The spectacular Vatican collections are unique in the world: where else can you witness Michelangelo and Raphael’s crowning achievements, the greatest sculptures of the ancient world, priceless tapestries, Renaissance maps and jaw-dropping Renaissance architecture all under one roof? Treat yourself to the luxury of a private art-historian guide and discover the miraculous masterpieces of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s incredible frescoes. Learn about the fascinating story of the Renaissance as the past is brought to life by our expert, and customize your visit to suit your interests. Skip the lines at St. Peter’s and gaze on Michelangelo’s touching Pietà as well as Bernini’s majestic canopy above St. Peter’s altar. Our guides will accompany you into the great building projects of the Italian Renaissance and together we will relive the environment of the Florentine Renaissance and the Papal court in Rome in which Michelangelo created his masterpieces. Our VIP Vatican Tour uncovers the meaning of the figures of Jonah, Adam, Eve, Noah and thousands of others on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and in the Last Judgement, revealing the ideals of Michelangelo and of the Renaissance. Then you will understand how and why these frescoes have changed for ever not only art, but the way in which we look at the world. Some of the most important works that we will discover, such as timeless Greek masterpieces like the Laocoon, the Belvedere Torso and the Apollo Belvedere, were excavated at the time of Michelangelo and Raphael, who studied and admired them in the same architectural context in which they are preserved today. The artworks that they created are the fruit of their careful study. And so, we too will pass through the Pinecone courtyard, the Belvedere courtyard and the tapestry galleries, discovering a selection of masterpieces with a guide capable of recreating the climate of the epoch, helping you to appreciate the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel in their historical context. The tour ends in St. Peter's Basilica. This part of our guided visit will bring us to the heart of the Christian faith, and along the way we will discover an incredible collection of relics and religious tokens that have accumulated here over the course of nearly 2,000 years at the site of St. Peter's tomb.