Project Description

Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and Basilica
The Vatican museum home of spectacular artworks is only one part of this Vatican city tour. Visiting the Vatican, you will also have the opportunity to admire The Sistine Chapel and finally, St. Peter’s Basilica, the world’s most prominent Christian church.
Vatican Museum
This tour of the Vatican focuses on the principal masterpieces of the international history of art. Our experienced Rome private guides will help you to enjoy this unique private Vatican tour! Vatican museums are not only a complex of rooms but also of magnificent courtyards. Most noteworthy is the Octagonal Courtyard with the famous Laocoon group. Then you will see the superb Raphael Rooms, once the official residence of the popes. This Vatican guided tour includes notable collections. For instance, an important selection of mosaics, of Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, and the Galleries of Tapestries and Maps.
Sistine Chapel
The unmissable Sistine Chapel and its sublime “Last Judgment” by Michelangelo, are indeed the real attraction of the Vatican city! The Sistine Chapel is the most famous in the world for the incredible ceiling by Michelangelo, depicting scenes from the Book of Genesis. Many famous 15th century artists painted the walls of the Sistine Chapel like Botticelli, Perugino, and Pinturicchio. Today it is the site of Papal Conclaves.
St. Peter’s Basilica
To be sure to skip all lines to enter St. Peter’s Basilica, join this Vatican guided tour! In the 16th century, the earlier Church, built on the tomb of Saint Peter by Emperor Constantine, has been replaced by the present one. With one of our Rome certified guides, you will accede through a particular door to be welcomed by Michelangelo’s “Pietà.”
The tour will end with the embrace of Bernini’s curved immense colonnades of St. Peter’s Square, and the view of the Pope’s Balcony.
The visit of the Basilica is not possible on Wednesday morning and when special Papal ceremonies take place. We suggest to avoid booking the Rome Vatican tours on Wednesday before noon; in this case, your private guide will explain it from outside.
Remember to cover knees and shoulders before entering the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica of St. Peter.
Meeting point and information
Meet your guide at Viale Vaticano,100 in front of Caffè Vaticano, right opposite the Vatican Museums’ monumental entrance. Tours starting times are 10:00 am or 3:00 pm but are customizable according to your requests and ticket availability.
A quick reminder for your tour:
– Big bags or backpacks and big umbrellas are not allowed; regular ones are allowed.
– Cover shoulders (a scarf is OK) and knees inside the Sistine and the Basilica.
– Guides cannot skip metal detectors checks
– St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chaple might close without previous notice.
Included in the tour:
- Professional Certified Guide
- Skip the line Vatican tickets
- COVID 19 safety measures: face mask and hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff (social distancing from other visitors enforced: temperature checks for everybody entering museums and archaeological sites)
What was before the Vatican? Vatican City was established in 1929, but it was the site of sumptuous villas during the Roman Empire. On the Vatican Museums site, there was the Circus of Emperor Caligula and Nero, built for races, but probably used for the public executions of Christians, including St. Peter. The Ancient Egyptian obelisk in St. Peter’s Square is the original one placed at the center of the Circus spina in the first century.
Colosseum Tour With Roman Forums And Palatine
Check out the other tours organized in the city too!
- Best Places to visit in Rome: Vatican & Colosseum with lunchElisabetta Zanin2020-12-28T15:32:48+01:00
- Rome from Cruise Port: Transfers, Coliseum, Lunch & Rome Walking TourElisabetta Zanin2020-12-28T15:40:04+01:00
- Port to Rome: Trasfers, Colosseum & Vatican Tour with lunch includedElisabetta Zanin2021-01-19T17:50:48+01:00
- Tivoli Gardens: Villa D’este and Hadrian’s Villa Tour from RomeElisabetta Zanin2021-01-19T16:39:13+01:00
- Rome in a day: Vatican, Colosseum, Fountains & Squares with lunch – THE WOW TOURElisabetta Zanin2021-02-11T11:37:19+01:00