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Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina)

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Small Group Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour

Badge of ExcellenceRoma, Italy
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From $75.60

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  • 3 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the Vatican on a group tour of the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums with an expert guide. Navigate the vast complex of rooms, artwork, and history with a guide, who brings the ancient collection to life. Skip all the entrance lines to explore halls such as the Gallery of the Maps; step inside the Sistine Chapel to admire ‘The Creation of Adam’ by Michelangelo and finish your tour visiting St. Peter's Basilica. Choose from several departures, or upgrade to a small-group tour.
  • Enjoy the Vatican highlights including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica
  • Choose from several different departure times, or upgrade to a small-group tour
  • Audio headsets are provided to make sure you can hear your guide clearly
  • Avoid long queues with skip-the-line entrance tickets

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

“Skip the line” with this tour means using a special entrance to bypass even the fast-track line.

What's Included

  • Reserved Priority Access to the Vatican Museums
  • Guided visit of St. Peter’s Basilica (If Option Selected)
  • Access to the Sistine Chapel
  • Audio headsets so you can always hear your guide
  • Small groups of 20 people or less
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • Via Tunisi, 4
    Via Tunisi, 4, 00192 Roma RM, Italy

    Meeting point: At the bottom of the steps across the street from the Entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located right next to Caffè Vaticano on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. The closest Metro stop is Line A (Ottaviano – Musei Vaticani).

End point

  • St. Peter's Basilica
    Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City

What To Expect

Vatican tours with skip-the-line access are sought-after, so even the fast-track lines are long. This experience includes admission through a special entrance, so there are no lines whatsoever. Follow your guide directly inside the vast collection of private artwork that is the Vatican Museums.

Walk through the Gallery of the Maps and Gallery of Tapestries as you listen to tales of Vatican intrigue. Gaze at artifacts such as timeworn yet fascinating Italian maps, and admire the sculptures and candelabras of the Gallery of Candelabras. Stop for photos in front of the Pigna statue in the Pinecone Courtyard, designed by Donato Bramante.

Step inside the Sistine Chapel—the pope’s personal place of worship and a highlight of any Vatican trip. Stand beneath Michelangelo’s 'The Creation of Adam,' which cloaks the ceiling, and admire 'The Last Judgement,' his colorful mural that adorns a wall.

After your Sistine Chapel visit, continue to St. Peter’s Basilica, the symbolic heart of the Catholic church. Learn about its history and see more Vatican art including Michelangelo’s 'La Pietà,' which was sculpted when the maestro was only 24 years old. Gaze at the baldachino by Bernini, and then say goodbye to your guide in St. Peter’s Square.

Keep in mind that St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square might be unavailable on Wednesdays due to the weekly Papal Audience. As an alternative, enjoy an extended itinerary within the Vatican Museums, which still includes the Sistine Chapel and Raphael's Rooms. If you want to make sure that St. Peter's Basilica and Square are included in your tour, don't select Wednesday as your travel date.

If you want to enhance your Vatican experience, select one of the following experiences:

Small-Group Tour in the morning: Enter the Vatican Museums as soon as it opens, before the other lines enter. Your tour is limited to 10 people for personal attention and information about the Vatican’s must-see sights.

Tour in the evening: Explore the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel after the doors close to the general public. A visit to St. Peter’s Basilica is not included.

Vatican Museums

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Basilica

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

St. Peter's Square

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests with wheelchairs or any impairments requiring special assistance. We are also unable to accommodate strollers or baby carriages on our group tours.
  • Avoid bringing large purses, bags, or backpacks on your tour
  • We may experience delays in getting through mandatory security checks when entering these venues
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Saint Peter’s Basilica is subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies. When this occurs, we're happy to offer customers an extended tour of the Vatican Museums. While we endeavour to tell tour groups ahead of time if there are any planned disruptions to the Basilica's opening hours, this is not always possible and in these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts.
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • On Wednesdays, due to the Papal Audiences, access to St Peter's Basilica is not possible until 1pm
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

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.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

Arrive early since it is a bit difficult to locate the tour guide to check in.
Bring water with you as you won’t find any inside.
Don’t go on a Wednesday because the Pope will be doing mass and it supposedly gets really crowded.

