PRICES
Children under the age of 6 are FREE
Tour Description
Small Group Tour of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica
This intimate group experience, covering the best of the Vatican’s art collection with a specialist guide, is designed for those who want to go beyond the surface and opt for a more personalized tour option.
The Vatican Museums
Join us as we take you on a journey of art through the ages. Your expert guide will relay the colorful history of the Vatican Museums, from its conception over 500 years ago to present day. Learn how the collection came about as well as how and why the popes cultivated the arts and the artists that made the space famous. Walk through galleries adorned with renaissance tapestries, courtyards filled with ancient sculptures, and see ceilings that will redefine the way you think.
Sistine Chapel
Just before the exit to the church stands the Vatican’s most famous Chapel, the Sistine. Taking its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who redesigned it, the Sistine Chapel was envisioned as his private sanctuary and modeled after the Temple of Solomon. The space portrays biblical stories from both the old and new testaments, the most famous of which are the ceiling panels that depict nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. Find out where Michelangelo hid Eve’s torso, where he placed his self-portrait and the real meaning behind the “Creation of Adam”.
St Peters Basilica
The final leg of the tour takes you deep inside St Peter’s Basilica. Built over the burial place of Simon Peter, the current Basilica is the second construction on the same site, and one of the largest churches in the world. In fact, the first thing you’ll probably notice is its size, which appears deceptively smaller form the square, due to optics. Learn how long St Peter’s took to complete, which artists were responsible for its design, and why Martin Luther refused to enter it. Discover the real identity behind the bronze statue of Peter, why the Pieta is behind glass and where the popes are buried.
Itinerary
- Octagonal Courtyard
- Gallery of the Muses
- Round Room
- Gallery of the Candelabra
- Gallery of Maps
- Sobieski's Room
- Borgia Apartments
- Collection of Modern Religious Art
- Sistine Chapel
- St. Peter’s Basilica
What's Included
- Tickets
- Skip the line access
- Live tour commentary via audio headset (if more than 10 participants)
- Small group, guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica with max. 15 participants
Highlights
- Tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica without lines
- World-renowned Renaissance frescoes inside the Sistine Chapel
- Chance to witness the works of famed artists, including Raphael, Michelangelo and Bernini
- Expert guide to lead your small group experience