Tours, sightseeing tours, activities & things to do | Viator.comPrivate Viewing of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums
based on 25 reviews of Private Viewing of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums
Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the Private Viewing of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
The guide was very good.
Reviewed by: Bertil E, Sweden, April 2008
The nighttime tour of the Vatican was an outstanding experience, worth every penny we paid. The tour director was so knowledgeable and interested in her subject. She truly loved art history and made the viewing of the Sistine Chapel very special. All the arrangements went smoothly and we enjoyed it very much. I can't think of anything that could make the visit better except more time to see the Vatican treasures in the other rooms!
Reviewed by: Mary M, United States of America, November 2007
Our private tour through the Sistine Chapel was definitely the highlight of our trip to Italy. When we first went by the Vatican, the lines waiting to get in were literally almost a mile long. There were fewer than 20 of us on this tour and the guide was marvelous. She knew so much about the history and the art itself that I never would have known. And the guide was so involved in the subject matter, she made it a very emotional experience for all of us. We ended up spending about an hour in the Sistine Chapel itself which never could have happened without the tour. I would definitely do this again. It's well worth the money.
Reviewed by: Robert Z, United States of America, October 2007
Amazing private tour of the Sistine Chapel. We were told several times to be at the door to the Vatican by 6.45pm SHARP or risk not being let in and the tour guide ended up being about 15 minutes LATE. That didn't start things off well but she ended up being a delight. However it didn't seem like the Vatican staff was too pleased with her tardiness. The tour was certainly worth the price. Very quiet, NO crowds, freedom to walk and get up close to things. At times things seemed a bit rushed, either the guide or the guards seemed to continue 'pushing' through the tour. It was amazing and I'd do it again if I had another chance.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, United States of America, May 2009
It is an amazing experience to be in the Vatican Museums with so few people. The guide herself was not particularly good and her comprehension of questions asked was a little limited. However, it was a thoroughly interesting tour and it was really good to experience the masterpieces without the usual crowds.
Reviewed by: Hugo G, United Kingdom, April 2009
This tour was not the original tour as our flight was canceled and we lost our private tour, which only happens once a month. We were able to rebook for a longer daytime tour of all of the Vatican sites.
Reviewed by: Tony G, United States of America, October 2008
I took my mother as a birthday treat on this tour. I paid the extra to avoid the crowds. It was well worth the money just to be able to move. Our guide told us that in one day in May 25,000 people passed through the Vatican museums! The guide was very knowledgeable and was willing to answer questions from our group of around 15 people. We were totally alone in the museum apart from the security guards and the cleaners! Fantastic.
A tip for anyone thinking of going in summer, this place is NOT air conditioned as we had expected, to say it was stifling inside is an understatement. We went on a day that reached 39 degrees and it was so uncomfortable. Everyone was suffering. It's not that easily accessible with all the stairs to climb. My mother is 80 and she found it difficult to keep going in the heat. There are lots of steps. It's a superb trip to do but I would personally have liked to spend more time in the museum looking at the artifacts etc. Our guide concentrated mostly on the paintings and described what they depicted. It's an incredible experience but we wished we had gone in a cooler season and been able to spend longer looking in the glass cases in the museum. We left the building through that area and the security men kept asking us to keep moving if we stopped to look at something. The Sistine Chapel is much smaller than we expected but amazing. Well worth a look.
The tour leader was 20 minutes late, so our time inside the museum was limited. Several members of the group telephoned her and she explained that she had forgotten there was a football match nearby and could not find parking. When the tour guide finally arrived, the Vatican staff were upset with her and there were some tense words exchanged. We were disappointed that she did not have a microphone earpiece system for the group to use because she had a very weak voice and it was difficult to hear her. Considering the high price of this tour, we did not receive the level of service we expected.
Reviewed by: Nancy H, United States of America, June 2009
The guide was very difficult to understand or hear. Her voice was very soft, and there were no headphones to aid in hearing her as stated in the tour description. That was very disappointing in such an expensive tour.
Reviewed by: Albert D, United States of America, October 2008
This was costly and I very disappointed. It was supposed to be private but two groups talking over each other is not private. There was a mix up at the door and extra people tried to get in. Employees at the Vatican got mad at the tour guide. Terrible. Not worth it.
Reviewed by: Cathy K, United States of America, October 2009
