Private Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St Peter's Basilica Tour
Enjoy a tailored VIP Vatican experience with a dedicated private guide
4.98
(182)
3h
+7
Enter the Vatican Museums as soon as the doors open for the day, beating the rush and exploring in a more peaceful setting. With a passionate, dedicated guide, set your own pace and uncover the stories behind masterpieces like Raphael’s School of Athens and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Then, step inside St. Peter’s Basilica to admire La Pietà and the stunning dome. With skip-the-line access and an expert storyteller by your side, experience the Vatican like few others do.
You'll meet your dedicated local guide near the Vatican Museums entrance. Your guide is a true Vatican expert with tons of facts and stories to share, and you'll see the main highlights alongside some of Vatican's lesser-known gems.
With your friendly private guide, you can ask as many questions as you like and the tour will move at a pace that suits your group. Plus, if there's anywhere you'd like to spend more time or particular artworks you want to see, your guide will try to make th...
Select participants and date
Free cancellation up to 3 days in advance!
Skip-the-line early access Vatican private tour
Pio-Clementino Museum and Gallery of Masks
Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of the Tapestries, and the Gallery of the Maps
Raphael Rooms and School of Athens
Early entry to the Sistine Chapel
Explore inside St. Peter's Basilica (except Wednesdays)
A private, English-speaking Vatican guide
Meet your guide at Caffe Vaticano
Exact location can be found on your voucher
Vatican Museums
See the finest collections in the Vatican Museums, with an art history expert to guide you.
Gallery of the Candelabra
Originally an open "loggia", this gallery was walled and closed some 200 years ago. The statues and candelabras on display here date as far back as the 3rd century B.C.
Gallery of the Tapestries
Some of the masterpieces in this gallery were designed after the cartoons drawn by Raphael. Look out for a tapestry that includes a spectacular optical illusion.
Gallery of Maps
On display here are maps that were painted over 400 years ago, yet still remain remarkably accurate even to this day.
For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change
Between Hotel Alimandi and Caffé Vaticano, at the top of the big staircase (Viale Vaticano, 100). A representative will be there holding a sign with our company name on it.
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.
4.98
182 Ratings
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What an amazing tour!
Patricia McMahon
March 20, 2025
Raffa was an outstanding tour guide. She took the time to talk to us about what we were all interested in, including my two teenage boys, and adapted our tour to suit our interests. We heard lots of fascinating details because Raffa is so knowledgeable. Definitely a tour to remember. Thank you!
Informative and interesting
Michelle Thillman
March 19, 2025
We lived our private tour with Eleonora, she was very knowledgeable and fun. Our two 17 year olds loved. I would recommend this to anyone
Amazing Tour
Marcello Dispensa
March 15, 2025
We had an amazing experience on the Private Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica Tour on March 15, 2025. Marina, our guide, was fantastic from the very beginning. She was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also so thoughtful and accommodating. She made sure we got to see all the key highlights at a comfortable pace, especially since my mom has COPD. Marina was attentive to her needs, allowing us to take breaks when necessary, and ensured that we could enjoy the tour without feeling rushed. The Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica were breathtaking, and skipping the lines made the experience even more enjoyable. Marina’s passion for art and history shone through as she expertly guided us through the remarkable exhibits, sharing fascinating details and stories. She also answered all our questions with patience and clarity. Overall, it was a memorable and enriching experience, and we truly appreciated Marina’s thoughtful care, making it an unforgettable day for our family.
Michael Dwyer
March 12, 2025
Vatican
Kristine Elkind
March 09, 2025
What an amazing tour our guide was so knowledgeable and quite fashionable too! She was pleasant yet assertive to make our way through the crowds and find secret quiet spots to stop for information, highly reccomend !
Margaret Garcia
March 09, 2025
Jeremy Brower
March 03, 2025
Amazing tour, highlight of our trip. The guide was fantastic!
