Semi-Private Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica
Skip the LineLikely to Sell Out
See the Raphael Rooms, Gallery of Maps, and Scala Regia, the exclusive passageway to the basilica
Skip the LineLikely to Sell Out
4.96
( 1531 reviews )
3 h
Max 10 Guests
Vatican crowds and long ticket lines can eat up your day and drain the experience. Skip the wait and explore the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with just 10 guests per group. This semi-private tour offers a more personal experience with a dedicated guide, plus direct entry to St. Peter’s Basilica through the Scala Regia. You’ll end in the basilica, free to explore until you’re ready to take on the rest of Rome.
You’ll meet your local guide at the top of the stairs near
Select participants and date
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance!
Travelers
Charismatic, English-speaking guide
Pio-Clementino
Hall of Maps
Raphael Rooms & more
Sistine Chapel
Scala Regia passageway
St. Peter's Basilica
Max group size of 10
Wheelchair accessible
Meals
Guide gratuity
Meet your guide outside Caffé Vaticano
Begin your semi-private tour with a warm welcome from your guide outside the historic Caffé Vaticano, ready to unveil the Vatican's wonders.
Vatican Museums
Uncover the historical details and impressive beauty of the Vatican's extensive art collection, featured throughout distinct galleries and halls.
Pinecone Courtyard
Pause in the serene Pinecone Courtyard, a beloved open-air space where art and nature blend seamlessly amidst the bustle of the Vatican.
Gallery of Candelabra
Follow your guide’s lead through a corridor lined with intricately carved marble candelabra and statues, each a clue to Roman history.
Hall of Maps
Take a stroll down the 120-meter-long (400 ft) corridor, where meticulously detailed maps of Italy from the 16th century adorn the walls.
For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change
Meet your guide between TMark Hotel Vaticano and Caffé Vaticano at the top of the big staircase (Viale Vaticano, 100). You'll find our friendly welcome staff there holding The Tour Guy signs.
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.
4.96
1531 Ratings
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Amazing Time!
Cody Trotter
Verified Review
June 11, 2025
Sara was an amazing guide! She made the hot day and crowded areas fantastic!
Informative well guided tour!
Valerie Medvedic
Verified Review
June 10, 2025
Sara gave us an excellent tour of the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately, St Peter’s was closed so we weren’t able to finish our tour in there. It would be nice to know this ahead of time, so one could plan accordingly or a discount was provided for the tour.
Sonja Brown
Verified Review
June 09, 2025
Great Guide from Eco Art
Franklin Stahlman Jr
Verified Review
June 08, 2025
The guide was amazing knowledgeable, kind, and funny... She made the tour fun and informative..We enjoyed every minute.
Joan L Ruark
Verified Review
June 08, 2025
Great tour!!
Kelley Molen
Verified Review
June 07, 2025
Antonella was incredible. She shared so many details and meaningful spiritual connections that made the tour memorable and something we could connect with. Highly recommend this tour.
Elizabeth Eves
Verified Review
June 07, 2025
Fabrizio was the best!
Terry Jay
Verified Review
June 07, 2025
Very informative tour with loads of information. There is so much to see in the museum the tour can only give you some of the highlights, however we never felt rushed. Only by tours such as these can you access the “shortcut” directly between the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica.
One of a kind experience
Laura Kuhn
Verified Review
June 06, 2025
The tour was packed with information and we hit every spot that we wanted to see in the museums and in the basilica. Exceptional tour guide!
Debbie Sponsler
Verified Review
June 05, 2025
Deborah Davis
Verified Review
June 03, 2025
Traci Gonzales
Verified Review
June 03, 2025
Angel Torres Rodriguez
Verified Review
June 02, 2025
Emelia Torlai
Verified Review
June 02, 2025
Margaret Samp
Verified Review
June 01, 2025
Michael G Pugliese
Verified Review
May 31, 2025
Tonya Hardin
Verified Review
May 30, 2025
Semi-Private Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica
Gabriel Brennan
Verified Review
May 28, 2025
Well organised, easy to find, ran on time, we knew what was happening at each stage. Tour leader was fun and well informed. We covered a lot and got to the Sistine chapel with plenty of time to linger inside. One suggestion - tour leaders sometimes tell funny stories about stupid questions tourists ask. It might be more tactful to tell people "no question is too silly, so this is a good time to ask those things that you really want to know." Thank you.
Mary Moulton
Verified Review
May 27, 2025
So Much to See, Not Enough Time
Christine Bonansinga
Verified Review
May 26, 2025
Our tour guide Sara was truly special. She brought to life so much of what we saw at the Vatican museum with her interesting stories and personal perspective. There is no way a three hour tour could even scratch the surface of what is available to see. But Sara touched upon the highlights in the museum and explained what to look for when we went into the Sistine Chapel on our own.
Donna Mendez
Verified Review
May 25, 2025
What a Fantastic Tour
Norma Marr
Verified Review
May 24, 2025
I highly recommend taking this semi-private tour. There were only seven of us on this tour and it was fabulous. Our tour guide, Sara, was so knowledgeable and she really knows her history and art work. She was ready with all the skip-the-line tickets and moved us through the line quickly to get ahead of the crowd. Sara also took us to areas that others were not allowed to go to. Be sure to start your tour at 8:00am and ask for Sara to be your guide.
Susan Phillips
Verified Review
May 23, 2025
Great tour with Sara
Elizabeth Palmer
Verified Review
May 23, 2025
Sara was a fantastic tour guide. She gave us a lot of interesting detail, kept us entertained throughout and made sure we were prepared for the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s after the tour.
Experienced and well informed Guide!
Marjorie Dwyer
Verified Review
May 22, 2025
We appreciated our tour guide making the most of a limited Vatican tour due to the date of our visit being between Pope Francis‘s funeral and the papal conclave. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, personable, and enthusiastic!
