Sistine Chapel & Vatican

Description

Sistine chapel and Vatican

A visit to Rome wouldn’t be complete without a tour of the Vatican—technically an independent city-state within the city of Rome. For its role in Western culture, its fame speaks for itself, and thanks to the Masters involved in its creation, its artworks are arguably the most prestigious in Europe. The Vatican Museums have been open since 1506, and today over 6,7 million people visit the Sistine Chapel and its nearby museums every year, spanning 7 kilometers and hundreds of rooms. The stories and meanings within the Vatican’s collections range from art history to pagan religion, from archaeology to Christian revelation—a truly overwhelming experience.

Your private guide will meet you outside the Vatican City walls, and together you’ll cross the borders to enter the State of the Popes: Michelangelo’s frescoes, the Gallery of Maps and Tapestries, Roman and Greek antiquities, and finally the stunning masterpieces in Raphael’s Rooms, where The School of Athens is celebrated as both the pinnacle of the Renaissance and a symbol of its passing.

All around, the serene gardens of the Vatican surround the Pope’s official residence, graceful Renaissance buildings, and an atmosphere that feels like a fairytale—yet is profoundly real.

From the Sistine Chapel, we offer you special access to skip the long lines and enter St. Peter’s Basilica directly. Our tour continues there, where you’ll encounter the great master of the Baroque, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and his works created for the Holy See, as well as Michelangelo’s intimate and timeless sculpture, the Pietà—his first, immortal masterpiece.

St. Peter’s Basilica is a true triumph of Renaissance and Baroque art. Its engineering and grandeur leave every visitor breathless, while it remains the world’s most important Catholic church, built over the tomb of St. Peter and guarded at all times by the loyal Swiss Guard.

What's included

All our tours focus on art history, religion, and archaeology. All tours are provided in English; additional languages are available upon request. For groups larger than 6 people, we provide complimentary headsets so you can easily hear your guide.
Every tour includes:

Highlights of the tour:

Sistine Chapel

Vatican museums

The Galleries

Raphael’s Rooms

We provide direct access from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica:

Schedule