Complete Vatican: Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peters Basilica
Rome, Italy
- 3 to 4 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Vatican is one of Rome’s most popular attractions, with the large crowds and long lines to match. Save valuable vacation time with this half-day guided tour, which offers skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica, giving you more time to explore these iconic sites with ease. For a more relaxed experience, book the late afternoon tours (St. Peter’s Basilica excluded).
- Explore the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica
- Get insight into Roman and Papal history from your guide
- Bypass long lines with skip-the-line entry to museums and basilica
- Small groups limited to 18 for a more personal experience
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Gain a deeper understanding of the museum's top artworks than you would by visiting on your own.
What's Included
- Skip the Line Access tickets to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Peter's Basilica (Early Access & Complete Vatican options only)
- Expert Local Guide
- Small group tour with max 18 people
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
- Saint Peter’s BasilicaPiazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
Itinerary
1
Vatican Museums
1 hour 5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Sphere within a Sphere (Pass By)
2
Cortile della Pigna
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Stanze di Raffaello
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Gallery of Maps (Pass By)
4
Sistine Chapel
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
St. Peter's Basilica
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- The special access passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays and Saturdays and is subject to other unexpected closures during special celebrations/festivities, including the Easter ceremonies. On such days we will offer a more in-depth tour of the Museums.
- All guests (including children) must bring ID on the day of their tour.
- The full names of all participants must be provided at the time of booking and must match the names on the ID/Passport. Name changes are not permitted.
- Between January 12 and March 31, 2026, the Vatican Museums will carry out a dedicated preservation project focused on Michelangelo’s "Last Judgment" in the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel will remain open to visitors, though this specific artwork will be temporarily out of view during the restoration period. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
- Walks Tours is an Accredited Tour Operator with an official ticketing agreement with the Vatican Museums.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 7 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 415 reviews
Dawson_B, Nov 2025
Great tour with a wonderful guide! Would highly recommend this group tour. Our guide seamlessly guided us through the crowds, ensuring a smooth tour from start to finish. He was very knowledgeable and gave an informative description of all the many beautiful pieces of the Vatican.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Dawson, thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled you had a great experience on the Vatican tour and appreciated your guide’s knowledge and smooth navigation through the crowds. It’s fantastic to hear you enjoyed learning about the many beautiful pieces in the Vatican. We hope to welcome you back for another Devour adventure soon!
Warm regards,
The Devour Tours Team
Deborah_H, Oct 2025
It’s a whirlwind of information expertly delivered. You don’t get to see st marks square. Best time of day for the tour was a the last one in the day.
Carla_K, Oct 2025
Very informative, but very crowded. Our guide Paola was very good. Many parts were closed last minute as the Pope was having a special service/meeting, so we weren't able to go to St. Peter's Basilica or the square. While disappointing, we did see a lot. Due to the closures there was overcrowding in many areas with multiple tour groups and regular patrons. If you have walking handicaps, this may be too difficult to navigate.
Lisa_L, Sep 2025
Great tour. Guide very very knowledgeable and interesting. Keep in mind that there are more steps than expected so if any knee issues keep in mind. But had a good time.
Carissa_W, Sep 2025
The Guide was amazing. She provided lots of information during the tour. I definitely would recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in learning about the different aspects of the Vatican museums.
Maureen_F, Sep 2025
Unable to see St. Peter’s Bascilia today. That was the whole reason for the tour. Very unhappy. Tour guide was good
richard_t, Aug 2025
Booked my tour 8 months
Ago when I arrived at the Vatican I was told the tour was not running. I only traveled to Rome specifically to see the Vatican and spent thousands of dollars in hotel and transportation just to have my once in a lifetime time family vacation ruined. I even received a confirmation the day before saying the tour was still on. Customer service is terrible. I will be reviewing the same on every online website to let other families know to never book a Viator tour or risk ruining your vacation .
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Richard,
We’re truly sorry to hear about your experience and deeply regret the disappointment and inconvenience you faced, especially considering the anticipation and planning that went into your family trip.
