Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour with St. Peter's Basilica

About this experience

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica guided tour tickets This guided tour covers the three big sights of Vatican City in one visit: the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. You skip the long ticket line at the museums, a guide explains what you are looking at, and headphones let you hear the commentary in the busy galleries. Prices start from €65 per person and change with the date, time and option you pick. Choose the language and style that suits you. Standard guided tours run in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese or Japanese, with up to 20 guests per group. The semi-private English tour keeps the group to 10 guests with an art historian guide, and the early morning English tour gets you into the galleries before the main crowds and finishes with a climb of St Peter's dome. What you see on the tour Inside the Vatican Museums your guide leads you through some of the most famous rooms in the collection, including the Gallery of Maps, with its painted maps of Italy, and works by Raphael, classical sculptures and Renaissance art gathered by the popes. The route then reaches the Sistine Chapel, where you see Michelangelo's ceiling and The Last Judgment on the altar wall. Your guide explains the stories before you go in, because the chapel is a place of silence and photography is not allowed there. The tour then continues to St Peter's Basilica, often by a passage from the chapel so you do not have to queue again outside. Inside you can see Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's bronze Baldachin over the main altar. On some days Vatican rules or religious events change access, and your guide gives an introduction outside before you explore the basilica on your own. Tour options and how long they take Standard guided tour with St Peter's Basilica: about 2 hours in Spanish, German, French and Italian, and about 3 hours in English, Portuguese and Japanese. Up to 20 guests. Semi-private English tour: about 3 hours with an art historian guide and no more than 10 guests. Early morning English tour with dome climb: about 4 hours 30 minutes, with early entry to the museums and the climb to the top of St Peter's dome at the end. The order of the sites can change on the day, depending on your option and Vatican rules. Know before you go Arrive at the meeting point at least 30 minutes before your start time. Your voucher arrives by email and shows the exact starting point, so check it before you set off, and bring a valid photo ID along with the voucher on your phone. Everyone passes airport-style security before entering, and at busy times the wait can reach 30 to 60 minutes. Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter the museums and the basilica, for every visitor. Wear comfortable shoes, as the route involves a lot of walking and standing. This tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or guests with strollers. The museums are closed on most Sundays, and because the Vatican is an active place of worship, some areas can close at short notice. Planning more of your visit? Our complete guide to visiting the Vatican covers dress code, the best days to go and the papal calendar. Other ways to see the Vatican If you want to climb the dome without a full museum tour, book St Peter's Basilica tickets with dome access. For a quieter start, the early morning Vatican tour with St Peter's Basilica is a popular choice, and the Vatican Gardens open bus tour with museum tickets adds the gardens that you can only visit with an official tour. To see Rome's two biggest sights in one day, compare the Vatican and Colosseum guided tour, or browse more things to do in Rome.

Highlights

• See the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica in one guided visit
• Skip the ticket line at the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
• Walk the Gallery of Maps and see works by Raphael with an expert guide
• See Michelangelo's ceiling and The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel
• See Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's Baldachin in St Peter's Basilica
• Upgrade to a semi-private tour of up to 10 guests or an early tour with the dome climb

What is included

• Guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with skip-the-line entry
• Access to St Peter's Basilica
• Guide in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese or Japanese, as per option selected
• Semi-private group of up to 10 guests, as per option selected
• Early morning entry and St Peter's dome climb, as per option selected
• Headphones

Not included

• Gratuities

Before you go

Arrive at the meeting point at least 30 minutes before your start time Your voucher is emailed to you and shows the exact starting point; show it on your phone with a valid photo ID Everyone passes airport-style security, and waits can reach 30 to 60 minutes at busy times Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter the museums and St Peter's Basilica Photography is not allowed in the Sistine Chapel Not suitable for wheelchair users or guests with strollers The order of the sites can change, and basilica access depends on Vatican rules and religious events on the day The Vatican is an active place of worship and some areas can close at short notice

Cancellation terms

Cancellation depends on the option you book. Most options can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before the start; the Spanish tour up to 48 hours before and the semi-private English tour up to 7 days before. The 2 hour 30 minute Portuguese tour cannot be cancelled or refunded.