Private Vatican Museums Tour with Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
Overview
What better way to see the Vatican than with your own private guide? Do just that on this 3-hour walking tour, and explore the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica with customized commentary. From the splendor of Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgement” fresco to the intrigue of an architectural optical illusion in St Peter’s Square, this in-depth tour charts the stories behind the Vatican’s sacred sites. Even better, the tour provides access that allows you to skip all the entrance lines — even the priority ones.
Inclusions
- Reserved Skip-the-Line Access to the Vatican Museums
- Reserved Access to the Sistine Chapel
- English-speaking expert guide exclusively for your group
- Carefully curated private tour just for your group
- Entry/Admission - La Pieta
- Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
- Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Basilica
- Entry/Admission - Vatican Museums
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Vatican City, Vatican City, Lazio
Discover the renowned art and architecture of the Vatican on this skip-the-line private tour of the Vatican Museums.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City Italy
After meeting your private guide, go straight inside the Vatican Museum with your skip-the line ticket, and let your guide know if there’s anything specific you want to see or any particular interests you have that you’d like to hear more about, such as the history of the Vatican or the sometimes-scandalous stories about its inhabitants over the years.
Follow your guide to some of the complex’s dozens of galleries and rooms, such as Raphael’s Rooms, the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries and the Pinecone Courtyard. Hear about the famed Renaissance masters like Raphael and Michelangelo who created art for the popes, and listen to stories about rivalries between artists.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Vatican City Italy
You’ll eventually reach the Sistine Chapel, known for its iconic frescoes by Michelangelo—The Last Judgment and The Creation of Adam, which decorates the chapel’s sacred ceiling. (Talking inside the chapel is prohibited, so any commentary from your guide will be given outside the doors.)
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: La Pieta, Chapel of the Pieta Basilica Di San Pietro, Vatican City Italy
Next, walk over to St Peter’s Basilica, the Italian Renaissance church that’s home to more artistic masterpieces, most famously Michelangelo’s La Pietà sculpture and Bernini’s bronze baldachin altar canopy.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy
Then head outside for a stroll around St Peter’s Square, where your guide points out Bernini’s use of optical illusion at the colonnades. Your tour ends here, where you can continue exploring on your own.
Duration: 30 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Vatican City, Vatican City, Lazio
Discover the renowned art and architecture of the Vatican on this skip-the-line private tour of the Vatican Museums.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City Italy
After meeting your private guide, go straight inside the Vatican Museum with your skip-the line ticket, and let your guide know if there’s anything specific you want to see or any particular interests you have that you’d like to hear more about, such as the history of the Vatican or the sometimes-scandalous stories about its inhabitants over the years.
Follow your guide to some of the complex’s dozens of galleries and rooms, such as Raphael’s Rooms, the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries and the Pinecone Courtyard. Hear about the famed Renaissance masters like Raphael and Michelangelo who created art for the popes, and listen to stories about rivalries between artists.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Vatican City Italy
You’ll eventually reach the Sistine Chapel, known for its iconic frescoes by Michelangelo—The Last Judgment and The Creation of Adam, which decorates the chapel’s sacred ceiling. (Talking inside the chapel is prohibited, so any commentary from your guide will be given outside the doors.)
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: La Pieta, Chapel of the Pieta Basilica Di San Pietro, Vatican City Italy
Next, walk over to St Peter’s Basilica, the Italian Renaissance church that’s home to more artistic masterpieces, most famously Michelangelo’s La Pietà sculpture and Bernini’s bronze baldachin altar canopy.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy
Then head outside for a stroll around St Peter’s Square, where your guide points out Bernini’s use of optical illusion at the colonnades. Your tour ends here, where you can continue exploring on your own.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional information
- Visitors must pass through metal detectors at the security check point; expect to wait 20-30 minutes to clear security
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Only small bags are allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Saint Peter’s Basilica is subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies. When this occurs, we're happy to offer customers an extended tour of the Vatican Museums. While we endeavour to tell tour groups ahead of time if there are any planned disruptions to the Basilica's opening hours, this is not always possible and in these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts.
- On Wednesdays, due to the Papal Audiences, access to St Peter's Basilica is not possible until 1pm
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
Matt_M
May 2022
Our tour guide Guiseppi was so well versed and knowledgeable about Vatican City the artwork throughout the Vatican Museum. We’re very impressed and enjoyed our private tour!
Our tour guide Guiseppi was so well versed and knowledgeable about Vatican City the artwork throughout the Vatican Museum. We’re very impressed and enjoyed our private tour!Roberta_S
April 2022
Our tour guide was very knowledgable and had a great sense of humor. Would certainly book Viator in the future. Thank you!
Our tour guide was very knowledgable and had a great sense of humor. Would certainly book Viator in the future. Thank you!Bernard_R
March 2022
We missed the tour, Because we were very late. But we did buy a ticket and walked through the museum. While I’m in Rome I’m going to try again. Thank you for your concerns. Bernie Redmond
We missed the tour, Because we were very late. But we did buy a ticket and walked through the museum. While I’m in Rome I’m going to try again. Thank you for your concerns. Bernie RedmondMaureen_R
March 2022
This was a wonderful experience- my second time around, but even better than the last. We had a wonderful, knowledgeable guide who really helped my travel mate who struggles with a lot of walking.
This was a wonderful experience- my second time around, but even better than the last. We had a wonderful, knowledgeable guide who really helped my travel mate who struggles with a lot of walking.Laura_M
February 2022
Giuseppe was our tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and educated and brought the paintings, sculptures, history, etc. of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel to life. Many many thanks to Giuseppe for making this a fantastic experience for us!!!
Giuseppe was our tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and educated and brought the paintings, sculptures, history, etc. of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel to life. Many many thanks to Giuseppe for making this a fantastic experience for us!!!Christine_H
February 2022
My daughter and I went on this tour. Very well organised. We had a truly excellent tour guide, we think her name was Christa and she was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. We really enjoyed our experience and would definitely recommend. Thank you.
My daughter and I went on this tour. Very well organised. We had a truly excellent tour guide, we think her name was Christa and she was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. We really enjoyed our experience and would definitely recommend. Thank you.