VIP Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour
Description
Skip the line and immerse yourself in the Vatican's treasures with an expert guide and priority entrance in a small group. This exclusive tour includes the incredible collections and galleries of the Vatican museums and of course the awe inspiring Sistine Chapel. Designed for those who wish to explore and experience the full splendour of the Vatican City. Wander through the Vatican Museums, an incredible array of masterpieces. The vast collection includes exquisite sculptures, mesmerising frescoes, and architectural wonders that together create a collection unmatched anywhere in the world. Feast your eyes on breathtaking works by world renowned artists such as Bramante, Bernini, Perugino, Botticelli and of course Michelangelo. Please note that St Peters Basilica is subject to last minute closures and for the papal audience on some Wednesday mornings, entrance can not always be included. In this case there will be an extended tour of the Vatican museums.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Explore the Vatican Museums with an Expert Guide, visit the highlights of the incredible collections comprised of a colossal 20,000 works on display, over 4 miles of Art, Sculptures, Tapestries, Paintings and Architecture. Belvedere Courtyard Pinecone Courtyard Pio Clementino Museum Octagonal Courtyard Sala Degli Animali Sala Delle Muse Sala Rotonda Sala A Croce Greca Gallery of the Candelabra Gallery of Tapestries Gallery of Maps
Marvel at the incredible Sistine Chapel, an impressive sanctuary that boasts works of art by master painters like Perugino, Pinturicchio, Ghirlandaio, Rosselli, Botticelli, Signorelli, della Gatta and, of course, Michelangelo. See the world famous frescoes stretch magnificently across the ceiling with the renowned Creation of Adam as the central focus and the majestic Last Judgement upon the rear wall, offering a visual spectacle that encapsulates the divine. Sistine Chapel Frescoes Cosmati Floor Mosaic Forseen conception of Jesus Christ Pagan Sibyls / Icons Prophet depictions Creation of Adam The Last Judgement Sacrifice of Jesus Christ Greek Mythology Styx
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican City, or simply Saint Peter's Basilica, is a church of the Italian High Renaissance and the heart of the catholic faith located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy.
St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro), located in Vatican City in front of St. Peter's Basilica, is a massive, iconic Baroque plaza designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1656 and 1667. Featuring an elliptical design with massive colonnades representing the "embrace" of the Church, it holds over 300,000 people and features a central Egyptian obelisk.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not suitable for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
- If you arrive late for the meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, unless you pay for the activity again. As per "No Show" rules you will not be entitled to a refund.
- If you purchase a reduced ticket and you are not under 16 years old or a student under 26 years old with a valid STUDENT PHOTO ID, the Vatican will deny your entry and you will not be able to visit the Vatican or join the tour.
- All visitors must pass through the monument/attraction security check please allow at least 20 minutes to clear security.
- Knees & Shoulders MUST be covered for both men & women.
- Some monuments or areas may be under restoration and subject to last minute closures. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- It is not possible to contact guides when they are inside the Vatican museums, it is the clients responsibility to stay with the guided tour group, if you lose your guide inside the Vatican, there is nothing we can do in this case.
- Please be aware that large bags/backpacks/suitcases are not permitted in the monument/ attraction. Only very small bags are allowed. Please do not bring these items with you on the day of your tour as there are no cloakrooms at the monument.
- St. Peter's Basilica is subject to last minute closures for religous events, and the Papal audience on some Wednesday and Saturday mornings. In the event that it is closed if you have selected the option to visit St. Peter's Basilica you will have an extended tour of the Vatican museums. The Basilica is free to enter and we do not have any control in the event of these closures it is not possible to provide a refund under these circumstances.
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not suitable for those with walking difficulties or using a wheelchair.
Reviews(1,538)
Our tour guide Debora was incredible - thank you for taking care of us and showing us around! Could have always done with more time but it was fantastic
Christina (Christine) was an amazing tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and personable. We really appreciated her as a guide.
Guide was very good and informative. Of course it was very crowded but haviing the VIP tour made it quick to get in, a must or you will be waiting hours to get in.
Great and knowledgeable guide. Would recommend.
Overall, this was a good tour and a convenient way to see the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Our guide was knowledgeable and provided helpful context and history throughout the tour. The Vatican can be incredibly crowded and overwhelming, so having a guide definitely made it easier to navigate and helped us understand what we were seeing. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a true “VIP” experience, as it still felt busy and somewhat rushed at times, but we enjoyed the tour and were glad we booked it. A solid option if you want a guided experience that covers the major Vatican highlights without having to figure everything out on your own.
We loved the tour! So much information and history - can’t imagine going without a guide! Our guide Deborah was absolutely amazing - so much energy a d knowledge! Highly recommend!!
Maya tours is an excellent company. Our tour guide was amazing and extremely knowledgeable, funny and took great care of us.
Christina was amazing! As a fellow American, she kept it real, funny, and engaging while still being incredibly informative. Having done a private tour of the Vatican before, I can honestly say this tour gave us the same amount of information, if not more. We especially appreciated how conscious she was of the heat - she could have easily dragged things out or had us standing in the beating sun, but she kept everything moving without sacrificing any of the experience. She was informative, engaging for all ages, and truly made the Vatican enjoyable. We’ve already recommended this tour (and Christina!) to so many people we know!
Christina was an amazing tour guide. Lots of wonderful knowledge and an amazing way of presenting the history before the tour. We saw a lot but never felt rushed. Would absolutely book again if I return to Rome.
The tour was fantastic and tremendously boosted by Deny’ s wonderful descriptions that nearly visualized the verbal descriptions and details of what we were seeing. Best tour guide ever.
