Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St.Peter Basilica Private Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Rome, Italy
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Enjoy a streamlined way to explore several of the Vatican’s busiest and most in-demand attractions on this private tour. Meet your guide outside the Vatican Museums and, with your skip-the-line entry, head right inside. Visit various galleries before touring Michelangelo’s world-famous Sistine Chapel. Then move on to St. Peter’s Basilica, located right next door, where you’ll have time to admire its magnificent art and architecture, plus visit the Papal Grottoes to see where past popes have been laid to rest.
- Cover the Vatican’s top sights in just hours with a private guide
- Skip-the-line tickets save time and help you bypass crowds
- Enjoy an intimate, personalized experience on this private tour
- Visit the papal crypts—a site that many visitors miss
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Spend more time seeing the Vatican Museums' art by bypassing the entry lines with your guide.
What's Included
- Local taxes
- Professional art historian guide
- Local guide
- Guaranteed to skip the long lines
- Gratuities
- Private transportation
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
At the Vatican Museums entrance at the main monumental white door. Your guide will be holding a sign with your name on it.
End point
- Saint Peter's SquarePiazza San Pietro, 00120
Itinerary
1
Vatican Museums
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Sistine Chapel
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
3
St. Peter's Basilica
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
St. Peter's Square
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- READ CAREFULLY: Because of the growing popularity of the current pope Francis and his intense activity in organising mass events in the Vatican some areas might get closed last minute without previous notice. This has already happened this year and can happen again during you Vatican tour. In case of such events our tour guide will provide you with a valuable alternative focusing the tour inside the Vatican museums
- PLEASE NOTE: Due to the Jubilee the Basilica might not be accessible as part of the tour. Unfortunately, we know that very last minute. In any case, you can go there after the tour, queuing.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 48 reviews
hallie_r, Jul 2025
Our private tour guide, Paolo, was wonderful! She was easy to find, very communicative before our meeting time, knew so much about the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, and took us through a few short cuts to avoid crowds. Our only disappointment was the Basilica was closed and we were not notified ahead of time. This was not fault of our tour guide. She said it's jubilee year and the hours are different. We would have liked to have known this before the tour.
Stephen_K, May 2025
Fantastic tour! We got a great overview of the Vatican Museum and then quick access to the Basilica. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and she was able to connect the significance of the art with the historical events in a way that was really illuminating. We could've spent a week there but only having a few hours before we had to leave for our cruise, this was perfect.
Christina_M, Mar 2025
The tour was excellent! Our guide Thomas provided an experience, that was organized, structured, engaging and full of history. 3 hours to tour the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's with thousands of other tourists around you is a challenge that Thomas executed effortlessly for our benefit. His passion and knowledge made it one of the best tours we have ever experienced. We had the private tour, my husband, 15yr old daughter and I. Highly recommend it! Thank you Thomas and Viator.
Lora_L, Feb 2025
This tour was simply fantastic! We could not have hoped for a better tour guide than Francesco! He was extremely knowledgeable about the Vatican! He was so very helpful explaining to us what we would be seeing before we went into the Sistine Chapel, helping us navigate the long lines outside and our way inside the Vatican. He was very personable, kind and just his love and enthusiasm of the Vatican was so wonderful! I was on this trip with two of my adult children, and they enjoyed every second. We all agreed that this was absolutely one of the best tours we have ever been on, and that’s all thanks to the wonderful guide, Francesco. I highly recommend booking this tour, especially with Francesco!
MeryVardanyan, Sep 2024
Super professional guide, highly recommend,
I was here in Rome last year and did another guided tour to Vatican however, this guide with this year was extremely helpful And she has taught us so many new things.
Patti_W, Sep 2024
This was the most inspiring and moving tour during our trip to Rome. Valeria went the extra mile to explain and show us what we would see inside the buildings. Her training in history and architecture added a nice perspective to what we saw. Her excitement about what we were seeing in each room was infectious. We took a private tour with Valeria at 8am. I would highly recommend investing in a private, skip-the-line tour. Get there early and enjoy breakfast across the street.
