3h30

Small Group

Instant confirmation

About this activity

Your guide will meet you close to the entrance of the Vatican Museum and will facilitate the entrance with skip-the-line tickets. You will be provided with headsets so you can stroll up to each work of art at your own pace and still hear the guide clearly. We promise a guide with a clear diction.

You will start the tour with the most impressive point - the Sistine Chapel, a sublime rendition of the divine where Michelangelo raised the bar of frescoing to an unprecedented level. This is the room where 700 years of history continue, where the Popes have been elected under lock and key. The highlight of the Chapel is fresco of the Creation of Adam.

Moving to the Museum, you will now enter the Pinacoteca which holds the multi-million Euro Belgian tapestries woven with silk, gold and silver threads that were once hung on the walls of the Sistine Chapel, as well as paintings by Raphael. Admire the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in Rome – St. Jerome in the Wilderness.

Switching frequencies from paintings to statues, you get to see an exact copy of Michelangelo's Pieta. The original statue is in the St. Peter’s Basilica and sheltered behind glass, making it difficult to observe details.

The tour winds down to the Gallery of the Papal Carriages. On display are the regal carriages, palanquins, limos, pope mobiles from 1856 till 2005. The star attractions is the limousine gifted by Daimler Benz, but engineered by Mr. Ferdinand Porsche. You also get to see the Pope-mobile on which Pope John Paul II was shot on the fateful morning of 11th May 1981.

Moving forward onto the Candelabra section you will see a collection of Greco Roman Statues of Artemis, Bacchus and many others, standing alongside enormous marble candle stands.

On the left side of the Gallery of Tapestries you will notice works from Belgium representing a sequence from the life of Christ & the right side unveils pieces from the life of Pope Urban VII which were all made near Milan. Don’t forget to check out the ceiling which looks sculpted but was actually frescoed.

The last part of your visit in the Vatican Museum is the Gallery of Maps, also known as being the longest corridor in the building. The maps which are 500 years old have a unique intentional mistake - are upside down as they are oriented towards Rome.

The experience continues with touring the St.Peter's Basilica. 186 meters long and 150 years of labor - this is the largest basilica in the world. Swirl around to admire the 11 domes, Bernini’s altar, Michelangelo's cupola and his Pieta. If you wish to be even more impressed, check out the paintings on the dome which are actually mosaics made of glass & ceramic.

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Included

Visit the Sistine Chapel first
Professional English speaking guide with a clear diction
Headsets
Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Basilica

Not included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
The itinerary is not wheelchair accessible unless the person in the chair can stand up, climb and descend a few stairs.
The tour itinerary is 2.3 km long on hard marble. Hence wear comfortable sneakers or shoes with orthopedic inner soles.
Please bring a bottle of water per person.
If it is raining carry umbrellas that are compact and can be folded and not ones that have sharp pokey end. The long one give by your hotels will have to be checked into the cloakroom of the museum and involves a 1 km walk to get it back again.
Carry medium size back packs as large ones will be checked into the cloak room and involves a long walk to get them back.
The following items along with the bags will have to be checked into the cloak room: glass bottles of any kind, swiss knives, wine openers, large tripods and large bags.
Photography is permitted in most rooms but without flash. It is prohibited to photograph inside the Sistine Chapel.
The tour ends in front on the Basilica. You can spend more time inside the Basilica but you cannot go back to the Sistine Chapel nor the Museum.
You can also chose to climb the dome on your own, for a separate fee.
On Wednesdays the Basilica is closed until noon due to the Papal Audience.
On extraordinary cases the Basilica can be closed without notice. This is out of our hands, but will give you an extended tour of the museum and description of the Basilica. Refund will not be offered due to the closure of the church.
A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers