from
$73
Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
Skip the line and gain direct access to the Raphael Rooms, Creation of Man & Scala Regia passageway
Most visitors miss the Vatican’s best shortcut. With our expert guide, you’ll explore the Vatican Museums, including the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel, then descend the Scala Regia (Bernini’s regal staircase) into St. Peter’s Basilica through an entrance reserved only for guided groups. This is the Vatican experience you didn’t know you needed.
Expert, English-speaking guide
Skip-the-line entry to Vatican Museums
Entry to the Sistine Chapel
Privileged access to Scala Regia (except Wednesday mornings)
Entry to St. Peter’s Basilica (except Wednesday mornings)
Guide tips
Your tour begins near the Vatican Museums entrance
Meet your guide near the Vatican Museums entrance. Look for the exact location on your booking voucher.
Enter the Vatican Museums
With your privileged entry, you'll glide past the main crowds and head directly inside to begin exploring the Vatican's magnificent art collection. Please note that all guests to the Vatican need to pass through security, so expect some standing in line.
Pinecone Courtyard
Pause briefly in the serene Pinecone Courtyard, a beloved open-air space within the Vatican Museums. Here, art and nature blend seamlessly around the massive bronze pinecone that gives the courtyard its name, offering a moment of tranquility before the main artistic explorations.
Pio-Clementino Museum
Next, explore the halls filled with some of the world’s most important classical sculptures. You’ll stop to admire masterpieces like the dramatic Laocoön and His Sons and the serene Apollo Belvedere, learning about the myths and legends associated with these iconic works.
Gallery of Maps
Follow your guide into the astonishing 120-meter (400 ft) long Gallery of Maps. This iconic hall reveals Italy’s intricate terrain through the meticulous cartography of the 16th century, commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII. You’ll hear the stories behind these detailed, topographical depictions of the Italian peninsula.
For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change
Select participants and date
Start times are in the product’s local time
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance!
Tue, 17 Feb 2026
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4.93
2986 Ratings
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Very informative!
Michael M.
February 17, 2026
Our guide, Daniele, was very knowledgeable, friendly, and considerate. We learned a lot and enjoyed ourselves!
Vatican
Zach N.
February 17, 2026
We really enjoyed our tour of Vatican City State with Daniel. He is an archeologist in the area and was very knowledgeable! I highly recommend booking a tour or you will wait many hours just to get in.
Vatican
Zach N.
February 17, 2026
We really enjoyed our tour of Vatican City State with Daniel. He is an archeologist in the area and was very knowledgeable! I highly recommend booking a tour or you will wait many hours just to get in.
Christopher W.
February 16, 2026
We had a great experience and learned so much from our guide Maria! Thank you for such a wonderful experience!!!
Knowledgeable guide. Too little time exploring
Kevin B.
February 16, 2026
Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and the "shortcut" from the Vatican Museum straight to St. Peter's saved a ton of time in a second line. I realize that it would take a full day to go through every room in the Vatical Museums but our guide spent 20-25 minutes explaining about the Sistine Chapel and some other works through a picture book rather than taking that same time to visit more rooms. Overall, we'd do it again but wish there was an option to skip all the introductory info.
Charlotte S.
February 14, 2026
Review
Simon S.
February 14, 2026
Very good informative guide
GREGORY T.
February 12, 2026
David F.
February 10, 2026
Alfredo T.
February 07, 2026
It was great experience love it
Passing the long lines
Marilyn B.
February 06, 2026
While we have been to Rome and the Vatican many times, we never took a tour except for the Scavi. There is so much more to learn and this was a way to do it. Maria, our tour guide, was great. She offered insight into the time periods and current popes. Honestly, with the crowds converging at every site, a private tour is a perfect way to understand the magnificence before you.
Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
Stephen D.
February 05, 2026
The tour was engaging and insightful. In short, it was an amazing experience.
Great tour!
Alexander S.
January 31, 2026
Our guide (Fulvia I believe was her name) gave a grat and informative tour. It's a huge place, but she was able to hit the highlights without feeling too rushed. Recommended!
Rushed and shorter than expected
Deborah A.
January 30, 2026
Due to closure of Sistine Chapel the previous day and a noon closure on tour day, the Vatican was very crowded (especially for January). The tour started out at a leisurely pace, but then was very rushed through Raphael rooms and skipped modern art section. She was trying to get to Sistine chapel before it closed. We ended up getting there in plenty of time. Was rushed through by guards, so could not follow her instructions about timing to exit for St Peters. We had a few minutes by Michaelango’s Pieta then the tour was complete. Complete tour was less than 2 1/2 hours. Wish some of the extra time attend could have included a short tour of St Peter’s.
Jodie H.
January 29, 2026
Thank you, Francesca! The tour was informative and interesting
GREAT!!!!
Alexandra L.
January 28, 2026
HIGHLY recommend - we had THE nicest sweetest most educated guide..... A++++++++
Good tour
Pamela H.
January 28, 2026
Fabiola was a terrific tour guide. Very informative. The art/sculpture gets to be a bit much, but there’s not much you can do about that. The voucher said we wouldn’t see St. Peter’s because it was Wednesday morning, but we did see it after all. That was a nice surprise.
Joseph C.
January 27, 2026
Great Tour!
Mark C.
January 26, 2026
Our guide Kate was terrific! She had tons of energy and was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the Vatican. I learned a lot and I’m so happy I went on this tour!
Deny is great !
Joel P.
January 21, 2026
Deny is the best guide !
Maria was awesome
Hikaru S.
January 20, 2026
Learned a tremendous amount of the Vatican through Maria. She knew the place inside out. Grazie
Great tour
Charles F.
January 19, 2026
The magnitude of the Vatican makes it difficult to rate the tour. It was informative and educational to say the least but overwhelmingly impossible to rate. Guide was remarkable and knowledgeable.
Amazing experience!
Michelle W.
January 18, 2026
Eleonora was our amazing tour guide! It helps that she has a background in archeology, so she had extensive knowledge of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. She was very informative and answered all of our questions. She didn't rush us through the tour but took the time to show and explain some of the beautiful artwork and history. She made the tour really fun and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed my tour with Eleonora; she made my trip very memorable. Grazie!
Sara S.
January 18, 2026
Amazing
martha P.
January 18, 2026
Our guide Fulvia was wonderful and excellent. On time. Our tour became a private one since it’s only me and my husband on this 0815 scheduled time. We were not rushed . She point out some spot that’s extra not done on the big group. So much to see and process but she guided us on the most important ones we won’t know if on our own. The privilege passage to St. Peter’s basilica was heaven . I have a slight knee problem and the 4 hrs of walking was tough especially with up and down stairs in the apartments. Swift pass through St. Peter’s. She was very knowledgeable, patient. We were tired but loved the experience. Highly recommended.