Guided tour

Rome: Small-Group Early Bird Vatican Tour

4.9 / 5

35 reviews

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    Guided tour

    Rome: Small-Group Early Bird Vatican Tour

    4.9

    35 reviews

    From US$ 64.04 per person

    Be among the first to enter the Vatican in the morning on this guided tour. Skip the lines at the Vatican Museums, learn all about the Sistine Chapel, and marvel at the art in St. Peter's Basilica. Enjoy a personalized experience on a small group tour.

    About this activity

    Free cancellation
    Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
    Covid-19 precautions
    Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
    Mobile ticketing
    Use your phone or print your voucher
    Duration 2.5 hours
    Check availability to see starting times.
    Skip the ticket line
    Instant confirmation
    Live tour guide
    English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
    Private or small groups available

    Experience

    Highlights
    • Enter the Vatican before the general public arrives
    • Explore the Vatican Museums and the famous Raphael Rooms
    • Marvel at the Sistine Chapel and its frescoes
    • Skip the line to enter St.Peter's Basilica and enjoy La Pieta, a Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti
    Full description
    Enjoy a 2.5-hour early morning tour of Vatican City before the crowds arrive. Your English-speaking guide will take you to the Vatican Museums, to see the Pinecone and Octagonal courtyards before you visit the Room of the Muses, the Round Room, and the Greek Cross Room, the site of the 2 sarcophagi of the Constantine family. Take a walk through the galleries of the Candelabra and the Tapestries, and the private gallery of Pope Gregory XIII, to admire the collection of Italian cartography. Head to the Sistine Chapel and hear about what Michelangelo endured while working on the scaffolding for seemingly endless hours in the Sistine Chapel. It is in this Chapel that all eligible cardinals meet to elect new popes. Take a walk across St. Peter’s Piazza, where many exciting moments in history have taken place and admire views of St. Peter’s Basilica. Inside the Basilica, your guide will point out Michelangelo’s Pieta, the masterpieces by Bernini, and Neoclassical work by Antonio Canova, a sculptor appointed by Pope Pius Vll.
    Includes
    • Private small-group tour of Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St.Peter's Basilica at 8:30 AM
    • Skip-the-line ticket before general opening hours
    • Private Tour Guide for your group
    • Headsets to hear your guide during the tour
      Not suitable for
      • Wheelchair users
      Covid-19 precautions

      You must book this activity online because the ticket office is closed

      Safety measures in place
      • The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
      Traveler requirements
      • You are required to bring and wear a mask
      • You will receive a mandatory temperature check
      • All participants who are over 12 years old must present one of the following: proof of full vaccination, proof of first vaccination administered at least 15 days ago, proof of a Covid-19 infection in the past 6 months, or a negative test taken no more than 48 hours before the activity starts
      • All participants must also bring a valid government-issued photo ID (e.g. passport, driver's license, etc)

      Select participants and date

      Participants

      Date

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      Meeting point

      Meeting point varies depending on option booked.

      Important information

      Not allowed

      • Shorts
      • Short skirts
      • Sleeveless shirts

      Know before you go

      • Please note:
      • Access to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Gardens, and St. Peter's Basilica is permitted only to visitors dressed appropriately (shoulders and knees must be covered and no hats are allowed)
      • No photography or filming is permitted in the Sistine Chapel
      • It is obligatory to deposit suitcases, large backpacks, and umbrellas in the cloakroom
      • St. Peter’s Basilica will be closed on Wednesdays due to the Papal Audience. In this case you will be offered an extended guided tour of the Vatican Museums. As an active Catholic Church St. Peter's Basilica is also subject to last minute closures for religious ceremonies.
      • Groups never exceed 10 people, ensuring a comfortable experience.
      Customer reviews

      Overall rating

      4.9 /5

      based on 35 reviews

      Review summary

      • Guide
        4.9/5
      • Value for money
        4.8/5
      • Service
        5/5
      • Organization
        4.7/5

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      The tour was easy to find, easy to get through and the guide was great! We enjoyed the ability to roam around a bit while still listening to the live tour. The size of our group was prefect and the items covered in the tour were wonderful. Value was spot on as well.

      August 16, 2021

      W
      Warren – United States Verified GetYourGuide customer

      Helpful?

      Martina our guide was perfect throughout the visit! She paced the visit very well, knows absolutely every nook and cranny of the Vatican. She speaks French very well, listens, answers questions and is always trying to find out if you are doing well. We did not see the 2 hours of visit with her and absolutely recommend her!

      July 16, 2021

      A
      Anonymous – France Verified GetYourGuide customer

      Helpful?

      We really enjoyed the guided tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. What was very informative and we were very enthusiastic. Our guide told us very detailed and interesting about it, without him we would not have learned a lot and also overlooked a lot. Even my 15 year old daughter loved the tour. We would also like to thank you very much that the tour was only carried out for the two of us, despite the fact that we booked a group tour. Unfortunately due to Covid 19 there are still relatively few tourists in Rome.

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      July 8, 2021

      A
      Anna – Germany Verified GetYourGuide customer

      Helpful?

      Organized by
      Gaudium Travel

      Product ID: 54786