See the Vatican without the crowds, visit the Sistine Chapel in peace before it gets too busy, and enjoy a tour of the Vatican Museums with fewer people on this early access guided tour.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today.
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Duration 3 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the line through a separate entrance
Live tour guide: English, Spanish, German, Italian, French
Small group: Limited to 10 participants

Highlights

Escape the crowds and explore the Vatican in peace
See the Sistine Chapel before it's open to the public
Admire artwork by famous artists at the Pinacoteca Gallery
Visit the Raphael Rooms
Learn about the artists and their art from your guide

Full description

Visit the Vatican before the crowds on this early access tour. Explore the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with your guide 1 hour before the Vatican is open to the public.

On this early morning tour, you will be able to marvel at the artistry of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel in serenity. Follow your guide through the Vatican Museums, and admire the art that fills the halls. Learn about the history of the artist and their art from your guide.

See art by Caravaggio and Da Vinci in the Pinacoteca Gallery and Picasso and Rodin in the Collection of Modern Religious Art. Travel through Italy in the Gallery of Maps, and visit Julius II’s private residence, also known as the Raphael Rooms, filled with frescoes by the great artist and his students.

Includes

Early access to the Vatican Museums
Guide
Headsets for groups of more than 8 people

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Tips

Not suitable for

Wheelchair users

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds

Traveler requirements

You are required to bring and wear a mask
All participants 5 and older must present proof that they have received two vaccine doses of an FDA or WHO-approved vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Proof of vaccination may include the NYC COVID Safe App, Excelsior Pass, CDC Vaccination Card (or photo), NYC Vaccination Record, or official immunization record from outside NYC or the US
All participants who are over 12 years old must present proof of full vaccination
All participants are required to bring and wear FFP2 masks. Blue surgical masks will not be accepted

Meeting point

Open in Google Maps ⟶

Important information

What to bring

Comfortable shoes

Not allowed

Shorts
Weapons or sharp objects
Short skirts
Sleeveless shirts

Know before you go

All visitors must pass through airport-style security

Customer reviews

Overall rating

3 /5

based on 2 reviews

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Very good tour, interesting and with lots of information. The early admission is worthwhile, but there were already a lot of visitors in the museum. The meeting point is divided between two offices, the first address (Via Germanico 8) was for English-language tours. For the German-speaking tour, we therefore had to quickly switch to the other office (Via Vespasiano 46).

June 16, 2022

I cannot share my pre-opening experience, given that our 8 am reservation was postponed to 9:45 am, because there were only two of us. The interest in being present before the opening to the public has been cancelled. However, our guide Mirko was very interesting and made us spend very good moments of sharing.

May 12, 2022

Rome: Vatican Museums Pre-Opening Guided Tour

Rome: Vatican Museums Pre-Opening Guided Tour

About this activity

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