Top 5 Vatican Tours

Written by Viator, November 2010

RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Must-Do Experience, Tip - What to See & Do, UNESCO Heritage Site

Of the global cultural wonders which have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, only one represents an entire country: Vatican City. The world’s smallest sovereign state is – as well as being the spiritual home of the world’s billion or so Catholics – an incomparable storehouse of artistic treasures.

It’s also one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions, so a pre-booked ticket which takes you to the head of the line is a must. Once you’ve mounted the remarkable double helix stairs at the entrance to the Vatican Museums, a unique overview of the origins and development of Western art awaits you. It’s a journey which takes you from fine Greek and Roman statuary to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes, the undisputed masterpiece of the Renaissance, and on to contemporary ecclesiastical works.

And that’s before you’ve even stepped inside the colossal house of worship that is St Peter’s Basilica, with Michelangelo’s Pietà and countless other sacred works all guarding the tomb of the Apostle Peter. You can explore this all on your own, but to get the most out of your Vatican venture you can take a tour for anything from two hours to a comprehensive eight-and-a-half hour tour which extends to the other great Roman basilicas: Santa Maria Maggiore, St Paul and St John Lateran.

Or what about a special two-hour private evening tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel? With an expert guide you’ll discover centuries of magnificent art, crowned by the brilliantly restored Sistine frescoes – without the crowds.

After your tour you can buy Vatican postage stamps or use an ATM in Latin (although on second thoughts you should be pretty confident of your Latin if you’re going to do that). If time (and energy) allows, climb to the top of the basilica’s cupola, the tallest dome in the world. From there you can see the stunning Vatican gardens and the great landmarks of the Eternal City beyond.

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All Top 5 Vatican Tours Reviews

Reply by Viator, May 2013
Doing what: Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Rooms and St Peter's

The best tour guide we had in Rome --(out of 5) Shannon hit a home run taking our small group (8AM tour) through the Vatican. A wealth of knowledge and great English (fellow American) She was easy to engage in conversation and answered all questions about the artifacts. I would highly recommend going early and beating the crowds.

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Reply by Viator, May 2013
Doing what: Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Rooms and St Peter's

Our tour of the Vatican was wonderful. Our guide was the best! I had been on your Vatican tour before and this one was the best. We were to take the walking tour of Rome the day before but took the wrong train from Assisi to Rome so we missed it, but so happy to have made this tour.

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Reply by Viator, April 2013
Doing what: Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Rooms and St Peter's

David our tour guide spoke perfect English his knowledge of the Vatican and the way he narrated the story of its history was magnificent I cannot recommend this trip highly enough the fact you miss queues was a massive bonus a must if your visiting Rome and if your English ask for David he's great

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