Guided tour

Rome: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel VIP Key Master's Tour

Activity provider: Walks of Italy
Guided tour

Rome: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel VIP Key Master's Tour

Activity provider: Walks of Italy

From US$ 428.26 per person

Unlock the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel alongside the Museum Key Master. Tour the empty museums before they are open to the public.

About this activity

Free cancellation
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 2 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • Marvel at the breathtaking art collection at the Vatican Galleries
  • Join the Vatican’s Key Master as they open the Sistine Chapel
  • Spend 2 hours inside the Vatican Museums before the crowds arrive
  • Explore with the assistance of an official Vatican Museums guide
  • See the Gallery of the Maps and the Gallery of the Tapestries
Full description
Travel with the Vatican’s Key Master as he opens up the Museums, unlocking doors and lighting long, empty galleries for you to explore. On this unprecedented tour, the most exclusive ever offered by the Vatican, your small group enjoy 2 hours inside the Vatican Museums completely alone. The highlight of your tour will be the opening of the Sistine Chapel, where you’ll enter completely alone and watch Michelangelo’s frescoes flicker to life. On this tour, you’ll have the whole Museum to yourself for a full two hours -- an experience usually reserved for the Key Master....and the Pope. Accompanied by an Official Vatican Tour Guide, you’ll get up close with some of the finest artworks in the world, appreciating every detail of the gallery’s masterpieces. While opening the Sistine Chapel is an unforgettable experience, there’s so much more to the Vatican Museums. The Raphael Rooms are a particular highlight. Often more crowded than the Sistine Chapel, they’re home to a collection of frescoes just as revered by art historians. Visiting alone, you’ll have the space to appreciate them in all their majesty. During your experience, you’ll walk the galleries featured on Vatican tours, like the historic Gallery of the Maps & Gallery of the Tapestries. Enter the still-closed Pinecone Courtyard and you can choose to stay inside the Museums to explore more on your own, or head off for your next adventure, passing the crowds who are only now getting inside the doors. Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, or for wheelchairs or strollers. Please contact the Guest Experience team at +39 068-596-0143 (Italy) or 888-683-8670 (USA) to make alternative arrangements.
Includes
  • Vatican Museums entrance ticket
  • Official Vatican guide
  • Hotel pickup/drop-off
  • Gratuities
Not suitable for
  • People with mobility impairments
  • Wheelchair users
  • People with low level of fitness

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet in front of the Vatican Museums. At the entrance to the Vatican, there are two doors, one less noticeable door tucked into the corner and one surrounded by white marble with a short flight of stairs. You will be entering via the door surrounded by marble. Your guide will be waiting at those stairs for you holding up a "Walks" sign. Directions: The square where you can find the entrance/exit of the Vatican Museums is across the street from a cafe called "Caffe Vaticano" located on Viale Vaticano 100. The closest metro stations are Cipro and Ottaviano.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Passport or ID card
  • Passport or ID card for children
  • Cash

Not allowed

  • Pets
  • Shorts
  • Oversize luggage
  • Luggage or large bags
  • Short skirts
  • Sleeveless shirts
  • Backpacks
  • Umbrellas

Know before you go

  • All guests, including children, must bring a personal government ID on the day of their tour and pass through security beforehand
  • The tour meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the start time. No refunds can be provided for late arrivals or no-shows
  • Only small backpacks and handbags are allowed inside the Vatican Museums. Storage for small items is available
  • You may need to wear a mask or provide proof of vaccination to enter certain venues. Please refer to Italy government guidelines for the most up-to-date information
Customer reviews

Overall rating

5 /5

based on 8 reviews

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Tolle Tour mit neuen Eindrücken.

January 23, 2023

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November 13, 2022

Ein echtes Erlebnis.

September 30, 2022

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Product ID: 401975