Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums
Overview
Be among the first visitors of the day to enter the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel before the crowds have poured in. With the help of your enthusiastic guide, you will sweep past the long galleries of tapestries, sculptures, and frescoes directly to the most magnificent and important piece, the Sistine Chapel. By making Michelangelo’s masterpiece your first formal stop on the tour you will arrive before nearly anyone else has had the time to find a map! This will mean that you and your small group of 12 people or less will have plenty of time to gasp in wonder at the work of this Renaissance genius while your guide brings the art to life with stories and details of its creation.
Inclusions
- First Entrance into the Vatican Museums
- First Entry Experience to the Sistine Chapel
- Entrance Tickets and Reservation Fees
- Small group of 12 people or less
- Expert, English-speaking guide
- Guaranteed to skip the lines
- Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Vatican City, Vatican City, Lazio
With this First Entry Experience to the Vatican Museums you will admire the Sistine Chapel at its best, without the notoriously large crowds.
Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Vatican City Italy
Your experience begins just outside the Vatican Museums in the early morning, where you’ll receive your tickets and be accompanied to the Sistine Chapel. There, you’ll have the time and the space to contemplate its beauty. This is a far cry from the crowded afternoons when there's barely room to move around in, let alone appreciate, this incredible space.
To this day, critics say that no artist’s work has ever approached the scale, technical skill and sense composition of Michelangelo’s frescoes. People the world over have been awestruck by the powerful imagery of the “Creation of Adam, ” painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, while others have marvelled at “The Last Judgment, ” which adorns the altar wall. You’ll have the luxury to see these 15th century masterpieces for yourself, up close and personal.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Vatican City, Vatican City, Lazio
With this First Entry Experience to the Vatican Museums you will admire the Sistine Chapel at its best, without the notoriously large crowds.
Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Vatican City Italy
Your experience begins just outside the Vatican Museums in the early morning, where you’ll receive your tickets and be accompanied to the Sistine Chapel. There, you’ll have the time and the space to contemplate its beauty. This is a far cry from the crowded afternoons when there's barely room to move around in, let alone appreciate, this incredible space.
To this day, critics say that no artist’s work has ever approached the scale, technical skill and sense composition of Michelangelo’s frescoes. People the world over have been awestruck by the powerful imagery of the “Creation of Adam, ” painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, while others have marvelled at “The Last Judgment, ” which adorns the altar wall. You’ll have the luxury to see these 15th century masterpieces for yourself, up close and personal.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Additional information
- 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
- St Peter's Basilica, the grottos and the dome: After the tour, you may visit these attractions on your own. Your tour will end at the front of St Peter's Basilica, which is a very convenient location to leave for lunch, visit the Vatican bookstore, visit the Vatican post office, enter St Peter's Basilica, continue to the grottos below St Peter's or climb to the dome. Your tour guide will be happy to point you in the right direction!
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note: Due to the current circumstances and regulations, the Vatican currently opens at 8:30am instead of 8:00am. However, by arriving at the line 30 minutes before the doors open, you will be one of the first visitors to enter the Sistine Chapel and enjoy the Museums in peace before the crowds arrive.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- 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.
Elyvette_F
October 2021
Our guide was perfect! She gave us all the information and explain the history to see the Sistine Chapel with some perspective. It was amazing!
Our guide was perfect! She gave us all the information and explain the history to see the Sistine Chapel with some perspective. It was amazing!Sheila_S
April 2022
Our guide was very experienced and knowledgeable about the site. She brought a richness to the tour that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Our guide was very experienced and knowledgeable about the site. She brought a richness to the tour that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.Rachel_A
April 2022
Oscar was an excellent guide and provided a lot of great info while being relatable and friendly. I appreciated that this tour gets you to the chapel before all the crowds and then you have all the time in the world (or as long as your teenagers can handle) to view the remainder of the collections.
Oscar was an excellent guide and provided a lot of great info while being relatable and friendly. I appreciated that this tour gets you to the chapel before all the crowds and then you have all the time in the world (or as long as your teenagers can handle) to view the remainder of the collections.Hanna_E
April 2022
Very nice guide, and good to share her knowledge about the sistine chapel. We appreciated that we got good time for us selves to view the Michelangelo paintongd.
Very nice guide, and good to share her knowledge about the sistine chapel. We appreciated that we got good time for us selves to view the Michelangelo paintongd.Jeffrey_S
April 2022
Great tour! We weren’t the first in as advertised but we were certainly before the major crowds and our guide was fantastic, moving us through the museum to the Sistine before it got busy. We saw wonderful things and really enjoyed the whole experience.
Great tour! We weren’t the first in as advertised but we were certainly before the major crowds and our guide was fantastic, moving us through the museum to the Sistine before it got busy. We saw wonderful things and really enjoyed the whole experience.Vivienne_H
April 2022
Waiting in long queues and no sign of a semi private experience. The guide was disappointing and seemed I’ll prepared for the task.
Waiting in long queues and no sign of a semi private experience. The guide was disappointing and seemed I’ll prepared for the task.