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Cortile del Belvedere

Cortile del Belvedere: Our most recommended tours and activities

Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and Basilica Tour

1. Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and Basilica Tour

Take a tour of one of the holiest sites in Christendom on this guided walking tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. First, visit the Pine Courtyard, Belvedere Courtyard, the Gallery of the Maps, Candelabra Gallery, Pio Clementino's Rooms, the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms (only on early morning tours), and the Sistine Chapel. Then, be led by an expert guide to some of the major attractions, as well as to some lesser-known spots that other tourists often miss. You will also get to see other galleries of the Vatican corridors. Finally, visit Michelangelo's Pietà at St. Peter's Basilica before concluding your tour at the Sistine Chapel.

Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour

2. Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vatican City on a guided tour of all of its most important treasures. Discover the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica with fast-track entrance access to make the most of your day. Begin your experience by discovering masterpieces of art in the Vatican Museums by some of the world’s most distinguished artists. Follow a guide in your chosen language to the most important areas of the museum, including the Gallery of Maps and Gallery of Tapestries. Enter the Sistine Chapel to contemplate the glory of Michelangelo’s acclaimed masterpiece, “The Last Judgment”, one of the most famous pieces of art ever made. Then, experience the magnificent interior of St. Peter’s Basilica with fast-track entrance. Be awed by one of the holiest sites in the world and admire Michelangelo’s stunning “La Pieta”.

Rome: Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour with Access to Basilica

3. Rome: Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour with Access to Basilica

Join a guided tour in Rome to discover some of the most important masterpieces of the Greco-Roman world and of Renaissance art at the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with skip-the-line entry tickets. Later, visit Saint Peter’s Basilica to explore it at your own pace. Enter the Vatican Museums from the priority entrance, skipping the long waiting hours in the ticket line. Start the tour in the Courtyard of the Armor for a glimpse of the Vatican Gardens, and continue to the Courtyard of the Pine Cone located in the middle of the ancient papal buildings. Cross some rooms of the Belvedere Palace, the Pope’s former summer residence while nowadays home to the Pius Clementine Museum, which hosts important findings of Greco-Roman art, including the Apollo Belvedere and the Laocoön Group. Then, arrive at the 3 Galleries that take you to the papal apartments – the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Gallery of Tapestries with works of the Flemish atelier of Peter Van Aelst on display, and the Gallery of Maps with frescoed maps of the Italian territory, commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII. End the tour by witnessing 2 unmissable sites in the Vatican collection – Raphael’s Rooms in the apartment of Pope Julius II and the Sistine Chapel, where you can admire Michelangelo’s masterpieces such as the scenes from the Book of Genesis and The Last Judgement. From the Sistine Chapel, use the private passage to arrive at the Saint Peter’s Basilica, where you can find brilliant works like the Statue of the Pietà, made once again by the great Michelangelo, the Baldachin of Bernini, and the Tombs of the Popes, all containing hundreds of years of history. Please note though that the passage between the museums and St.Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesday mornings and subject to other unexpected closure. On such days we will instead spend the entirety of the tour in the museums.

Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Tour

4. Rome: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Tour

Discover the best of the Vatican in a single visit. Skip the ticket line to the key attractions and see outstanding examples of art and architecture in the company of your expert guide. Enjoy an optimized itinerary designed to allow you to get the best out of your visit to the Vatican Museums in a limited time frame, taking in the remarkable Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms, and St. Peter’s basilica among other highlights in the company of one of our expert guides. Visit the Sistine Chapel, where you’ll get the chance to gaze up at Michelangelo’s ceiling as your guide explains the secrets behind Michelangelo’s masterful paintings. Close to the Sistine Chapel is the suite of private papal apartments known as the Raphael Rooms. These exquisitely decorated rooms contain some of the finest examples of Raphael’s work, including the “School of Athens," a group portrait of antiquity's most famous philosophers, many of them in the guises of Raphael’s contemporaries. Often overlooked by visitors who are in a hurry to get to the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms deserve more than a brief pitstop — your guide will ensure that you have plenty of time to admire Raphael’s works at your leisure. Your visit to the Vatican Museums is a great opportunity to discover its remarkable collections of ancient sculptures, including the legendary Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere. These classical artworks had a profound impact on the artists of the Renaissance, and their muscular anatomies and psychological intensity strongly influenced the work of Michelangelo and Raphael. Accompanied by an expert art historian, you’ll learn all about these ancient masterpieces and gain a greater appreciation of Greek and Roman art. Walk through the famous Gallery of Maps, admire the Pinecone Courtyard and visit the Belvedere Courtyard. Although it’s impossible to see the entire extent of the Vatican’s enormous collection in a few hours, on this tour, you'll see a series of unmissable highlights. After exiting the Sistine Chapel, enter St Peter’s Basilica directly, without having to wait in line. The basilica has been enriched over the centuries by the hands of countless artists and architects. During your St Peter’s Basilica tour, your guide will tell you the fascinating history of the basilica and put it in the context of Christian history, from its origins as a burial ground to its current state of splendor and international importance.

