Private Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Dome Climb Complete Tour
Climb St. Peter's Dome then tour the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
4.97
(114)
5 h
Beat the crowds at the Vatican and follow your private guide for an early climb of St. Peter's Dome for panoramic views of Rome. With skip-the-line access, your expert guide will lead you through the Vatican Museums, showcasing renowned artworks and hidden gems. Marvel at Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling and explore the intricate Papal Crypts. This personalized journey offers an intimate encounter with the Vatican's rich history and art, tailored to your interests.
You'll meet your expert Vatican guide near St. Peter's Square early in the morning. The lines to enter St. Peter's Basilica and climb its famous dome can be hours long in busy months, but this private guided tour lets you skip the line to be one of the first of the day to enjoy the Basilica and climb the dome! Afterwards, you'll skip the line again to take a detailed tour of the famous galleries of the Vatican Museums, before gazing in awe at the frescoes inside the Sistine Chapel.
Ther...
Select participants and date
Free cancellation up to 60 days in advance!
Fun, English-speaking guide
Skip the line to St. Peter's Basilica
Elevator access
St. Peter's Dome climb
Guided Vatican Museums
Vatican highlights and galleries
Sistine Chapel
Wheelchair accessible
An in-depth private Vatican experience
Private Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters and Dome Climb Tour
Meet near St. Peter's Square for skip-the-line entry
Begin your morning in St. Peter's Square to beat the crowds into the Basilica
Explore St. Peter's Basilica
The most important church in Christendom and the home of the Pope. There's no better place to begin your Vatican tour.
Climb the Dome for incredible views
Enjoy the ultimate views of the Vatican and Rome with the Colosseum and "Wedding Cake" in the distance
Michelangelo's La Pietá
Michelangelo made this statue at the early age of 24. When you see it, it will be difficult to believe that this is actually made of stone, considering its life like features.
For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change
Meet your private guide at Largo Del Colonnato. This is the area just outside of the St. Peters Square colonnades, on the right side if you’re looking at St. Peter’s Basilica. You’ll see a friendly representative holding a “The Tour Guy” sign standing between the fountain and the green kiosk.
In addition to wearing or bringing clothing that covers your knees and shoulders, it's recommended to wear comfortable shoes. You're also welcome to bring a water bottle as it can get hot inside the Vatican during the summer months.
4.97
114 Ratings
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Vatican
Randall Pflugrad
May 15, 2025
The tour was great and our guide Guido was great. We didn't get to see everything we wanted to see, nor everything that was advertised for the tour because of the terrible crowd. Given the cost of the tour, perhaps some accommodation should be given when huge crowds are expected such as the day of our tour
Best personal tour of the Vatican out there!
Tracy Davis
May 14, 2025
Tania was our tour guide and she absolutely crushed it! She’s super knowledgeable, engaging, and her English was fantastic. She was able to maneuver us around all the “must-sees”, while keeping us on a time schedule. She also made sure we were able to take a moment or two for some espresso and bathroom breaks. Highly recommended tour and tour guide. Thanks, Tania!🙌🏻
Melissa Tatom
May 14, 2025
Daniel Reynolds
May 14, 2025
Excellent experience!
Liz Madzula
May 10, 2025
Mariagiovanna aka MG was amazing! Incredibly knowledgeable and patient with our diverse group. She even climbed to the top of the dome with us. Highly recommend!!
Cindy Miller
May 09, 2025
Private Vatican Tour
Steve Kerr
May 04, 2025
Raffa was our guide and she was Awesome! We had a terrific day and she was very knowledgeable about every area we visited.
Erik Embach
May 03, 2025
Gyl Midroni
May 02, 2025
Informative and Insightful Tour !
Courtney Moore Jarrell
April 28, 2025
Patrizia was a wonderful guide. She was very informative and new how to navigate around the crowds. Unfortunately the Dome portion of our tour was cancelled due to the Pope's death. We did receive a partial credit. We still participated in the Vatican Musuems and Sistine Chapel and got a change to enter the Basilica on our own.
Amazing
Allison Warga
April 24, 2025
Through the Dome climb, the St. Peter's basilica tour, and then the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel - it was just amazing. Our tour was Saturday April 5, 2025. I cannot remember the name of the guide but he was just excellent. You could really tell this meant a lot to him to be in that church and to share about the art, the church, and the faith. We aren't Catholic but we really appreciated his respectful manner which he had. My husband and daughter did the climb. I enjoyed being on the roof and seeing the city like that. We luckily did everything early so it was less busy at first. I would 100% recommend.
Amazing day and an unforgettable experience!
Freebird McKinney
April 21, 2025
While I had been to the Vatican and St. Peter’s Square before, this was the first time for my family, and Maria was an outstanding tour guide who provided incredible contextual information and catered to the ages of my kids and the passions and interests of my family. We were so grateful for the opportunity to see the Vatican (given the recent news of the Pope) and revel in his leadership and what he has meant to the Church. We really enjoyed climbing St. Peter’s dome (something I had never done) and even though the Vatican Museum was super crowded due to the Jubile celebration for Easter, Maria did a phenomenal job navigating the crowds and sharing her knowledge about the art collection. I could not have been happier with this experience and once again The Tour Guy delivered! Thank you!
Becky Mannel
April 21, 2025
Lia was the best tour guide
Luisa Dexheimer
April 19, 2025
We were lucky enough to get Lia as our tour guide in the Vatican, her knowledge and charismatic personality made out time together fabulous. The Vatican, the Chapel and St Peter’s Cathedral are extraordinary beautiful. Highly recommend this tour and Lia as tour guide.
Randal Collette
April 18, 2025
Patrizia was amazing
KEVIN O'REILLY
April 17, 2025
Best tour of the trip. Patrizia was engaging, informational and understanding. She took time to explain the religious and historical significance along the way making plenty of time for us to ask questions. The tour path led us along the way to all of the major attractions listed, but also gave us a chance to appreciate the breath of the Vatican Museum as well the surrounding grounds. The museum and the SIstine Chapel were packed tight, but we made do as best we could. Overall, with Patrizia as the guide, I'd highly recommend this private tour to anyone else interested in visiting the Vatican.
An Unforgettable Vatican Experience with the Best Guide!
HaRim Lee
April 14, 2025
We had the absolute pleasure of having Maria as our guide for the Private Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter's Dome Climb Complete Tour, and I truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Maria was not only incredibly professional but also brought such a depth of knowledge and insight to every part of the tour. As a historian, she shared fascinating stories and details that truly brought the art, architecture, and history to life. Her passion for the subject was evident and made the entire experience engaging and unforgettable for myself and my 14 year old daughter. She struck the perfect balance between informative and personable, and made our time at the Vatican feel incredibly special. Highly, highly recommend Maria! She’s truly the best!
Sara Kasper
April 12, 2025
5 hour private tour
Holly Shafer
April 12, 2025
I had an unforgettable experience on Marti's tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and the dome climb! Marti's expertise and enthusiasm made the history come alive. She provided insightful commentary that deepened my appreciation for the art and architecture. The climb to the dome was challenging but absolutely worth it for the breathtaking views. I highly recommend Marti for anyone looking to explore these iconic sites! If you are a first timer, consider breaking these up into smaller tours as this 5 hour experience is not for the faint of heart and ends up being a lot of walking and climbing in a short amount of time!
David Arenas
April 09, 2025
Our tour with Luigi was Awesome!
Jennifer Denee
April 05, 2025
We had such a good time with Luigi! He engaged us and our teenage boys and knew so much about the Vatican. Highly recommend!
Laura Krogh
March 31, 2025
William Gustafson
March 29, 2025
Margaret Jones
March 29, 2025
Private tour around the Vatican
Michael Warren-Smith
March 26, 2025
Amazing tour, really enjoyed all aspects of the visit. Linette (our guide) was extremely knowledgeable and well able to answer all of our questions. She was able to keep the pace at the right level for our interests and always had interesting facts to add to the tour. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour with her. Thanks. Will definitely be using the The Roman Guy tour company again.