Vatican Express Tour: Highlights of the Museums & Sistine Chapel

See the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel without crowds.

Experience the Sistine Chapel and the highlights of the Vatican Museums at one of its quieter moments of the day. With afternoon entry three hours before closing time, you’ll enjoy a relaxing visit and avoid the large crowds that typically fill the halls in peak daytime hours.

Following a specially curated route, you'll see some of the most beautiful and fascinating works of art and architecture in the world on this afternoon Vatican tour. Not only does this tour cover the must-sees at the Vatican Museums, it also gives you an insider's perspective on the bigger picture: power and politics in Vatican City.

Enjoy skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums.

In order to make the most of every moment on your afternoon Vatican tour, you'll have privileged entrance at the Vatican Museums. This means you'll skip the notoriously long general access line—which, during high season, often stretches for hours. Throughout your tour, your expert guide will bring the Vatican’s dramatic past to life. From the Pinecone Courtyard to the statue galleries and the unmissable Sistine Chapel, you'll see the best the Museums have to offer without jostling for space and while hearing the stories and context behind the art from your expert guide.

Small groups of 18 or fewer keep your Vatican tour casual and engaging.

Smaller and more intimate than many similar tours on the market, you'll have fantastic access to your expert guide to ask them all your burning questions with ease. All of our guides are knowledgeable, passionate storytellers who are specially trained to give you a real sense of the drama and power that has played out in these very halls.

This small group afternoon Vatican tour ensures that you avoid the crowds with strategically timed afternoon entry and eliminates waiting in line to see all the highlights of the Vatican, including the Sistine Chapel.

Note: On select days, we also offer this Vatican express tour at 10am. You should expect more people in the Museums, but you'll still enjoy an expert-led tour of its highlights and the Sistine Chapel.

Walks Tours is proud to be an Accredited Tour Operator with an official ticketing agreement with the Vatican Museums.

Please note that this description is an example and your experience may vary depending on the season, day of the week, and group size. Regardless of where your tour goes, you always have an excellent experience.