Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour in Rome
by City Wonders
Choose from 2 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€138Overview
This guided tour in Rome lasts about three hours and includes access to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. The tour is conducted in a small group of up to 20 people and includes audio headsets so you can clearly hear the guide. You will avoid the usual queues with reserved access to the Vatican Museums and skip-the-line entry to St. Peter’s Basilica, except if you choose the Evening Tour option. The visit begins with the Vatican Museums, where you will see rooms such as the Gallery of Maps with its vaulted ceiling. The group will be able to explore the museums early in the day, when they are quieter. You will also stop at the Cortile della Pigna courtyard, surrounded by classic architecture and featuring the bronze statue called the Pigna. Nearby is the bronze sculpture Sphere Within a Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro, illustrating two fractured orbs symbolizing the complexity of the modern world. Your guide will then lead you to the Sistine Chapel, where you will have time to view Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes, including the Creation of Adam, and the Last Judgment on the altar wall. The chapel is the official chapel of the Apostolic Palace and the site of papal conclaves. The tour concludes inside St. Peter’s Basilica. You will enter ahead of the public lines and get an overview of the church’s key features. After the official tour, you may stay inside the basilica or leave to admire St. Peter’s Square, designed by Bernini, with its colonnade, central obelisk, and fountains. All entrance and reservation fees are included, but gratuities and hotel transfers are not.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Vatican City
This small-group tour allows exclusive access to Vatican City’s top sites including the museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica with an expert guide in a group of no more than 20 people.
5 min
Vatican Museums
Spend about an hour and a half walking through the Vatican Museums, including the Gallery of Maps with its golden vaulted ceiling. The tour takes place early to avoid crowds and includes the Sistine Chapel, known as the Pope’s official chapel, where you will see Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment frescoes.
90 min
Cortile della Pigna
The Pineyard Courtyard within the Vatican Museums offers a calm setting with greenery and classical architecture. It features the large bronze statue called the Pigna, created by Donato Bramante, providing a quiet spot for reflection during the visit.
5 min
Sphere within a Sphere
Located in the Cortile della Pigna, this bronze sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro shows two fractured spheres resembling mechanical gears, representing the complexity of the modern world. The artist began this series in the early 1960s.
5 min
Galleria Delle Carte Geografiche
Spend about ten minutes viewing the Gallery of Maps, which displays detailed maps painted over centuries, illustrating geography through artistic cartography.
10 min
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel, built in the late 15th century as the Apostolic Palace’s official chapel, is famous for Michelangelo’s frescoes on the ceiling and altar wall. The ceiling, painted between 1508 and 1512, includes scenes from Genesis such as the Creation of Adam, while The Last Judgment on the altar wall dates from 1536 to 1541. The chapel is also the site of papal conclaves.
20 min
St. Peter's Basilica
The guide will lead the group inside St. Peter’s Basilica, bypassing long lines to provide an overview of the church’s main features. After the tour, visitors can stay inside or exit to St. Peter’s Square.
40 min
St. Peter's Square
This large elliptical square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica was designed by Bernini. It is surrounded by a colonnade and features a central obelisk and fountains. The square offers an impressive view of the basilica’s façade and provides a fitting end to the Vatican visit.
5 min
Meeting point
At the bottom of the steps across the street from the Entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located right next to Caffè Vaticano on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. The closest Metro stop is Line A (Ottaviano – Musei Vaticani). Arriving from Ottaviano - Musei Vaticani Metro A Station: Exit the turnstiles – walk straight to the back end of the station and go to the left side exit. Once you’ve reached the left side exit – exit at V.le Giulio Cesare (to your right). Exit Station and walk down V.le G. Cesare to street light, cross the street and take left on Via Leone IV. Take right on Via Sebastiano Veniero and go 1 ½ blocks.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Additional info
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour in Rome
by City Wonders
Choose from 2 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€138Overview
This guided tour in Rome lasts about three hours and includes access to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. The tour is conducted in a small group of up to 20 people and includes audio headsets so you can clearly hear the guide. You will avoid the usual queues with reserved access to the Vatican Museums and skip-the-line entry to St. Peter’s Basilica, except if you choose the Evening Tour option. The visit begins with the Vatican Museums, where you will see rooms such as the Gallery of Maps with its vaulted ceiling. The group will be able to explore the museums early in the day, when they are quieter. You will also stop at the Cortile della Pigna courtyard, surrounded by classic architecture and featuring the bronze statue called the Pigna. Nearby is the bronze sculpture Sphere Within a Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro, illustrating two fractured orbs symbolizing the complexity of the modern world. Your guide will then lead you to the Sistine Chapel, where you will have time to view Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes, including the Creation of Adam, and the Last Judgment on the altar wall. The chapel is the official chapel of the Apostolic Palace and the site of papal conclaves. The tour concludes inside St. Peter’s Basilica. You will enter ahead of the public lines and get an overview of the church’s key features. After the official tour, you may stay inside the basilica or leave to admire St. Peter’s Square, designed by Bernini, with its colonnade, central obelisk, and fountains. All entrance and reservation fees are included, but gratuities and hotel transfers are not.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Vatican City
This small-group tour allows exclusive access to Vatican City’s top sites including the museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica with an expert guide in a group of no more than 20 people.
5 min
Vatican Museums
Spend about an hour and a half walking through the Vatican Museums, including the Gallery of Maps with its golden vaulted ceiling. The tour takes place early to avoid crowds and includes the Sistine Chapel, known as the Pope’s official chapel, where you will see Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment frescoes.
90 min
Cortile della Pigna
The Pineyard Courtyard within the Vatican Museums offers a calm setting with greenery and classical architecture. It features the large bronze statue called the Pigna, created by Donato Bramante, providing a quiet spot for reflection during the visit.
5 min
Sphere within a Sphere
Located in the Cortile della Pigna, this bronze sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro shows two fractured spheres resembling mechanical gears, representing the complexity of the modern world. The artist began this series in the early 1960s.
5 min
Galleria Delle Carte Geografiche
Spend about ten minutes viewing the Gallery of Maps, which displays detailed maps painted over centuries, illustrating geography through artistic cartography.
10 min
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel, built in the late 15th century as the Apostolic Palace’s official chapel, is famous for Michelangelo’s frescoes on the ceiling and altar wall. The ceiling, painted between 1508 and 1512, includes scenes from Genesis such as the Creation of Adam, while The Last Judgment on the altar wall dates from 1536 to 1541. The chapel is also the site of papal conclaves.
20 min
St. Peter's Basilica
The guide will lead the group inside St. Peter’s Basilica, bypassing long lines to provide an overview of the church’s main features. After the tour, visitors can stay inside or exit to St. Peter’s Square.
40 min
St. Peter's Square
This large elliptical square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica was designed by Bernini. It is surrounded by a colonnade and features a central obelisk and fountains. The square offers an impressive view of the basilica’s façade and provides a fitting end to the Vatican visit.
5 min
Meeting point
At the bottom of the steps across the street from the Entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located right next to Caffè Vaticano on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. The closest Metro stop is Line A (Ottaviano – Musei Vaticani). Arriving from Ottaviano - Musei Vaticani Metro A Station: Exit the turnstiles – walk straight to the back end of the station and go to the left side exit. Once you’ve reached the left side exit – exit at V.le Giulio Cesare (to your right). Exit Station and walk down V.le G. Cesare to street light, cross the street and take left on Via Leone IV. Take right on Via Sebastiano Veniero and go 1 ½ blocks.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.