Skip the Lines Vatican City Tour

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City Italy

In the Vatican Museum, your guide will take you on a highlights tour of the most interesting artifacts, sculptures and artwork that have great stories and scandals behind them.

During the Vatican Museums portion of the tour, you’ll get to visit the picturesque Vatican garden, Cortile della Pigna. Your local guide will take you to the most interesting galleries within the museums – the Rotunda, Gallery of Tapestries and Gallery of Maps. Each of these rooms contain ornate ceilings with the walls decorated with ancient statues, frescoes and tapestries. Your guide will point out a few tricks used by the artists, which will enhance your appreciation of their works of art, as well as their sense of humor!

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Citta del Vaticano 1, 00120 Vatican City Italy

The greatest gem of the Vatican collection is not a painting on any wall, but an entire ceiling and wall completely frescoed by the greatest genius of the Renaissance period – Michelangelo Buonarotti.

From the Creation of Adam to the Last Judgement, Michelangelo dedicated some of his greatest years to the Sistine Chapel, working day and night – even sleeping in the chapel – to satisfy the popes of Rome. He also expressed his frustration with his employers with jokes hidden in his work, which only he would understand – today these have been uncovered and understood and your guide will explain these to you so you too can share in Michelangelo’s private jokes!

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza di San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy

Leaving the Sistine Chapel, you’ll enter St. Peters basilica – without having to wait in line.

St. Peter’s is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world.Standing beneath Michelangelo’s great dome, you cannot help but feel somewhat humbled by the expansive surroundings.

Built over St. Peter’s tomb, the basilica took more than 120 years to complete and is one of the most important sites in Christianity.

The Basilica features several chapels and contains numerous statues and mosaic works of importance. Your guide will point out the most important, and leave you with time to look around by yourself. The Pietà, one of Michelangelo’s most well-known religious sculptures, is among the highlights of this part of your visit.

Duration: 45 minutes