanks Mario.
A
Good tour
This tour was good. Our guide was very knowledgeable. Learned a lot in the short time we had in Rome.
D
Great tour!
Valentina was amazing! Great tour and loved her energy and funny personality…made it fun! Small group so perfect size. Super knowledgeable and organized….
S
Mario is your man for the Vatican Tour! He rocks!!
Well…I can’t stop talking about our tour guide Mario. He handled a small group Vatican Tour. Put it this way…with his knowledge and his background made this tour one of the best tours on our vacation! Talking about putting you in the shoes of early Vatican History. Holy moly he was good! He was so engaging he actually made you feel that you were back in time. He has my whole family engaged! Mario is the man! Thanks !! You made our experience unforgettable!
B
Excellent tour
Would definitely recommend the small group tour, you get to skip the queue. It was very well organised and very informative.
H
The Vatican Tour
John, our tour guide was amazing. He was very knowledgable and a really nice guy. The tour should have lasted 3 hours but he extended it by half an hour to give us more of an experience. So much to learn and see.
H
Awesome tour
Amazing tour. Gabriel was a great guide, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Highly recommend this for a good way to see the Vatican and Sistine Chapel.
E
Great Tour Guide (Jad)
Out tour guide was Jad. He was great! Informative but not overwhelming. Definitely would recommend to anyone wanting a solid tour covering the highlights of the Vatican.
J
Excellent tour and a great experience.
Our tour guide, Daniela was very informative and kept the small group moving at a good pace. There is obviously lots to see and impossible to see everything in such a small timescale. She was obviously very passionate about the Vatican and backed this up with interesting stories. I would highly recommend this tour.
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from$113
4.9(48) Free cancellation