Reviews

4.5
28,353 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 28,353 reviews
Average tour
Diane_W, Jun 2023
Our guide was average. I could hear her but I couldn’t understand a lot of what she said. Other guides had laminated sheets that helped to clarify things. She showed us a one picture on her phone. She was very nice.
Great tour if you have limited time.
Donna_P, Jun 2023
Advantage of skipping the line but not able to choose what we wanted to see in the Vatican museums. They chose which rooms and I think it was due to crowds. Didn’t have enough time in Basilica since Mass was starting and the tour guide could no longer narrate. Guide was wonderful though and extremely informative.
Nice Vatican Tour
Paul_K, Jun 2023
I liked the tour very much. So much history and art it’s almost overwhelming. We missed the Basilica because we didn’t know ahead of time it’s closed on Wednesday
Vatican
Cathy_G, Jun 2023
This is a beautiful tour…we ended up getting separated from our guide and didn’t end up seeing the basilica…pretty upset about that. There is so much history here that after while, I could t take any more info! Just marvel in the beauty!!!
Highly recommend the tour
Ailen_F, Jun 2023
It was indeed a small group tour there was only 9 of us. I choose 8am and the crowd was manageable. Overall I was satisfied with the tour. Olga our tour guide was very insightful. I recommend the tour to make a stop and showcase the Bramante staircase.
Don’t go on a Wednesday
Amanda_F, Jun 2023
The only downside was that we were not aware that the basilica does not open until 1pm on Wednesdays. We booked a 8:25am tour (that did not start on time) to find out we would have to wait until 1pm to access the basilica. This forced us to stay in the Vatican walls for the entirety of the time, unlike what was advertised. I would also highly suggest trying to go early as possible to avoid giant crowds and lines.
worth the money to skip...
Daniel_P, Jun 2023
worth the money to skip the line. The Vatican is filled with treasures, to have a guide to explain them makes your understanding even greater.
Great experience!
Rebecca_R, Jun 2023
Our tour guide Ricardo was very good! It was a great experience, I highly recommend the tour. At.Peter’s Basilica was my favorite part of the tour!
Really enjoyed our Tour...
Kathleen_C, Jun 2023
Really enjoyed our Tour Guide Nikki. He was so knowledgeable and very personable. Loved the Sistine Chapel, even though it was very crowded and you had to keep moving around with the people just so you could see the ceiling of the chapel. The Vatican Courtyard was very pretty as well.
Beautiful Tour!
Janene_P, Jun 2023
Our tour guide was Paulo and he was truly an amazing tour guide. He respected the Vatican’s rules and what it shows but he didn’t look at it in a biased light. He showed photos of closeups on the frescos, tapestries, and statues. Truly an amazing tour and tour guide
Great guide at crowded site
cindysingh21, Jun 2023
Christian was very knowledgeable and kind. He took time to explain things and ensure those who couldn’t hear as well were checked on regularly. We try and book smaller tours as it’s hard to hear in crowded spaces coupled with big groups. The tour company had a guide call out and our semi private group went from 10 to 16 which was frustrating but we were explained and offered a partial refund.
Vatican
Nezar_J, Jun 2023
Guide very knowledgeable and polite. He was able to explain and answer questions in a crowded situation.
Vatican
teresa_p, Jun 2023
The tour was suppose to be 3 hours and she gave us 2. We did not get to skip the line for St. Peter's Basilica and it was too long so we did not get to go. I was very disappointed
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Hello teresa_p, Thank you for sharing your feedback on our Small Group Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour. We apologize for any confusion or disappointment you experienced during the tour. We would like to clarify that we offer different duration options for this tour, including a 2-hour option that does not include a visit to St. Peter's Basilica. It is possible that you booked the 2-hour version without access to the basilica. In order to address your concerns and verify the details of your reservation, we kindly ask you to send us your booking reference number at edgar.chavero@citywonders.com. We understand that not being able to skip the line for St. Peter's Basilica and the perceived length of the tour may have been disappointing for you. We apologize for any miscommunication or lack of clarity regarding the details of the reservation. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we will use it to improve our services and provide better information to our customers. We hope to have the opportunity to resolve this matter and address any issues you experienced. If you have any further concerns or if there is anything else we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to the possibility of providing you with a more satisfactory experience in the future with us at City Wonders. Best regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders
Review of our tour
Jeanne_G, Jun 2023
