Viator
4.5
199 reviews
Complete Vatican: Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peters Basilica
★ 4.5 (459 reviews, Viator and Tripadvisor) · Operator: Walks - Italy & Spain
- 4 h on the listing; the time can vary by option
- Up to 18 people, up to 15 per booking
- Live guide: English
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Editor's take
Walks allows 3.5 hours for its Complete Vatican Tour, with up to 18 people sharing a guide. Your route includes the Raphael Rooms and Gallery of Maps before the Sistine Chapel. The guide also takes you inside St Peter's Basilica.
The afternoon Vatican Express option leaves out the Basilica. Wednesday morning Complete departures replace it with more time in the Museums. Choose a different day if St Peter's is central to your plans. Names must match your ID and cannot be changed.
Which Walks Vatican option includes St Peter's Basilica?
4 options. Prices are per adult for a party of two, the usual lowest price of each option. The booking page shows the price for your date.
| Option | When | Guide | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vatican Express TourDuration: 3 hours & Sistine Chapel: Discover the Vatican Museums on a skip-the-line guided tour, avoiding the typical crowds. St. Peter's Basilica not included. Starting point: Touristation Cappella Sistina, Viale Vatica | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 15:15, 16:15 | English | €76 |
| Complete Vatican TourDuration: 3 hours 30 minutes & St. Peter's Basilica: Skip the line on a guided tour of the Museums, Sistine Chapel and Basilica for a unique insight into Vatican history and art. Starting point: Touristation Cappella Sis | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 08:45, 09:45, 10:15, 11:15, 12:45, 13:15 | English | €79 |
| Early Access Complete VaticanDuration: 4 hours & St. Peter's Basilica: Be among the first visitors of the day to step into the Sistine Chapel and skip the line to enter St. Peter's Basilica. Starting point: Antico Caffè Candia, Via Candia, 153, 0019 | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 07:15, 07:45 | English | €119 |
| Private - Complete VaticanDuration: 3 hours 30 minutes: Explore the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica with your own private guide. Starting point: Touristation Cappella Sistina, Viale Vaticano, 95, 00192 Roma RM, Italy | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 09:00, 10:00, 10:30, 11:30, 13:00, 13:30 | English | €345 |
What's included
Included
- Local English-speaking guide
- Gallery of the Maps
- Raphael Rooms
- St. Peter’s Square (Early Access & Complete Vatican options only)
- Skip the Line Access tickets to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
- Gallery of the Tapestries
- Gallery of the Candelabra
- Pinecone Courtyard
- Apollo Belvedere & Laocoön & His Sons
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Peter's Basilica (Early Access & Complete Vatican options only)
Not included
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Tour or official ticket?
Complete Vatican Tour starts from €79 against €25 for the official Museums ticket; St Peter's entry is free. The extra pays for your guide through the Museums and inside St Peter's. The official route costs less if you want to go at your own pace.
Meeting point
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tour meets at Touristation Cappella Sistina, Viale Vaticano 95, 00192 Roma RM.
Itinerary
From the operator: Walks - Italy & Spain's own description of the route.
Vatican Museums
Enjoy our specially designed route showing you all the famous works along with our favorite lesser-known sights.
Sphere within a Sphere
Entering the peaceful Pinecone Courtyard, you'll pass a large bronze statue symbolizing the emergence of the new world from the old designed for the Vatican by well-known Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro.
Courtyard of the Pinecone
Your stops include the Belvedere Courtyard with Apollo Belvedere & Laocoön & His Sons, the Pinecone Courtyard, the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Gallery of the Maps, and the Gallery of the Tapestries and amazing views of St Peter's Basilica all in one incredibly planned itinerary.
Raphael Rooms
Visit the Raphael Rooms, widely considered to be among the most beautifully-frescoed interiors on earth.
Stop 5
Guided tour & Photo Stop
Sistine Chapel
Step inside the Sistine Chapel to marvel at Michelangelo’s frescoes. Your guide can’t speak inside, but before they take you in they’ll tell you what to look for and give you the surprisingly acrimonious story behind the famous room. Soak up the little details like Michelangelo’s self-portrait and hidden insults in the Last Judgement.
St Peter's Basilica
Skip-the-line into St. Peter's using a special, group-only door. Listen to your guide explain the story behind the church's 120-year construction and learn about the precious art and treasures inside. Please Note: Access to the Basilica is not included in the Vatican Express option.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Know before you go
From the operator: Walks - Italy & Spain's own notes for this tour.
Tickets and ID
- All guests (including children) must bring ID on the day of their tour.
- The full names of all participants must be provided at the time of booking and must match the names on the ID/Passport. Name changes are not permitted.
Access and children
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
Route and closures
- The special access passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesday mornings. It is subject to other closures during special celebrations/festivities, including the Easter ceremonies. On such days we will instead explore more of the Vatican Museums' galleries.
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Walks Tours is an Accredited Tour Operator with an official ticketing agreement with the Vatican Museums.
- Please note: This tour offers multiple options. Take a moment to choose the one that best suits your interests.
Reviews
4.5 out of 5 from 459 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor together. 88% gave 4 or 5 stars.
Tripadvisor
4.6
260 reviews
As shown on Viator, read . The rating is for the whole listing, not for one option, and we do not have the review texts.
Photos
From the Walks - Italy & Spain listing, 15 photos in all.
From the operator
From the operator: Walks - Italy & Spain's own description of the tour.
Our Complete Vatican Tour gives you the best of the museum's collections and an in-depth understanding of the art, architecture, and history contained within the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. The specially curated itinerary ensures that you see the most famous attractions as well as lesser-known gems in just over 3 hours. With skip-the-line tickets to both the Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica there is no quicker or more accessible way to see the best of the Vatican.
Read more
Prefer a laid-back afternoon experience? Book the Vatican Express Tour with Sistine Chapel for a relaxed visit after the crowds have left for the day (St. Peter's Basilica not included).