Cheryl_S, Aug 2024
Excellent tour with Massimiliano! If you and your family want to see the highlights and the beauty of the Vatican, book this tour!
Ed_L, Aug 2024
Great guide and tour! Skip the line was a real benefit - the lines were super long. We learned so much. Thank you Valerie
Andy_R, Jul 2024
The guide was great, very informative and knowledgeable. All throughout the tour, we were able to see some great things and learn about the different history of the Vatican
Frederic_H, Jul 2024
Matteo was fantastic and tailored our experience for both the adults and children (16, 14, & 11). He explained the history of specific pieces and had fun stories for some pieces which engaged the children. Note - as the preparations for Jubilee (2025) several parts of St Peter's are covered and being prepared (Pieta).
Cheryl_L, Jul 2024
Excellent private tour. Francesco was a perfect tour guide. I would recommend this tour to anyone that doesn’t want to be in a large group and wants to skip the lines. We saw Sistine chapel and St. Peter’s.
Khristina_T, Jun 2024
Our flight was cancelled and lost 2 days of our trip. We reached out to the tour company as soon as the flight was cancelled ( 3 AM EsT) and they were not accommodating or understanding to rebook our tour or provide any cancellation.
Thomas_G, Jun 2024
My wife has mobility issues so we went with a private tour.
That was a very good decision. Our tour guide Paola adjusted the tour to our abilities. Paola was a great tour guide.
Joel_P, Jun 2024
Beyond my expectations. Highly recommend. Our tour guide was interactive with our 8 and 9 year old and we as very passionate and thorough. Absolutely loved every minute of it.
Just wish the Vatican had A/C :-)
Dounya_M, Apr 2024
We scheduled a private tour for our family of five and were fortunate to have Mariarosaria as our guide! She was a wonderful and engaging guide & we couldn’t have asked for more :))
Doug_K, Dec 2023
Thomas was engaging and very informative. He was standing at the steps with a sign with our name on it - easy to find. The lines were long (even though it was off season). The pace of the tour was well planned to see many points, but not be overwhelmed. The personal service made all the difference. Will definitely use this company if in Rome again.
Anna_T, Dec 2023
Tomas was an incredible knowledgeable guide. We were two adults and two teenagers and he was able to keep us engaged the whole time. Told us about the history in a very entertaining way. Will recommend him 100%
Karen_S, Nov 2023
Francesco was fantastic. Very knowledgeable. He really was accommodating with my mobility issues. Literally awesome experience.
Karen_O, Jul 2023
This private tour was worth every penny/euro. Francesco was super knowledgeable and incredibly accommodating on a very hot and busy day. (Vatican was closed for holiday masses the next day). Thanks so much!!
Kimberly_S, Sep 2022
A lot to see, and not enough time to do so. But it was amazing. I wished we had been able to go down the stairs but our last stop was St Peters so I didn’t get to go down the stairs. I was lucky and our tour guide was very informative and was able to answer any and all questions that the group had. I can’t remember his name but he is an archaeology professor at the university. He was great. I will go back again and do this tour.
Deirdre_O, Sep 2021
Tom was a great tour guide. Perhaps mention in directions that your guide will be holding up your surname at the meeting point. That would be helpful.
Global530005, Jul 2019
This was a fantastic private tour. Francesco was a brilliant guide. He was engaging, interesting and entertaining. Keeping 3 teenagers captivated was a great skill!! We will not forget talking football on the dome climb which meant we hardly noticed the 300 or so steps to the top. He helped make it a truly unforgettable experience and can’t recommend it highly enough. Thank you Francesco.
Ludovic_L, Jul 2023
Notre guide Paola, nous a fait découvrir le musée du Vatican, la chapelle Sixtine et la basilique de Saint-pierre en prenant le temps de.nous expliquer les lieux que l'on traversait, et repondre nos questions. C'était vraiment super. Merci.
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per person-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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