Viator
4.6
79 reviews
Semi Private Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum and Basilica Tour
★ 4.8 (204 reviews, Viator and Tripadvisor) · Operator: Europe Odyssey Tours di Rahul Raghavan & C.sas
- 3 h on the listing; the time can vary by option
- Up to 10 people, up to 10 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
Europe Odyssey visits the Gallery of Papal Carriages before continuing to St Peter's Basilica. Each departure lasts 3 hours with up to 10 people. You visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with an English guide.
The Pinacoteca is included along the way. You need at least 2 people to book. If Basilica access is unavailable, another site or gallery replaces it. You pay separately if you want to climb the dome.
How large is Europe Odyssey's Vatican tour group?
1 option. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi Private Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum and Basilica Tour | Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat 08:00, 08:30, 13:00, 13:30 | English | €145 |
What's included
Included
- Professional English speaking guide with a clear diction
- Ear phones are included for groups of 6 or more
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and Drinks
Tour or official ticket?
From €145 against €25 for official Museums and Sistine Chapel entry, the extra pays for English guiding. St Peter's Basilica is free to enter. Choose official Museums tickets and visit the Basilica yourself if you prefer your own pace.
Meeting point
Get to 91, Viale Vaticano. Look across the street and you will see the guide standing by the bus stop along the Vatican walls with a Europe Odyssey sign.
Itinerary
From the operator: Europe Odyssey Tours di Rahul Raghavan & C.sas's own description of the route.
Vatican Museums
Start your tour at the renowned Vatican Museums. Aside from being the home of the Pope, Vatican city is also home to the Vatican Museums, the world’s largest collection of art with 9 miles of art that could wrap around the Vatican walls 4 ½ times!
Read more
It contains 54 museums, 1400 rooms, chapels, and galleries. Aside from the renowned Sistine Chapel, the museums also display the only work of Leonardo Da Vinci in Rome, St. Jerome, the Raphael Rooms, and the Pinoteca, which contains collections of the Popes, all dating back to the middle ages and are set in chronological order.
Sistine Chapel
Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is possibly the most well known masterpiece in modern day, with over 5 million visitors per year. It was a project the artist took on reluctantly because his focus was sculptures, and he would complain about the physical toll it took on his body.
Read more
It is said that the design of the chapel from Pope Sixtus IV, is modeled after Solomon’s temple from the Old Testament, measuring at just larger than a professional basketball court! There are many more frescoes to admire here from other artists, including: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pietro Perugino, Cosimo Roselli and Sandro Botticelli.
St Peter's Basilica
You will head through a secret entry into our last stop on the tour, St. Peter's Basilica: the largest basilica in the world, with markings inside the church to ensure every other basilica would fit inside. The curious visitor is treated to Michelangelo’s Pieta at the front, 150 mosaics, and Bernini’s baldacchino, which stands at 96 feet tall and 100,000 pounds of bronze!
Read more
Surprisingly, there is only one actual painting in the basilica, and it can be spotted hanging above the Pieta. Many popes are buried in the church or are on display, but most of the popes are buried underneath the basilica including St. Peter, the first pope.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Know before you go
From the operator: Europe Odyssey Tours di Rahul Raghavan & C.sas's own notes for this tour.
Tickets and ID
- Entry to St. Peter's Basilica may be subject to unexpected closures or limited availability of tickets. If an area typically included in the tour is closed, our guide will provide an explanation and show an additional site or gallery to compensate As these circumstances are beyond our control, we appreciate your patience and understanding.
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
What to wear
- 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
Rules inside
- 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.
- Bring Umbrellas that can fold and are not long have a pokey end
Access and children
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for clients who cannot climb and decent stairs
Route and closures
- On Wednesdays the Basilica is closed until noon due to the Papal Audience.
- 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.
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Please bring a bottle of water per person.
- Carry medium size back packs as large ones will be checked into the cloak room and involves a long walk to get them back.
- You can also chose to climb the dome on your own, for a separate fee.
Reviews
4.8 out of 5 from 204 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor together. 94% gave 4 or 5 stars.
Tripadvisor
5.0
125 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 Europe Odyssey Tours di Rahul Raghavan & C.sas listing, 5 photos in all.
From the operator
From the operator: Europe Odyssey Tours di Rahul Raghavan & C.sas's own description of the tour.
Discover the best of the Vatican City in a 3 hour tour of the Museum, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica. Our group size averages just 10 people. Enjoy being guided through the largest collection of art in the Western Hemisphere. Your professional English speaking guide will walk you through the Gallery of Papal Carriages, Gallery of Tapestries, Gallery of Maps, Pinacoteca and the Sistine Chapel. The last part of the tour quickly brings you into St.
Read more
Peter’s Basilica, exclusively going down the Scala Regia and passing in front of the Pope's office and the Swiss Guards! Be prepared to be amazed by the grandeur and splendor of man's creation.