We completely understand how upsetting it must have been to arrive expecting a once-in-a-lifetime experience, only to be informed that the tour was not operating.
This is certainly not the level of service we aim to provide, and we can only imagine the frustration it caused—especially given the confirmation you received the day before.
Please know that we are taking your feedback seriously.
We are actively investigating what went wrong in this case, as last-minute cancellations are rare and should always be clearly communicated along with appropriate support or alternatives.
We sincerely apologize for the impact this had on your trip, and while we know it can’t undo the disruption, we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further with you directly to try and make things right. If you haven’t already, please reach out to us at feedback@walks.org so we can assist you further.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
We hope you'll allow us the chance to regain your trust in the future.
Kind regards,
Princess
Walks and Devour Tours
Bridget_H, Jul 2025
The Vatican is a must-do when you go to Rome. This tour was definitely worth it. Our guide was very good and gave us so much information. We didn't have to wait in any lines and she showed us all the highlights of the area. The church was absolutely amazing and my most favorite part.
Taylor_M, Jul 2025
Our tour guide Dario was amazing! He was so knowledgeable and weaved us through all galleries with great directions. Would def recommend with him! (This was my second time, first was almost 10 years ago)
Ralph_C, Jul 2025
Tour guide was very informative and amazing. We were able to go through the holy door of the Vatican. She also helped take pictures of our group and recommended places to eat nearby.
david_k, Jun 2025
We enjoyed the St Peter's experience. We were given time and good information. Susanna guided us through the crowd.
defranksiegel, Jun 2025
Memorable and beautiful art from so many many many years ago.
Every step of the Vatican Museum and St.Peter’s Basilica is another treasure.
It’s a bit hot as it’s June, but worth all the visual treats. Dress for comfort. Shorts are allowed as long as they touch your knees.
Comfort always.
Carol_S, Jun 2025
The tour included the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum as well as St Peter’s Basilica. However due to the election activities of the Conclave for a new Pope, the tour was abbreviated . We did get to see the Vatican Museum and the tour guide was great
Dorcas_V, Jun 2025
Very disappointed. Tour scheduled by Viator for 1:45pm meet time, even though Vatican closed at 2pm. Guest only able to see chapel for 2 minutes or less and very rushed. Tour Conductor very unresponsive to guest needs. Passive Aggressive with blunt answers to our guest. Told guest that had difficulty walking that they could not use the elevators, meanwhile obvious use of same noted. Would not wait for slower guest. 2 of our clients just left the tour. The others waited for it to improve to no avail. I've been to Vatican tour before and as per all my 19 guests, very disappointed.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hello,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are deeply sorry to hear about the disappointing issues you and your group encountered during the Vatican tour.
Your concerns regarding the rushed experience, lack of access support, and unprofessional behavior from the guide are troubling. We take this feedback seriously and are currently investigating the matter internally.
We kindly ask you to email us at feedback@walks.org with any additional details, including the name on the booking and tour date, so we can look further into this.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention. We truly regret that your guests’ Vatican visit did not meet expectations.
Warm regards,
Tom
Walks & Devour
juliaevans12205, Jun 2025
I am so glad I went on this tour. Elizabeth our guide was truly wonderful! She was a wealth of knowledge and I really enjoyed her storytelling with so many rich details about the history of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. If I could give this tour 10 stars I would! I loved that was able to walk through the Holy Door at the end of the tour during Jubilee year. Thank you again, Elizabeth! The tour is only as good as the guide and you are the BEST!
Ambar_C, May 2025
We visited the Vatican museums. We walked a lot, but learnt a little. Sistine chapel was closed. Guide showed us the way to St. Peters, it was not guided.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. I'm very sorry to hear that your visit to the Vatican Museums did not meet your expectations.
We regret that you felt the tour lacked depth and educational value. Our goal is always to provide insightful and enriching experiences, and it’s disappointing to know we fell short in this instance.
