3 hours
E-voucher
English
Overview
The Vatican Museums are home to some of the world’s top artistic masterpieces—and this small-group tour makes it easy to discover the collection highlights. See the Sistine Chapel and then delve deeper into the galleries, including the famed Raphael Rooms (if time allows), plus St. Peter's Basilica (for bookings made more than 72 hours in advance).
Operated by
Through Eternity Tours
Ratings & Reviews
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282 traveller ratings
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Donatella Mauceri was a great guide
carolgW614BA, Aug 2025
First time visit. Tour guide kept us moving, focused, and together in the dense crowd. Had endless amounts of great info to share
This is the tour to book!
noiropus, Aug 2025
Thomas was amazing! Highly efficient and enjoyable tour. Just the right amount of time and detail provided
Booked for the 'skip the line' access and our guide exceeded all expectations
Ryan_M, Jul 2025
Great tour of Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica. The shortcut to the basilica down Scala Regia bypassed the long lines and was also an impressive architectural highlight of the tour. Our guide Brandon was exceptionally knowledgeable and his passion for the history and antiquities certainly added to the tour.
Barbara is very organized and knowledgeable. Also friendly and a fantastic tour guide. Wonderful tour! Our group was only six p
familyfunfromSC, Jul 2025
We loved our tour with Barbara. She is a fantastic tour guide and we learned a lot about Vatican City. Thank you for the great small group six-person tour that we had today she is so knowledgeable and so friendly.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Dear familyfunfromSC, Thank you for your kind feedback. We’re so pleased Barbara made your Vatican tour both enjoyable and insightful. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we look forward to welcoming you on another adventure soon! Best regards, The Through Eternity Team
Itinerary
Vatican Museums
With more than five miles of corridors, this vast complex of museums chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2000 years, featuring classic masterpieces such as Rodin's "Thinker" and the Sistine Chapel.
2 hoursAdmission IncludedCortile della Pigna
The Vatican bronze pinecone is a colossal and ancient bronze sculpture also known as the Pinion and is located in one of the courtyards at the Vatican, in the Cortile della Pigna. It was found in the Middle Ages at the Baths of Agrippa where it originates, until late in the antiquity, today you can find it in the complex of the Vatican Museums now for many centuries.
10 minutesAdmission IncludedSphere within a Sphere
Also known as “Sfera con Sfera,” is a series of sculptures created by sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro. The sculpture depicts an enormous metal sphere with a cracked surface, revealing an intricate interior with another cracked sphere inside.
Stanze di Raffaello
The four rooms known as the Stanze of Raphael formed part of the apartment situated on the second floor of the Pontifical Palace that was chosen by Julius II della Rovere (pontiff from 1503 to 1513) as his own residence and used also by his successors. The pictorial decoration was executed by Raphael and his school between 1508 and 1524.
10 minutesAdmission IncludedSistine Chapel
Probably the most famous chapel in the world because of its incredible artwork, notably "The Last Judgment," Michelangelo's stunning fresco covering 10,000 square feet of the ceiling and wall.
30 minutesAdmission IncludedSt. Peter's Square
Enjoy the outstanding view of the Basilica from St. Peter's Square
Obelisco Vaticano
The Vatican Obelisk is the only ancient Egyptian obelisk in Rome to have remained standing since Roman times
Fontane di Piazza San Pietro
The two fountains in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, created by Carlo Maderno (1612–1614) and Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1667–1677) to ornament the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. The older fountain, by Maderno, is on the north side of the square.
Experience
Highlights
Inclusions
- Escorted entrance to St. Peter's Basilica
- Headsets (for groups of 6 or more)
- All Fees and Taxes
- Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Skip-The-Line Tickets
- Small Group Size
- Expert English-Speaking Guide
Exclusions
- Gratuities (optional)
- Transportation to and from the meeting and end points
Additional Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please note that the Vatican Museums provide free entrance for visitors who are (according to the requirements stated by the Vatican City) at least 74% disabled by presenting the appropriate certification and, if one needs assistance by another person, that person also receives a free entrance. Please inform us when you are booking if you fit into these requirements and we will remove the pricing of the entry tickets from the price of the tour.
- As this is a walking tour with steps and staircases, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
- Please advise during the booking process if any clients have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
- At the end of your tour, you are required to return the headset provided to you to your guide. In the event that you do not return the headset, you will be subject to a fine of €100 for lost property.
- Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
- Disclaimer: For reservations made less than 72 hours in advance, access to the Basilica cannot be guaranteed due to ticketing restrictions.
- The Basilica of St. Peter's may be subject to unscheduled closings and late openings for religious ceremonies. We do not provide refunds for last-minute closures of St. Peter's Basilica. Your guide will still give you an introduction to the Basilica should you wish to return on your own time during your visit to Rome.
- Please note that the Raphael Rooms are part of this 3-hour itinerary but on days due to crowding, timing and direction flows of crowd traffic dictated by the Vatican Museum staff on the day, we may not be able to make this stop within the designated time frame.
Guide Languages
English
Cancellation Policy
A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.