Home to the world’s largest private portfolio of artwork, the Vatican is a must-see for visitors to Rome, and the best way to explore it is with a guide. Learn about the highlights of Vatican City with an expert guide, visiting the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel. Explore intriguing sites like Raphael’s Rooms and then visit the Sistine Chapel to see incredible frescoes by Michelangelo. Choose the start time that better suites your needs.

Half-day Vatican Museums guided tour with fast-track access
Learn about the incredible Renaissance artwork inside Raphael’s Rooms
Visit the Sistine Chapel and marvel at Michelangelo’s 'The Creation of Adam'

Why Travellers Choose This Tour

This experience offers upgrades for early morning or after-hours tours of the Vatican.

What's Included

Headsets to hear your guide better (Tours over 10 persons)
Free Wi-Fi & Recharging station at the meeting point
Welcoming staff at comfortable office
Fast track entrance tickets

Gratuities/Tips
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Via Germanico, 8
Via Germanico, 8, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
Near Metro A: Ottaviano station. Please be at the meeting point atleast 25 minutes before the departure time, inside the office.

End point

Vatican Museums
00120, Vatican City

What To Expect

Meet your local guide at the tour office to enter the Vatican Museums. Then, with your skip-the-line ticket, step inside to start your Vatican and Sistine Chapel tour. Follow your guide, listening to tales of saintliness and scandal, and learn about the Vatican’s place as one of the holiest sites in Christendom.

Italian art flourished in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and the Vatican popes put together one of the world’s largest collections of private art with frescos, paintings, sculptures, and treasure. See the highlights as you walk through galleries such as Raphael’s Rooms, and hear stories behind works such as the 'School of Athens'—a piece that features images of Michelangelo and Raphael himself.

Pass through halls such as the Gallery of the Masks and Gallery of the Maps. Then, make your way into the Sistine Chapel. A sacred spot and the private papal chapel, the Sistine Chapel is also renowned for its Michelangelo frescoes—'The Last Judgement' and 'The Creation of Adam.'

Vatican Museums

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
All visitors must pass through metal detectors at the security check point. Please expect to wait 20-30 minutes to clear security
Luggage storage NOT available
Not wheelchair accessible
We are sorry to inform you that this tour is NOT wheelchair accessible. Vatican Museums provide wheelchairs free of charge in the main lobby. You can easily pick one up after you enter, before starting your own independent visit. If you are looking for a guided tour with wheelchair access, we recommend booking our private tours so a guide can lead you through the alternate routes
All students should have their student identity card in order to get the discount for the admission fee.
Near public transportation

Most travellers can participate
Pets are NOT allowed
St. Peter's Basilica is closed during the following times: Wednesdays: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM, December 24 and 31 During these times, the tour will visit other parts of the museums
St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel close without notice on rare occasions; if this happens, your guide will take you to tour the Vatican Museums and/or the Sistine Chapel/St Peter's Basilica/Raphael Rooms instead
Individuals with Disabilities MUST NOTE it on their booking.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveller Photos

Traveller Tips

Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk pretty much non stop.

Skip the line is the only way to go, but still had an hour to 1.5 hour wait.

Must use tour or you'll spend your vacation standing in line.

Reviews

4.0

8,394 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 8,394 reviews

Well worth the money to save time and have a guide.

Curtis_C, Sept 2023

After seeing the blocks long lines to get in we’re glad we purchased this tour that got our group in quickly, skipping the line. We must have saved over two hours. Our guide Rosella was great explaining a lot of history and about the art works. Too bad we were not allowed to take pics in the actual Sistine Chapel but the Vatican Museums we passed through were astounding and we could shoot pictures and videos. St. Peter’s afterwards, on our own, was absolutely amazing. Be aware of the conservative Catholic dress code. They check that shoulders are covered and no short dresses or shorts for women.

Had a hard time hearing the guide

Randy_V, Sept 2023

We had a hard time hearing the guide, he had a thick accent and the Vatican electronic ear piece didnt connect very well.

Good tour

Francesca_D, Sept 2023

Our guide Maria Antonietta was great, she was very knowledgeable, and her great sense of humour was a plus; she was also authoritative and very capable of managing a large group in a large and crowded museum.

Worth it !!

ADRIANA_J, Sept 2023

very little wait to go in. Maria is an excellent guide !!!! highly recommended. we skipped the long lines up front.

