Best of the Vatican: Fast Track Highlights

Meet your expert guide by the Vatican Museum entrance and enjoy skip-the-line entry to what is arguably the most important collection of art in the world. Your guide knows every nook and cranny of the museums and will navigate seamlessly through the more than 1,200 galleries. Emphasis will be placed on the Rooms of Raphael, the Ancient Roman and Greek pieces in the Belvedere Courtyard, and the Gallery of Maps, ensuring you stay on track with an eye on the ultimate prize: the Sistine Chapel. As you stroll through the former papal residences, your guide will point out major works of art dating back to Ancient Greece and Rome and explain the role these ancient pieces played in inspiring the future artistic genius of Renaissance Italy. Much of this tour will be dedicated to the majestic Sistine Chapel, from its commissioning to the finishing touches applied by none other than Michaelangelo Buonarroti. You will hear the true life story of this fascinating yet tormented artist, who considered himself a sculptor and not a painter yet dedicated countless years of his life painting frescoes on a ceiling 44 feet high. Learn of the physical and psychological damage inflicted on the artist as your guide helps you to discern between myth, fact, and popular Hollywood fiction regarding this epic work of art. After ample time gazing up at the world’s most famous ceiling, choose whether to take advantage of priority access to St. Peter’s Basilica or remain inside the museums to explore some of the remaining 1,400 galleries of art at your own pace.