Start your day at the Vatican early and skip the notoriously long ticket lines by following a special route through the museums that gets you to the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel just as it opens for the day. Enter before most of the crowd does and spend a peaceful half-hour soaking up Michelangelo’s masterpiece along with stunning frescoes by other important Renaissance artists. Continue on to one of the Vatican's tranquil courtyards and sit down to enjoy a large buffet breakfast including hot and cold dishes, fruit juice, tea, and coffee. Once you’ve eaten your fill, head back into the museums for a tour of the most famous artifacts, including the Belvedere Torso, the Apollo Belvedere, the Laocoön Group, and the Raphael Rooms, widely considered to be among the most beautifully-frescoed interiors in the world.

Visit the Gallery of the Candelabra with ancient Greek and Roman artworks. Learn about Raphael Sanzio at the Gallery of Tapestries, one of the most spectacular rooms in the museums. To complete your experience, you'll head into St. Peter's Basilica via a special access tunnel straight from the Vatican Museums. There's no better place to cap off your morning than at this sacred space.