Guided tour

Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica: Early Morning Tour

4.4 / 5

299 reviews

Activity provider: Italy With Family
    Add to wishlist
    Guided tour

    Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica: Early Morning Tour

    Activity provider: Italy With Family
    Likely to sell out

    From US$ 82.53 per person

    Likely to sell out

    Experience for yourself the unparalleled beauty, the ancient history, and the artistic and religious significance of the Vatican. Tour the grounds before the crowds show up and discover a magical world of paintings, sculptures, and architecture.

    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 are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details. Learn more
    Duration 3 hours
    Check availability to see starting times.
    Skip the ticket line
    Live tour guide
    English

    Experience

    Highlights
    • Explore the Vatican Museums and the famous Sistine Chapel in the company of just a few others
    • Set off on an exclusive Vatican tour that minimizes stress and maximizes enjoyment
    • Take advantage of this singular opportunity to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica without massive crowds
    • Choose between a shared group or private tour
    Full description

    Join the more than five million annual visitors of the global heart of the Catholic Faith. Experience the Vatican City, the entirety of which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, fully with privileged access to the main attractions before the general public arrives.

    From its stunning beauty to its ancient history and artistic and religious significance, the Vatican is a one-stop-shop for any traveler.

    Whether the paintings, sculptures, religious art, architecture, or even the Pontifical Swiss Guards that have protected the Pope since 1506, little else compares to the utter majesty of the Holy See.

    Start discovering the beauty of the Vatican at 7:30 AM in the absence of crowds. Wander the Vatican Museums, the famous Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica surrounded by very few. Explore the museums at your own pace and leave the rest of the day free to enjoy Italy.

    Follow your expert guide into the Museums to discover the world’s most extensive collection of art, including the greatest sculptures and artwork of the Renaissance period.

    Continue through the Candelabra Gallery, divided into six splendid rooms containing artworks found throughout the country, bringing relics of the Roman Empire into the modern-day.

    Then explore the astonishing Gallery of the Tapestries, host to an extensive collection of Raffaello Sanzio’s tapestries depicting different Catholic stories and myths.

    From there, walk through the Gallery of Maps with your guide, the perfect place for travelers with a taste for the sciences. Check out the global maps created by Roman topographers — a glimpse into what the world was thought to look like centuries ago.

    Includes
    • Guide
    • Entry and reservation fees for the Vatican Museums
    • Exclusive guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
    • Exclusive tour of St. Peter's Basilica
    • Headsets to hear the tour guide clearly
    • Detailed map of the Sistine Chapel
    • Hotel pickup and drop-off
    • Food and drinks
    • Gratuities
    Covid-19 precautions
    Safety measures in place
    • You must keep social distance while in vehicles
    • The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
    Traveler requirements
    • You are required to bring and wear a mask
    • You will receive a mandatory temperature check
    • All participants over 12 years old must present one of the following: proof of full vaccination, proof of first vaccination administered at least 22 days ago, proof of a Covid-19 infection in the past 6 months, or a negative PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before the activity starts
    • Masks are optional for this activity

    Select participants and date

    Participants

    Date

    Meeting point

    Meeting point may vary depending on the option booked.

    Important information

    What to bring

    • Passport or ID card

    Not allowed

    • Shorts
    • Sleeveless shirts

    Know before you go

    • During religious holidays, or on Wednesday mornings during the high season when the Pope has an audience in St. Peter's Square, the tour will only include an external guided tour of the basilica
    • This tour will take place rain or shine
    • All visitors must pass through airport-style security
    Customer reviews

    Overall rating

    4.4 /5

    based on 299 reviews

    Review summary

    • Guide
      4.5/5
    • Value for money
      4.1/5

    Sort by:

    Traveler type:

    Star rating:

    Was very nice but the rythme was weird, I felt we spend a lot of time on some part and then were rushed in the most interesting part, like the basilica. We were walking very slow (even when no one in front) but then did not have the time to take pictures. We spend 45 minutes on a bench outside to look at a book, part of it was very interesting and would allow us to understand what we would see in the chapel later, but I 45 minutes was way too long. The guide was very friendly and knew a lot and was clearly passionned.

    Read more

    September 27, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – Canada Verified booking

    Helpful?

    This experience was top notch. Our guide was so charismatic & humorous, that she made us want to go back & book a private tour with her. She was super witty but professional at the same time. Very VERY knowledgeable about not only the church, the Vatican, the bible, the Roman Catholicism but also about Rome. Just simply blown away. Highly recommended this tour & hopefully you get her. Sorry forget her name

    Read more

    September 24, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – Canada Verified booking

    Helpful?

    My husband and I did the "Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica early morning tour" and it was INCREDIBLE! Our tour guide, Gi Gi, was absolutely amazing! Not only is he extremely knowledgeable, but his sense of humor made the tour so much fun! I am so glad that we did this tour out of all of the other tours as seeing the Basilica early in the morning before it opens to the public really allowed us to appreciate and take in the beauty...and there's a lot of it! 10/10 would recommend.

    Read more

    September 11, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – Canada Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Product ID: 406077