The guide Lorilei was very knowledgeable, helpful and nice. The tour I paid for was for a guided tour of the museum, The Sistene Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. Our tour guide brought us through the museum but after that we were on our own. No guide or explanation of the artwork and sculptures we saw in the Chapel or Basilica. Was not worth the money I paid.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Hello Jeanne_G, Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your Small Group Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour. We appreciate your kind words about our guide Lorilei and her knowledge, helpfulness, and friendliness. We would like to clarify that our tour options for the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica vary in terms of duration and the level of guidance provided. It seems that you may have booked a tour that included a guided visit to the museum portion only, without specific guidance inside the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. We understand that you were expecting a more comprehensive guided experience inside the Sistine Chapel and Basilica, and we apologize if this was not clearly communicated during the booking process. Your feedback is important to us, and we will use it to improve our communication and ensure that customers have a clear understanding of the specific details and inclusions of each tour option. If you have any further concerns or if there is anything else we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We appreciate your understanding and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a more fulfilling experience in the future. Best regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders
Fabulous
Karen_H, Jun 2023
Fabulous. Great guide giving lots of information about an amazing place. Very smooth progress from meeting point through to finish.
Tooo many people,crowded
Evelyn_L, Jun 2023
For many this is probably a once In A lifetime experience, a bucket list dream. For the cost we paid I was expecting better!! Too many people, we could not stop and view the statues, art work, magnificence of the chapel or museums. It felt like we were being herded like cattle. Shoulder to shoulder we walked thru the halls. I understand the need to accommodate all visitors who wish to see it, but what about those who PAID for tours, they should have special times reserved. It is a beautiful experience but one I would highly caution others to attempt.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Hello Evelyn_L, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your Small Group Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour. We apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience you experienced during your visit. We understand that the Vatican can be a busy and crowded place, especially during high season. While we strive to provide the best possible experience for our guests, we do not have control over the number of visitors inside the Vatican at any given time. The Vatican attracts a large number of visitors from around the world, and accommodating everyone's experience can be challenging. We do offer special times and skip-the-line access to minimize waiting times, but during peak periods, the volume of visitors can still result in crowded conditions. We apologize if this affected your ability to fully appreciate the statues, artwork, and magnificence of the chapel and museums. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we will continue to work towards enhancing our guests' experience within the limitations of the Vatican's regulations and the number of visitors it receives. We appreciate your cautionary advice to others and will take it into consideration as we strive to improve our experiences. Kind regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders
Too many people
Suzanne_C, Jun 2023
Bad time of year to be there, which we suspected. Our guide was so sweet and funny. We appreciated her personal stories.
St. Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel Viator Walking Tour.
Stan_B, Jun 2023
I would recommend doing this earlier in the day. By the time we started our tour the outside portions had gotten fairly warm. It also appears that they have a tendency to overbook the number of people that are all going through the Vatican making it just a sea of people in the afternoon. The guide we had was very knowledgeable and was very interesting to listen to. St. Peters Basilica was very beautiful also. We were there on a Sunday evening around 5:00 Pm and they were conduction Mass.
Crowded
David_R, Jun 2023
We were unable to see many parts of the museums we wanted to see, such as the Hall of Statues, the Egyptian room, and the Rafael Room, instead going through less interesting galleries like candlesticks, maps, and tapestries. The guide was excellent, though, and St. Peter's was stunning, as was the Sistine Chapel.
Interesting experience
Genette_K, Jun 2023
Lovely guided tour but it was very crowded. Skipped the long queue. Totally worth it. Wish we were given clearer instructions on how to get to St Peter's Bastilica.
Should send a map to...
Owen_K, Jun 2023
Should send a map to better locate meeting point. It was difficult to find where to go once we got there.
Good guide crappy organisation
Nina_K, Jun 2023
Excellent guide but crappy organisation - we paid for a group of 10 bot got a group of 17…not a good thing when travelling with a child.
1 traveler found this review helpful
Late and No Partial Refund
Vaya_N, Jun 2023