Sistine Chapel w Raffaella
Roberto Tonizzo
February 27, 2025
My wife and I have done a few tours w The Tour Guy and they seem better everytime we visit. We were overjoyed in meeting our guide Raffaella. We explained our previous tours and were looking for specific areas to visit and agreed, we encouraged Raffaella to interject if we should see an area we overlooked. Raffaella was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, funny and honest. All three of us clicked like long lost friends. This tour is hands down, a must. This year will be extremely crowded due to the holy door celebration. This tour moves through out the Vatican seamlessly, past lines and through areas not available to the public. Is it pricy? You cannot put into dollars, the access and knowledge The Tour Guy provides. Roberto and Sarah Tonizzo
Great Tour
William Bajari
February 26, 2025
Enza is the best!
Cristina Armenta Moxley
February 24, 2025
Colin and Caroline, London
Colin Russ
February 16, 2025
Our private guide, Kate, was first class - incredibly knowledgeable and informative, enthusiastic and tireless in sharing historical facts and anecdotes. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are spectacular beyond words: we had visited before as part of a group but this experience with Kate as our private and really exceptional guide was off the scale. Thank you!
Kevin Latimer
February 03, 2025
Sara Rahn
January 13, 2025
Amazing Experience! Worth the little extra money for the private guide!
Nikkole Liesse-Stone
January 08, 2025
This tour may have been our highlight while in Rome. We had the privilege to spend the morning with Leah, the most passionate, knowledgeable, funny and enjoyable guide we've spent time with. She knew so much regarding the history of the Vatican and Rome and truly brought the space to life. And, because it was just my husband and I, she was able to stealthily move us through very crowded spaces and show us artifacts and art that many groups simply aren't able to see. Additionally, she's a great photographer. She captured memories that we'll be able to look back on for years to come.
Kate C Nolan
January 05, 2025
Tracie Welch Brenton
January 03, 2025
Wonderful experience
Haniz Zattam
January 01, 2025
Raffa our tour guide was fantastic. She was efficient and pointed out all the ‘Must see’ items and was so patient with our group. We had 5 kids from 2-14 and she was able to keep them all engaged. Thank you! Highly recommend!
Kate the Great of Rome!!
Sandra Powers
December 01, 2024
5 Stars for the Great Kate of Rome! We always choose private tour guides when we travel, and we can confidently say that Kate is the absolute best we’ve ever had! Her passion for sharing her expansive knowledge is evident from the moment you meet her. Simply put, she’s a born teacher, seamlessly weaving history with modern insights about Roman inventions and culture. Her storytelling brought the city to life, making our private tours not just educational but also unforgettable. Kate’s expertise and Italian pride are undeniable, but what makes her truly exceptional is her easygoing, engaging personality. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about the world, funny, kind, and genuinely beautiful inside and out. She went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable and accommodated every step of the way. Watching her gracefully navigate through lines and agents with ease was astonishing—we never had to stop or wait! If you’re visiting Rome and want an exceptional, one-of-a-kind experience, do yourself a favor and book with The Great Kate of Rome!!
Kim East
November 19, 2024
John Cushing
November 19, 2024
Amazing tour. Lia (spelling?) was incredible, friendly, passionate and knowledgeable. Would book her any time
Bunni sutton
November 15, 2024
Amazing guide. She was so full of historical knowledge. Fantastic
Superb experience with a knowledgeable and personable guide
Lynn Padgett-Brown
November 10, 2024
Our experience in the Vatican City with Lia and with Tour Guy was outstanding. The communication before the visit was excellent. Lia is very knowledgeable of the historical context of the artworks and conveyed the fine points that made masterpieces special. Beyond this technical skill, she was able to shepherd us through mobs of visitors and in most cases she found elevators as alternatives where the stairs were more than our old knees wanted to handle.
Excellent Private Tour
Evan Prado
October 30, 2024
My wife and I were leaving for Positano at 2 PM so we had a tight schedule. Easy to book a private tour. I cannot stress this enough: visiting the Vatican is chaos… spend the extra money and book a private tour… request Manuela! She catered to our our time constraint but we ended up wanting to spend the rest of the day with her… I would request her for any tour in Rome… her knowledge is amazing and she makes you feel like family!
Wonderful Tour of the Vatican
Doug Kaye
October 26, 2024
Lia was our guide and was absolutely amazing. We really enjoyed the entire tour.
Great tour
Larry Brown
October 22, 2024
Naomi. Was a great guide, glad we had her.