Save precious time with skip-the-ticket-line entrance to the Vatican Museums before they open to the public, and discover the papal collections before the crowds. Look inside the Sistine Chapel, and get fast-track entry to St. Peter's Basilica.
About this activity
- Free cancellation
- Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
- COVID-19 precautions
- Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
- Mobile ticketing
- Use your phone or print your voucher
- Duration 2.5 hours
- Check availability to see starting times.
- Skip the ticket line
- Instant confirmation
- Live tour guide
- English
Experience
Highlights
- Enter the Vatican Museums one hour before the doors open to the public
- Discover the main highlights of the papal collections
- Marvel at Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel
- Enter St. Peter's Basilica through a reserved entrance
Full description
Beat the crowds and journey through the history of art at the Vatican Museums before they open to the general public. Save time with guaranteed skip-the-ticket-line early entrance to the vast corridors and galleries of one of the world's most impressive museums.
Follow your guide to the Gallery of the Candelabra and Gallery of Tapestries, and admire the painted topographical maps of Italy by the Dominican friar Ignazio Danti in the impressive Gallery of Maps. Discover how Renaissance Italians saw themselves and their surroundings.
Then, enter the Sistine Chapel and take in every detail of Michelangelo's masterpiece. Continue to St. Peter’s Basilica through a reserved entrance and gaze in wonder at the most opulent church in the world. Marvel at masterpieces of art, such Michelangelo's La Pieta and the magnificent Il Baldacchino altarpiece by Bernini. Then, visit the tombs of hundreds of popes under the church floor.
Includes
- Entrance tickets and reservation fees to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
- Privileged before hours access to the Vatican Museums
- English-speaking local guide
- Guaranteed to skip the long ticket lines
- Small group tour
- Headsets to hear your guide clearly
- Optional gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Not suitable for
- Wheelchair users
COVID-19 precautions
Safety measures in place
- All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
- Customers must keep distance in vehicles
- The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
Traveler requirements
- Customers are required to bring and wear masks
Select participants and date
Participants
Date
Prepare for the activity
Meeting point
Meet in front of Caffe Vaticano on Viale Vaticano, 100, where your guide will be waiting, holding a sign for ease of recognition.
Open in Google Maps ⟶Important information
What to bring
- Passport or ID card
- Student card
Not allowed
- Shorts
- Luggage or large bags
- Short skirts
- Sleeveless shirts
Know before you go
- St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays for the Papal Mass. You will visit the Bramante Courtyard and see the famous Apollo Belvedere, Laocoön and His Sons, and Belvedere statues, before visiting Nero’s bathtub instead.
- A dress code is required. Knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women.
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible. If you have doubts about your mobility, a private tour is recommended.
- Student rates are available for those aged 18 to 25. Please have valid student ID on the day of your tour.
- The tour will end in front of St. Peter's Basilica, at which point you will no longer be allowed to return to the Sistine Chapel or Vatican Museums.
- Large bags, backpacks, luggage, and tripods are not permitted. There is a coat check at the museum entrance, but please note that the end point of the tour is a 20-minute walk away.
- All visitors must pass through airport-style security. During high season the wait at security may be up to 30 minutes.