Regarding the Sistine Chapel, we completely understand how important it is to many visitors. Unfortunately, its closure was due to circumstances beyond our control, and we sincerely apologize for the disappointment that caused.
We also understand that being directed to St. Peter’s Basilica without a guided explanation can feel like a missed opportunity. Your feedback helps us recognize where we can improve, and we are actively reviewing how we communicate and guide transitions during the tour.
We truly appreciate your input, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide a much better experience in the future.
Kind Regards
Walks and Devour Feedback Team
mark_r, May 2025
Excellent tour, our guide skillfully navigated the mass crowds and the portions of the museums and chapel with the Conclave in process to elect the new pope. Our guide was excellent and was profession, personable and interesting. He was knowledgably and easy to understand & chat with
Suzanne_J, May 2025
Our guide Anna filled us with all necessary facts about the incredible museum items that were selected for our viewing. Explaining the artworks and antiquities. Though she wasn't permitted to talk to us in the Sistine Chapel her comprehensive prep-sheet really helped. I recommend this skip the line tour.
David_L, May 2025
An excellent guide who was an art historian. He was able to give fascinating information about the collection. He did a great job picking out key items. Without this, it could have been quite overwhelming. While the Conclave meant that we were unable to access the Sistine Chapel, I consider the whole experience to have been very worthwhile.
Joseph_L, May 2025
Very thorough, informative, and enjoyable. Eye-opening details about the rich history and purpose of what is around us. Excellent guide who truly cared about the topic! If you have elderly relatives, be mindful there are a lot of steps leading up to Vatican City and once in the museum. Just like the Colosseum, be prepared to walk.
Michael_M, May 2025
Difficult to understand highly accented tour guide who lost us near end of the museum tour! The Sistine chapel was closed due to conclave monopolizing the space! Luckily we were able to tour the Basilica ourselves!! Otherwise not worthwhile
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you for your feedback, Michael. I’m sorry aspects of your experience didn’t meet expectations and that the rare Sistine Chapel closure for the Conclave affected your visit. Whilst our tours are led by renowned local specialists, we understand how challenging it can be in busy, complex venues like the Vatican Museums. I’m glad you were still able to enjoy St. Peter’s Basilica independently. Your feedback is incredibly valuable and helps us continue refining our offerings. If I can assist further, please feel free to reach out.
All the best,
Samantha
Jessica_H, Apr 2025
Sabrina was amazing. She was so patient with all the questions and has so much interesting knowledge.
Laura_M, Apr 2025
A good trip/ lots of walking and information given. You don’t get to see everything as it’s guided and it seemed a lot was missed out in the Vatican. However the guide was very funny and the trip overall was great
Mark_K, Apr 2025
The tour company changed our tour date from Tuesday to Wednesday. Viator never updated the reservation, so we showed up on Tuesday for the tour only to be told to come back the next day (after paying cab fair to get there). When we got there on Wednesday, the tour company told us that they can’t do guided tours of Saint Peter’s on Wednesdays, although it was part of the original package we paid for… Our tour guide was knowledgeable and did a nice job of taking us through the art museum, but failed to direct us to the line that would get us into St Peter’s (without going through security again).. Buyer beware when you book with Viator. The communication between the booking app (Viator) and the tour company is horrible and neither the tour company or Viator want to take responsibility for their mistakes.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hi Mark, I’m so sorry for the confusion and frustration you experienced — please accept my sincerest apologies. The situation you described isn’t the experience we want for our guests, and I completely understand how upsetting this must have been. I’d be grateful if you could get in touch with us at feedback@walks.com with your booking details, we’d like to review your case properly. Thank you for bringing this to our attention — we’d appreciate the chance to make this right.
Kind regards,
Samantha
Douglas_G, Apr 2025
Guide was difficult to understand due to his accent and seemed to waste time talking about things that were unnecessary.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hi Douglas, thank you for sharing your feedback. I’m sorry to hear that you had difficulty understanding your guide and felt some of the commentary wasn’t relevant. We aim to provide engaging and informative tours and it’s disappointing to learn we missed the mark for you. I’ll be sure to pass this along to our team for review.
