Sistine Chapel Spotlight - Vatican Museums Highlights

Extended Description

Make no mistake: When you’re at the Vatican, you’re in the palm of power. Few places, or nations, have influenced our world today—from religion to politics to art—more than this one.

So when you visit the Vatican, we at Walks of Italy think that you should come away with an understanding of more than just the museum’s art collection… as fantastic as it is! You also should “get” the big picture. And that’s exactly what can get lost either with a tour that focuses too much on the details, or by wandering around the overwhelming galleries on your own.

Let our entertaining, and expert, guides make the Vatican’s dramatic past come to life. As you walk through the Vatican museums, learn how these opulent galleries have always been a place for the Popes to “show off” their wealth and power. Even before Pope Julius II installed one of his favorite pieces, the Apollo Belvedere, in a palace courtyard and invited artists like Michelangelo to study it, the art within these halls served as potent symbols to those living within and visiting the Vatican, from cardinals to ambassadors to heads of state.

Take the Raphael Rooms, painted by Renaissance ingénue and Michelangelo’s rival Raphael when he was only 25. Their subjects are religious, their style beautiful and iconic. But they’re also political—as in one scene of a Biblical story that warns viewers not to usurp the Church’s territory… and to drive that point home, even (anachronistically) has none other than Pope Julius II in it!

As you explore these world-famous halls, get to know the larger-than-life figures that once roamed them, from Pope Alexander VI (the Borgia pope who moved four of his illegitimate children, along with his mistress, into the Vatican with him!) to Pope Julius II (Alexander’s rival, called the “Warrior Pope” for his penchant for leading armies—and forcing cardinals to join them!), from Bramante (the Renaissance genius whose cunning maneuvers edged out other artists from the pope’s favor, causing Michelangelo to flee) to Michelangelo (whose legendary tiffs and temper tantrums almost kept him from finishing the Sistine Chapel ceiling!). Walking in their footsteps, feel the reverberations of their personalities—and of the earth-changing decisions that they made.

As an extra bonus, we'll end the tour in the Sistine Chapel. There you will have the option to remain inside this incredible room for as long as you want, to admire the breathtaking paintings by Michelangelo and other great artists, or to continue exploring the Museums. Alternatively, you will have the option of leaving the Sistine Chapel with your guide and gain access to St. Peter's Basilica through a direct skip-the-line entrance. Once in St. Peter's Basilica, you will be free to explore the Basilica, visit the Papal Crypts, or even climb the dome to the highest point in Rome!