We missed our scheduled and paid for your, because we could not navigate the traffic and very poor parking in Rome. The agency said they tried to fit us in with another group, but were not able to. They also did not offer any portion of a refund. We went to an agency around the corner from them, paid for a tour and it was good. The take away is to not assume with traffic and parking. Also, this agency looked like they were were going to be good. Thank you
Wonderful Vatican tour
Mike_G, Jun 2023
The artwork, frescos, statues, and mosaics were absolutely wonderful to take in. Our guide was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the Vatican tour
A Once in a Lifetime Experience
Lisa_L, Jun 2023
A once in a lifetime experience! The museum was elbow to elbow people and honestly not that enjoyable. Really couldn’t view the museum pieces due to the crowds and it was so hot. But … being in the Sistine Chapel and then being in the square and inside St Peters Basilica made up for it and more. So impressive and an experience of a lifetime. (Note, our English speaker was very hard to understand).
Most unpleasant experience!
MeKalina_R, Jun 2023
We were looking forward to visiting the Vatican for months. We came all the way from California. On our guided tour date we ended up being 4 MINUTES late for the meet up and the group was already gone! Our guided tour was supposed to start at 9, we arrived at 9:04. We found other guides from the same company and asked them what were our options. They said our best bet was to just accept a general ticket and explore on our own. A general ticket costs 17 euros per person. We paid 82 each! They said we have to make our mind soon because that option expires in 15 minutes… Another option was to wait a see if they’re were 2 spots in the next group. That sounded good but they told us that usually everyone shows up and most likely we won’t be able to join in. And we would have lots the general ticket option and not be able to enter at all. It was a very unpleasant experience. We ended up going in on our own and not having any information about what we were seeing! For 165 euros!!! We’ve been on other tours and they have waited until almost every one arrives - 10 minutes. We were late 4! We saw our, most likely, group inside walking around. We recognize it by the sign that the tour guide was carrying. We asked if we could join them since they WERE the 9 o’clock group. He said NO. Most horrible customer service we’ve ever had! One big rip off!
1 traveler found this review helpful
Fantastic tour. I felt...
Shannon_W, Jun 2023
Fantastic tour. I felt like we were able to see everything that we needed to see. Our tour guide was fantastic as well.
Good & Improvement a Must
HELEN_P, Jun 2023
Meeting point could be much better than the area defined. Also further clarification on who to meet as many people including others selling tours & scarfs, etc., and very chaotic! Meeting area across from the Vatican Museum entrance, was littered in garbage & dirty. Guide spoke very good in Spanish, was patient, and very knowledgeable! I thought group would be smaller than almost 20 people but guide managed all well.
Vatican tour
Natalie_P, Jun 2023
Great tour, highlight of rome trip. Good timing for the tour and the guide Paulina was very knowledgeable and pointed out the most interesting painting and sculptures. She made the tour fun. Highly recommend!
Never again
James_W, Jun 2023
Just too many people to enjoy anything. Very very very bad. I got lost from the tour and never saw them again. I turned in my headset. I would never do this again and would not tell anyone to take this tour. Also it was hot and sticky. Just bad bad bad.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Hello James_W, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your experience with the Small Group Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour. We apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience you faced during your visit. We understand that the Vatican can be extremely crowded, particularly during peak seasons, which can impact the overall enjoyment of the tour. We apologize for any frustration you experienced due to the large number of people. It can be challenging to navigate through the crowds, and we regret that you got separated from the tour group and were unable to find them again. We apologize for any difficulties you encountered with the headset and the hot weather. Our aim is to provide a comfortable and immersive experience for all participants, and we regret that these factors detracted from your tour experience. We appreciate your candid feedback, and we acknowledge that this particular tour may not have met your expectations. We understand that different individuals have varying preferences and comfort levels in crowded environments. We apologize if this tour did not align with your personal preferences. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused, and we appreciate your feedback as it helps us identify areas where we can improve. We hope that despite the challenges, you were still able to appreciate the remarkable artworks and historical significance of the Vatican. Once again, we apologize for the inconveniences you faced during the tour, and we appreciate your feedback. Best regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders
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Product code: 3731VATICAN

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