All the best,
Samantha
Sorina_C, Apr 2025
Very disappointed. We booked this tour just because it was advertised as having the skip the line for the Basilica, however once the tour started , the guide informed us she would not take us there as it was closed till 12pm even though the tour was supposed to last 3.5 hours and ended exactly at 12 ( start time was 8.45am and she was late ) . There should be a partial refund as we paid for a service that was not delivered. No need to say more.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hi Sorina,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with us. I’m truly sorry to hear that your tour didn’t meet your expectations. We’d like to investigate this matter further to provide clarity and resolve any issues. Unfortunately, we have been unable to locate your booking with the name provided in your review. We kindly ask that you reach out to us directly at feedback@walks.org with your booking details. This will help us review the situation thoroughly and address any discrepancies. Just to note that if your tour took place on a Wednesday morning, St. Peter’s Basilica is closed to the public during that time due to the Papal Audience, and our website does state that the tour does not include entry on those days. The pricing is adjusted accordingly.
Thank you once again for sharing your experience with us.
With kind regards,
Samantha
Peltier_W, Mar 2025
The tour will always be crowded. That can’t be avoided. our tour guide, Maria Theresa was nothing short of brilliant. on time, polite, conscientious, friendly, personal and the perfect representative for your company. There should be a training video featuring her showing how it should be done. Never let her go. if there was a method in place to request a particular guide, i would advise ayone in our circle to insist on Maria. thhank you.
Benjamin_S, Mar 2025
Our tour guide was only through the Vatican/museum.
There was no guided tour for the Sistine Chapel, nor the Basilica.
We were cut loose at the Chapel, and told we could go see the Basilica on our own, after, if we wanted.
Not sure how or why I was charged with a guided tour of all three.
The tour guide for the Vatican was great.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Dear Benjamin,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the Vatican Museums portion of the tour and that the guide was great. However, we are very sorry to hear that the remainder of your experience didn’t meet your expectations.
We completely understand your frustration regarding the lack of a guided tour inside both the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.
While our tours typically focus on the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, guests are free to explore St. Peter’s Basilica independently afterward.
In some cases, our guides may not be permitted to conduct tours inside the Basilica, and in such situations, they provide a brief explanation from outside.
We recognize that this might not have been what you expected when booking a fully guided experience, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion.
We regret that the structure of the tour was not communicated more clearly, and we will review our tour descriptions to ensure they provide all necessary information moving forward.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope you’ll consider joining us again in the future for a more seamless experience.
Best regards,
Princess
Walks and Devour Tours
Antonette_G, Mar 2025
Tour was terrible with Walks. Employees of walks were very dismissive and ruined my entire experience. Would never book with Viator. I want my money back.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Dear Antonette,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. Providing exceptional service is our top priority, and we regret that you felt our team was dismissive.
We understand there were last-minute changes to your group size, and while we did our best to accommodate within the tour’s limitations, we had communicated these constraints with Viator. As your booking was made through Viator, we kindly recommend reaching out to their support team for further assistance, as they will be able to review your case and discuss any possible resolutions.
Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we will be reviewing this internally to improve our processes. If you have any additional concerns or need further clarification from our side, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at feedback@walks.org.
Warm regards,
Rod
Walks and Devour Team
Patricia_D, Jan 2025
Our guide was incredibly informative. Although the tour involved a considerable amount of walking, the experience was fabulous and we had a wonderful overview of the Vatican museums, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. The tour was all that we could have hoped for. Our guide was patient with questions, knowledgeable, and always aware of the location of the members in our group. We loved her!
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Hi Patricia! Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that your guide’s patience, knowledge, and attentiveness made the tour such a fabulous experience for you.
It’s great to know you enjoyed the comprehensive overview of the Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, even with all the walking involved. Our guides play a crucial role in making these experiences memorable by sharing their passion and expertise. Thank you for joining us and we hope to see you on another tour soon!
All the best,
Samantha.
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