Vatican & Sistine Chapel: Guided Highlights - 4.5 hours

- Skip the line to the Vatican Museums and to St. Peter’s Basilica
- Visit the Sistine Chapel
- Enjoy a special in-depth tour
- See the Bramante Staircase (normally closed to the public)
- Visit the Etruscan Museum and the Pinacoteca Gallery

Enjoy an Extended Vatican Tour
If you’re looking to make the most of your precious time in Rome without skipping over any corner of the Vatican, then this is the tour for you. Thanks to skip-the-line access, you’ll be able to take an in-depth tour of the Vatican Museums in just 4.5 hours. You'll see the Sistine Chapel, of course, but there's so much more!

The tour starts with special access to the famous Bramante Staircase, a dizzying spiral of carved stone built in 1512 inside a square tower. This is an exclusive opportunity, as the number of visitors to the staircase is restricted.

As the tour proceeds, you'll visit the Pinecone Courtyard, the Gallery of Tapestries, the Gallery of the Maps, the Gallery of the Candelabra, and the Raphael Rooms. The Raphael Rooms are considered by many to be the highlight of the tour.

Once inside the Pinacoteca gallery, you can admire beautiful paintings, including Raphael's 'Transfiguration,' Caravaggio's 'Deposition from the Cross,' and Leonardo Da Vinci's unfinished 'St. Jerome in the Wilderness.'

The last stop on your tour takes you through a special door in the Sistine Chapel and past another long line, right into to St. Peter’s Basilica. Every day except Wednesday, you’ll have a guided tour inside this colossal building, one of the most important in all of Christianity and home to Michelangelo’s masterpiece 'La Pieta.' 

How do I get my tickets?
Soon after you have completed your booking your e-ticket will be sent directly to your email.  Please print it out and bring it on your tour.

Where does the tour begin?
The tour starts at the bottom of the wide steps across the street from the entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located between Caffè Vaticano and Hotel Alimandi Vaticano, on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. Please be there 15 minutes before your tour begins.

Where does the tour end?
The tour ends at St. Peter’s Basilica in St. Peter’s Square. On most Wednesdays, when the Basilica is closed, the service ends at the Vatican Museums entrance.

How long is the tour?
The tour lasts 4.5 hours.

Which languages is the tour available in?
The tour is available in English, French, and German.

Is there a dress code?
Yes, entrance into religious sites requires a strict dress code. Knees and shoulders must be covered for all individuals. City Wonders and Ticmate cannot be held responsible for refused entry due to improper dress.

- Extra measures may be implemented at some venues due to heightened global security concerns. As a result, you may experience delays in getting through mandatory security checks when entering these venues. Extra measures may also restrict the size of bags that can be brought inside. To avoid disruptions or possible denied entry, we strongly suggest that you avoid bringing large purses, bags, or backpacks on your tour. The Vatican only permits very small bags, and specifically prohibits large bags, tripods, umbrellas, and backpacks.
- You can use the free luggage storage area which may result in your having to leave the tour early to retrieve them at the entrance.
- On Wednesday mornings and afternoons St. Peter's Basilica may be closed to the public due to the Papal Audience taking place on Saint Peter’s Square. If you who wish to visit St. Peter’s Basilica you are advised to visit on another day. The Basilica is also subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies. When this occurs, we are happy to offer customers a longer tour of the Vatican Museums in keeping with the advertised total length of the tour. While we undertake to notify tour groups ahead of time if there are any planned disruptions to the Basilica opening hours, this is not always possible and in these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts.
- We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests with wheelchairs or any impairments requiring special assistance. We are also unable to accommodate strollers or baby carriages on our group tours.

Adult (19+)
Youth (6-18)
Child (0-5): Free of charge