Rome: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Night Tour

5. Rome: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Night Tour

Take a 2.5-hour evening tour of one of the holiest sites in Christendom on this guided visit to the Vatican Museums. This exceptional tour includes visits to the Raphael Rooms, the Vatican Museums, The Hall of Maps, The Belvedere Courtyard, and the Cortile della Pigna. As the highlight, you will experience a comprehensive visit of the Sistine Chapel, perhaps the most emblematic example of Michelangelo's masterpieces.  The Vatican City is one of the most interesting and beautiful sites in the world. Your expert guide will take you to some of the major attractions and will provide a detailed history of the sites. You will receive a broad understanding of the remarkable history, architecture, and politics of the Vatican. You will avoid any time wasted waiting, as you enjoy skip-the-ticket-line access to all the featured attractions. The evening visit provides a perfect opportunity to absorb the Rennaissance culture and see the world-famous buildings illuminated, all in the beatiful twilight. This is a rare opportunity to see the Vatican Museums open at this unusual hour and the experience is sure to be a magical one.

Rome: Vatican Museums and Colosseum Skip-the-Line Tour

6. Rome: Vatican Museums and Colosseum Skip-the-Line Tour

Save time and money with a combined skip-the-ticket-line tour of the Vatican museums and the main monuments of ancient Rome. Meet your guide for a morning tour of the Vatican museums and the Sistine chapel. Wander the vast corridors and galleries of one of the most important museums in the world, touring in a group of no more than 20 people. Go to the spectacular Cortile del Belvedere and see the historic maps of ancient cartographers in the Gallery of Maps. See beautiful tapestries by Raphael’s students in the Gallery of Tapestries. Then, gaze in awe at Michelangelo’s miraculous frescoes in the Sistine chapel. In the afternoon, transfer to the Flavian amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, and explore the largest amphitheater ever built. Learn more about the Roman emperors and gladiators and the bloodthirsty battles put on for the Roman citizens. Next, go to the heart of ancient Rome and see the ruins of temples in the Roman Forum. Climb Palatine Hill for panoramic views of where the ancient Romans met to trade, worship, and conduct their political affairs.

Rome: Vatican City Highlights Tour with Skip-the-Line Entry

7. Rome: Vatican City Highlights Tour with Skip-the-Line Entry

Save precious time while in Rome with skip-the-line access to the popular monuments of the Vatican City on this guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica.  Follow a meticulously designed itinerary to see the best of the city-state and admire priceless treasures such as the massive bronze statue in the Pinecone Courtyard and the historic maps in the Vatican Museum's dedicated Gallery of Maps. Look at the enigmatic sculpture of Laocoön and His Sons, and discuss techniques used by different artists with your guide. Marvel at Michelangelo's miraculous ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, and get inside details about the 4 years of back-breaking labor it took to complete. Conclude your tour inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Witness the incomparable grandeur of its mosaics, golden ceilings, gigantic statues, and the spectacular dome.