Worst tour out of 50+ lifetime tours

Tilden_S, Sept 2023

This really deserves 1 star but the fact the guide was trying his best and was a genuinely nice person earns one extra. That said, this is the worst tour I’ve ever been on, and I’ve done a lot over 40 countries. This is my 3rd time at the Vatican doing a tour similar to this. The problem was the guide spoke such poor English nobody in my family could understand half what he said. It was pointless. We ended up leaving the tour early because it was just a waste of time. I remember more of what the guide said from the last Vatican tour I went on 10 years ago than I can recall from this tour 24 hours ago.

No tour to the Basílica completed.

Victor_G, Sept 2023

The visit is very fast. They are in a rush. No time to enjoy and they just want to be done with the tour. They don’t give you a tour to Spain Peters Basilica, they just drop you at the entrance.

Poor organization/service

Dimitrios_K, Sept 2023

Bad organisation between viator and their subcontractor! Although I received the confirmation of my booking by email, when I visited next day their subcontractor I was not on their list. As a result, although I paid for a guided tour, my choice was either to ask for a refund (in practice meaning to mess up my whole schedule for this day) or after negotiation just to skip the line and get in to the museum without having any guide. The latter was personally ok for me (and they really made it happen) but in the end of the day it does not correspond to what I paid for.

Amazing

Aramis_P, Sept 2023

The guide was a senior lady very professional and with a high level of knowledge about the Rome and the Vatican, thanks a lot for the experience there and best regards

The only way to see the Vatican!

Tiffany_A, Sept 2023

This is the way to do the Vatican! The general line to get in was soooo long! Our guide was wonderful! Very funny and full of information. We went through a dedicated tour line so we got to skirt through the general line people. Ladies…do bring a scarf to cover your shoulders and cleavage!! They WILL make you buy a disposable blue sheet thing to cover yourself. (Men too! Can’t show shoulders/cleavage/too much above the knee!!). The Vatican security/guards will tell you to cover yourself if you take off your sheet. We did see people with 2 of these sheets tied around shoulders and waist!!!

Nice tour

Bob_S, Sept 2023

The guide was very knowledgeable about Vatican City, the chapel and St Peters. There were way too many people in the museum to get a detailed tour. She did well under the circumstances.

Rome trip

Paul_G, Sept 2023

Excellent tour, very knowledgeable guide and all well organised. Have used Viator a few times and have never been disappointed.

Very dissapointing!

Gary_J, Sept 2023

We were looking forward to seeing the Vatican. The tour was described to last three hours. Our tour was set for 11:00 am - our tour guide arrived a half hour late, and due to our guide procuring our tickets and the crowds, we finally entered the museum at 12:15. Our guide seemed more interested in moving the 30 person tour group along than allowing time to enjoy the magnificence of the Vatican. Her accent made it hard to understand, however a favorite word was "Vamos". She ended the tour promptly at 2:00pm - certainly not the expected three hours. We heard other tour guides speaking that didn't rush their group along. Once we got home, we watched Vatican YouTubes to see the sights we missed out on while being there in person. Truly a disappointing experience. If possible, we would like a refund!

The tour was good, avoid...

Alexandra_B, Sept 2023

The tour was good, avoid going on Saturdays unless you love being crowded. Tour took longer then expected. It was around 3.5 hours

Great tour

Sara_M, Sept 2023

Good to skip the line. The Vatican museums are always very busy and crowded, but the tour guide did a good job keeping us together and moving along and a good pace.

A fantastic afternoon with our guide Marco 🙂

Morita_B, Sept 2023

Our guide was Marco and he was seriously fantastic. He was funny, informative and kept our small group informed about what was happening and why. Well worth the money and I would definitely recommend.

A good visit, a bad guide

Marcel_K, Sept 2023

The guide took every opportunity to make inapproriate mysoginistic jokes and rambled without saying much. He failed to tell us where the Pieta was, so we missed seeing it.

Good Tour but be careful booking through this third party.

tammy_h, Sept 2023

Our guide was so lovely, kind and knowledgeable. We had some issues with the audio but overall it was a cool experience. Be careful when booking through this website. They are ruthless with change or time, date or any kind of amendment with your booking. BE EXTRA CAREFUL…

Great day in a great place

Gina_P, Sept 2023

Guide was very knowledgeable and fun!! We learned a lot. Glad we chose this tour. I’ve not been disappointed with Viator.

The tour was a bit rushed...

Mehrnoosh_M, Sept 2023

The tour was a bit rushed overall. And many places felt unexplained. We expected a bit more with this price and slower pace to be able to admire art pieces in the museum and chapel.

A little pricey but good to skip the line, for the most part

Dave_F, Sept 2023

Tour was good, but the initial setup was a complete disaster. Too many people trying to meet at the same time. There was very little direction, you had to go into this small office to register and then wait outside until someone calls your colour.

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