Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Private Tour

You'll also see the spectacular Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica on a private tour that moves at your pace, and your guide can even suggest lesser-known gems to see within the Vatican, depending on your interests.

Private Vatican Tour Description

Your 3-hour private tour includes:

• Skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museums

• Available entry times in the morning and afternoon

• Pio Clementino and the best of the Vatican's galleries

• Raphael Rooms and Borgia Apartments

• Silent tour of the Sistine Chapel

• Entry to St. Peter's Basilica

• A private, English-speaking guide with art history expertise

The Main Galleries of the Vatican Museums

After meeting your private guide, your Vatican Museums tour begins. With your skip-the-line access, you'll walk past the long line of tourists and enjoy faster entry through security, even if you've booked an afternoon tour. Follow your guide to the Bramante Courtyard to see the Pio-Clementino Museum, the Candelabra Gallery, Gallery of the Tapestries, and our personal favorite, the Gallery of Maps.

Inside the Gallery of the Maps, the frescoes upon the walls provide valuable insight into how Renaissance Italians viewed their surroundings. Predating unified Italy by almost 300 years, the frescoes show the geography of the Italian peninsula circa 1580. Based on drawings by famous geographer Ignazio Danti, the maps were painted between 1580 and 1585. One of the most opulent and impressive corridors in the Vatican Museums, this collection extends for nearly 400 feet.

Depending on your interests and how quickly you want to explore, your guide will tailor the experience to make the most of your time in the Vatican Museums.

Raphael Rooms and The School of Athens

Raphael is the epitome of a Renaissance artist. In the period of European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages, a great period of revival in art, literature, and thought occurred. Raphael encompassed the ideals of a Renaissance man and frescoed multiple rooms inside of the Vatican Museums. Among other masterpieces, see one of Raphael’s most famous works of art, The School of Athens.

Borgia Apartments

Downstairs from the Raphael Rooms and once occupied by Borgia Pope Alexander VI, these private chambers were frescoed by early Renaissance artist Pinturicchio. As a co-pupil of Raphael’s under master Perugino, Pinturicchio had a penchant for embedding fake jewels and other three-dimensional objects like metal saddle studs in his frescoes. The Borgia Apartments also contain another hidden gem: the first European depiction of Native Americans.

Sistine Chapel

One of the top things to do in Vatican City is visiting the Sistine Chapel. Only when you are inside, is it clear why the Sistine Chapel is one of the most celebrated works of art in Western civilization. Michelangelo painted more than 600 figures in all, and the sheer magnitude of his endeavor is mind-blowing. Since the Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, speaking inside is not allowed. Your guide cannot explain the frescoes while you are inside, so they'll provide you with a map/handout for reference before you enter.

Please note that the Sistine Chapel is a sacred place, so both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders, otherwise, you may be refused entry to a portion of your Vatican tour. We understand the summers in Rome are hot, so a great alternative is to bring a shawl/sweater to wrap around you when necessary.

St. Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica is a mammoth church filled with artwork from some of the most celebrated artists in history. Once you reach the outside of this incredible church, you'll listen to your guide share about the history and construction. As you explore the inside on your own, you'll admire masterpieces that include the Baldacchino, La Pieta, the statue of St. Peter and more. Even if you aren’t an art fanatic, just the size of the basilica will floor you.

Please note that St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays for the Papal Audience and can occasionally experience other unexpected closures. If this happens, your guide will make up the time at other areas within the Vatican.