Rome: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-the-Line Ticket

8. Rome: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-the-Line Ticket

Explore the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with a skip-the-line entrance ticket. Visit the Raphel Rooms, Gallery of Maps and immerse yourself into the fascinating world of art and historical artifacts. After meeting your host, you will enter the main hall without waiting in line and receive your tickets. Discover the marble sculpture Laocoön and His Sons at the Museum Pio-Clementino, one of the renowned museum spaces within the complex. Next, see the famous Belvedere Torso, Round Hall, and the Raphael Rooms. Admire the unique theme and frescoes depicting various scenes and subjects. Continue to the Sistine Chapel, renowned for the remarkable frescoes by Michelangelo. You will be amazed by the masterpieces of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, and other Renaissance artists. Marvel at the beautiful collection of ancient sculptures, Renaissance paintings, tapestries, manuscripts, and archaeological findings. Enjoy a remarkable visual journey into the world of the Renaissance at your own pace. 

Rome: Vatican Gardens Minibus Tour w/ Vatican Museums Entry

9. Rome: Vatican Gardens Minibus Tour w/ Vatican Museums Entry

Experience both the Gardens of Vatican City and the Vatican Museums on this combo trip with included entry tickets. Learn about the gardens on a minibus tour with an audio guide in all languages, then visit the museums to explore on your own. Start your day with a tour of the Vatican Gardens aboard a minibus. Plug in your audio guide to learn more about the area while you sit back and enjoy the amazing views. Drive through the Italian-, English-, and French-style gardens to admire each of their distinctive features. Marvel at the Italian-style garden's formal, geometric, and Renaissance features. As you move on to the French garden, see its great expression of classical Baroque art, enriched by statues and water features. Continue to the English garden with more memorable geometric features as well as natural and artificial elements such as caves, streams, trees, shrubs, pagodas, pergolas, temples, and ruins. After the visit to the gardens, you'll get access to the Vatican Museums. End your day by exploring one of the most visited museums in the world.

Rome: Vatican Museums & St. Peter's Basilica with Dome Climb

10. Rome: Vatican Museums & St. Peter's Basilica with Dome Climb

Looking for an all-in-one Vatican tour that shows you the best Vatican City has to offer? Our unique 5-hour combo tour includes all the key elements for a rounded visit! Let us show you the stunning St. Peter’s Basilica, join us on a climb up the Dome, explores the Papal Crypts, and lastly skips the extensive lines at the Vatican to visit its imposing museums and its breathtaking Sistine Chapel. Our tour begins with a visit to the highest point of Vatican City. Enjoy an elevator ride and make the final climb up St. Peter’s iconic dome for an unforgettable view across the Vatican and Rome. A bit of fitness is required to go all the way to the top, but when in Rome.. we highly recommend it! Descending back to street level our guide will show you some of the St Peter's Basilica's highlights, such as the Baldacchino, Michelangelo's Pietà and the altar of St Peter. Our guide will be alongside of you to make sure no important site is left unseen before descending to the Papal Crypts. Making your way through the Crypts our guide will tell the stories of the ones laid to rest in this holy place and answer any questions you might have before proceeding onward to the Vatican Museums. Skipping the queues our guide will make sure your time is used wisely so you can explore the hallways of this magnificent museum with ease. After visiting some of the Museum's highlights such as Raphael's Rooms, the Courtyard and the famous Gallery of the Maps, we'll continue to what for many is the highlight of their visit - the Sistine Chapel. As many operators don't include a guided visit of St Peters, our combo tour including unique dome climb access is a must when visiting the eternal city!

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What people are saying about Cortile del Belvedere

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 43,643 reviews

Wonderful your. Our tour guide Sabrina was excellent. Well informed and funny and her jokes were topical and authentic! Fun to be with and three hours passed like a breeze. My 10 year old learned a lot and was keen to revisit the Vatican for more!

I would highly recommend this trip. Fantastic guide. He really showed us the highlights. I would definitely book with this company again. Good value for money too.

It was an amazing experience. Our guide was Marianne and she was fantastic. She had a ton of great information and was a very fun guide.

Our Guide, Lindsy(?) from Netherlands was amazing and very passionate about the tour and content and stories etc.

Great tour, great guide. Place itself was very growded, so it was convenient to visit with the guide.